I’ve been studying yoga at a learning institution for the past year and I’ve become very disheartened as I had expectaations of my class mates being supportive and loving as we all progress along this journey togethor. Instead its not like that at all. What do you do in a situation you dont want to judge others especially your future collegues but they say and act in ways that make you feel uncomfortable with all the competitiveness??
Sarah,
Competition in class is the product of the teaching. Try a different teacher or studio.
Peace,
siva
You know what’s funny? I have been involved in competitive sports my entire life, both team based and individual. I also went to law school and am a practicing lawyer. I have had a regular yoga practice for the last 3 years, studying at several different studios and under many different teachers.
I can say, with zero reservation, that the yoga culture and community in my city has more ego and elitism present in it than any other group of people I have experienced, bar none. It is not limited to a studio or teacher, either.
The utter irony.
It is ironic, for very good reason. I am grateful that I have had a different experience than irc has.
Sarah, keep coming back here for encouragement. And remember that your discomfort, while inspired by others, is not completely within their control. Forgive them for not living up to your expectations.
And, if you’re in teacher training (ref: “your future colleagues”), remember the sort of experience you intend to pass on to your students. Apparently this might set you apart. (Well, it will set you apart whether or not you are in yoga teacher training. Don’t lose it.)
Hello Sarah,
There are many expressions of yoga and many teachers within those expressions who have missed the point of yoga relative to Ego. This further proves that yoga doesn’t make you a good person. It merely brings out more of what you already are.
To me, a teacher that is sound is one that is living the yoga that they are teaching. To me yoga is the transformation of the mental and vital forces toward the heart center so that the student can be guided more fully toward their purpose for being.
A yoga that does not move a student in such a way may be asana but it is very questionable whether it is yoga.
Yes, it may be difficult to find a community of supportive practitioners setting their ego aside (as a process not a destination). But please keep looking. That having been said - it really only matter how you are. How they are is their issue.
gordon
Sarah
I read your post and it made me realize how lucky I am.
I’m new to yoga(3 months) and have found a studio full of students and teachers who have made me feel at home. I love going.
I’m a very competitive person and I do not feel any competition in class.
Everyone is very supportive of each other.
I hope you can find the answers to you questions
Stan
You stay true to who you are and what you believe is your Truth. As my own teacher used to say to me: “just do it and stick to your path, no matter what.”
If I may put it in another light. The world is our mirror, those around us usually reflects aspects of ourselves. I use such opportunities to see what the people around me usually reflects back to me and more that often it is an aspect of myself that needs some work or acknowledgement or some change. This is the beauty of yoga for me, it puts us in situations where we are confronted with very deep seated ideas and patterns that we sometimes even unknowingly harbour.
I understand what she means by competition.How sad it is that such a yoga community could generate such competition when we all thought it should only generate lovingness and pureness. But don’t follow the footsteps of others. Don’t compel others to change. Let them change willingly and orderly when they see that purity in you is worth the change.
In my previous yoga studio, the students made the teachers look like some kind of hollywood stars. They adore these teachers and shower them with gifts , expensive ones. Of course, no matter how hard the teachers try to stay sane, it’s difficult when u’re working in such an environment, especially for those teachers that come from countries like nepal and india (developing countries) to our more modern society.
In the end, the entire yoga community becomes unhealthy . I hated it and left.
competitiveness is ego ,so has nothing to do with yoga.
competitiveness is ego ,so has nothing to do with yoga.
sadly it’s hard to escape from it in or outside the studio/community( though fortunately i have’nt encoutnered that much of it in the studios i’ve frequented.aprt from one i did’nt gel threre so i didn’t go back.it was more the teacher , she could not accomodate me in her class when i mentioned i ahd certain issues. seek out another teacher/studio is sound advice).
the best you can do is try and transcend your own.
it’s a formidable challenge for anyone.
if you can learn to applly the full range of yoga techniqes and methods and keep ego at bay by looking after yourself, being kind and gentle to yourself then it’salot easier.
disarming the ego is a process( not usually comfortabl either),not an overnight sensation. it is quite possible there maybe something missing from the teachings you are receving if the students make you feel uncomfortable. yoga is about looking within penetrating deeper,deeper and deeper. your practices should assist to help you do that to discover your true self,even if you’re the only one making any progress.
effective yoga is not like a swing in the park. if it is it’s pprobably not doing much.
I used to get really annoyed with the competition at my last yoga studio until I realized I was projecting.
As a teacher, I try to observe and be a mirror so that students might become aware of their habits.
As a fellow human, I think it’s beautiful to see people competing as that’s simply where they’re at on their journey. It’s not wrong for them to be competing, it’s simply their experience at present. Will it change? Maybe, maybe not, but I’ll love and be amazed by them regardless. If I were to judge them, that means I’m comparing them to someone or something, whether that be me or some ideal. In other words, I’m creating a sort of competition in my mind between that person and me/my ideal by comparing the two.
As a student, I’m aware that I compete on occasion, usually with myself. I sometimes catch myself using the word, “should”.
Judge not lest ye be judged yourself. 
Sarah,
Have you talked to your mentor, teachers and fellow students.
I’m in year 2 of a 3 year training. And a fellow classmate of mine said that she was so glad the competiveness had died down. I asked what she meant - I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. She felt like people had been competitive early on. I did not have this same perception.
I’m not saying your wrong. It is your perception.
Best wishes.
Victw
Thank you all for your heart felt contributions. I have been reflecting on the idea that I am projecting and that I only stand in judgement of myself no one else. And I agree fully it is a perception of mine that there is competitivness in the class. I did talk to a fellow classmate and she didnt feel there was any competition but she did acknowledge some people in class look about at other and push themselves to be the most flexible.
I just close my eyes in asana class now and you know what I dont notice it anymore 
Blessed be
Sarah, I am in a yoga training where I have experienced the competitiveness. There are those who think they are supposed to be the “stars” of the training. I am a very UN-competitive person by nature, and it has made me uncomfortable at times. I am the only out-of-town student in the training, so when it’s over, I won’t see these individuals again, so I’ve decided to ignore it.
I have been very competitive in the past, in yoga, in sports, in spirituality, against other posters here (IA, and brother hubert to name a few :)) etc… I recognize this and accept this, but maybe not all the time. Have I moved beyond being competitive, well to answer that would be competing again, paradoxes. So, if i am competitive would you still love me?
looking at the elephant from this perspective
Brother Neil
Today’s world encourages competition. There is nothing wrong in it but yoga should be kept out of it. Even my classmates used to compete a lot & doing any advance asana which others could not do was treated as a matter of achievement. Yoga should be treated as a tool to achieve the unison. Some day !
I have been telling myself since I began yoga the start of 2008 for that I’m only comparing myself to myself and thats it. So I look at where im at and compare it to where i was and that makes me happy. I just feel i can pick up on when others are striving in asana class and it makes me sad and then annoyed with the competition. it only alienates us from one another. The thing is some people can do a forward bend better then someone who does a perfect bridge we all have different bodies i’ve learnt. maybe in a past life i was very competitive im not sure but i no really irks me. because its not the point to me. i need send metta when i feel these judgements coming into my head.
its a great opportunity to come back to witnessing without reacting
we should be able to stay focussed on compassionate virtue and understanding without feeling hurt by any real or imaginary situation.
practice
know thyself
It is all about inner development. All else is “red dust.” Stay centered, move on if you have to.
i normally crack a joke about “winning at yoga”