Many of the students who came to my yoga studio, Bee Yoga Fusion, before the pandemic continued their memberships or purchased class passes throughout 2020 and 2021. The students became accustomed to taking virtual classes with me. They sign up each week and we all casually chat before the class, catching up on the latest things going on in each other’s lives just as we would do if we were in person at the studio. The mask and social distancing mandates have remained (the entire time) in our county and it has caused many people to change the way in which they interact with the world.
I feel grateful that I was capable to pivot my business to virtual classes. It wasn’t easy and I learned a lot in the process. There were many times when I had to brush up against the uncomfortableness that change brings with it. But each week the students were there, ready to roll out their mats and continue their practice.
Many of the students have told me that they might never step foot in the actual studio again. For no other reason than they have fallen in love with the online convenience paired with the familiarity of my instruction in the comfort of their own home. They don’t have to plan to leave by a certain time to get into class. They never have to think about where they will set up their mat or how they will feel if someone else is in their favorite spot when they arrive at the studio. And they don’t have to wrestle with their own internal struggles of looking a certain way, having hair combed, or being showered. People have remarked that they wear pajamas during class or love not wearing a bra. And I totally get that!
When I’m practicing yoga alone, my shirt always comes off. It’s just me and my sports bra moving through the sequence. I never practice like this in a studio with other people because I have a lot of body image issues and those internal demons of self-judgment would occupy my thoughts to the point that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the class. But alone, I love the freedom that getting rid of a piece of clothing provides for me in my body. The distractions are gone. The need to fix or adjust or tuck in is gone. I’m simply on my mat, in my body, and being in the present moment.
I’m honored that we can continue to practice together in your living room, basement or office and that we can shed the distractions of life and remain to be present together on our mats. If you’d like to try a virtual class with me, in your own home and at the time you’d like to take a class please check out my online streaming service, Bee Healthy TV. Use code : BYFINTRO to get 50% off your first month.
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