Must I attend yoga classes in order to learn the advanced poses? I'm really shy / suffer from social anxiety..

I've been doing yoga on and off on my own for the past 4 years or so, just trying out poses from yoga books. I do complete sessions. However a lot of the advanced poses like the shoulderstand, headstand, i.e. inversion poses... I can't yet do. I don't have the required balance and strength to do them steadily, and I know I will hurt myself whenever I try. I do stuff like the plow, the candle, etc, mostly the beginners to intermediate stuff I can manage on my own, but I'm scared of doing complete inversions and I know I will just fall and hurt myself. Do you think I must attend classes in order to learn the advanced stuff? Perhaps I'm not even doing the beginners/intermediate stuff right and I don't even know it, LOL! But I am soo so shy. I've tried attending 8 antenatal yoga classes while I was pregnant, and even then I was so self-conscious I could not fully relax into the sessions. I don't know what to do. I love yoga, yet I can't relax in a class!!

I mean, my social anxiety is not too extreme - its not like I don't talk to any strangers ever. I do talk to people when I have to (i.e. to exchange factual information, ask for information, give information, etc.) , but if I don't have to do so, I hardly ever open up unless its someone I know really well and get on with.

I really really want to learn the advanced stuff... but its such a headache. When I think about having to face a whole class of people doing yoga, I feel afraid. How are these yoga classes like? I mean like, for serious learners of yoga? Are they full of body-conscious people who look at you up-and-down (kinda like in a gym)? That'd be a nightmare for me. Or do they hardly care about you and they just mind their own business? Cos if they are, then I'd feel a bit more relieved.

Maybe you could take a private lesson.

Fit TV has an excellent Yoga program. I don't know the exact times.....but its on early in the mornings.

If yoga was working properly for onyone they should be much more relaxed---maybe you could ask the instructor to teach you some better relaxation techniques.That should help.

There is no such thing as 'social anxiety'. Just go along and learn the poses.

you don't need to go to the classes you just buy the tapes and still learn the posses.

TRUST ME everyone feels like you do in the beginning when they take any work out class. If you really knew how little people think of you while you're there, you'd feel much better. Everyone will be worrying about themselves and trying to do everything correctly. If you just go to an open gym it may be a little different, but people who join and pay for classes are really just there to benefit themselves just like you are.
Please please take the class it will be good for you physically of course, but it can help with your anxiety as well.

Why don't you take a good friend or sole mate with you. Even they don't know all the poses - at least you would be both enjoying laughing at each other you would forget that other people were there. Next time it wouldn't be so bad for you. Good luck with the yoga advanced stuff but extra good luck to help with your anxiety. kind regards from the North Coast of the Emerald Isle.

Ahhh darn you live in the UK, so I can't speak for your Country, but I am going to safely assume that the attitude in most yoga classes is very similar. The students are not competitive, there is a sense of acceptance of each other that you don't find in other places, just because of the nature of yoga itself.
Yoga is about accepting your body and your limitations, and working with those limitations to move beyond them or to move within them if need be.
You will see those who are advanced and can do deep poses easily, but you will also see those who are at the opposite end of the scale.
At my first yoga class, I found myself admiring the woman who's hips were so flexible she could almost fold in half, and she also complimented me on how I managed to do a pose that was difficult and involved a moment (just a few seconds lol) of balancing on my hands (you know, the pose they always teach you in school, where you put your knees up on your arms and balance), and I also found myself admiring the woman who was very heavy set and was obviously having a hard time with almost every pose, but she would go into childs pose, rest, come back out and do the pose again, and she was doing modifications that indicated that this was not her first class. Modifications to fit her body, to help her do the poses. I had great admiration for her perseverance.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I dont' think you'll find judgemental or socially chatty people in a yoga class. they may socialize before, or after, but will respect your desire to not be approached if that is what you want. But during the class, it is quiet in general, and you can focus on your own work.

If you want to do inversions, I don't know what you might try other than a class, as they can be very difficult for some.

One thing I can suggest if you still feel unready for a real class is to work on your core. You say you have been using books, but I have another exercise for you. After 4 years you should have a strong enough core to hold you up in shoulderstand, so I'm suspecting you might be like me and not realize that you are avoiding working and strengthening your core (me, because I hate working my stomach muscles! situps ugh!).
Once I realized I was gaining strength but still had weak core strength, I decided I would break down and really work on it. Its your core that gives you the strength to hold your body up in inversions, and core strength helps you to avoid injury. It's essential.
So try this website, it's totally free, and there are 7 classes a week to choose from, all 1 hr long each. There are three different instructors, several styles of yoga, and I suggest you pick the classes that work on core strength, and then whatever else grabs you. You will like them, they are very professional, and will help you understand ways of engaging your muscles during your yoga that books may have missed getting across to you.
http://www.yogatoday.com

I do hope this helps, I have great admiration for you who have taught yourself so much about yoga on your own, and also for your love of it that drives you to consider breaking past the resistance you feel to socializing. It may be just what you needed. Try giving a real life class a chance. :)

Best of luck to you!