Blogpost: How to Make Your Yoga Students Feel Safe in Class

One of the qualities that sets good yoga teachers apart from excellent yoga teachers is that the latter know how to make their students feel safe right from the beginning of class.

Here are some things you can say at the beginning of class. I personally like to make all these points when I’m teaching a brand new class. Over time, certain aspects will become unnecessary.

Introduce yourself -> just a quick “Hi, I’m [your name], and I’m happy to be here today.”

“Before we begin, I’d like to ask: Has anyone here never done yoga before?” If someone raises their hand: “I’m honored :)” (perhaps say something like: “If you get confused, feel free to ask questions anytime.”)

“Before we begin, I’d like to remind you that this is YOUR practice. You are here for YOU and for YOU alone. This means, if you feel like for whatever reason this class isn’t right for you today, you can leave anytime. I won’t take it personally! Also, you can take as many breaks as you want; even if you decide to spend the entire class in child’s pose, that’s totally fine!

Also, listen to your body. You know it best. If you feel like certain postures aren’t working for you, just take a different variation or ask me for help. That’s what I’m here for.”

“Does anyone have an injury you’d like me to know about? Just raise your hand, and I’ll come talk to you.” (Go to their mat, quietly talk to them about their injuries, and assure them that you’ll give them different options for certain poses if necessary)

“Is there anyone who doesn’t want to be touched today? It’s okay; I don’t take it personally.” (acknowledge students who are raising their hands by looking at them and nodding your head)

Now, you should be good to go to start the class. Happy teaching! And if you have any more advice, please leave it in the comments, so that we can all learn from each other :)