Why practice yoga online when our work and school lives are online?
Amongst all the new “normals” we have so valiantly adapted to (think: pandemic, TikTok, any of Elon Musk’s ideas), practicing yoga in a group online is a new normal that deserves staying power. Not only is it a safer alternative to gathering in person this year, it is this writer’s belief that online yoga classes will be around even after our favorite yoga studios reopen. Online yoga brings regularity to our lives, instilling longterm healthy habits that drive us closer to our goals. It helps build community during these troublesome times when it’s easy to feel lonely and isolated. Besides that, it’s practical! We can practice yoga online from anywhere—in the middle of our work day, on vacation, while at home or while visiting family.
It’s easy, particularly in the later months of winter when our spirits are low, to give in to short-lived pleasures like food, television, and social media. These practices are natural and have a place in our lives. Yet thousands of years of philosophical rhetoric along with current academic research suggests that we are more likely to feel deeper levels of contentment and happiness by tying our daily actions to longterm goals and activities that feel larger than our own lives.
Online yoga offers a level of normalcy and continuity which helps ground us, ultimately letting us adapt to our environment more quickly while keeping our roots growing towards a brighter future. It offers us a break from the harried responsibilities of the day, assisting in strengthening skills and habits that drive us towards our longterm goals. Whether it’s to be kinder to ourselves, practice better eating habits, or move our body, yoga can help keep us on the path.
Practicing online creates community. Many of us have been feeling lonely or isolated, and the idea of practicing with people who aren’t actually in the room with us sounds odd. But the energy changes when you practice in a group online versus with your app or favorite YouTuber. When we gather at a specific time to breathe and move together, we create an energetic connection that we can viscerally feel. This connection is increasingly important while we are physically separated. Quarantining safely at home doesn’t have to stop us from growing our community and meeting with like-minded people.
Furthermore, practicing yoga online drastically cuts down on your commute! No more rushing through the locker room while apologizing profusely for holding up class as we run from our job to our yoga studio and then home for dinner. With online yoga, we can consolidate our time, opening up more opportunities to practice what we learn on the mat out in the real world. And, frankly, isn’t that why we practice in the first place? With online yoga, we’re prepared wherever we happen to be—all we have to do is roll out our mat and turn our device on.
With these considerations, I hope you’ll agree that online yoga has a place in the larger yoga industry, and is a wonderful addition to your weekly routines. If you are interested in exploring more, please sign up for any of my online classes—I offer an array of classes from Beginner, Intermediate, to Family yoga classes that we can enjoy with our littles.
