Nobody is watching you: You belong here!

If I could take one worry off the shoulders of every almost-student, it would be this one: “Everyone will be looking at me.” I understand it completely. Trying something new in a room full of strangers, in a body you’re not sure about, feels exposed. So let me tell you what the room is actually like.

Where everyone’s attention really is

For most of class, eyes are closed or looking down at a mat. In a forward fold, you’re looking at your own knees. In a balance pose you’re staring at one spot on the floor because that’s how balance works. Lying down at the end, everyone's eyes are closed. The person next to you is thinking about their own breath, their own tight hamstring, whether they remembered to move the laundry. They are not thinking about you. That’s not indifference; it’s the practice doing its job, pulling each person’s attention inward.

What I’m looking at

I do watch — that’s my job — but not the way you might fear. I’m looking for a knee that’s locked when it should be soft, shoulders creeping up toward ears, someone holding their breath. Without singling you out, I might suggest a block or a gentler version. It isn’t a correction; it’s me ensuring that your joints stay safe and making the pose fit even better for you. My most experienced students receive just as many of those cues as my newest ones.

A few things that help

• Take a spot in the back or by a wall the first time. There’s no seating chart, no mirrors, and nobody will think a thing of it.
• Whenever I offer a modification, take the easier option or the one that feels best for you. You can always add more next week. Choosing the gentle version is a sign of a smart student, not a weak one.
• If a pose isn’t working, rest. Lie down, sit, breathe. In yoga, resting is a pose. It has a name and everything.
• Come to the same class twice. The second time, the room starts to feel familiar, and the practice becomes easier.

Everyone in my classes--including me-- started with a first class, and most of them remember the nerves. That is exactly why the space we create together is safe, welcoming, supportive, and kind. As a trauma-informed and healing-centered teacher and coach, it is my passion to make yoga accessible and fun for all ages and abilities, and a self-conscious beginner is the person I most want to see walk through the door.

First time? Just come. My studio is located inside the Fleet Feet building at 1511 Mount Rose Avenue in York, PA — come in the main door, and my Yoga and Wellness Center entrance is inside and to the left. Parking is free, drop-ins are always welcome, and every regularly scheduled class is $15. You can register online or simply stop in.