Guidelines to help you deepen your study of yoga

  • Shower before you come to practice. Your body, your clothes and your mat should be clean and odor free.
  • Enter the practice space as quietly and respectfully as possible,
  • Maintain silence inside the practice room during practice times except when interacting with the teacher. Speak quietly when you speak with the teacher. 
  • Aim to focus on the sensation and sound of your own breath through your practice. 
  • Before you practice and directly after, keeping talking minimal is a way of caring your energy, and that of other students. Learning can happen if we create and support the internal and external environment for it. Before and after practice are important times to reflect and remain concentrated.
  • Drink plenty of water after class and during the day, but not during class or directly before.
  • Allow space for others to place their mats which may at times mean adjusting your mat. 
  • Practicing in a healing way is always possible. If you have an injury, communicate this to the teacher, and continue to come to practice, being open to adjusting your normal routine. The sequences are merely a praxis, not yoga itself. 
  • Practice should be done on an empty stomach. This typically looks like refraining from eating for a minimum of 3 hours before practicing is a general guide. It may also be helpful to keep your evening meal light or at least not too close to your bedtime so that you can rest well and be ready to practice in the morning. Ayurveda teaches that it’s best to eating your largest meal between 10am and 2pm when the digestive fires are at their strongest.
  • Plan to sweat. Bring a sufficiently sized, clean and dry towel or two each day. 
  • After practice, tightly roll up your mat from one end to the other. Tie your mat with a scarf or something of the sort. This helps us keep things tidy and allows us to clean around your mats between classes.
  • Take all personal belongings with you when you leave for the day.
  • Heavy menstruation days are a time for rest or very gentle practice. All practitioners can benefit from observing and respecting the body’s natural rhythms.
  • The shower is available for those who need it after practice. Please limit your shower time to 3-5 minutes per person out of respect for other students time constraints and to ensure there is enough hot water.
  • If you’re an experienced Mysore student and you visit another shala, practice primary series.

Policies

Payments

All classes must be paid in full prior to attending.

Attendance

Try to attend regular at least three times per week. Drops-ins are for visiting students or those who have a long commute and are experienced in the Mysore style practice.

Emails and Communication

Elizabeth wants to do everything possible to help you develop your practice. She welcomes emails pertaining to

  1. Scheduling and getting started at AYP
  2. Health issues or other issues that affect or deal with practice
  3. Thoughtful questions pertaining to yoga or yoga practice but ask in person if you’re able. 

AYP is not responsible for lost or stolen property. Cubbies are available in the lounge area, but please bring valuables such as phones (kept on silent), wallets, keys etc. into the practice room with you rather than leaving them the lounge area.