Yoga is a beloved practice for many, with the potential to provide substantial physical and mental healing to those in need – but it isn’t always inclusive. We’ve investigated some of the most prominent barriers to equitable yoga practice and highlighted ways in which Vikara Village® faces those challenges head on.
- Yoga can be expensive
Yoga is a major economic industry – and like any industry, it relies on profits to sustain itself. More than 36 million Americans practice yoga, contributing to the industry’s annual revenue of $9.09 billion. For students, the cost of yoga classes, workshops, and equipment adds up fast and makes mind-body practice appear unobtainable. Even the instructors themselves are challenged by financial barriers, with the average American yoga practitioner spending $62,640 on yoga related expenses over their lifetime. Many Americans, particularly low income populations, may be hesitant or unable to shell out the money required to participate in classes.
At Vikara Village®, we tackle the economic burden of yoga by partnering with Montgomery County Recreation and Montgomery County Public Schools to provide quality out-of-school time programming in Title I schools. These schools tend to have higher rates of Free and Reduced Meals and less access to quality out-of-school time programs. Students in our Purpose + Peace EBB (Excel Beyond the Bell) classes receive instruction completely free of charge thanks to our partnerships.
The Bold Heart Yoga program at Vikara Village® additionally offers various payment options for students to choose from depending on their financial situations, with the opportunity for students to receive scholarships to help us further reduce the cost of participation.
By working with our donors to keep the costs of our classes low or free of charge, we ensure that the financial status of our students and their families are never a detriment to their decision to embark on mind-body healing journeys with Vikara Village®.
2. Community preferences aren’t always taken into account
The National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted a 2017 study on the experience of yoga participation among marginalized communities. The researchers identified both barriers and facilitators to yoga participation among these groups.
For participants in the study, a major barrier to yoga engagement was scheduling, time, and accessibility concerns. Because making time for or finding transportation to classes made the balancing of yoga schedules and needs in their personal lives difficult, many were unable to participate. Alternatively, interviewees with yoga classes offered to them in their low-income housing complexes claimed that they faced no barriers to practicing yoga. By examining the impact of providing classes that are more accessible to community preferences, the study found that convenience increased engagement in yoga practice.
“...the study found that convenience increased engagement in yoga practice.”
At Vikara Village®, we don’t ask students to show up for us, but instead, we show up for them. Our programming is conveniently located in facilities that host our students, such as their schools, detention centers, and behavioral health centers. Providing services in ways convenient to our students helps us make mind-body healing accessible to populations in need.
3. Classes and facilitators may not serve a variety of students
Interviews from the same NIH study illustrate how a lack of safe spaces may influence a community's hesitation to engage in yoga. For example, female interviewees expressed discomfort at the idea of mixed-gender yoga classes, preferring instead to have a female-only class option.
“Interested in learning about how Vikara Village addresses this community need? Learn about our girls-only spaces here!”
Most of the interviewees also explicitly desired yoga instructors with effective, knowledgeable, and relatable teaching styles to help further facilitate their yoga engagement and give them a comfortable space to learn.
At Vikara Village®, we understand that our students carry their experiences with them when they enter our classes. We are proud to offer a variety of classes to help serve the unique needs of our students. Our classes are catered towards the needs of our communities, taking in factors such as our students’ ages, gender-identities, and mental health needs. All of our exceptional facilitators are certified in trauma-informed instruction, and are passionate about healing their communities through their work.
Our Purpose + Peace EBB (Excel Beyond the Bell) program helps teens and preteens feel confident and comfortable in their minds and bodies. It is an out-of-school-time program for middle school youth (grades 6-8) to build a healthy sense of self, community, and belonging through mind-body practices, like movement and the arts.
Our Safe Space Yoga program helps participants heal from toxic stress and overcome obstacles. Our Facilitators work with those who have histories of poverty, being unhoused, trauma, addiction, and behavioral challenges.
Our Bold Heart Yoga program is specifically designed to help young women gain knowledge of mind-body healing techniques. It is an out-of-school-time program for middle school young women (grades 6-8) to connect, make new friends, and learn mind-body techniques that they will carry with them throughout their lives.
4. Stereotypes have real consequences
Our Founder, Hannah Davis says, “Yoga saved my life.” After taking a chance on a free yoga class during a time when she was suffering from high levels of toxic stress, she left the session with a profound sense of clarity that she’d never experienced before.
“I was fortunate to be introduced to yoga in an intimate space. We were a small class of 2-4 people in our apartment complex gym. However, when I moved, I avoided yoga studios for a long time because I didn’t feel like I would fit in.” When asked about the barriers that prevented her own engagement with yoga studios, Hannah explains, “I didn’t think I had the look of the ‘typical yoga lady’ and I felt intimidated entering these spaces”.
When yoga practitioners focus on highlighting diversity and inclusivity in their messaging and advertising, while promoting the relaxation and mind-body benefits of yoga, engagement is likely to be higher among marginalized groups. It is important to us at Vikara Village® that we fight the stereotypes suggesting that yoga is only accessible to wealthy white women or those who can afford brand-named clothing and upscale studios. We were founded with the purpose of offering accessible care and prioritizing inclusivity in all of our operations.
Equitable participation requires mindful action
The examples above demonstrate only some of the barriers to equitable yoga participation. At Vikara Village®, we are constantly assessing the needs of our diverse communities as we strive to eliminate those barriers to yoga participation through our mindful actions.
If you’re interested in supporting our equitable and high quality services, please consider visiting our donor page to help us increase access to mind-body healing for all.