Why do we remove our shoes before entering a yoga shala?

Why do we remove our shoes before entering a yoga shala?

If you don’t come from a culture where the removal of shoes is the norm, you might’ve wondered why, or even hesitated when asked to take off your shoes before entering a yoga shala or studio.  After all, who really likes their feet?

Firstly, we generally practice yoga without shoes as a way to connect our foundation (the feet) and the earth.  By doing so we can improve our balance and coordination, which in turn helps us to become more centred and connected.  

However, more importantly, the yoga shala is a sacred space, a place where we come to connect with our breath and explore the deeper workings of our consciousness. 

Taking our shoes off before we enter the space means we can pause for a moment; and shed some of what we’ve been carrying around before we begin our practice. 

Removal of shoes is a sign of respect for the space and on a more practical level, a way of maintaining it’s cleanliness.

in South Asia and other places feet have a lot of symbolism, and shoes are considered unclean (well we do walk about in them all day).   It’s considered rude to point your feet at another person, an altar or a sacred symbol, including OM (find out more about OM here). 

This is why many people turn around before taking a rest at the end of class.  It’s also why it’s considered a sign of respect to touch the feet of your spiritual teacher or an elder, and why we ‘bow to the lotus feet of the gurus” when we chant at the opening mantra.

removing footwear before entering a yoga shala or studio is a sign of respect and a way of honouring the culture from which yoga came.