That's Not Community
...that's Memorex.
If I can finally decide on the musical background for the introduction (maybe Scotland birdsong?), my podcast “Bhadra Yoga House” will release into the wild later this week. My students amaze me daily, and most of them have been with me for over a decade. This state of amazement coupled with being a witness to the longevity of their practice warrants a vehicle of posterity - thus the birth of this podcast. I want them to be direct participants in this documentation, so in addition to Chapter One of my upcoming book being about Helen, she is also the first episode guest on the podcast. At 82 years old, Helen has been with me practicing Yoga since 2009. Dubbed “The Matriarch” of our group, she has been inspiring us since way back then. She is the Legs-up-the-Wall and Savasana pose-Queen, and I love her. And her dog, Gus.
Having taught Yoga as my vocation since 1993, I am currently bearing witness to the decline of Yoga studio community back down to the level when I first started practicing in 1991. My first class was with a live teacher at a recreational space in Auckland, New Zealand, but I came home to scant - but impressive - Yoga school/studio offerings in Omaha that same year. Back then, many new teachers began teaching out of their homes, as Yoga trainings were not yet widely available outside of India, New York, and California. Now, many Yoga studios have closed their doors - mine included. Beyond the prohibitive cost of maintaining the studio storefront, Yoga studio owners compete with national chains and students who - like I did in the early 90s with cassettes and CDs - prefer YouTube videos, apps, and TikTok over the live-group practice. Are Yoga classes via the virtual reality headset the next wave of disconnect we must brace ourselves for?
Jan Carlin is my guest on the second episode of Bhadra Yoga House. In it, we discuss how our Yoga classes on Zoom give us ongoing community with each other. On the livestreaming platform, we can still wish each other a happy birthday, discuss the weather, how the garden is doing in spite of the rabbits, and be there for each other during surgeries, death of a loved one, and other life crises. You cannot do that with an app or a YouTube video.
With both Helen and Jan, I discussed the bonus of livestream Yoga - when one of us moves away or takes a long trip (At the outset of Restorative Yoga class last night, I asked Joanne if she has decided she is now living in Rochester, NY, since she has been there for almost a month now), we are still connected and practicing together every week.
We discussed the importance of community in the face of such abundant isolation in the world today. Jan gave personal examples of community outside of her Yoga practice - with her quilting group, her time volunteering at the Food Bank each week, her book club, and cycling group. Just like the importance of having health care, enough nutritious food to eat, and a safe place to live, we need healthy community.
What constitutes “healthy” community? People you interact with who you do not have to “like” or “follow” to get a reaction or care from. Human community.
Blessings & Love,
Photo credits: Melanie McLeod
Ooo I’m excited to listen!