It’s hard to believe that less than 3 weeks ago, in response to growing national concerns about Coronavirus, Yoga Source had to shut the studio doors. As an instructor, I felt not only concerned about my job, but about our studio that had been serving the Richmond community for the last 20 years. I simply had no idea what to expect. I think we all thought that in 2-3 weeks the studio would be up & running again. It increasingly became obvious that this was not to be the case at all. Behind the scenes, Tia and Gabby furiously looked for solutions to get all of us back to our yoga.
In an effort to help keep everyone’s practice going, we began to Live Stream on the YS Facebook page. I laugh in retrospect because I was the first teacher slotted to video a class. As Gabby was patiently walking though the process onscreen, I was swearing & flustered and had no idea I was already on camera. Then kindly, a few students wrote “Hi - We can see you fine! Go ahead!” I got the music going and off I went! It’s easy to smile during Yoga Barre, so the rest felt pretty good. In turn, I loved seeing my fellow colleagues offering their variety of class offerings during a pretty murky moment of “what’s going to happen next?!” And then students kept on writing encouraging and appreciative messages to us during and after class and I think that is when we all began to feel the importance of giving to each other. As most of you hopefully know by now we are able to offer our classes via MindBody & Zoom- which has becomes, well, everyone’s new normal. The set up is always a little fussy and, frankly a bit angst-provoking for the instructor. But honestly, when one by one, clients’ friendly faces start to Zoom in, it’s pretty special.
Pre-COVID 19 I think many of us felt that technology contributed to feeling a more disconnected society. I am not discounting that, but I am a believer in silver linings and I think we are beginning to find those little by little. Using technology to offer our online classes I feel has brought us together in unexpected ways. We begin to see each other in our homes, giving new context and dimension of our lives. Our animals & sometimes children might make an appearance, and yet, as a teacher, I find these things are graciously forgiven by our students as people recognize that this is part of a learning process. It’s humanizing. Among the teachers, we call each other with questions about figuring out how to get around using studio props, or just to check in and see how we are doing, as we are truly a supportive team.
Tia calls us the "Yoga Source Family" and she couldn’t be more right. Please continue to share your lives with us as we support each other in this historic moment in time. I look forward when we can OM together as ONE in our studio home again. -Celine B
