What should we pay for a yoga class?
I’ve just finished the fourth draft of an email to my subscriber list letting you know about an increase in the pricing for my classes. Why does it feel so difficult to talk about money and yoga side by side?
The sanskrit word seva describes this work: a selfless service. There is something universal about these practices and I believe it is a true act of service to share them with authenticity, without an expectation of any reward in return. When I teach, it is to point a student in the direction of something which is already in them. It’s to guide them towards a felt sense of fullness that has always been there beneath the surface. Putting a price on this universal and vital work naturally feels uncomfortable. When there can be such obvious benefits to this practice, it feels exclusive to offer it only for those that can afford it.
But this work takes time and money to share. And as much as I might wish otherwise, we live in a society where an income is required to support our wellbeing. That means that yoga classes, like everything else, come with a price tag. But what should that price be?
This price is dependent on a few factors. You might consider the experience of the teacher; the years of teaching under the belt, their personal investment in ongoing education and training, the daily self practice and time spent reading and engaging with yoga philosophy. There’s also the facilities at the studio to consider. A higher price point for a space with lovely new props and a fancy shower with even fancier shampoo? There’s a few practicalities as well; the length of the class, the number of students in the room and in my case, when renting a space to teach, those rental costs, as well as associated cleaning charges and the cost of running your own website and booking platform.
When I first started organising my own classes I had been teaching for two years and while I wasn’t completely fresh faced, I was still a relatively new teacher with minimal experience teaching in larger studios. This class was an opportunity for me to build my experience, to experiment with new practices, ideas and techniques on my own terms. It was also an opportunity to offer a longer 75 minute practice when most of my corporate and studio classes were 45 to 60 minutes. It was, and still is, my favourite class to teach for all these reasons.
When I started this class in 2023 I set my pricing at £10 per class. I wanted the class to be affordable and recognised that while the space is beautiful, tranquil and welcoming, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of a more established studio space. In the last 2.5 years the costs associated with running this class have increased, from cleaning at the studio to my monthly direct debits for my website and bookings. My experience as a teacher has also deepened, informed by a second long form specialist training in Daoist Flow with a set of truly inspirational teachers and the quality of my offering has developed alongside this.
And the sticky place that this really comes down to is a deeper question around self worth. There is a safety in charging less for anything because it lowers expectations. It shields you from complaints or negative feedback. It also devalues the hours spent studying, training, planning and preparing myself to teach each class.
It feels really difficult for me to say, but I now feel confident that I have something unique to offer as a teacher. This has come from years of practiced teaching skills and continued investment in my own development through training and regular practice. It feels like a refining of the wide tools at my disposal as a teacher to develop a way of sharing that feels authentic to me. This takes time. It’s curating the practices, words, techniques, philosophies and shapes that have rung true to me, digesting them and presenting them in a way that connects the dots. Recently, this has been a dive into somatic movement patterns as well as a return to ancient philosophy. It’s a process and I look forward to digging deeper to see how this groove deepens with time.
Only by taking care of myself am I in a position to authentically share these practices. By revaluing this class I can offer myself more time in this developing process. I will be able to practice more regularly with my own teachers. There is a phrase often heard on teaching training, that you cannot give from an empty cup. I’ve felt how true this is. In the times when I’ve been pulled in many directions, fitting classes in between other jobs and not prioritising time on the mat for myself, my teaching has suffered.
My single class price will now be £14 with class packs available, reducing this price to £10 when you buy a pack of 10. I want these classes to remain accessible and that means that if these prices are no longer affordable to you for any reason, you can reach out to me directly to arrange a payment structure that fits with your finances. I know what it feels like to not be able to afford these practices, or to ration how often you go to the studio, because I’ve been there. So please do contact me if this is you and we will make it work.
As a student, I have been so happy to pay my own teachers for the incredible value and nurturing I get from their experience of the practice. I hope you feel the same when you come to practice with me and know that your investment goes towards me continuing to grow alongside you as both a student and teacher of this lifelong journey of yoga. I know how fortunate I am to have built up such a supportive and kind community of people and my cup really does fill to the brim sharing these classes with you.
Sending so much warmth and thanks to everyone that has chosen to practice with me and I can’t wait to move and breathe with you again soon.