kleenex in Yoga

Hi Eric

There is a limit isn’t there? A mountain of snotty tissues really sounds more than unappealing to me too – and perhaps out of order too – depending on the stage of the cold.

I keep a box of tissues in the studio because occasionally people have to use one for the nose or even help clear lacrimal ducts rather than just the nose. It’s certainly better seeing people using a tissue then using the corner of their towel and mooshing the corner over (and yes, I have seen that!).

Coming to yoga with the express purpose to clear out a cold is questionable. Particularly because the clearing out process should be largely done away from others. The person with the tissues should put them in a bag or position themselves away from others (or be at home convalescing depending on the stage of the cold).

Hmmm… what can one do short of expressing that to the studio or directly with the person? Would it be sufficient for the tissues to NOT be piling up on the floor if the person was literally non-contagious? Maybe not. The other thing to do is move, even during class. Remember it is your responsibility to take care of yourself even if it seems a little embarrassing or pedantic or ridiculous or whatever it brings up for you, or others, to shift during class. On the flipside of the coin, the teacher could see all of this and feel too embarrassed to ask someone to leave mid-class ‘just’ because the student is blowing their nose too much. It’s a delicate situation so rules need to be established so that everyone knows what the limits are.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

I think Lee hit the nail on the head. We can’t assume that someone who’s bringing kleenex to class is sick–I myself have brought tissues to class fearing an allergy attack. But I agree that a pile of kleenex by the mat is a little excessive (and gross :-P)

http://eattheyolk.blogspot.com/

I am a “tissue culprit”!

My sinuses are all blocked ALL OF THE TIME. I find the breathing so difficult and know I strain and hold my breath in poses which I should not do.

It is not that my nose is runny like when you have a cold – it is more relief myself that I feel the need to use the tissue during class in the hope that it might make breathing easier.

However, it is only as given the sinus problem I am not getting in any air.

I would appreciate if anyone out there has this problem and has found a cure (or at least something to assist) I would be very grateful.

Thanks!

Not everyone who has to blow their nose is ill… for some reason, and I forget which pose this is (it has been awhile since I have taken a class due to studio closing down), but every single class, upon doing this certain pose, my nose would plug up and start dripping! I believe it was one of the floor poses, shortly after the standing sequence. Either it was blow my nose or let it drip all over. Not enjoyable for anyone, i’m sure, but much better for me to use a Kleenex! Just someething to keep in mind, that all of us nose blowers are sick.

I also tend to have runny nose when I’m exposed to hot temp. I just wonder if that happens to me I could distract others around. And perhaps getting appalled?