As a new student at the Shanti, we want you to feel at home and at ease. Everyone started as a new student, and we look forward to having you in class, no matter how flexible or inflexible, how young or old, how experienced or inexperienced, how at ease or nervous you may be—however you are, we are ready to welcome you.
If you aren’t sure where to start, please send us an e-mail (Sundari @shantiforeveryone.com) or give us a call (360-750-9642) and we will help you sort it all out. We love what we do and we look forward to sharing this wonderful practice and community with you!
Please come to the Shanti a little early to help you adjust from your busy day. You are invited to come up to 30 minutes before class and relax in our Living Room, where you may talk quietly with friends, sip some tea, read a book, or simply sit in silence and breathe.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for your first class so you can fill out a waiver, meet the instructor, and get settled into a relaxed frame of mind before your class begins. Please do your best to arrive early--it really makes everything flow so much easier if there is ample time to take care of first-class orientation.
We are a fully stocked studio, so unless you enjoy using your own mat (which is a great idea if you already a mat of your own), there is no need to bring any props to class. Dress comfortably (with bare feet for practice), don't have a full belly, and know that by the time your first class is over you will feel right at home. The Shanti is a non-competitive, inclusive, community-based Yoga Center and you will feel welcomed and at ease the moment you walk in the door.
The Shanti Yoga Center believes that yoga is for everyone, not just for those who are already fit, flexible, or familiar with yoga’s more subtle teachings. We remind ourselves that our practice is so much more than the poses we do. As such, approach your yoga with a non-competitive mind and a willing heart and see what happens. Give it a little time (give yourself a little time), and it will all come together just as it should.
New and returning students alike, please come to the Shanti a little early to help you adjust from your busy day. You are invited to come up to 30 minutes before class and relax in our Living Room, where you may talk quietly with friends, sip some tea, read a book, or simply sit in silence and breathe. Doors open to the main studio 15 minutes before class begins to give you time to connect with your instructor and gather your props before the gentle sound of the Singing Bowl announces the start of the class. Allow enough time to get settled in and relax a bit—such time can really help you have a more focused and rewarding experience.
If you are running late once in a while, please still come to class! Do wait until after the opening Dharma Discussion and Meditation is over before setting up your things. You are welcome to quietly slide in, sitting down just inside the door until the opening offerings are completed, and once the asana practice begins, you can get yourself set-up without disturbing those around you.
Please make every effort to attend the classes for which you registered. If you miss a class, you may make up in any other class at your level or below, during the current session. You may also bring a friend as a make-up, as well as doing a make-up in advance of a known absence. There is no need to call the Shanti to schedule a make-up, but please come a little early to sign in on the make-up roster, located at the Welcome Desk.
The "Lost and Found" is located on the covered outdoor walkway in a plastic tub. On the last day of each session, we will donate all that is still left in the tub, so please, keep track of your gear, and check the tub if you think you left something behind.
Please share with your teacher any injuries or limitations before class so that we can offer you the best practice for your current needs. The more you share with us, the more we can hold the space for your unique and individual practice to unfold.
Please attend only the classes that are suited to your health and ability. Honor your guests as well by bringing them to level-appropriate classes. Remember to “Do what you can, with what you have, with where you are.” Rest sometimes. Finally, be kind and loving to yourself by respecting where you are at any given time, even if it changes dramatically from class to class. Practiced regularly and with devotion, yoga inspires us to accept all that we are. And at the Shanti, we already accept you just as are--it's all yoga, and it's all good!