Photo by The Yoga People

For a practice that’s all about the individual, a group yoga class can be pretty darn impersonal. The teacher’s attention is split between 20 students (sometimes a few more or a few less), trying to remember all of the special needs in the room, keeping the music on track, and a million other things. Whether you’re a new student or a 20-year veteran, a series of private lesson with a skilled yoga teacher can be the thing that helps you take your practice to the next level by putting the focus ALL ON YOU, which is really how it should be. Here are just a few reasons why you should schedule a series of private yoga lessons today.

1. Address issues that are personal to you, your life, and your practice. You might have heard that yoga isn’t just about the moves you do when you’re on your yoga mat. It’s a lifestyle—a whole system of practices that can help you get your shit together and keep your head on straight. If you’ve only been going to group classes, you might or might not know that because most group classes tend to be all about the body with a few generalizations about yoga philosophy that would relate to anybody and everybody thrown in. In a private yoga class, your teacher can really dig in and help you develop a plan to help you with your aching back, that anxiety issue, chronic stress, your monkey mind, your sugar addiction, whatever!

2. Learn new tricks for your Instagram feed. I’m kidding! Sort of. Here’s the thing. If you go to a group yoga class, your teacher is going to tailor her instructions to what most of the people in the room. Since her main goal is to keep EVERYONE safe, she’s not going to suggest you try out some crazy fancy inversion, even if you both know you could rock it out. If you have an advanced asana practice, you’re going to hit a plateau going only to group classes. (And while you COULD watch tutorials of those fancy-pants poses online, it’s not a good idea… Trust me on this one, I speak from experience. You need someone to spot you. You might be really surprised what you’re able to do!

3. Take competition out of the equation. We all know we’re not supposed to compare ourselves to the person on the mat next to us. We know we’re not suppose to admire the way her abs look in her bra top or be annoyed that she floats so effortlessly into Handstand when we’re doing well to even get our feet over our heads, thank you very much. We all do it. (Don’t even try to tell me you never do it…I don’t believe you.) Working one-on-one with your teacher takes away the temptation to compare your practice to someone else’s and either put yourself down or build your ego in the process. If you struggle with this (and I think we all do to some degree) take a few private sessions and just notice if there’s an energy shift.

4. Get to know your teacher (and let her get to know you!) Maybe your teacher knows you name and any injuries you’re working with, but there’s only so much you can learn about a person in those 5 precious minutes before and after a group yoga class. Developing a relationship with your teacher where you get beyond the small talk that happens before class is a surefire way to deepen your practice because it means your teacher will be able to better tailor your practice to you, whether it’s in a private yoga lesson or a group class.

5. Fit your class into YOUR busy schedule, in a place that’s convenient (and inspiring) for you.  Ever had difficulty carving out time to get to a yoga studio? Unless you schedule your private at a park or beach (which many teachers are happy to do!) a private session often means it’s your teacher, not you, who sits in traffic, make a dash for parking, and walks five blocks to your home and office. That means an hourlong session, will actually take you only an hour to complete—instead of two! For me, this is a MAJOR perk of private yoga classes.

6. Renew your commitment to your practice. When you first start taking yoga you might rent a mat from the studio (or GASP! even just use the ones they have on hand at the gym you go to). But after a while, you realize you like this “yoga” enough to splurge on your own mat. It’s a small commitment—unless you buy one of those amazing Manduka mats—but it’s a gesture that you’re serious about your practice. After you’ve been practicing a while longer, you might buy some props, fancy pants, start taking yoga selfies, and before you know it you’re a part of the club. Welcome! I hope you enjoyed the Kool Aid (it’s a lot like green juice). But we need to talk. You’re throwing good money away on that 20th pair of patterned tights. They might look good in your selfies, but they’re not going to help you learn very much. Spend the money on YOGA instead—go on a retreat, enroll in a workshop to deepen your knowledge about a particular topic, or SCHEDULE A PRIVATE SESSION! Taking private yoga lessons is an investment in your practice—in YOU! (Those Rainbow Bright leggings are going to be out of style next week anyway.)