Wanderlust Yoga "Energy Exchange" program or how to avoid paying a salary to your cleaners

When I move to a new place, as a yoga practitioner, the first thing I do is check local yoga studios to find the one I will feel is for me. I also check opportunities to teach my Eclectic Yoga.

I was walking on the streets of Austin after moving here about two weeks before, when I saw a typical yogi gathering space with girls coming out after a class. They all, like sisters, were wearing super trendy yoga pants. A somewhat "Chakra 3" balanced mist aroma was coming out from the studio. What is this place? I thought. Wanderlust Yoga studio was the name of the sanctuary.

On the next day I decided to check their website and apply for a yoga teaching position after giving up on the idea to teach yoga in such commercialized studios. Well, new city, new people... let me try one more time, right? A couple of days later I received an interview invitation for the "energy exchange" program. "Ohh, wow" this studio must be something different if they call a yoga job an "energy exchange." My excitement was high for the whole day up until the time when I read more about that program. I could not believe that people, especially people who studied yoga, can do such things! The "Energy exchange" program means cleaning the studio for free, once a week for three hours in. I went on the interview just for the purpose to find out more and spread the word to STOP this illegal activity!

"The Wanderlust Yoga Energy Exchange team is a key component to keeping the space and studios in tip top shape. Here are a few responsibilities involved to make Wanderlust the best it can be: Restock Mats and Towels, Mop, Organize Props, & Fold Retail."

These are the responsibilities the management of the studio put on their website without any hesitation. Some of you might ask what is the problem here? A person can have a chance to go to yoga classes for free! Come on, one month of membership in this studio cost less than $30 dollars. Do I believe that people who live around the studio (which is located in the center of Austin) can't afford to pay such price? No, who are you fooling here, please. What makes me speechless here is how these holy and enlightened people can use kindness and heart of a nice person who believes that yoga might be a medicine in their life situation and take advantage of them. How can they use yoga, the art of healing, to avoid paying people for labor? Yes, they offer you classes for free, but...I was told many buts, so good luck in getting into the class that you, as many others, PAYING CUSTOMERS (now we're talking, lol) want.

Why don't we have such energy exchange programs when it comes to paying bills or rent? Why can't the price for a "superficial smoothie" at their own bar be just a warm smile? It is simply because playing on people's emotions and beliefs is the easiest way to avoid paying a salary.

The yogi community in Wanderlust studio have absolutely lost the original purpose of teaching yoga. Swimming on their fame they decided to take only that part of yoga practice that is suitable for their needs abusing fundamental ethical yoga rules, Yama and Niyama.

The question arises here: what will the soul gathering facility do when such question will be brought to IRS or Department of Labor in Texas? Let's see what kind of "exchange program" these organizations will offer them.