Yoga in an Uncertain World

written by Dani Jones

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We are slowly, but surely emerging from months of uncertainty; new ways of living and working, of socialising, and even different ways of exercising. When Lockdown was announced, overnight studios and gyms across the country, across the world, closed their doors and we didn't know how long it would be until they opened again. Us Yoga teachers are renowned for being flexible - and not just physically - it was the time to put this flexibility into practice and join the competitive world of online Yoga content! So many of us, myself included, took our classes online - via Zoom and the wonderful New Energy On Demand platform - to ensure our students could continue their practice and so we could continue to work. One of the amazing aspects of Yoga is that you don't really need anything to practice it - just yourself. You don't need to invest in weights or fancy gym equipment. You could even do it without a mat really. I think this is one of the reasons that 'at-home' Yoga has been so successful; because it is so accessible.

During Lockdown, we were all pretty good at prioritising our self-care and our fitness. But, as the months went on, and people started going back to work or getting to grips with working from home, our dedication to Yoga may have waivered as we became 'Zoom-ed out' or fed up of looking at screens all day. It can be quite challenging to give yourself 'guilt-free' time at home to practice. If you're anything like me, the threat of dirty dishes or laundry starts to call! It's at these busy times, when we feel we don't have time to practice, that we need Yoga the most. A daily Yoga practice can be medicinal - even a few quiet, deep breaths on your mat when you're feeling stressed out (which, let's be honest, we have all felt recently!) or a few cat and cows, can be enough to calm the nervous system and set you up for a productive day ahead.

Now, as Studios and Gyms across the country begin to open their doors once again, it is time to step back onto the mat with a teacher in front of you (in real life!) to guide your practice. This week saw me returning to New Energy to teach my first Ashtanga Inspired Flow class in person, post Lockdown. And it felt AMAZING to be in a room with ACTUAL people again; to see them up close (well, from 2 metres away!) and be able to personalise their practice by giving them appropriate feedback. It's more important now than ever to keep up the momentum of our Yoga practice; to keep us calm in these ever-changing times and able to handle what life throws at us successfully. Even if you're working from home, give yourself permission to take that break and join a class and prioritise your mental and physical wellbeing. I promise you that you will feel better for doing it.

I hope to see you at a class soon, whether that be in person or via New Energy's amazing On Demand platform. You won't regret stepping on your mat.

With love and light,

Dani

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Written by Dani Jones and published on Saturday 22nd August 2020 at 11:49

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