Yoga: State of Union
How the Lockdown has revealed gaps in our yoga system
America’s gift to the ancient Indian art of yoga is accessibility. The transformation from esoteric discipline to easy-entrance hobby happened quickly, creating an industry out of an art. Teachers were certified at a rate that made them disposable; students were given the customer-is-always-right status, and studio staff were often un- and under-paid.
The health benefits of yoga are real and the product was marketed accordingly. For ease of consumption, class formats were standardized like Starbucks orders: Level 1, 2, 3; Vinyasa, Power, Flow classes. Ashtanga and Iyengar held the traditional end of the spectrum while novelty and bootcamp “yoga” classes held the other. Most people dabbled around the middle ground.
Until the ground fell out below us.
The closing of yoga studios has revealed to students that even after years of classes, they don’t know how to “do yoga” unless they are following along a play-by-play instruction. Most students need to see the postures performed, often because of undeveloped listening/attentional skills. Teachers, encouraged by for-profit studio models, have quickly stepped up their Instagram and Youtube game. Online empires are being built and solidified.
But is technology the answer? Students are watching screens to see the postures, and the class format has only created a larger gap between students and the teachers who cannot hear their breaths or know their physical state. Yoga is becoming more of a commodity, feeding rather than alleviating our cultural dependence on screens.
With longer workdays of telecommuting, what we need is less screen time, and more real time, yoga as a system of practical knowledge. As each of us faces our fears of loss, yoga as a true practice will alleviate mental stress, increase physical resilience, and carry us forward into a new approach to self-care.
What you can do:
Connect with a teacher
Reach out for private instruction from your favorite, or highly educated/respected yoga teacher. Working one on one is the most cost effective way to quickly develop a reliable home practice.
Just do it
The biggest barrier between you and your yoga practice is: you. Just get on your mat and do what you remember from classes, what feels natural, without any thought to time or performance expectations.
You can also look up sequences from books or print what you find online. Ashtanga is a good start for the already-athletic, and you can find my hand drawn sequences here.
Learn to Listen
If and when you take group classes, do your best to stay awake to the movements you are being led through. Ideally, a class is a time of learning. As a student, you are empowered to choose to pay attention to your body and breath. With your knowledge and awareness, you can use what you have learned to practice independently afterwards.
