A closed fist isn’t open to abundance.

“People with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much; and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for me.

The more principle-centered we become, the more we develop an abundance mentality; the more we are genuinely happy for the successes, well-being, achievements, recognition, and good fortune of other people. We believe their success adds to…rather than detracts from…our lives.”
~ Stephen R. Covey

“There is no such thing as a lack of faith. We all have plenty of faith, it’s just that we have faith in the wrong things. We have faith in what can’t be done rather than what can be done. We have faith in lack rather than abundance but there is no lack of faith.

Faith is a law.” ~ Eric Butterworth

One Yogini’s Opinion:

Names have been changed to protect the innocent!

It happened again.

I had one studio gently remind me not to advertise for another studio on their facebook page. I grow weary of this mindset.

So here’s the scenario: I teach at several studios (as many of us do), and sometimes I post reminders about my schedule. Reasonable, right? When I do it in one easy post it looks something like this:

This week Wednesday @studio A 5:30, pm Flow Thursday @studio B 7:oo pm Basics etc.

So when I submit, it posts this comment not just on my wall but on the wall of both mentioned studios. And here is where the hullabaloo begins. Out of the four studios I work for two of them are adamant that I don’t “advertise” for another studio.  This makes this yogini very, very sad.

A story that illustrates my point: several months ago this perception of lack came to attention due to the facebook posting issue. Owner of Studio A and I have a discussion on why I don’t “understand” her deleting my schedule post that inadvertently advertised for another studio (in another part of town). Her reasoning? Once upon a time she was open to sharing more, but another studio did her wrong. And if others aren’t going to play nice, why should she?

I let it drop, and maybe even might have forgotten, but what happened next has kept eating away at me.

About a week after this conversation, Studio A is holding a workshop that they are anxious to fill. Myself and two other teachers mention the workshop to students at other studios.

Bam the workshop fills, with the last people coming from ‘rival’ studios. Now these students occasionally take drop-in classes at Studio A. So here is a studio “profiting” from advertising in other studios…and the studios they were pulled from suffered no adverse effect. And yet, even faced with this, when I asked if I could let students know about a workshop I was holding at another studio, I was categorically denied. I lose. Students lose—and ultimately I feel the owners lose.

I think we are missing an incredible opportunity, both spiritually and fiscally. Am I off base? I feel as if we are operating from a point of view of lack and duality that is antithetical to walking our yoga talk!

If you truly believe that we are all one, if you truly believe in the infinite abundance of the universe if you are open to possibilities and if your goal is first to help people then I believe that the money will follow, for all.

Here is my vision: we pool our collective resources so we can reach more people, spread the word faster and easier, and with less burden. Let’s say I’m doing a workshop at Studio A…if I could “advertise” at all my affiliate studios, I could offer discounts for any member of any of the studios, perhaps garner interest to hold that workshop at another studio at another time, maybe students start cross attending the studios (they already do…you can capitalize on that) I see nothing but win win win. coordinate a little with each other? 2 of these studios are so far away from each other it is silly to see them as competition, the only thing that they could be is availability for cross pollination if say a student worked near one and lived near another. For the two that are closer together maybe you offer your basic and intermediate and/or restorative at alternating times so students have options and both places draw the maximum student base for that class.

When I was a student I had cards for three different studios in Denver. I had a monthly membership to one, and punch cards for two others. I am certain more people would do that if there were incentives: Member at Studio A? Get 10 percent off punch cards at Studio B.

I firmly believe that as yogis we have a duty to see beyond competition to enlighten business and see the abundant possibilities for all, we are the harbingers of a new way to see and to act and if we continue to operate within the limits of an old paradigm what are we really doing? If we shift our focus to ensuring that people get to yoga, get as much as possible I am sure the prosperity will follow. (PS I also see banding together as a way for small independant studios to say open and prosperous without giving into buyouts and merging, keeping the market open to differences)

Your studio can’t serve every last yogi in the area we need multiple studios. Share and we can all win. Keep your fist closed tightly and nothing can flow.

Help me understand? I really want to hear your opinions on this?

~

Asana (yoga pose) of the Week:

Tolasana – (Scale Pose): strengthens arms, hands, wrists and the core…and it’s all about balance 🙂

Wellness Tip of the Week:

Spiritual Tithing. Sometime we have to make room to receive. When we hold on tightly and hoarde it is actually more difficult to create a flow of abundance. Besides giving back a little helps you feel warm and fuzzy 🙂 (www.stbaldricks.org/participants/happyshaveday)

Mantra for the week:

Inhale: abundance exhale: for all