One of the things that makes our studio special is the openness between our students and teachers. The feedback we get from you is crucial to our continuing ability to meet your needs and provide the kind of yoga experience you are looking for. Let’s face it, by doing the same 26 posture series in the same 105 degrees it can be difficult for individual studios to create a unique environment and distinguish themselves from every other Bikram or “Hot” yoga studio. With that in mind we’ve been collecting some valuable feedback from you on ways to make our studio more hospitable and accommodating. I’m proud to announce that effective today, April 1, 2007 we will implement the following policies:

Classes will start at least 3-5 minutes *after* the scheduled start time. Seriously, who can arrive on time with the state of Atlanta traffic?

We’ll take a few minutes at the start of every class to have a vote on whether or not we’ll do Camel Pose that day and if so, for how long.

The doors to the yoga studio will be left open during class and students will be encouraged to go in and out of the room freely.

Everyone will be allowed to bring any of the following items in the room to better cope with the heat: personal-sized battery operated fans, spray bottles for misting between postures (plain water only), ice packs (we’ll have a large cooler in the back of the room for storage — one pack per person) and squirt guns.

Since we already do so much laundry we might as well do yours too. Everyone may leave their sweaty clothes and towels in the laundry baskets that are provided in each dressing room (there’s also one behind the front desk if those get full). Your clothes will be washed, folded and available for pickup in the lobby the next day.

I hope you find these new policies agreeable. Please continue to share your ideas with us. We’ll do our best to make your Bikram Yoga experience pleasant and comfortable.

Update, April 2, 2007 - Lest you be concerned about these changes (or my sanity) please look at the date of this post. If you still don’t get it, go here.