I have a love hate relationship with yoga.

I’ve taught for 20 odd years, I’ve accumulated well over 1000 hrs of various trainings yet I’d say the experience of teaching is what has carried me further, albeit my training was and is imperative.

The competitive nature of teaching and the smug insincere, culturally inappropriateness and spiritual fakery that often comes with it has always been a bug bear.

My first experience of teaching was in a very busy gym environment, a far cry from some from the dedicated studios/shalas I’d practiced in. I was a nervous wreck but it was ok.  The studio was ok, the people were ok and the £35 hourly rate was ok. All was ok.

I’ve had an eclectic mix of teaching experiences since.   Inner city gyms, inner city studios, my own dedicated studio (the first in city centre studio in Birmingham), retreats in Europe or over looking the beach in Australia and now like many, Zoom.  All of which have had various earnings attached.

Of late, pre-pandemic, I’ve noticed more and more studios open locally to me.  Having ran a studio many moons ago I have no inclination to ever do it again but I’ve found it equally interesting to see these studios bounce straight off the bandwagon.

They all have very similar aspects.  They’re all very welcoming, selling yoga apparel and wellness related products.  Vast timetables, workshops, retreats all round beguiling “boujiness”.

I either get asked or I have enquired about teaching at these venues as is the nature of my job.

“Yes, we’d love you to join us at *insert studio name*” or “Hi we are opening a new yoga studio and would love you to be the leading teacher here at *insert another studio name”…….. *insert any new studio name*,  “Our rate is £25 per hour, when can you start?”.

Me – “£2F**KING5? (obviously in my head, not out loud).

…..and scene.

Yoga, Love, Light, Wellness, Non Toxic Clean? Or is it just plain DIRTY?

I’ve moaned about the corporatisation of yoga before (see previous articles) and I’m very aware that the day I decided to make a career from teaching yoga, I made a decision to monetise my knowledge and experience just as the corporates do.  Yet I’ve always tried to value my classes with the worth and integrity I give to those that attend and I expect the same from studios.

Here’s a little coffee scenario analogy for you, Mrs Nescaf realises that coffee is very popular at the moment.  She finds a cute space to open a cafe.  She spends a fortune on the decor and the furniture.  The place looks the bomb.  Mrs Nascaf has tried coffee before but has no experience in making coffee or which coffee is best. 

Customers visit the cafe because it’s the best new hip place to hang out.  Mrs Nescaf finds a few suppliers, some are high quality coffee beans and some are substandard powder.  Mrs Nescaf decides to go for the cheapest.  Customers put up with the bad coffee because some don’t know any different even though it makes them a little sick.

Mrs Nescaf decides she does need a few good quality beans but under pays the quality, experienced, hard working supplier, as she can’t afford to pay the correct amount.  In fact the well established, well experienced, hard working supplier continues to supply her business because  they try to make it work for her, in the belief that their coffee should be consumed rather than the bad coffee as it gives coffee a bad name. But consequently they have to chase Mrs Nescaf for their decreased payment even when Mrs Nescaf has splashed out on new, grain free, sugar free, non toxic, clean biscuits.

My question here is, not whether or not the quality bean supplier should accept the lower amount (they shouldn’t) my question is, should Mrs Nescaf have opened a coffee shop in the first place if she knew nothing about coffee or could not afford to pay decent coffee suppliers and provide her customers with quality coffee?  Why choose coffee?

Having earned £35 an hour for teaching 20 years ago I struggle with new studios opening up asking me to work for £25 because the cost of the refurb has been more than expected, or because “it’s a family business” (so am I) or because a new teacher will “do it cheaper”. 

I’m not a diva,  I have worked many times for free, either for charity or for a project I believed in but I struggle to understand the motives behind studios that prioritise the decor and oils over the very essence of their business.

If you’re are thinking it’s a good idea to open a studio so you can herd “students” in at an inflated cost and make money by paying the teacher as little as you can get away with under the guise of Love, Light, Fairies and Crystals, please don’t.

I’ve even often felt like studios are incredibly annoyed when I’ve asked for my payment after teaching a month of classes!  It’a as though I should feel privileged to be asked to work there, like because it’s “yoga” you shouldn’t care if its paid for or not. Wrong!

Just like the cancellation process.  If you book a plumber or an electrician for their time yet cancel last minute because they are no longer needed you fully expect to be charged.  Yet If you book a yoga teacher for their time, it’s fully acceptable to cancel if the class is not full enough – NO!

Teaching yoga is a valid business.  We all create a timetable based on studios booking us, we commit to that time, turn away other bookings once committed.  It’s not acceptable to be expected to work on a “maybe” basis. The onus for numbers is on the studio.  If class numbers are not reached the studio should discuss it with the teacher and find a solution, not cancel.

If you are a yoga studio paying teachers £25 per hour or less, shame on you.  Take a minute to think exactly for what reason did you open your studio and how is it operating differently to a sweat shop?

If you are a teacher, teaching for that rate don’t.  Do not accept such an insulting amount when the Dotera oils they’er more than likely using costs more per dab than you do.  Teaching Yoga is hard, it’s a skill.  Know your worth.