We've all heard it, we've all seen it. Compared to most other types of exercise or physical training, yoga is freaking expensive. In my opinion, this is due to a few reasons.
1. To be totally transparent, yoga costs money.
The investment it takes to teach yoga is enormous, both in dollars and time. As teachers, we spend a lot of money to acquire the knowledge we have in order to teach fun, safe, creative classes.
It takes hundreds of hours (a conservative estimate) to learn the body’s anatomy, adjustments for injury, sequencing, the business of yoga, and not to mention years of time actually teaching to hone our craft and find our unique voice and style.
When you go to a yoga class, you’re (hopefully) getting taught by someone who knows their shit. Our training is ongoing and always evolving, so it doesn’t stop after the two month initial certification.
We have to continually renew and update our qualifications through weekend-long workshops or other continuing ed. Don’t get me wrong—it is a labor of love. But this love is costly to maintain.
2. Yoga is kind of a big deal right now.
Pinterest is full of beautiful bodies contorted into impossible-looking but stunning poses. Lululemon has convinced us that the only wardrobe essentials for any occasion are stretchy pants and bright hoodies.
If you ask any celebrity how they maintain balance in their life, I would bet money that they mention yoga somewhere in their answer. You can bet your asana that as long as the spotlight shines here, prices won’t get any kinder.
Especially in big cities where the demand is extremely high and the more popular, trendy yoga classes are taught by equally popular, hot, talented teachers, the higher prices will stay.
3. It definitely does the body (and mind) good.
For so many people, the physical practice of yoga quickly turns into much more. It becomes their hour away from chores and responsibility, the time it takes to refresh themselves after a stressful day, and sometimes even better care than the best therapist money can buy!
It’s where you discover that in your stillness is where you can be vulnerable and be where you are. Shoot, if someone guaranteed you all that I bet $15 would sound like a much better deal!
But here’s the secret we may all be forgetting.
It is a myth that yoga is so expensive. Yoga is actually free. You can do yoga in your PJs in your living room, in a park on a nice day, with a friend at the gym, or pretty much anywhere else. Don’t let the $12-$25 expense of a single yoga class be your crutch for not practicing something that makes you feel good.
