08/10/2026
The Yoga world is in turmoil.
Between the closing down of the famous Triyoga Studios in London, the liquidation, apparently, of the bookYogaretreats platform, the closing down also of the Yuv Yoga studios in Paris and the publication of a book in France about abuse in the Yoga world, “La face cachée du yoga”, all eyes seem to be turned to the Yoga world but for the wrong reasons.
Or maybe the right reasons.
There have been lots of abuses in the Yoga world. It seems that most gurus past and present have abused their power and positions. People abusing others when they come in a somehow vulnerable and trusting position. Nothing new under the sun unfortunately.
We as Yoga teachers have a role to play in denouncing abuse happening in our world.
It may not be good for the reputation of yoga, bad for the business. But we have a duty to speak up and warn and prevent.
I am always emphasising, specially in my teen classes that it is their body, their decisions, their sensations. Nobody can tell them what is right or wrong. Nobody can tell them, tell you when to push yourself and when to stop. This is a basic principle of Yoga : you listen, you observe and you act accordingly. And you respect your body and others’.
The teacher is there to guide and help but not to impose. Students have agency and it is important to remember to trust your gut instinct. If alarm bells rings, do not come back, if something does not feel right, do not come back.
Listen to your body, listen to yourself and speak up if you don’t feel right during a class. The right teacher should always listen and take you seriously. If they don’t, leave.
And abusers should always be denounced, banned from teaching and prosecuted.
