Yoga Businesses: Are Yogis Allowed To Be Wealthy?

Yoga Businesses: Are they BROKE businesses?

Firstly, why do people think yogis and Yoga Businesses are meant to be broke? Why is yoga known as a “broke business”? I had a really interesting conversation with one of my yoga students while I held my coffee cup. He asked if I was drinking tea. My response? No, it’s coffee.

The words that followed stuck with me when he said: “Yogis don’t drink coffee.”. Image me – jaw wide open and my witty reply just waiting to escape my lips. So many preconceived notions about what yogis are and what they aren’t.

People actually think that all Yogis should be loincloth wearing, mountain cave living hippies. Broke hippies who drive a VW van from the 70’s. Oblivious to what’s going on in the world. But this is NOT who we are!

A thought ran through my brain: The reason yoga & healing is a “broke business” is not only because people don’t recognize the daily value it brings into their lives. It’s because there is a collective thought saying yogis can’t be wealthy.

I am sure there is more BUT I am going to credit some of our belief systems to other people’s opinions of us. You know as well as I do that what we think, say and do affect everything.

We as Yogis are meant to be humble. Yes, but this collective consciousness has somehow made that to mean poor. In some cases, it can prevent the growth of a great yogi in their Yoga Business!

I know this is a bit left field, but another example to point out: When I leased my Mercedes-Benz, my long-time friend passed by and remarked “I just can’t picture you in this car.”.

Of course, I had to do it… I had to ask the big “Why”. Her answer had me reeling: “Yogis don’t drive Benzes.”

BOOM.

Business of YogaTHE POWER OF THE MIND

Has anyone ever told you anything that would prevent you from playing big? I get upset because if more yogis were wealthy, the world would be a much better place.

If yogis held positions of influence, there would be less wars and damage to the environment. There would be more social awareness, more hugs, more presence… Do I need to go on?

If everyone out there changed their negative mindset on why yogis are “meant” to be broke, humble, unattached to material things… All of us would rise to be more affluent. Being humble doesn’t mean not being able to pay rent. Being unattached doesn’t mean not being able to have a luxury item. It means that not having that wouldn’t make you upset.

The point of any business, even Yoga Businesses, is so that you can help others while making a living for yourself.

Having money is a blessing because of all it allows you to do. After all we teach on the principles of abundance. Buying expensive cars without donating to a cause is not the basic principles or values of a yogi. Being able to buy the more expensive, local organic produce from your local farmer’s market is a good thing and shouldn’t be a sacrifice or seen as “luxury” living.

IT’S TIME FOR A RADICAL SHIFT

Finally it’s time for us to be leaders and manifest the abundance we teach others is there to make this world a better place. A place where it is energy rich, aware, kind, caring and full of love.

Healing the spirit, mind and body through yoga is a priceless gift that oftentimes is undervalued, but doesn’t mean it’s free either.

Now, think about it: The more we’re able to make a decent living WHILE having an impact on our surroundings through breath, spirit and light, the more we’re able to give back. It’s the gift that keeps giving.

BE. CREATE. INSPIRE.

That’s my tagline for Bizzy Yogi. Be the best person you can be, so you can create your dreams through a brand and business you love, so that you can inspire others to be the best version of themselves.

Namaste.

-Ari

Like this post? Share it, get the word out, be part of the movement! The movement that doesn’t just set Yogis free of this misconception, but allows the whole world know who we are and who we’re NOT!

If you’re a Yoga Teacher and you’re considering opening your own studio OR if you currently have your own Yoga Studio, read this NOW >>> Why You Shouldn’t Open A Yoga Studio… Without Doing This FIRST!

 

P.S. I want to answer your questions! I do my best to provide the most helpful information I can, but I want to take that to the next level! Ask me your questions below and I’ll answer it in my weekly emails or on FB Live and give you a shoutout! **You can also remain anonymous by typing *anonymous* at the end of your question so we don’t give you a shoutout!

 

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Does the word business scare you?

Does the word business scare you?

The beginning to my story.

2005. Graduation of my YTT. I close my eyes and I remember it all! The excitement to start teaching and help people understand yoga and how much I loved it vibrated all over me. I was like a puppy just wanting to do good for people.

Fast forward to today. That hasn’t changed much.

I fell in love with the word business when I made it make sense for me. When I understood that my passion was as strong as ever, my desire as full as when I started and that I needed a little bit of organization in my brain to make it all make more sense so more people benefited.

When someone explained to me once that being a yoga teacher meant being in business for yourself I had no idea what they meant because it was a part time thing for me. My days were spent in an advertising agency, or a publishing company, or an architecture firm during the day and then running to my class at night to make some extra money.

Does this sound like you? (Just replace the former jobs and insert what you do to make money).

Because I was over working for other people, loved my freedom to travel, loved taking trainings and workshops, I knew I had to move full time into teaching.

And the rat race began!

24 classes a week at one point… totally exhausting and less money in my pocket than before! This made no sense to me because what’s the point of living doing what I loved but having no money to travel, take the trainings I loved, move into my own apartment (vs living in my friend’s living room).

Welcome the world of self-development and actually giving a shit about myself.

Realizing I was playing this weird game of work my butt off, teach so much that I was getting injured and still having no savings sucked.

I knew something had to change just didn’t know how. Diving deep into layers of myself, layers of my desire, and understanding that I could get better at every single aspect of my life is an amazing gift. The trick is it all started with my mindset and believing in myself.

Bring on the reading and learning. 

There is so much information out there readily available for us about business, what it means to actually empower yourself with knowledge about running a smart business, about what it takes to have order and systems in place to afford a lifestyle I wanted.

The more I learned about others (yogis, artists, you name it) who took matters into their own hands and made a shift in their lives, the more I saw it in my future.

Have you ever felt like this?

The NEW me!

Diving deeper and deeper and deeper gave me so much freedom and lightness. The sense of empowerment, strength and resourcefulness introduced me to a whole new way of seeing things.

Saying I hate business and sales only brought less business and sales to my life.

Saying I don’t need money only brought less money to my life.

Don’t lose your power and say I’m not ready yet!

Understanding that everything I said and everything I did mattered changed my life.

Something I don’t know, I learn.

A task I can’t do on my own probably means I should hire someone better than me to get it done and as a result move further quicker.

An idea that needs to come out, I figure out how to do it.

This is why and how I created Bizzy Yogi, because I know this amazing and powerful work will work for you as well as long as you believe. 

It’s all about the mind, the desire of the outcome and how bad you want it. Owning your value is your claim to fame (whatever that word means to you).

How will you manifest your dreams?

I want to have a talk and find out more and move some energy around?

And remember it’s all inside you… jedi mind tricks really do work (oh and a sweet rock solid plan).

Thanks for reading my story.

Namaste!