5 Reasons to Quit Zooming and Come to the Studio By Gabe Hopp
Who likes Zoom more than us? Probably no one. It truly saved us as a business when the pandemic hit. It let us stay connected to you, see your faces and continue to practice together as a group. It’s been a good run. But, we think now is the time to shut off your computer and scoot your buns back to the studio. Why, you may ask? Here are some (hopefully compelling) reasons!
1. SANGHA
The word sangha means the community of practitioners. It refers to a group of people, typically in a spiritual community, coming together to do their thing. There is lots of power in a sangha because there is a sense of collectivity. We are all in this together. In a healthy community, the students are excited to see one another, excited to work with the teacher and motivated by the power of the group. This is hard to keep up when a handful of the students are in the room, half are at home and most are just getting the recording and never interacting with the group at all.
2. YOUR PRACTICE
I am just guessing here, but maybe you don’t try quite as hard at home as you might in the presence of the sangha and your teacher? Maybe you shut off the zoom and skip savasana? Maybe you get 10 recordings a week, but only actually get to one or two of them? If this sounds familiar, maybe it’s time to make time for yoga in the studio. Any yoga is good yoga, in our opinions, but the true magic happens when you practice with regularity and dedication. We are sure that by coming back to the studio, your practice will grow, deepen and expand in a positive way.
3. YOUR TEACHER
Most people get into the business of teaching yoga because their own practice transformed their life and they are inspired to share that with students. Yoga teachers (if they are taught well) are trained to watch bodies in the room to know what to cue and how to shape the practice. They thrive on the energy of students in the space, in order to teach well. It is increasingly challenging for them to connect with students when they are split up between the studio and zoom. Your teacher is probably burnt out on teaching on Zoom and in-person.
4. PROPS
This could be an extension of #2, but one of the the best things we at OTY is to incorporate props into the practice. We know many of you have some props at home, but at the studio you have access to all the props you could need (3 blanket shoulderstands, anyone? chair practice anyone?) plus the wall when you need it, a hardwood floor for sliding…the list goes on. When you’re in the studio, all the things you need for optimal practice are right at your yogi fingertips.
5. WE WANT YOU TO!
We have cultivated two beautiful spaces to share this practice with you. We have an incredible team of teachers who love to teach yoga. We have clean, uncluttered, dog hair-free, kid toy-free studios with all the props you could ever need. We thrive on our community and all of us practicing together for a transformational experience. We love to see your faces and catch up on your lives.
Most things are more-or-less back to “normal” as we move into a new phase of the pandemic. We think it’s time for you to prioritize your studio practice, just like you did back in February 2020. We know it can be challenging to make all the scheduling work, but it’s worth it. Plus, the Zoom won’t last forever (nothing does, right?), so it’s time to make the switch. We can’t wait to see you.