220: Alternatives to Namaste with Shannon Crow

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast 220: Alternatives to Namaste with Shannon Crow   Description: How do you close out your yoga classes? Many yoga teachers say "namaste" to end a yoga class, but maybe you've learned more about cultural appropriation in yoga and the teachings of yoga, and are no longer comfortable using "namaste" to end a class. Or, maybe your usual closing is starting to feel stale and repetitive, after repeating it a couple of dozen times a week.    Thanks to yoga teachers in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group, we've compiled some alternative ways for you to end your yoga classes. For the full list of alternative phrases and closings, check out the article 20+ Ways to Close Your Yoga Classes, or the two Facebook threads in the links below.   Key Takeaways: [2:28] How do you close out your yoga class? [4:19] Allison shares Schedulicity's hot tip of the week. [5:45] What are some alternatives we can say to close out our yoga classes? [6:49] Expressing gratitude is a favorite among yoga teachers to close their yoga classes. [8:12]  Sharing an uplifting message or affirmation is another way to end a yoga class. [9:21] Another way to close out the class is to bring the focus back to breath.  [11:01] Shannon used to close her yoga classes by saying "namaste" but has chosen to change how she ends classes as she has learned more about cultural appropriation and the teachings of yoga. [11:40] Caroline Holmes, one of the teachers in our Facebook group, shared a unique way to end virtual yoga classes - by asking students to close the class. [13:54] How do you end your yoga classes, and what are the unique words you use to close out a class?   Links: The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 184: Is Yoga Cultural Appropriation? with Shailla Vaidya Discussion thread started by Erika Record-Sparks  Discussion thread started by Patala Flow Yoga 20+ Phrases to Close Your Yoga Classes   Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.   Quotes from this episode: "One favorite inside of The Connected Yoga Teacher group was sharing gratitude, expressing gratitude in giving thanks." - Shannon   "I used to close my class with "namaste" in place of "thank you", and I switched it out as I got to learn more about cultural appropriation and about the teachings of yoga." - Shannon   "Caroline Holme shared that she uses the closing of her class as a time to build and strengthen the relationship with and between her students by allowing the students to close the class." - Shannon