Online Yoga

Our yoga practice is a deeply personal experience, it's about cultivating a relationship with ourselves... coming home. Once we feel more at home within ourselves we are better equipped to step into the world of external relationships, of connection. We are strong enough in our own standing to offer support in those relationships and then receive the same in return. You can witness this so beautifully in a Mysore room. The room pulsates with the breath, yet everyone is performing their own practice, their own journey within, whilst the vibration of breath and rhythm in the room supports each individual's sadhana.

It’s been almost a year now of us connecting mostly online. Sure we had a few weeks in the Summer when we could initially meet outside (only 6 of us and socially distanced), enjoy a spot of yoga and each other's company. It felt wonderful to look each other in the eyes again and see real smiles. There were a few particular dubious classes weather wise. I remember looking outside a few hours before to see strong winds and slim chances of no rain… I emailed the group and received a firm ‘lets go ahead’ from everyone. Clearly we needed to get out!

Back to teaching online though. Zoom - now a verb used regularly, but rewind 12 months and I for one had never even heard of Zoom. After the initial confusion about how any of this was going to work, we (myself, other teachers and students alike) seemed to somehow figure it out and settle into a new rhythm. That pulsating Mysore room returned, yet now all you could hear was my voice, not each other's breath. Although, through me, you can hear your yoga friends successes and I see your smiles when they do. I get to witness that shared joy, it's beautiful! I watch your breath and I try to see it moving, I share how I feel the breath in my own practice, how it moves me, makes things lighter. This room, be it virtual or not is still moving as one, that connection is still very much there.

Personally it has been such a rich year for yoga, as I too have been able to receive support that would usually involve a trip abroad and many months in-between.

I wonder what will happen post May, or June.... or whenever it is that we return to 'normal'. I do know that the pulsating room and the richness of shared breath will remain.

The photo is my little princess who always asks to be let in for Saturday morning pranayama!