Comments on: Making Money in Yogaland http://docucinema.com/500_words/2009/12/making-money-in-yogaland/ 500 Words on Thursday by Lee Schneider Fri, 27 May 2011 19:51:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tabby Biddle http://docucinema.com/500_words/2009/12/making-money-in-yogaland/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Tabby Biddle Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:57:59 +0000 http://docucinema.com/500_words/?p=862#comment-353 Figuring out a pay system for yoga can be tricky. If we are modeling off of the tradition of yoga in India, we expect the donation system. Pay what you want as you go. It's a nice system for the students, but for the teacher -- maybe less so (think unpredictable income). I agree that yoga should be accessible to all -- and that "all" means people coming from varied income levels. Places like YogaWorks started out earthy and soulful and have since turned more corporate. Sacred Movement (now bought up by Exhale) has the same story. Instead of just getting by (financially), they were looking for a way to thrive. Unfortunately the drive to financially thrive has taken away some of the heart and soul of those places. I don't know the answer. I think yoga businesses should thrive financially. Without financial success, they will not survive -- and then what? I guess the answer for now is that not all yoga studios are the same and should not be expected to be the same. We live in a free market and have a choice as to where we want put our yoga dollars. For now, I am choosing the middle way -- some days I go to the more corporate yoga studios and other days to the donation yoga studios. Thanks for your post Lee. Figuring out a pay system for yoga can be tricky. If we are modeling off of the tradition of yoga in India, we expect the donation system. Pay what you want as you go. It’s a nice system for the students, but for the teacher — maybe less so (think unpredictable income). I agree that yoga should be accessible to all — and that “all” means people coming from varied income levels. Places like YogaWorks started out earthy and soulful and have since turned more corporate. Sacred Movement (now bought up by Exhale) has the same story. Instead of just getting by (financially), they were looking for a way to thrive. Unfortunately the drive to financially thrive has taken away some of the heart and soul of those places. I don’t know the answer. I think yoga businesses should thrive financially. Without financial success, they will not survive — and then what?
I guess the answer for now is that not all yoga studios are the same and should not be expected to be the same. We live in a free market and have a choice as to where we want put our yoga dollars. For now, I am choosing the middle way — some days I go to the more corporate yoga studios and other days to the donation yoga studios.

Thanks for your post Lee.

]]> By: Bob Ellal http://docucinema.com/500_words/2009/12/making-money-in-yogaland/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Bob Ellal Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:23:47 +0000 http://docucinema.com/500_words/?p=862#comment-352 Lee, I agree entirely--marketing has gotten way out-of-hand when intertwined with 'spiritual' pursuits such as yoga. Today nothing is sacrosanct. Might as well sell indulgences. The New Age movement is all about marketing; on intent.com, Deepak Chopra's daughter's 'spiritual' site, Chopra recently posted a shameless self-promotion about his new book (meditate 20 minutes a day and change your 'genes'). Personally I can't wait to change my DNA to fix my Irish curse: Drink like a fish and hung like a cashew. Facebook and Twitter? Gather "friends" to have fodder to sell your products and services. I think insurance agents must've dreamed up those sites. Bob Lee,

I agree entirely–marketing has gotten way out-of-hand when intertwined with ‘spiritual’ pursuits such as yoga. Today nothing is sacrosanct. Might as well sell indulgences.

The New Age movement is all about marketing; on intent.com, Deepak Chopra’s daughter’s ‘spiritual’ site, Chopra recently posted a shameless self-promotion about his new book (meditate 20 minutes a day and change your ‘genes’). Personally I can’t wait to change my DNA to fix my Irish curse: Drink like a fish and hung like a cashew.

Facebook and Twitter? Gather “friends” to have fodder to sell your products and services. I think insurance agents must’ve dreamed up those sites.

Bob

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