Where to leave your shoes, what to wear, what Inés will ask you, and why nobody will notice if you need child's pose for half the class.
Walking into a new studio is the hardest part of the first class. So here is everything that happens, from the door to the tea afterwards.
Arriving
Come ten minutes early. The door on Carrer de Sueca is pale blue and usually open. Shoes go on the bench inside, phones go on silent, and there is a changing corner behind the linen curtain.
The entrance. Your mat will already be laid out.
What to bring
Clothes you can move and lie down in
A water bottle
Nothing else: mats, blocks, blankets and straps are all here
During the class
Before we start, Inés will ask if you have any injuries or anything she should know. You can also tell her privately at the door. With eight mats she can come to you as often as you need.
Child's pose is always allowed
At any moment, in any class, you can kneel and rest your forehead on the mat. Nobody will ask why. Experienced students do it too.
Afterwards
There is tea. Stay for a cup if you like, ask questions, or just leave quietly. If the class suited you, your €10 counts towards your first pack.
Written by
Inés Varela
Inés has taught for fifteen years, first in Lisbon and now in her eight-mat studio in Ruzafa. She writes the journal between the morning and evening classes.
