I was recently reminded, though a conversation with a friend of mine who is interested in yoga but finds the costs prohibitive, of the debate that has arisen more than once before around money and the practices of enlightenment.

When the question is asked: “Why are these classes/courses/workshops so expensive?” the answer that is most often given is, “If people don’t value things in a monetary sense, they won’t value it in other ways.” Another way to put it is to say that if a class or course is free, for example, people aren’t inclined to commit to it with the same verve that they would have if the same was more expensive.

This rationale makes sense on one level and in my own experience I have witnessed this first hand. I have run courses that were free as well as on a donation basis and although the attendance is usually good in the beginning, people start to drop-off towards the end. The thought process behind this is often along the lines of: “If I don’t go I won’t loose any money (or investment)”.

I think it’s true to say that there will always have be an investment from the side of the practitioner, whether it be monetary or otherwise, to balance out the investment from the side of the teacher. It’s worth mentioning here those individuals that would like everything to be free and easy. Free because they don’t have to “pay” anything and easy because there is the least amount of personal investment (i.e. time or effort). The common term for this is free-loading and in a very realistic way these people create the system of cost that they are so vehemently opposed to. People charge for things so that they know that people are making a commitment in body (or wallet) and soul to the endeavor at hand.

The same is true for yoga classes. The motivation for getting more people to more classes more consistently is often complex and multi-faceted:

1. Reason number one is rent and salaries. The studio needs to cover its costs and turn a small profit if possible. This is not for money’s sake but to maintain a space of learning and practice.
2. The second reason is the bhav (or atmosphere). A class with more people in is often more enjoyable for both teacher and students. The energy is more sustainable and of a greater intensity. We all carry each other though the asana practice.
3. The third reason, which is (or should be) the underlying reason for opening a yoga studio or running a class, is to facilitate the movement towards liberation for all involved.

While the third reason is probably the most important, it can’t take place without the first two. Not paying rent or having no one in the class is not going to work for anyone. So how do you make people come to the studio? You incentivize it for them in the most basic way. You create the precedent that the more you come, the less you pay. Everybody knows that drop-in classes are considerably more expensive than monthly unlimited packages. Depending on how you look at it you are either penalized for your lack of commitment or you are rewarded for being consistent (is the cup half-full or half-empty?).

However, this only works to a point. Once you take the price down too low you run into the same problem again. People begin to attach less value to the classes, courses, etc. and show up less and less often. If I’ve already paid for the month up front I’m more inclined to attend to get my monies worth.

I am reminded of how the story of how, when they first brought out their range of affordable quality glasses for everyone, Ray-ban failed dismally in the market place. After rethinking things they brought the same product back to the general public, this time at a considerably higher cost, and people snatched it up. The reasoning behind people’s decision to by a more expensive pair of glasses: they must be good if they are expensive, right?

So at the end of the day we really have ourselves to blame for the way things have turned out. Until we can get back to the point where we realize that money is only one form of investment that we are capably of making and it is also only one of many ways to measure value, we will constantly have people catering to that mentality (see The Emperor’s New Clothes).

I am making an assumption when I say that the majority of people that I know of that facilitate and teach in these fields (i.e. yoga and meditation specifically) are not fixated on money. Nor are they trying to cultivate in their students an attachment to material wealth. It’s rather a case of, “This is how people think, how society operates and what we have to work with.” Yoga teachers need to make a living just like everyone else and being that we live in a monetary based society, we need money to get by. That said, both teacher and student need to constantly remind themselves of the ultimate goal of liberation through non-attachment. There should be neither aversion nor clinging to money, but rather a clear understanding of the part it is playing as a means to an end.

It’s a frustrating predicament for people who are striving to offer opportunities of personal growth without the limitations that financial constraints present. In an ideal world all the classes, retreats and courses would be donation based and people would pay a realistic amount given their experience. I am reminded of the Vipassana model that prohibits donation by anyone who has not first completed the entire course. The result is that you graciously accept the training as a gift and pay for the next person to attend the course anonymously through your sponsorship.

I believe that if you are passionate enough about anything you will find a way to make it work, whether you have the financial means or not. Many people I know have had to beg, borrow and steal to get training that felt passionately about. And they engaged in the training much more whole-heartedly because of it. If you are a bit cash-strapped, contact your locate studio and ask them if they would be willing to create a donation based community class or two. But before you do that, ask yourself, is this something I’m willing to commit to now that I have asked for this to take place? Will you be there every class, paying whatever you can afford in money and making an investment in time?

The irony is that, despite the fact that the practices of yoga are openly available to anyone, the personal cost and commitment of maintaining these practices is high and requires much more effort than swiping your credit card or getting some free asana instruction.