“May you live in interesting times.” – a Chinese curse . . . or not . . . apparently there’s some debate about the origin of this quote, nevertheless . . .
. . . here we are . . . in interesting times. I don’t know about you, but over the past few days, I’ve been wavering between complete calm – believing that something good will come of this either personally or globally – and totally freaking out – in my case, wondering how to make a high touch endeavor (teaching yoga) into a quality online experience.
The short answer is that there is simply no substitute for the connective, supportive environment we’ve created inside the studio at MSY. Each and every one of you contribute to that environment. The relationship between teacher and student is symbiotic; I’m not sure it can be duplicated online. However, even as I type this, I think back to when I first started practicing yoga on my own. My teacher was Rodney Yee. I had many of his books, VHS tapes and DVDs. He was my teacher long before I was ever present in one of his live classes. So with that in mind, the situation that we find ourselves in today – unable to come together in person as a class in the studio – has forced me to pivot.
Several of you have been nudging me in the direction of online classes for a while now, and the truth of the matter is, I simply LOVE teaching in person, so it wasn’t a high priority. Thanks to COVID-19, it is now necessary for me to foray out of my comfort zone into the online realm and get comfortable with being uncomfortable (i.e. presenting myself live online). The Governor has asked us to close for two weeks, but I’m well aware that it may be longer. So with that in mind, I will start live streaming classes tomorrow (Sunday, March 22nd). Here’s how it will work:
· Go to our calendar and check out what is currently available online (pre-recorded classes) and what will be available online (live classes). Click on the classes for directions on how to access them. If you access a live or pre-recorded class for free, and you really like it, consider making a donation. You may choose a preset amount or a custom amount. Use the “note” box at checkout to let us know which class you enjoyed.
· I will use Zoom for my online classes, which will allow me to see those of you participating and hopefully make them as interactive as possible. Joining one of my live classes will be free. If you want access to the recording of the class, you can purchase the link for $5. Use the “note” box at checkout to let us know which class you’d like to have access to.
· Other teachers may establish different ways of making their classes available. Keep an eye on our calendar and on Facebook for new information.
In addition to our yoga classes, I have planned an online workshop, “How to Become Your Future Self” and a 21-day online challenge. You can find the information for those under our Facebook events and on our web page.
Finally, we all need something to look forward to. If you’re looking for a more positive experience of a lifetime in 2020, consider joining me in November (surely we’ll be out of the woods by then) for Unwind & Align: Yoga and Ayurveda in Paradise. I’ve partnered with True Nature Travels to provide you with a customizable yoga retreat that you can design to be exactly what you need. You can still save up to $200 if you register before April 1st. If you register during the month of March, you will receive a special gift from me at the retreat.
If you are Facebook-free, make sure you bookmark the MSY website, where you will find all of our events as well as our monthly calendar, class descriptions, links to our SquareUp store, and more.
See you . . . in cyberspace!
Angela