Who benefits from yoga at the workplace?

Sometimes, Yoga is for those who practice it…and for us, we know that familiar feeling of arriving on the mat. It changes us. We instantly breathe a little better, sit a little taller, and feel a little more connected. But in my experience, it also impacts those who don’t ever make it to the mat. The ones in high-heeled shoes and nylons. The ones in ties and button-up shirts. The ones with deadlines and assistants and a schedule packed so tightly that they’ve forgotten to schedule time to eat.

These are my people. I teach in corporate offices, and the people who make it to class get a chance to stretch out, relax, and breathe during their days. Other than the occasional disruption from email/text coming through on their cell phones or their bosses coming in for an answer that can’t wait, classes are pretty similar to those in studios.

But one thing I’ve noticed over the years teaching in offices is how my presence affects the people who never even come to class. The security guard who lets me in, the people I see on the elevators or in the parking lot…often they’ll stretch their arms overhead or do a little back arch just when they see me.

I have little conversations that always go something like this:
“You coming to yoga?” I say, knowing the answer.
This always somehow brings about laughter “You wouldn’t want me to come to Yoga. I can’t even touch my toes. I’d hurt myself. I’d fall asleep. I don’t have time!” (and other reasons) Sometimes, I’ll have them quickly side bend or tell them to shoulder roll at their desk. And they do it.

Most importantly, they know that Yoga is there for them. Oftentimes, it’s just a few feet away. It’s maybe the closest some of them have ever been to the possibility of practicing Yoga. And I like to imagine that during that lunch hour, even though they’re not in class, they’re aware that somewhere, close by – Yoga is happening. Maybe they are eating with more mindfulness. Maybe they are stretching their feet out under their desks.

As I leave each office after class, folks will ask how the class went as they add, “Someday I’ll make it!”
And I tell them the same thing each time: “I’ll be here.”
And I will.

Read more of Alison’s posts about yoga at the workplace >

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About Alison

Alison Wesley is a Faculty Franklin Method Educator and Registered Yoga Teacher/Therapist in Portland, OR. She started Working with Yoga in 2008 (now Movement at Work) as a way to reach folks who might not be going to studios/gyms, making movement accessible where and when people work. She designed and leads mobility classes for back care at Rebound Physical Therapy and has a therapeutic movement video series called ThrUMovement. Along with geeking out about movement, anatomy, and mental training, Alison kickboxes with her father, plays music with her husband, spends hours trying to train her two German Shepherds, dances salsa, and will endlessly be studying Spanish.