Heavy breathing and "sex noises"

Thanks for your courage in addressing something that could have you feel vulnerable mentioning in public. Here is a little food for thought and an idea or 2 on what you can do.

Your mission – naturally – is to focus on your own practice, your own body. While the noises of others can be annoying, unless they are talking there is almost nothing you can do about it.

I say ‘almost’ because if someone has a habit of making noises and has been doing so for an extended period of time then you could approach them and say: “did you realise that you make lots of noises in class and while I try to ignore them, they are interfering with my practice.” I am not saying that you should make it their responsibility for you to be able to focus. The thing that is your responsibility is your interpretation of those noises. Of course you would NOT mention what you are thinking of when you hear those noises as that would be creepy and  actually would be tantamount to sexual harassment.

Here’s what could be happening: Those particular students could be managing their stress through their audible groans. This is normal. Everybody has to manage their stress through some means. In the beginning of one’s practice one has more external ways of dealing with stress. As you get more experienced and you learn how to cope with the challenges of the room (the physical, physiological and ambient challenges) your practice becomes more grounded. You would recognise that your coping mechanisms in the ‘real world’ are improved and you react less to previously stressful stimuli.

Yogis who are experiencing “stuff” in whatever way it surfaces go through a process. When people first start hot yoga when they experience struggle or challenge, I see most find it impossible to look at themselves in the mirror. They may bend over, place their hands on their thighs and look as if they are exhausted and may breathe quite audibly and sigh or similar. They may actually not be so exhausted as unable to cope with the intended stillness etc. You may have noticed that those that make noises, and that includes you from time to time I am sure, often tend to overt their eyes (away from their reflection). Similarly, as progress occurs, some may only be able to look themselves in the eye if they are making noise. Our eventual focus is to be able to breathe silently WHILE looking at ourselves in the mirror.

So upshot is: Manage your own reactions and thoughts by focusing more on your own breath and practice, the little nuances of the poses, the feelings in your body etc. If you have experienced that the same people make distracting noises and that they have NOT abated for say many weeks or indeed months and they have not managed to find a silent way to deal with their stress then it’s time to approach that person and be curious as to their own way of coping. Your interpretation of those noises is your own ‘stuff’ and is not appropriate to bring up!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂