Life is hard, but we can do hard things. (Especially together.)

Mistakes are human. As a team, we value the growth and learning they provide.

Asking for help is a sign of strength.

Clear is kind. This applies to the way that we cue our students, the way that we communicate with students, and the way that we speak to each other.

YAM is a culture of feedback. We are open to constructive feedback from our fellow teachers, and because we are committed to our own growth and development, we expect it. 

We recognize yoga as an ancient practice and base our teaching in modern anatomical science. We see these as cohesive, not conflicting ideas. They are limbs from the same tree, and both are acknowledged in YAM classes.

Healing is central to our work: spiritual, emotional, and physical. As teachers, we recognize with humility that each moment provides a doorway to healing. Our instruction is safe, inclusive, and catered to this vulnerable journey. We meet students where they are with love, and are considerate of trauma histories. 

We are facilitators of a community experience. At the beginning of each class, we devote 2-5 minutes to checking in with our students in the following ways: We ask to see their faces, if they are comfortable. We ask how they are feeling in their bodies and their hearts. We affirm each student who shares, and allow their experience to impact the structure and flow of the class.

Every cue provides an opportunity. Our instruction is primarily a series of suggestions, never a “should” or “should not.”

We use language that is positive. Instead of saying “don’t slouch,” we say, “invite the spine to be long.”

While we will inevitably disagree as a team, we recognize that each one of us is fully human. We are committed to seeing the best in each other, giving each other the benefit of the doubt, and always speaking from a place of love. 

We cater to musicians, and for that reason, our cues, language, and classes always connect back to musicianship. In every meditation, breath, or yoga practice, we make an effort to speak to the specific needs and struggles present in a musician’s body.

Each human life is unique and miraculous. We welcome people of all ages, body types, gender, and experience levels to our classes. We value the varied experiences that each student brings to our community, and accept and love each student just as they are.

We do not accept late students after the first five minutes of class. Yoga builds in intensity, and if a student is not properly warmed up, they are at higher risk of injury. This policy is in place not only to ensure the safety of our latecomers, but to show respect for the students who arrived on time.

Musicians have busy lives. Out of deep respect for our students, our classes begin and end on time.