Yoga and Social Media by Gabe Hopp
There is no denying that modernity almost requires the use of social media for marketing/advertising. Of course this is true for businesses small and large, but it’s also the case for yoga teachers. Yoga teachers are pretty much their own brand/business, if you think about it. If you are your own business, you have to promote what you do, get people interested in your offerings and maintain their interest enough to invest in your brand. For better or worse, yoga teachers are their own marketing department and it takes a ton of effort and persistence to consistently get your message across. Social media is the natural “go-to” tool to share your message with the world.
Social media is the Wild West of claims, opinions, impressions and “facts”. Anyone can say anything. Anyone can post almost anything. Misinformation runs rampant. Yoga social media is no exception! Posts run the gamut from your run-of-the-mill “this is how you do down dog” tutorial, all the way through “yoga is the cure for every disease that ever existed.” If you are not regularly practicing with a teacher or in a studio setting, how would you have any reference for the validity of said claims? Even if you do practice regularly, it can be really difficult to parse out the real from the false.
Additionally, yoga on social media can be a total turn-off for an average person. If all you see when you search out yoga is crazy poses, skinny young white girls and fantastical claims, it might be near impossible to convince yourself that it’s for you. What’s easy to depict on social media is the physical body and its ability to contort and bend in wild ways. What’s much more challenging to express is the subtle transformative power of yoga. How attentiveness to the breath can affect a pose. How the mind quiets and settles through the various practices. How the energetic field of your prana changes from your practice.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bad! There are many many wise and benevolent yoga teachers who use social media well and are actually helpful to follow! Here are some of the things that yoga social media does right.
It allows you access to the wisdom of well-studied and well-intentioned teachers from all over the world.
It can create a space for a community of people who are interested in yoga.
It can help you stay up to date with the happenings of your teacher or your favorite studio.
But, it requires a certain amount of viveka or discernment to weed through what is helpful versus what is potentially harmful. How do you know where to start? I have some tips!
Some helpful starting points:
More followers do not equate more knowledge. Some people are just good at using the social media algorithms to their benefit.
Does your social media yogi ever reference their teachers or their school/line of study? Teachers without their own teacher or regular study are less likely to be steeped in practice, to have clear knowledge of yogas’ effects or to evolve in their learning and understanding.
Are the claims of your social media yogi reasonable? There are lots and lots of anecdotal experiences within yoga. Each individual has their own unique felt experience. But, are the claimed experiences possible? Likely even?
I trust that you will use your yogi superpowers of discernment and moderation when judging how to use yoga social media in your life and practice. And for the most practical, down-to-earth yoga social media, follow OTY on Insta, Facebook and YouTube!