At some point, every person who practices yoga had to walk into a class somewhere, unsure of what to expect and unfamiliar with the rhythm of the studio.
From start to finish, here's what you can expect when you come to Burlington Yoga for the first time.
Some instructors do use incense and essential oils, please call ahead if you have a sensitivity.
Arriving
We're at 215 College Street, on the second floor. You'll find the doorway to the stairs right below the "215" sign and next door to Pho Son and Stone Soup. At the top of the first set of stairs, you'll see the entrance to the studio on the left. To your right, you'll see a long bench and a wall with coat hooks. Just beyond that is a restroom. You can leave your coats and extra outer clothes here, along with your shoes. We suggest bringing valuables like purses, wallets, and turned off cell phones into the studio.
Signing in
Please pre-register at least 1 hour in advance. If it's your first time to the studio, it's best to arrive 15 minutes prior to class, meet the instructor and discus any health issues that may require your mindfulness throughout the practice. Please read and sign our waiver before arriving.
Prices
Our In Studio classes are priced at $15 for 60 minutes and $17 for 90 minutes. Online classes are $12 for 60 minutes and $14 for 90 minutes.
You can also choose to purchase a 10-class punch card for $140 if you would like to prepay.
Before Class
You can change your clothes in the restroom on our floor, or the restroom on the third floor at the top of the stairs. We also have a small changing area behind heavy white curtains in the studio. Bags and clothing can be stored in the cubbies.
We have yoga mats that can be used at no cost if you don't have your own. Most people eventually choose to get their own mats once they start practicing regularly, but until then you're welcome to use ours. Please sanitize after the class. You'll also see a variety of "props" that may be used in class, depending upon the instructor and the type of class. These include blocks, straps, blankets and oblong pillows ("bolsters") that can be used during class. The instructor will usually indicate what you will need for class.
Find a spot in the room to unroll your mat. The instructor is in the center of the front row. If it's a small class, you can pretty much be wherever you like with space around you. In busier crowded classes, you'll need to be mindful and tighten up the space between your mat and the others around you.
PLEASE remember to turn your cell phone completely OFF. There are periods of class time that are very quiet or altogether silent. A cell phone on vibrate, stuck in a backpack or purse, makes a lot more noise than you might think. It can be very embarrassing for a student to be fumbling through his or her things, trying to silence a ringing or buzzing phone while the rest of the class continues. Please just turn it off!
Class
We offer several styles of classes at BY. If you've never been to a yoga class before, you might want to consider starting with a Beginner/Basics class. This class is not necessarily a room full of first-timers. Lots of people choose to practice in a beginner/basics class because they prefer the slower pace, explanations for when and how how to use props, or more detailed instruction in the holding of postures or transitions. BY offers a variety and range of classes, wherein instructors will teach more or less challenging postures and sequences, but offer options and modifications for students of different levels. Our popular Hatha Flow classes incorporate restorative and/or therapeutic postures, slightly longer holds with options and, as in all classes- guiding the breath. "Flow" classes are generally the most challenging classes on our schedule, and tend to move more quickly with less detailed instruction. We encourage each and every student to have complete agency over their own practice. Do what you need when you need it.
Yoga class is a series of postures or poses called "asanas" (AH-sa-nas). Some will challenge your strength, while others will challenge your balance. For the first-timer, many yoga poses feel like giant stretches and might feel difficult or uncomfortable. Part of your own learning as a student is to know and respect your limits. As your strength, flexibility, and balance begin to increase, you'll find that you'll be able to hold poses longer, or release more fully into them. But remember that there's no rush to get there. Feel yourself inside your own body, and begin your yoga practice in a way that allows you to push yourself a little, but still respects your current limitations. Part of yoga is knowing when to rest!
Class will usually start with a few minutes of centering, which might be quiet meditation or perhaps some breathing exercises led by the instructor. Following centering, the instructor will lead you through asanas – sometimes holding certain postures for longer periods, or sometimes moving more quickly through repeating sequences of postures. These kinds of sequences are referred to as "vinyasas" (vin-YAH-sas). The word vinyasa refers to the connection of movement with breath. You'll discover as you move through these vinyasa sequences how that comes together.
The asanas you may practice in a class will include some standing postures, some seated, some on your belly, and still others on your back.
After a winding-down period, class nearly always concludes with a pose called "Savasana" (sha-VAH-sa-na). During savasana, you will usually be lying on your back with the arms and legs extended, a support under your knees and eyes closed, keeping very still. This is a time to rest and reconnect with softer breath. You may find yourself feeling drowsy, and some easy sleepers may drift off. However, the aim of savasana is not sleep, but rather to foster mindful peacefulness and relaxation while keeping focused awareness on soft, slow, even breath. Following savasana, the instructor will generally close class with some final breath work, or lead the class through chanting "om."
At the very end of class, the instructor will say "namaste" (na-ma-stay) and the members of the class will generally respond with the same. The literal translation of namaste is "I bow to you" and it is generally used as a greeting or a way of expressing thanks in yoga. It is a gesture of deep respect, suggesting that we are all one when we live authentically from a place of love.
After Class
If you've borrowed a mat, please spray and wipe it down with the natural cleaner and towels you will find in the silver basket in the front of the room. When the mat is wiped clean, re-roll it and return it to the box of mats. Return any blocks, bolsters, or straps you've used during class as well. You may change in any of the same spaces that you might have used at the start of class.
Instructors are generally around for a few minutes after class to tidy up or to help transition the space for a class that follows. If you have specific questions or thoughts, we invite you to talk to our instructors. It's what we're here for!
We're at 215 College Street, on the second floor. You'll find the doorway to the stairs right below the "215" sign and next door to Pho Son and Stone Soup. At the top of the first set of stairs, you'll see the entrance to the studio on the left. To your right, you'll see a long bench and a wall with coat hooks. Just beyond that is a restroom. You can leave your coats and extra outer clothes here, along with your shoes. We suggest bringing valuables like purses, wallets, and turned off cell phones into the studio.
Signing in
Please pre-register at least 1 hour in advance. If it's your first time to the studio, it's best to arrive 15 minutes prior to class, meet the instructor and discus any health issues that may require your mindfulness throughout the practice. Please read and sign our waiver before arriving.
Prices
Our In Studio classes are priced at $15 for 60 minutes and $17 for 90 minutes. Online classes are $12 for 60 minutes and $14 for 90 minutes.
You can also choose to purchase a 10-class punch card for $140 if you would like to prepay.
Before Class
You can change your clothes in the restroom on our floor, or the restroom on the third floor at the top of the stairs. We also have a small changing area behind heavy white curtains in the studio. Bags and clothing can be stored in the cubbies.
We have yoga mats that can be used at no cost if you don't have your own. Most people eventually choose to get their own mats once they start practicing regularly, but until then you're welcome to use ours. Please sanitize after the class. You'll also see a variety of "props" that may be used in class, depending upon the instructor and the type of class. These include blocks, straps, blankets and oblong pillows ("bolsters") that can be used during class. The instructor will usually indicate what you will need for class.
Find a spot in the room to unroll your mat. The instructor is in the center of the front row. If it's a small class, you can pretty much be wherever you like with space around you. In busier crowded classes, you'll need to be mindful and tighten up the space between your mat and the others around you.
PLEASE remember to turn your cell phone completely OFF. There are periods of class time that are very quiet or altogether silent. A cell phone on vibrate, stuck in a backpack or purse, makes a lot more noise than you might think. It can be very embarrassing for a student to be fumbling through his or her things, trying to silence a ringing or buzzing phone while the rest of the class continues. Please just turn it off!
Class
We offer several styles of classes at BY. If you've never been to a yoga class before, you might want to consider starting with a Beginner/Basics class. This class is not necessarily a room full of first-timers. Lots of people choose to practice in a beginner/basics class because they prefer the slower pace, explanations for when and how how to use props, or more detailed instruction in the holding of postures or transitions. BY offers a variety and range of classes, wherein instructors will teach more or less challenging postures and sequences, but offer options and modifications for students of different levels. Our popular Hatha Flow classes incorporate restorative and/or therapeutic postures, slightly longer holds with options and, as in all classes- guiding the breath. "Flow" classes are generally the most challenging classes on our schedule, and tend to move more quickly with less detailed instruction. We encourage each and every student to have complete agency over their own practice. Do what you need when you need it.
Yoga class is a series of postures or poses called "asanas" (AH-sa-nas). Some will challenge your strength, while others will challenge your balance. For the first-timer, many yoga poses feel like giant stretches and might feel difficult or uncomfortable. Part of your own learning as a student is to know and respect your limits. As your strength, flexibility, and balance begin to increase, you'll find that you'll be able to hold poses longer, or release more fully into them. But remember that there's no rush to get there. Feel yourself inside your own body, and begin your yoga practice in a way that allows you to push yourself a little, but still respects your current limitations. Part of yoga is knowing when to rest!
Class will usually start with a few minutes of centering, which might be quiet meditation or perhaps some breathing exercises led by the instructor. Following centering, the instructor will lead you through asanas – sometimes holding certain postures for longer periods, or sometimes moving more quickly through repeating sequences of postures. These kinds of sequences are referred to as "vinyasas" (vin-YAH-sas). The word vinyasa refers to the connection of movement with breath. You'll discover as you move through these vinyasa sequences how that comes together.
The asanas you may practice in a class will include some standing postures, some seated, some on your belly, and still others on your back.
After a winding-down period, class nearly always concludes with a pose called "Savasana" (sha-VAH-sa-na). During savasana, you will usually be lying on your back with the arms and legs extended, a support under your knees and eyes closed, keeping very still. This is a time to rest and reconnect with softer breath. You may find yourself feeling drowsy, and some easy sleepers may drift off. However, the aim of savasana is not sleep, but rather to foster mindful peacefulness and relaxation while keeping focused awareness on soft, slow, even breath. Following savasana, the instructor will generally close class with some final breath work, or lead the class through chanting "om."
At the very end of class, the instructor will say "namaste" (na-ma-stay) and the members of the class will generally respond with the same. The literal translation of namaste is "I bow to you" and it is generally used as a greeting or a way of expressing thanks in yoga. It is a gesture of deep respect, suggesting that we are all one when we live authentically from a place of love.
After Class
If you've borrowed a mat, please spray and wipe it down with the natural cleaner and towels you will find in the silver basket in the front of the room. When the mat is wiped clean, re-roll it and return it to the box of mats. Return any blocks, bolsters, or straps you've used during class as well. You may change in any of the same spaces that you might have used at the start of class.
Instructors are generally around for a few minutes after class to tidy up or to help transition the space for a class that follows. If you have specific questions or thoughts, we invite you to talk to our instructors. It's what we're here for!
