Reasons for doing yoga: will yoga solve specific problems?

• Will yoga help me lose weight?

• Will yoga increase my stamina/ strength? Will it make me a better sportsperson/ runner/ swimmer/ footballer?

• Will yoga help me tone my muscles/ increase flexibility?

• Will yoga help me de-stress?

• Is yoga therapeutic? will yoga bring relief from my physical conditions – back pain, arthritis, thyroid problems, knee pain etc.

Who can do yoga: flexible/ stiff; old/ young; man/woman

• Who can/ should do yoga?

• Is yoga only for women?

• Is yoga only for old people?

• Can children practice yoga? Can my child come to the yoga class with me?

• Do I have to be flexible to do yoga?

• Do I need to have a calm personality to do yoga?

• Do I have to be a vegetarian for doing yoga/ Do I have to be a teetotaller to do yoga?

• Yoga originated in India. Is it part of the Hindu religion?

• I have a herniated lumbar disk/ a torn knee meniscus/ I have just undergone a heart surgery/ I am pregnant/ I am over 50 years old. Can I join yoga at the practice room?

When is it advisable to miss a class: sickness, pregnancy, menstruation, running late

• Should I do a class if i am sick?
• Should I do class after a long tiring journey?
• Should I do a class if i am tired/ sleepy?
• Should I do class if (for women) menstruating?
• Should I do a class if (for women) if i am pregnant?
• When can I re-start my practice after childbirth?

Why self practice? What to do? How much?

• Do i have to practice by myself over and above the classes that I do?
• Do i have to practice everyday? When i practice, should it be for a certain minimum time?
• What should I practice by myself? What sequence should I follow?
• What props should I have at home?
• Do I have to read/ memorise anything?
• As a beginner, what books should I read? What movies/ features should i watch?

fees, times, levels & admissions

• Can i just drop into a class?

• Can i come for a trial class?

• Can i join yoga at the practice room at any time?

• What do i have to do before registering for admission at the practice room?

• What are the class times and fees?

• Which batch is better for me – the morning batch or the evening batch?

• What are the terms of fee payment?

• Are there different levels of classes at the practice room? What do the levels ‘FOUNDATION’ and ‘CONSOLIDATION’ mean?

• I have done yoga earlier. Why do I need to join the Initiation Level batch or go through the Orientation sessions? Why cant I be admitted directly into a more advanced batch?

• How long is the yoga course?

• Can I learn yoga and then do it by myself?

• I am learning yoga at another place as well. But I want to experience Iyengar yoga.

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Ok, I have subscribed. What do I do next?

1. Please read through the Welcome email that you will receive, and spend some time working with the Preparatory material shared with you
2. You get access to the Practice Space Monthly Library offering as soon as you sign up.  This includes your weekly recorded classes for the whole month, the livestream (zoom) invites, Ques and Ans. recorded in previous classes.   Familiarise yourself with the Dashboard of ‘Your Account’, where you can manage your Account.

How do I make a payment?

You can pay through the payment gateway using a credit or a debit card.

Since we offer a subscription service (where the monthly subscription amount is auto-debited from your account on a monthly basis), we can offer you only a limited number of payment options.

Netbanking, Paypal, UPI-based payment options are not currently available

I am being asked for my card information when I try to sign-up with for a free trial!

Dont worry, your card will not be charged for a week.  You may cancel at any time during this period by going to the following link:
https://thepracticeroom.in/my-account/view-subscription/

I had signed up for the subscription service, but the subscription expired at the end of  one month from the date of sign-up.  Why didnt  my subscription auto-renew, and what do I do next?

Our Payment system is set-up to attempt auto-renewal exactly a month from the date that your subscription started.  However, some cards do not allow auto-debit.  if the auto-renewal attempt fails, your subscription will be automatically terminated, and you will get an automated email with this information.  Please be on the lookout for this email.   You will then, have to buy a new subscription.  If you do not want to buy a new subscriptions every month, please attach a card that allows auto-debits.  Usually all credit cards allow this.

How do I opt out of the auto-renew option?

When buying the subscription, attach a card that does not allow auto-debits.  You will have to check with your card-issuing agency (i.e., your Bank) about the protocol of your card.

Can I buy multiple subscriptions?

yes, you can.

How do I change my password?

If you are logged in, PLEASE LOG OUT FIRST.  Then click on the ‘Forgot Password’ link on the sign-in screen.

How do I decide which level to sign-up for – Beginner or Intermediate?

We have given some guidelines for deciding this.  In this format, we cannot give you a more individualised advice, and the responsibility of selecting an appropriate Program level rests with you.

If in doubt, we recommend that you sign up for the Beginner Level Program for a month or two.  You can change your Program Level by simply canceling your subscription (you will be billed till the end of your current billing period), and filling in a new subscription.

The considerations for signing up for the Beginner Level are given here:
https://thepracticeroom.in/online-program-beginners/

The considerations for signing up for the Intermediate Program are given here:
https://thepracticeroom.in/online-program-intermediate-level/

What happens after I sign-up for the Online Program? How soon can I get access to my recorded sessions/ when will be able to attend a livestream session?

You will have access to the recorded sessions of the past week as soon as you sign-up for the Online Program (accessible through your account login).

Your first livestream will be as per the program schedule for your Level (Mondays and Wednesdays for the Beginner level; Mondays and Thursdays for the Intermediate Level)

You will also receive an email from us when you sign-up.  This email will have links for some preparatory material for you.  Before you jump into the regular classes on your Weekly Playlist, or one of our livestream sessions, we strongly advise that you take a couple of days to  go through the preparatory videos.  Especially so if you are an absolute beginner, or if you are new to the Iyengar tradition.  Teaching yoga online is a new development around the world.  We have put together the Preparatory material to ease over some of the preliminary challenges that come up. the material has been refined over the last few months with feedback from our online community.   Spending time to go through the preparatory material will get you ready to join the regular weekly classes, will answer many of the questions that might come up in the initial days and weeks, and will give you tips on how to make the most of this Online Program.

I missed the morning livestream! when will you upload a recording of this session on my Playlist?

It is our attempt always to make the recording of the morning livestream session available on your Playlist by the same evening. However, this involves some work. To provide a better audio and video quality, what we share with you is not a zoom download. We record the sessions simultaneously on a different video and audio track, we edit this video before uploading it.

Sometimes there are glitches – lost audio/ video files, power outage, internet disruption… that may delay this process.  At any rate, we have so far always uploaded the session by midnight of the same day.  In case there is a delay beyond this in the future, we will keep you informed,

How are the live-streamed classes transmitted?

the live-streamed classes are currently transmitted through zoom.us.

How are the pre-recorded sessions transmitted?

The pre-recorded sessions (as well as a recording of the live-streamed sessions) are hosted on Vimeo.com.

The practiceroom website is not opening/ i am not able to view the videos/ I am not able to make a payment!

Our content, and the Payment Gateway, is hosted by third-party service providers. We have ensured that these service providers are reputed and dependable.  We have also optimised our website and its content across devices and browsers, and done extensive testing.  But technology is not 100% glitch-free.  Sometimes, there are incompatibilities between the Service Providers’s protocols.   In our experience, small glitches are usually resolved when you:

• re-try after a little time
• use a different browser
• use a different device
• use a different card for payment
• clear the cache
• ensure that the internet connection is robust.

Beyond this, things are not really in our hands. If there are persistent tech problems, we will definitely re-evaluate our service providers.  But we are not a technical team, and will not be able to troubleshoot individual technical problems.

Can I continue to access my online material indefinitely?

You will have access to each recorded session for about a week.

Other material (like the Q and A Playlist) are available as long as you are subscribed to the program.

We sometimes give special access (usually through your Bonus Material Playlist) for limited period of time.

I want to go back to a previous session.  How do I get access to an older session?

You can purchase our recorded sessions.

What if I am in a different time zone, and the times of the live-streamed classes do not work for me?

Currently our live-streamed classes are scheduled as early-morning sessions according to the Indian Standard Time (+5:30 GMT). We will add classes for other time zones in the near future.

As an online student, can I ask questions?

You may ask us any yoga related question at the end of  your live-stream sessions.  you may also email us your queries, and we will take them up at the end of the livestream session.  Our Q and A sessions are separately recorded, along with responses to questions that we receive offline.  You also have access to the Q and A Playlist..

Will the teachers be able to correct my asana positions in the livestream class?

We play the zoom screen on a large television screen and are looking at you as the session is being conducted.  We make whatever corrections are possible to be made in this format.  But bear in mind, we can only see a  small, 2-dimensional version of you even on a large sized screen.  We do not get a three dimensionall view, we cannot see how your muscle movement, your breath, your eyes, your skin, how you move, stand and sit outside of your asana practice…this is no substitute for a live class.

To help us observe you better, please follow the ‘good practice guidelines’ shared along with your livestream invites.

Will the teachers be able to give me specific instruction for my physical injuries/ limitations?

The Iyengar tradition is widely accepted for its therapeutic efficacy.  However, an Online Program differs from an in-person session.  We will not be able to observe you closely, and will not be able to make nuanced adjustments/ correction in this format.  An online program is largely self-directed where the student is largely responsible for their actions.

However, we do usually give generic contraindications and adaptations/ alternatives for the most common health issues and conditions – weak back, knees, shoulders, and advice for women during their menstrual cycle.

For any serious health concerns or limitations, we advise you to contact your health care provider, and take guidance from an experienced teacher in your area of residence.

I want to learn inversions/ other advanced asanas.  Is this program suitable for me?

We do practice independent inversions, backward extensions, balancing positions in our Intermediate Level Program.  But we do not TEACH inversions in the online format.

In our in-studio classes, students are prepared for inversions over a period of a year or two.  During this time, we attempt to correct any gross imbalances in their skeleto-muscular structure, and to strengthen their limbs, shoulders, back for the more advanced positions, and for inversions.  When we start introducing these positions, we continue to closely monitor them.  We have often pulled our students back to a more basic or supported position if we felt that they are at risk of injuring themselves in the long run.

None of this is possible in the Online format.

We have seen several yoga injuries that have set in due to wrong execution of the more complex asanas over a long period of time, and we dont think its a risk worth taking.

So, while we do some of of these asanas in our Intermediate Level Program, in the Online format, it is the student’s responsibility to choose, and to act with discretion.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” grid_id=”vc_gid:1598858949619-baf38ba4-117d-0″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

What should i expect at the end of the initial three month enrolement?

• at the level of the body: increased awareness and sensitivity, increased strength, balance and range of movement, which translates to a sense of opening and expansiveness, lightness, and a better posture
• at the level of the mind: increased ability to be present in the moment if you tend to be easily overwhelmed at situations, increased confidence as the body gains strength, balance and flexibility
• an overall sense of wellbeing, and glimpses of quietness and a deep sense of relaxation.
• those who come in with injuries/ pains should start to get better understanding of their condition, get some relief from pain, and learn some basic strategies to bring them relief in case of aggravating situations. However, it can take much longer to fine-tune the practice to bring long-term relief especially in the case of chronic conditions. Equally importantly, we try to give them the confidence to not feel limited by their condition, and to try the entire range of movements and actions that are available to them.

What should i wear to class?

Do I need to carry my mat/ anything else to the class?

Should I come to class on empty stomach?

Is it ok to drink water during the class? Do i need to carry water bottle to the class?

Can i eat immediately after the class?

Can i take a shower after the class?

I have personal reasons for not joining in the invocation at the start of the class. Is that ok?

Can i come in late to/ leave early from the class?

Do i have to attend all classes?

What if i am uncomfortable with being physically adjusted in class?

Do i have to stick to my batch? If I miss a class, can I make-up for it by attending a class in another batch?

May i attend/ participate in all the workshops and events when i join the practice room? Do i have to attend/ participate in the workshops/ events when i join the practice room?

What happens in the self practice sessions? May i come for the self-practice sessions?

What happens if i need to take a long-ish break from the classes?