Featured Studio: Source Studio
Source Studio has been purchasing their hammocks from Aerial Fabric Acrobatics for some time and we’ve really enjoyed working with this inspiring studio that focuses on health and well-being! We think you should check them out, which is why they’re our studio of the month!
Source Studio is located in Riverside, California and offers a variety of “wellness classes,” including yoga classes such as slow flow yoga, Ashtanga yoga, and Kundalini yoga, and even classes involving BollyX and Pop Pilates workouts.
Learn more about Source Studio at SourceYogaCA.com!
Mohara’s Advice for Studio Owners
In honor of celebrating fathers this month, Mohara gave us some tips for how she helps men feel at ease in a studio environment.
WHEN WORKING WITH MEN…
INSPIRE HIM BY TEACHING HIM WHAT HE CAN DO WITH HIS BODY
He may not be used to touching his toes regularly, but get him to pull his knees up to his chest in a wrist wrap, or get him into a deep twist, and he will be excited to see what his body can do next!
KEEP IT FITNESS-BASED
Of course we all can benefit from a restorative aerial or an aerial thai yoga class, but get him hooked by first eliminating any ‘yoga is for women’ preconceived notions. Having him hold plank with his feet attached to the hammock will make him quickly realize ‘oh wow, this is challenging!’
REMIND HIM TO BREATHE
Masculine energy in both men and women is often exhausted by doing and getting, and constantly taking action. Get him to connect with his breath. An easy way to do this is to start with three Aums and arm circles. He will suddenly become present, no longer focused on what he needs to do or be, but rather instantly connected with his body.
PLAY MUSIC HE’LL ENJOY
While I prefer yoga music with mantras in class, there is no harm in playing something he is familiar with and enjoys. You can make a man feel comfortable in class by playing something mainstream, and there are many amazing Yogi men musicians, such as Girish, Krishna Das and Guru Singh for example that he will likely love to hear. If your Studio does any sound healing, I’ve also found men love and relax quickly when we play the gong for them at the end of an Aerial Yoga class.
BE PROFESSIONAL
This advice goes for all Yoga students, but most certainly should be taken when with men who are new to Yoga, that might get really excited when you connect them to feelings they’ve not yet connected to.
As a yoga teacher it is our job to help people connect to themselves, whether that’s physically, emotionally or spiritually. If and when that happens, it is not because of you, it is because they opened up. Their Spirit did the work and we had the honor of guiding them there.
When someone is open and in a vulnerable space, as with any teaching profession, it is important not to take advantage, or to do anything that could get them off track from their spiritual practice.
BE AVAILABLE AFTER CLASS
Ask if he has any questions and check in on how his experience was when class is over. Sometimes they will open up and share and sometimes they won’t, but they will appreciate being asked.