BlogHop

Yoga is about casting off pretty annoyances and toxic judgements – a seemingly Sisyphean task for those hopped up on city living. But what if irritation trails you right onto your mat, in the guise of ring tomes, exhibitionist or bliss – busting interruptions?

Is there no Emily Post of the yoga studio to tell you us how to behave? Not really. Common sense and fellowship usually dictate good manner. Still teachers and students, no matter how tolerant, harbour pet peeves. Here are a few, in no particular order, culled from interview and online rants.

SOUND EFFECTS

A blogger wrote recently about her teacher uncharactersitically played a pop song in class. As a result, the “unimaginable” happened: The woman doing yoga nest to me began to song along to the song.

Ginsberg refrained from yelling an obscenity – laden command for her neighbour to shut up. She thought about leaving the class. But her teacher came to the rescue and asked the woman to stop singing. Broadway – caliber grunts are more common than singalongs and only slightly less exasperating. Grunts are, of course, acceptable since they are a natural reaction to exertion. But, as a blogger pointed out, it does get awkward.

CELLPHONES

It goes without saying: cellphone chatter, unending ring tones and texting are roudly booed.

BARGING OUT

Hearing a fellow student leave class noisily, as you soak in those final minutes of well – earned relaxation, is akin to being woken up mid-sleep by an air horn (well, almost). It is too sudden, too soon.

BARGING IN

The same goes for people who march into class, whip open their mats and plunk down their belongings, sometimes while others are meditating. “The thwapping of the mat is very jarring”. The class is quite. Sometimes there is music playing. Pleople can be really loud.

HYGIENE

No one smells like a rose in yoga class if you were aiming to have a quick weight loss and you shouln’t, because some people are allergic to or just dislike inhaling perfume. But body odor shouldn’t make you gag, either. Foot odor can be even worse. So, for those who live in walk-ups, arise to the melody of garbage trucks and slumber to the lullaby of barking dogs: keep your cellphone off and your grunts as soft as you can and wash your feet!