The Value of Yoga in a Cost of Living Crisis
As the cost of living crisis looms larger, we are all finding ourselves making some difficult decisions about what activities we can –and can’t– afford to continue. Price rises, it seems, are inevitable and are already manifesting in our energy bills and the cost of the weekly shop. Our priorities are shifting and so we’re having to reassess what products and activities are essential to our health and happiness.
When times get tough, something that tends to be nudged onto our non-essential list is our wellbeing. In such uncertain times, we can feel more pressure to work longer hours (did you know the UK workforce already works more hours than any other country in Europe?!),our stress levels rise, and with less time to prepare nutritious, healthy meals, we begin to reach for convenience foods. Yoga practice becomes a luxury only the lucky few can afford to continue.
We are also worrying more. The devastating images of the war in Ukraine, growing energy bills and all of this so soon after Covid, is sending many people into a cycle of anxiety. Mental health problems are becoming more common, with one in four adults and one in ten children or young people being affected every year (and these rates are often higher in Islington).
How yoga can help you when the going gets tough
One of our core values at Yoga at the ARC is to serve our community. For local people to lead healthy, vibrant and productive lives, we believe there are certain non-negotiable essentials. We deeply believe that people need to move their bodies and find strategies to take care of their mental health. This is why we work with some of London’s best and most experienced teachers to ensure our classes are the highest possible quality.
People also need nutritious, fresh food and to live in spaces that connect in some way to nature. So, when we opened Yoga at the ARC, we decided to donate revenue from our classes and events to help support The ARC Food Bank and Community Garden.
Yoga has numerous health benefits. It strengthens muscles and bones and elongates the body. It works on the deep body tissues (the fascia) to create suppleness which helps you live vibrantly even as you get older. It frees the spine, giving you a larger range of motion and fewer aches and pains. It also balances your energy and creates an enormous sense of calm through its connection to breath, mindfulness and meditation. We believe daily yoga practice is a harbour from any storm and an essential tool for weathering the next 12 months of uncertainty.
Yoga at the ARC is here to help
Yoga at the ARC is not your typical yoga studio. We are a not-for-profit, which means revenue from our class programme can be focused on furthering our community-driven mission, not paying shareholders. We want Yoga, Pilates and Meditation to remain on your essentials list, without putting more strain on your budget. We truly believe the benefits of yoga should be accessible to all.
That’s why, in May, as the cost of living crisis loomed, we decided to change our pricing structure to a Sliding Scale offer. How does this work? It’s pretty straightforward: when you book, you simply move the scale to a price that best suits your budget. Our hope is that Sliding Scale Pricing will make yoga truly affordable to all, no matter their income.
We also introduced a weekly free class. Yoga for Calm is kindly supported by a generous donation from Islington Active Spaces and runs every Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30. Join this class entirely free of charge, no matter your personal circumstances.
Another way of boosting our wellbeing is via connection to others. By practising with us, you do so knowing that the ticket price is contributing to paying your teacher a fair wage, encouraging teachers to make a long-term commitment to us and helping to generate ‘community’ with their students. Your ticket price also helps to fund a place in your class for somebody in greater difficulty. This might be somebody on a very low income or a Food Bank user.
There are also many entirely free ways to support your physical and mental health. Try to visit some of London's natural spaces(The ARC has just planted 4000 donated flowers and shrubs in Packington and Union Square Gardens - visit and enjoy them!). Yoga at the ARC is also teaming up with the amazing team at Sweaty Betty, Islington Parks Service and Culpeper Community Garden this summer to offer some yoga and meditation in outside spaces (there will be free places on some of these so keep watching our socials for announcements). Feeling the grass under your bare feet is a free and easy way to tap into your wellbeing. Or try to spend a few minutes every day just sitting in silence, following your breath.
If you are struggling financially and feel Sliding Scale Prices are still unaffordable, but you would like to access our classes, please get in touch (hello@yogaatthearc.org)