Strange Days

Back in August of 2019 I blogged about the many times I'd be scheduled to teach a class and no students would show up.

Now, studios are closed for the safety of all and once again I'm pondering, what is a teacher without students?

We, as a yoga community, have been asked to adjust. Some have seamlessly shifted to offer online classes. I applaud that. But we miss the connection that comes from practicing in a group setting. I've heard from other teachers who viscerally feel the gap and aside from the financial reality of not being paid to teach, there's a lack of spiritual payment as well. 

We're fortunate that technology can help us reach out - however antiseptic this solution may feel. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to struggling with it. I have heard that comedian Jerry Seinfeld refuses to write jokes on social media because he can't tell how the joke "landed". All the feedback is removed. I feel this way about teaching to a recording device too... since I often "read the room" to know if my yogis want me to amp up the practice or if I need to slow things down. Forget about correcting unsafe alignment in ways that really speak to the conditions of the room - general alignment cues can still serve the group assembled in an online environment, yes, but there's absolutely no ability to manually assist or pause the flow to make sure the group is safe in any given asana.  

That being said, I applaud the studios that have dived in to this unfamiliar territory, the students that are making space in their home(s) for a yoga mat, and the many who are admitting that this is all a little weird.

Inhale, exhale - everything is temporary and we'll see you on your mat again soon, in person or virtually. Practice on.