Pros and Cons of an Online Yoga World

I have been sitting with a feeling as of late, a sort of internal battle and conflict between myself and the online yoga world. Well, the online world in general.I have been compiling this pros/cons list for some time now, as this topic is often on my mind.

Of course, you are reading this right now thanks to the connectedness of the internet and social media. So let’s start with the pros.

The pros, or positive aspects, of this internet era, social media, and the online world:

~The ability to stay connected to long-distance friends. And the ability to form new friendships online.

This one was highlighted for me this past month when I went to Utah for one of my teacher/ friend’s retreat. Her name is Harley, and her studio is Fox Dog Yoga on Long Island. Check it out if you live in NY!  The funny thing is that I had only met Harley a couple of times before going on this retreat, but I have practiced with her online and admire her a lot as a teacher/person. Another big reason I signed up for this retreat was that Janine and Claudia were also teaching, and I cherish them as people. Janine is the glue that brought this all together because she connected me to Harley. Janine and I met 4 years ago and instantly clicked. I felt from the moment I met her that she would be a forever friend. Sadly, because of distance, we only saw each other when I was in New York, which wasn’t often at all, but luckily, thanks to Instagram and WhatsApp, we kept in touch. It’s also crazy that I only knew Claudia from taking a few of her classes at a studio I go to in New York, but we have become internet friends since then. Even though I live thousands of miles away from these ladies, thanks to the online world, we always kind of stay in touch.

I can’t imagine how crazy this must sound to someone who grew up without phones, because it seems quite crazy to me, too! But even though we hadn’t seen much of each other before the retreat, the moment we saw each other in Utah, it was like best friends who just picked up where they left off.

And then of course, throughout the week, our connections just grew stronger because we were actually together in real life. So this is where, of course, the internet helped us keep in touch, but the memories were made in person. I’ll touch on this later in the cons list of the internet.

~The internet can provide information and inspiration.

There is so much valuable information out there, and without the internet, we would be limited to how much of that we would have access to. While there are definitely many cons to the amount of information out there, let’s focus on the positive aspects for a minute. For example, specifically looking at yoga, there are soooo many talented, smart, and deeply rooted yoga teachers that share beautiful thoughts and reflections that can help their students and other teachers to deepen their practice. Maybe someone started yoga because they saw an Instagram post about it. Also, the amount of free, accessible yoga on YouTube, etc., is incredible, so people can start in the comfort of their homes without spending money. Also, regarding teachers sharing their studio’s schedules or class offerings, thanks to Instagram, websites, etc., they can broaden their reach and share important information with those who want to practice with them. The internet and Instagram can also help us to find inspiration as teachers to learn better cueing, sequencing, and quotes, etc.

~Another pro is the access to live Zoom classes.

Speaking from my own personal experience, I live in Nicaragua, in a town where there aren’t many places, or none at all, where I can take a class from someone else. But something I do love to do is to take Zoom classes from my teachers in New York, especially for Ashtanga. While watching YouTube videos or on-demand classes is awesome, they still lack that piece of being with a teacher in that moment, and Zoom allows for the best of both worlds in that you can practice with your teacher from wherever, but still get their wisdom in that moment and the energy of a class setting.

Tying it all together, the biggest pro of all for me is that the internet can be the catalyst and cause for in-person connection. If you found a teacher online, went to their retreat or studio to learn, and met new friends you spend real time with, then that is the goal, isn’t it?

As we can all see, the internet provides so many opportunities to share yoga, teachings, inspiration, and more. While there are so many upsides, I have to be honest in my cons list with my personal views of the downsides of the internet world, and specifically, the online yoga world.

Cons:

~The lack of in-person connection.

Yes, most definitely, the internet provides a unique type of connection; nothing can compare to the need for a real, in-person connection. For a yoga class, the energy that emanates from a room of people chanting, moving, and breathing collectively is incomparable. Nothing could replace that uniqueness. The whole point of yoga is to deeply connect to the union or connectedness of everything and everyone. Connecting to yourself, others, and the universe/collective. While yes, this is the journey of the self, to the self, through the self. I have interpreted it from my teachers and learnings that this “Self” is not just you. But the Self is the collective; it is everyone and everything. And yoga is not meant to be a solo practice; it is meant to be shared so the world can heal together. Yes, you may practice yoga in your body. I hope this ramble is making sense! This specific con, I think I could write an essay about (don’t worry, I won’t.) But I do think it’s important to stress that we must collectively leave the devices and start seeking real-time connections with other humans. I feel that, as a society, we have become selfish and isolated. I have definitely felt myself slip into it, but whenever I engage with others, whether through yoga or a simple social interaction, that energy is incomparable. AndAnd I am actually an introverted extrovert, and I do value alone time, but I also value the importance of being around good, kind, like-minded people, and to deepen those connections.

~The cause for emotional un-wellness, comparing, misinformation,  imposter syndrome, and a downward spiral.

So, as we said before, the internet can provide us with so much valuable information. But there’s a lot of malformed information out there. Especially now, with the use of AI, it can be hard to tell what came from a human and what didn’t. Authenticity is one of the pillars of yoga, in that being yourself is the most freeing and honest thing to do. But if we rely on robots and other people’s information, are we being authentic? In line with this, there are so many dos and don’ts or bashing from yoga teachers to other teachers, basically people telling others that what they do is better, and what others do is wrong, either within the realms of teaching styles, sequencing, etc. There is also a lot of yoga out there on the internet that is not accessible, or is particularly making certain body types feel bad, or preaching that yoga is a workout, and it is to look a certain way. This is against all of the principles of yoga in that it has nothing to do with the way you look, but how you FEEL. This can lead to imposter syndrome for teachers and students. I sure have felt this way and felt like I am not an adequate enough teacher because of my body or because I can not do certain asanas. This can lead to a world of comparing and judgment, and that is not what we need. We need more empowerment, uplifting, and support for one another.

~The algorithm and needing to post a certain thing at certain times.

This has been the thorn in my side of the internet and Instagram. Of course, we must evolve with the world, and the fact of the matter is that Instagram and the internet are the way to get the word out there, but I really struggle with the algorithm and how it wants to see certain things and that they must be posted at certain times at a certain level of consistency. While I am all for consistency and I’m trying to be more consistent in my practice and in life in general, sometimes I just do not feel like posting, or I feel like what I am going to say does not have value in that moment. I feel like if I’m going to post, I want it to be the most authentic and real version of me, and not just me being a robot and posting just to post something, and that’s what you have to do in order to get more reach, but I simply just don’t want to do that. Sometimes I am an endless well of ideas and inspiration, and sometimes I just do not want to pick up my phone.

Okay, so that all being said. I am grateful for the internet and the connections that it has brought me, AND I do wish for more in-person connections and time spent with real humans in real moments. This is one of those moments when I realize how there are dualities in just about everything, and that nothing is good or bad, but things just are. And we have the power to engage with things as much or as little as we want. We are autonomous and are able to take charge of our lives. So I am going to move forward with a bit more intention. I would like to be more intentional about what and how I share on the internet. Not saying that I am going to hold back from my thoughts or feelings, no. Because sometimes, for me, being authentic is doing what I’m doing right now and rambling through all my thoughts, but I will only do just that. Be me. Be myself and come forth with exactly who I am. And if I’m not feeling like posting, I just won’t, and I encourage you to do the same. I am also going to seek more real-life connections and work to strengthen the ones I already have.

Thanks so much for reading this huge ramble. I’d love to hear your thoughts or reflections on what you agree with or disagree with!

Until next time,

With love and gratitude,

Tori