Best yoga school
A Yoga school perfectly suited to your needs
A place where you can learn yoga from scratch or improve your existing skills. A space that will allow you to fall in love with the practice of yoga and learn all its glories and shadows. An environment full of conscious and supportive kindred souls with whom you can understand each other without words. And finally, a practice that changes your outlook on the world and opens your eyes, mind and body to the new. What has yoga school been for you? Or what can it hold for you? Let's find out.
Why exactly yoga?
People have realized that they need tranquility as much as they need typical exercise, and yoga gives them both. You could say it's like a two-in-one, and we like such multifunctional solutions too, don't we? Although its roots go back thousands of years, its tenets are so universal that they don't age. And this probably guarantees its greatest success. We believe that since yoga benefited our ancestors, it also has something to offer us. Although we have adapted it over the centuries to meet changing needs, its main form has remained the same. All of this has led us to become fans of it, and so we have embraced true yogomania.
Do you practice yoga? You're trendy!
The yoga vibe continues at its best. Nowadays it is hard to imagine gyms that do not offer classes in this discipline. Besides, today yoga alone is sometimes not enough. It is now being combined with other activities - ballet, dance, fitness or pilates. In addition to these sensible and even interesting diversifications of yoga, we also have those strange and not fully understood ones - at least to us. So there is naked yoga, beer yoga, dog yoga and so on. Only in this madness is there still room for the realization of the principles of yoga philosophy? Ask yourself.
Reputable yoga schools are unlikely to succumb to temporary trends. They take one particular path and consistently stick to it. Although this does not at all mean that they do not keep up with the times. They go, or even run, because we ourselves demand that they be progressive and modern. We are definitely more likely to choose a school that offers us "something more" - beautiful interiors where we can take a photo for Instagram or interesting (and different than all) ideas for a relaxation area. After all, we're multitaskers ourselves, and we look for the same in places, services and even other people. We, Westerners do our best to adapt yoga, or Eastern philosophy, to our changing needs. That's why we want to practice asanas on suspended ropes or hammocks. From time to time, we'd love to sweat harder in a Bikram yoga class, and incorporate facial yoga into our skin care. Are all these "attractions" to be provided to us by a yoga school? Let's not expect it to include face yoga classes in its regular schedule, but maybe scheduling them once every 3 months would be a good idea? We’re only hinting J
Ah, those dilemmas! How to choose a yoga school for yourself?
You type the phrase "yoga school" into the search engine, add the city where you live and search, search, search. You look through the offers, read the reviews, take a look at the pictures. You want to choose a place that fits you and where you feel comfortable. At the same time, you expect that classes at a professional yoga school will allow you to develop your practice and achieve more and more. Or are you of the opinion that places like yoga school should be chosen only by recommendation? That's why you ask your colleagues and work acquaintances where they exercise and why they chose that particular place. Believe us, we understand it perfectly - we wouldn't want to end up in a random space either. We would like to make this decision a little easier for you, so we have prepared a short guide for you. As always, it will be in our style.
A place that will attract you and keep you for a long time
One school, one teacher and one type of yoga practiced for a long time - this is a guarantee of yoga success. Yoga is a road - sometimes winding and bumpy, but it always leads somewhere. With regular practice, we want to achieve certain effects and experience certain results, but they won't come right away. It's a bit like sculpting - to see the end result, the sculptor has to chisel, polish, refine every day. He must be patient and consistent. It will be the same with yoga and any other physical activity (or even more broadly - life?) that we undertake. There are times when exploration becomes an important part of the path, but you can't lose yourself in it. Therefore, don't spend too much time and energy on them, and once you find the right yoga school, stick to it, because it will help you succeed. Even when you will have to make some concessions, after all, it is rare to be able to have everything at once. A yoga school may turn out to be ideal in terms of access to teachers or planned space, but at the same time it will be less well located, connected, or maybe too expensive? Among all the pros and cons, you must be able to choose the most important ones for yourself, and at the end say - this school has that something that made me choose it.
A space that makes you feel safe
Designed and equipped to provide comfort and guarantee the safety of practice. Because there are seemingly a few dangers lurking in yoga - poor preparation, injuries, contusions. And many of them don't depend on ourselves at all. First, the training room, which should be spacious, resistant to outside noise and decorated minimally so that nothing distracts exercisers. Second, the accessories available, which must be cleaned and disinfected as often as possible. Third, responsible employees who will pay attention to the preparation of "students" for classes. They may "cling" to any detail, such as training clothes that are too warm or strenuous attempts to practice in socks, which can end badly. It's better if they cling a little too much than not react at all.
A place where you can be yourself
In a yoga school, you look for normality above all. Be aware of overly uptight or bloated people working there, and avoid excessive looseness and freedom. You certainly wouldn't want to find yourself in a place where you will be judged. Where more important than the practice itself will be how you dress or what mat you practice on. You find a yoga school where yoga simply counts. A place where people will behave according to its philosophy, and you will focus on improving YOUR practice. A place where you will have the space to make mistakes and correct them under the guidance of experienced instructors.
A place where you can express your opinion
This means reacting when you don't like something. A yoga school should be a space that is open to different people, cultures, behaviors and preferences. It's not about you going to a place where you will hear negative comments about other schools, methods or teachers right from the start. The philosophy of yoga is one, and all teachers, regardless of the stream in which they operate, should stick to it. There is no room for division and negative energy in yoga, so if you just feel it, it's a sign that a particular school is not for you. And probably not for anyone else.
A place that gives you a choice
A woman is changeable and sometimes she has the desire to try something new - a practice with accessories, a different style or conditions. That's why it's good to have this option when you need a break or a temporary break from the current type of yoga you practice. A yoga school's schedule should be diverse - so that everyone can find something for themselves in it. After all, among the yoga school's students, there are supporters of the dynamism they seek in Astanga Yoga. There are also fans of the slow, calm and soothing practice that Yin Yoga provides. There are amateurs of stronger sensations, namely Kundalini practice with energetic and spiritual dimensions. There are seekers of all the nooks and crannies of yogic philosophy, who care about intense and deep breath work, meditation or mantra. But we must not forget that there are also those who know so much about yoga that it exists, and still want to know it better. A yoga school is also a great place to try a practice with accessories that we often don't have at home. And finally, it's nice to practice in a school that goes beyond a certain framework - it organizes yoga practice in different places and different conditions. This way, for example, we can enjoy the greenery and fresh air in the park during the summer months, rather than practicing in a standard practice room.
A place that adapts to you, not the other way around
The luxury in today's world is TIME. We are given 24 hours in a day, which we have to divide between private life, work life, rest or pleasure. As it turns out, this is not at all that easy, as it is precisely time that we most often lack. Therefore, from the yoga school we require flexibility in terms of schedule, but do not forget to expect forbearance from ourselves. I pay, so I have the right to demand? On the one hand it's obvious, after all we are all consumers and want to be fully satisfied if we spend our money on something. But on the other hand, we are human beings - only and until, depending on the situations that confront us. We should not forget to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.
A place run by experienced teachers
Spiritual guide, coach, role model - it's hard to find a single definition that perfectly describes a yoga teacher. Or does she or he simply not exist? A yoga teacher must have that something - a certain gift, charisma, character. Something that will make us want them to be the one to guide us through the secrets of yoga. Personality is one thing - it's undoubtedly important, but a teacher, first and foremost, must have documentation of their knowledge and skills. And what's more, he or she must be able to impart this knowledge in such a way that captivates students. We cannot require teachers to devote their life only to yoga and live "like a monk," but they should set an example, as they will be an inspiration to many.
A yoga teacher should be familiar with anatomy, know how the body reacts to yoga practice and how it changes under its influence. Their job is not only to show and demonstrate certain positions, it is above all to observe, correct and respond to the practice of students. It is also important for them to be able to match the level of the class to the group they are practicing with. A good teacher inquires, takes an interest, responds to questions asked, and, if necessary, patiently corrects. And so on until the result is achieved J
A space friendly to your body and soul
Hey, it's ok that we have different expectations of the place where we practice yoga. For some, the necessary comfort will be the ability to use the shower after class, for others, a lot of space in the practice room. Yoga schools would like to provide their users with the best of everything, but is it possible? We are not sure if there are such places that can meet everyone's requirements. Fortunately, after all, there are different schools with different offers, teachers, facilities. And the best part of it all is precisely that we have a choice.
How about an online yoga school?
Imagine a space that allows you to practice on your own terms and according to the conditions you dictate. It gives you a sense of independence, as you choose the location and the hour set aside for practice yourself. At the same time, it provides you with much more freedom and intimacy while practicing. Such an arrangement will be paradise for any introvert for whom your own company is the best choice. But after all, it's not only introverts who suffer from a lack of time and space in their schedule for another chore, right? That's why in this topic it's hard to put specific boundaries - online yoga will be good for some, and not so good for others. We know one thing - today time is a luxury value, and we should take maximum care of its quality. It is not worth wasting it on tiring commutes, unsatisfying classes, mismatched teachers or annoying fellow students. At the online yoga school, you arrange your own exercise plan and work at a pace that suits you. At the same time, you have access to consultations with certified instructors who can look at your progress with a watchful eye, give advice or verify mistakes. Technology today gives us so many opportunities that it's a shame not to take advantage of them!
How does such a "yoga Netflix" work?
A bit like any streaming platform - you pay a subscription and use all the goodness available there to your heart's content. You can choose your level, specific teachers or yoga styles. All this (and even more!) is available to you 24/7. Sometimes you get nice bonuses - invitations to free webinars with experts or discounts on events organized by the school. The online yoga school is always at hand - you can also use it via your smartphone, no matter where you happen to be. Of course, if there is an Internet connection there J
We hope that the choice of the yoga school will come with ease, and the school itself will meet your expectations. May your practice here be a beautiful adventure on the path of your spiritual development. See you somewhere, someday on the mat J
