San Francisco: Donation-Based Yoga is Hot!
I left San Francisco in January of 2006 to teach journalism in Guatemala City. I came home nearly a year later, happy to return to our beautiful city, my wonderful friends, breathably clean air … and $18 yoga classes. What?
I thought: Stay calm. Be present. Breathe deeply.
But, $18?
Yoga class prices had skyrocketed. And they haven't come down since. There's no easy way around it. The teachers need to make money and the owners do, too, since their rents keep going up. But some students just can't afford it. Even with class passes, yoga classes can cost a student $50+ a week, which is $200 month, which is … well, a lot.
This is why I love the idea of donation-based yoga. You pay what you can when you can and, more often than not, everybody wins. People who have more, pay more. People who have less, pay less. If all or part of your income is freelance (like mine), you might pay $10 for a class one week, and $20 the next. It just works out.
There was a time when donation-based yoga was only in small pockets of the city, but the trend has hit its stride. The Sun Room at Mission Yoga (pictured above) is actually ALL donation-based, and its studio manager, Eben Ostergaard, said that the model works really well. While teachers have to do more legwork to promote themselves, those with a steady student base can actually make more money than they otherwise would. Teachers also have more autonomy and independence. Yoga to the People in Berkeley is another donation-based studio, and there are lots of other pay-what-you-can classes throughout the Bay Area. Below are a few on my radar. Please write in and share others that you know about!
Where: The Sun Room at Mission Yoga (3rd Floor)
Location: The Mission
Classes: All labeled "Sun Room" on the schedule
Time: Various
Type of Yoga: Hatha, Vinyasa, AcroYoga, Naked Men's Yoga
* Read my blog on Jeremy Simon's AcroYoga class here.
Where: Yoga to the People
Location: Berkeley
Classes: All of them!
Time: Various
Type of Yoga: Hatha and Candle-lit
Where: Grace Cathedral and James Howell Studio
Location: Nob Hill and Noe Valley
Teacher: Jamie Lindsay
Time: Various
Type of Yoga: Intro Flow/Iyengar-based and Kundalini Flow
* Read my recent blog on Jaime here.
Where: The Mindful Body
Location: Pacific Heights
Teacher: Sean Feit
Time: Tuesdays, 7:30-9pm
Type of Yoga: Pranayama and Meditation
Read last year's blog on Sean here.
Where: San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender Center
Location: Lower Market
Teachers: Guru Tera Singh and Adesh Singh
Time: Thursdays, 7-8:30pm
Type of Yoga: Kundalini
Where: Rudramandir
Location: Berkeley
Teacher: Christopher Tompkins
Time: Wednesdays, 5:30-7:30pm, Oct. 1 through Nov. 12
Type of Yoga: Tantrik Yoga Philosophy
* Read my recent blog on Christopher's class here.
Where: Piedmont Yoga Studio
Location: Piedmont
Teacher: Yolanda Vazquez.
Time: Wednesdays, 12pm-1pm
Type of Yoga: Yoga for a Cause (proceeds are donated to a number of different charitable
organizations)
yogajournal.com
vegetariantimes.com
backpacker.com
optimumwellness.com
wholefoodsmarket.com
betternutrition.com
Comments
Hi, I loved Karen's post today on donation based yoga classes in SF. It is a tough thing that yoga is expensive, but as she pointed out, everyone has to make money or there wouldn't be so many great yoga choices in our great city. (Really, I love all of Karen's posts:) My friend also told me about a great free/donation based yoga program at Glide. I am not sure of the details, but I know they have classes there, and I have heard they are very good. Thanks for the great info in Samadhi & The City. It's a great blog, and always has great info and new things to check out.
Posted by: Hallie Warshaw | August 15, 2008 08:00 PM
Here's another donation based studio in SF that just opened last month: http://www.frisconomad.com/yoga.php
The Sports basement in the Presidio also offers free classes every Sunday @ 11AM.
Bend offers a free class the first Saturday of every month in the botanical gardens of Golden Gate park. http://ycosf.blogspot.com/
There are tons of ways to find free or affordable yoga classes in the city.
Posted by: Heather | August 15, 2008 09:23 PM
Hey Karen,
Thanks for the great info on donation yoga. Here's more: Jamie Lindsay runs a great level 3-4 class at James Howell studios, 66 Sanchez St., SF, 6-8am M-F and 3 hours on Sun. morn. It's uses alot of the unique asana work of Andrey Lappa's Shiva Nata style, and Jamie's a great teacher.
Cheers,
Eric
Posted by: Eric Shaw | August 15, 2008 11:04 PM
Nomadic Outfitters has an incredible indoor garden studio that is entirely donation based. All types of yoga are offered with great instructors from top studios. Yoga is accessible to all 7 days a week. In Pacific Heights off Fillmore St. Check it out!
www.frisconomad.com
Posted by: Nancy | August 16, 2008 07:05 PM
Hi Karen: Since I gave you information on donation-based yoga at Piedmont Yoga we've added another class of this kind. It's actually kind of special too. We just hosted a 10-month program run by Jivana Heyman, the yoga director of the Integral Yoga Institute, that certified 8 disabled students in the Integral Yoga method of Swami Satchidananda. This first class graduated last June, and PYS is giving the graduates an opportunity to teach a donation-based community class every Monday from 11:30 to 1:00 pm. I should make it clear that these students received exactly the same teaching as all Integral students receive, and they're among the most sincere and enthusiastic young teachers ("young" in yoga teaching years) I've ever seen. If you're in the East Bay come on by and check it out. Richard Rosen
Posted by: RICHARD ROSEN | September 12, 2008 05:18 AM
Not all yoga studios are super expensive! While some of their neighbors charge $18 for a class, Adeline Yoga studio has a community class on Fridays (9-10:30) for $5 and regular drop in is $14. A 10-class pass knocks the cost down to $12/class.
Adeline Yoga Studio is the only studio in the East Bay that focuses on Iyengar style yoga. Adeline Yoga Studio has a great new special for new students making it the most economical yoga studio in the East Bay!
New Students get their second class free - that's $14 for 2 classes!
March and April Special for New Students
RECEIVE 20% OFF a 10-Class pass if you purchase it by the end of your second class.
* Regular 1 1/2 hour class $96
* Lunchtime 1 hour class $80
Posted by: Jenny | March 18, 2009 05:49 PM