Why Yoga by Donation?

Why Yoga by Donation? | Kripalu Yoga, Sivananda Yoga, and Nia classes and private lessons in Knoxville, TN

Posted by Santosh on September 13th, 2008

Julie and I offer as many Knoxville yoga and Nia classes by donation as we can. And there are several reasons we do so.

First, we want to make yoga accessible for you if you can’t afford $10 or $15 for a yoga class. We have both been there. If that is your current situation, please come to class anyway and give what you can. If you don’t show up for class, you don’t get any benefit, and neither do we.

Secondly, we offer classes by donation because we don’t want to stick an arbitrary monetary value on an activity that is spiritual in nature. You don’t get charged to go to church, do you? But the offering basket will almost certainly be passed your way. After all, the church has bills to pay, and so do your yoga teachers.

We also offer yoga classes in local Knoxville yoga studios that aren’t by donation, but even those have scholarships available, made possible every time someone chips a little extra into the donation basket.

Unfortunately, yoga is more and more for the well-to-do. But we believe that yoga is for anyone who wants it, it doesn’t matter what your income is, what you look like, what car you drive or what zip code you live in. As your teachers, we are deeply honored to be of service to you in your physical and spiritual journey.

Here are some common questions about yoga by donation:

Q. Is yoga by donation the same as free yoga?
A. Leading you in yoga is an honor, we give freely from the heart as a love offering, or dana. You will get most benefit from this gift if you also give freely from the heart. It doesn’t have to be money, but with a mortgage and bills and so on, that is certainly the most useful gift you could offer us. What you give or if you give is your business. Our personal experience, though, is that it’s no way to live, taking without giving.

Q. I could join a gym for what you ask for regular classes… why don’t you just lower your prices?
A. Please, join the gym. It will be great for you. We recommend the YMCA where you won’t have to sign a contract that keeps withdrawing money from your bank account even if you stop going to the gym. And most people stop going to the gym — these contracts are how gyms stay in business. But keep in mind that yoga in health clubs is often quite different from what we offer.

We don’t set one low price because we have to pay our bills. With classes by donation, some people give more, others give less, and it all works out. No contract to sign, show up when you want, pay what you want.

Q. Okay, great, but really… how much?
A. Lately donations have averaged around $7-$15 for 75 minute classes, $10-$25 for 90 minute classes, and $35-$80 for in-call private sessions. We are appreciative of any amount.

Q. What if my pride is getting in the way of coming to a donation class?
A. You may have hit something there. Swami Kripalu called nonjudgmental self-observation one of the most advanced spiritual practices. Don’t judge yourself for being human, just take a few deep breaths and get yourself to a yoga class!

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