Does Your Yoga Studio…Smell?
One thing we always stand by wherever fragrance is used: dilute, dilute, dilute! Even more, we often have the front doors open on beautiful days (there are a lot in Tucson), and thanks to our medical-grade air filtration system, there’s always fresh air filtering in and out. It’s super important to us that the smells in our studio are pleasant background noise and not the star of the show.
The “Bad” Smells (and Why It’s Complicated).
What even counts as a “bad” smell, anyway? It’s all relative. For the sake of this conversation, we’ll consider a “bad” smell to be anything that intentionally distracts you from your practice or your ability to be present on your mat.
A “bad” smell might be something that doesn’t allow you to fully relax into the sensations of your breath, or maybe every time you come back to your breath, you can’t help but notice a scent hitching a ride (uninvited). Instead of labeling a smell as good or bad, let’s shift the rhetoric: how big of a role is it performing for your senses?
If it melts away quickly or can be easily forgotten, then for all intents and purposes, that’s conducive to practicing yoga, especially in group settings.
Yoga Journal notes that “in any shared environment, scent is part of the unspoken dialogue between participants,” and reminds teachers and studios that what’s soothing to one person can actually be “a trigger or irritant” for another. It’s a helpful reminder that the work of creating an inclusive environment doesn’t stop at our class sequencing…it extends to the air we all breathe.
The Magic of a Shared Space
Let’s face it…when you attend a group class, you are (at least for the next hour or so) a group. You create a collective of humans who share space. You breathe together, move together, challenge yourselves, and form a container safe and supportive enough that, at the end of class, you can all lay together in silence and rest (savasana).
How magical is that!!
These might have been strangers an hour ago, yet you’ve managed to share intention and energy, a beautiful moment in time, in collaboration. It’s rare that we get to enter into agreement on the scale that yoga invites. After all, the word yoga itself represents this very thing: to yoke, to join, to unite.
Not only are we joining the physical group class and coming together, but we’re also taking our individual consciousness and joining it with the universal. Don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be an esoteric concept that exists beyond what you signed up for. On a grounded level, yoga means coming out of the mindset of “me” and into the mindset of “us.”
Can we imagine a world where we aren’t as separate as we think? Can we see the people around us as reflections of ourselves, and practice a little more empathy, kindness, and understanding in the process?
Okay, Back to Smells 😆
When we’re breathing intentionally in a shared space, that element of empathy becomes even more important.
1️⃣ Perfume lovers: We love that you have a signature scent! But remember that even mild fragrances can be strong for someone with sensitivities. (Fun fact + 4th wall break: I’ve worked at Yoga Pod nearly every day for years, and I can’t smell lavender anymore! 😂)
2️⃣ Cannabis enthusiasts: If you enjoy partaking in a “gardening” session from time to time — no judgment here — just make sure the evidence doesn’t (pre) roll out a mat next to you.
3️⃣ And finally…come smelling like you. The best scent for yoga class is none at all (besides a little deodorant). While “BO” might technically be part of you, it’s not your defining trait.
After class, though? Go wild. Be perfumed, sweaty, radiant, human. Think of the start of class as a fresh slate…for you and everyone around you!
As Yoga Journal puts it, “part of teaching (and practicing) yoga is learning to minimize unnecessary distractions.” To be inclusive, we can help each-other along and honor the diversity of noses in the room.
And if you feel a little called out by this post… don’t worry. We see you. We get it. (RIP to my own bottle of Cloud Musk from Target’s Mix Bar.)
We Want to Hear From You 💙
Have you noticed any scents that impact your practice, for better or worse?
Do any of our studio aromas (lavender diffuser, eucalyptus mop water, or room sprays) stand out or bug you?
Let us know what you think by clicking HERE.
As always, thank you for reading this edition of podTALK. Your open minds and curious hearts are what make this community so special.
You. Belong. Here. 💙
New to Yoga Pod Tucson? Check out our schedule or about section below! ⬇️
References & Further Reading
Yoga Journal. (n.d.). Addressing Scent and Sensitivity in Class. Retrieved from https://www.yogajournal.com/teach/teaching-methods/addressing-scent-and-sensitivity-in-class/
About Yoga Pod Tucson
Yoga Pod Tucson was created to be the kind of place where you feel welcome the moment you walk through the door, and where even the smallest details help you settle in and feel at home.
We put a lot of thought into those details: infrared heat, medical-grade air filtration, antimicrobial flooring, state-of-the-art equipment, and a space that feels as cozy and beautiful as it is functional. It’s all here so you can stop thinking about everything else and simply enjoy the Yoga, Barre, Strength, or Recovery experience you came for.
Proudly locally owned and female-founded, Yoga Pod Tucson is more than a place to work out. It’s a place to move, breathe, laugh, get stronger, slow down, and belong. Just come in and roll out your mat, we’ll take care of the rest.