But Don't You Miss Yoga Studios?
A lot of unexpected things have happened during the time of COVID. Not just for me. For everyone.
Before I go any further, let’s all reflect upon the fact that we’re all doing our best to survive a pandemic. A PANDEMIC. I don’t want to be too light on the subject. It is wild. We’re isolating ourselves from our loved ones, wearing masks everywhere we go, and we have maybe/probably/most likely developed some form of agoraphobia.
WILD!
Like so many, COVID gave me time to think, think, think. (Anyone else now have the Blues Clues song stuck in their head? No? Just me? Cool.) It took a pandemic for me to stop my hamster wheel and consider how I was living my life. Pre-COVID I was on autopilot bouncing around from Studio Location A to Studio Location B only to end up back at A 6 hours later to teach my fourth class of the day. I don’t want it to get lost that I love my job of teaching yoga, but being a yoga teacher is often exhausting.
I was recently listening to one of my favorite podcasts, The Cut, and got super excited to listen to an episode entitled Do You Actually Miss the Yoga Studio? Without listening to the episode I responded with a resounding, “NO!”
Full transparency, as I type this I am currently teaching for a few studios, one of which is offering in-person classes. I’ll go more into that later.
The podcast episode features yoga teachers discussing the challenges of teaching during COVID plus the freedom many yoga teachers are experiencing now that they’re on their own and paving their path in the virtual world. I felt everything these yoga teachers had to share.
Unlike some of the teachers featured on the podcast, I enjoy teaching yoga online. Sure, demonstrating more than I’m used to can be hard physically and mentally. And sure my few classes where not a single soul turns on their camera can feel uncomfortable and lonely. But it’s nice to make my coffee in the morning, put Wallace the dog in his designated spot next to my mat, and turn on Zoom to teach a class that 100% resonates with me as a teacher.
But don’t I miss physical yoga studios?
Of course I do! Although I’m still uneasy about teaching in-person classes, it is so nice to see 3-dimensional bodies!
Even though many students are back to their favorite physical yoga studios and following the proper precautions, personally, it does not feel the same. At least where I teach, I sit in one spot for one hour and say my words. There’s minimal interaction before and after class as it’s necessary to move folks in and out of the space in a timely manner to minimize time in the space and allow for the cleaning and disinfecting process to occur.
Never in my teaching career - even when I was teaching 22 classes a week at six different locations - has teaching yoga felt transactional. Now, when I teach in-person the process feels transactional. In a time when humans are craving human connection, I feel utterly disconnected from the people I am guiding through practice. As much as I try to shift my mindset and remember I am teaching during a very unique time, I still struggle with the process.
On the flipside, teaching in-person at a studio has its perks! I don’t have to rely so heavily on self-promotion or entice folks to show up. Students just show up for the in-person classes I teach without effort. It is quite pleasant to not have to worry about how many people will show up for your class that day.
Ironically, when I teach my own offerings online it does not feel transactional. With those classes my income is 100% connected to how many students attend class. And somehow it does not feel transactional. Instead it feels right. It feels right to take ownership of how I facilitate practice and create community. Oddly I have felt more connected to students online over the last 11 months than I have felt to students I’ve seen in real life over the last 11 years. It could be because we now see each other’s pets, kids, piles of laundry, partners, etc. during practice. In a way, our humanness is now on display during practice. I really enjoy that element.
If you’re still practicing yoga during these challenging times, and I truly hope you are, I’ve got some suggestions for ya:
Practicing In-Person?
Be super patient with the teachers and staff in the space. There’s a lot of new policies and procedures in place to keep everyone safe. Teaching a class is not a yoga teacher’s only responsibility.
Do your best to not get upset if a teacher doesn’t want to engage with you for a long gab session before or after class. I know. I miss those too. Many teachers, myself included, get nervous about being indoors with a group of students. Sure, we’re all wearing masks, but it still feels like risky behavior to many of us.
Practicing Online?
Never feel pressured to practice with with your camera on, but consider turning on your mic briefly or send a short message in the chat box to say hi. You might even let the teacher know how you’re feeling that day so that the teacher can support you in that practice.
Put a practice time on your calendar and keep the commitment. As a teacher who has leaned into running her own business, it’s hard to not take things personally. I keep reminding myself that practicing with a screen isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Plus Zoom fatigue is real. If you have the ambition, please keep showing up to support teachers and studios even if it means connecting with your teacher via a screen.
However you’re practicing I hope your practice is bringing you joy during these tough times. Whether you miss yoga studios or are content practicing in your own space, I encourage you to keep showing up.
If you’re into podcasts, be sure to check out The Cut’s episode on teaching during the time of COVID.