By : Lauren Verona
With the world shifting more and more into the digital realm, it was only really a matter of time before yoga took the plunge also. Transporting an age-old practice into an online space may leave you wondering whether the authenticity and spirit is lost. Yet yoga practitioners are eagerly swapping their yoga studio memberships for the digital version with glee. So, what’s so terrific about practicing online yoga at home? Well, plenty actually!
Your Time, Your Space
Without the need to arrive at a studio at any certain time, online yoga allows you to select the time of the day that suits you to practice. Whether you’re a morning bird or a night owl, the ability to roll out your mat at any given time offers you a great amount of freedom and allows you to commit to your practice in a way that is simple and easy. Perhaps you have just popped your baby down for a nap and have time to move or meditate. Maybe you’re traveling and taking your laptop allows you the opportunity to practice in your hotel room. Perhaps you have set up a sacred space in your own home where you love to flow. Online yoga offers a plethora of options and solutions for the modern day yogi.
A Plethora of Choice
Let’s face it, we love choice. Online yoga allows you to browse and chose the class that you feeling like diving into. You have the ability to select from different teachers, various styles, guest lectures and special workshops. Flow with acclaimed teachers who you may never get the chance to practice with in “real life.” Perhaps you wake up feeling like you need to open your hips. Maybe you feel energized and seek out an invigorating flow. Being able to choose what you feel like your body truly needs in a yoga class is empowering, liberating and deeply satisfying.
Absolute Comfort
Perhaps you’re new to yoga and feel a little self-conscious in a studio. Perhaps you feel intimidated or find it hard to focus in a room full of other people. Online classes enable you to develop your practice in a comfortable environment whilst having the support of a teacher right there with you. Whether you are an advanced yogi looking to take your practice to the next level, or if yoga is an entirely new ballgame for you, having the space to build your own relationship with yoga makes it a deeply personal and nourishing experience.
Online Community
From yoga classes to festivals to retreats to trainings- yoga builds community. For many people today, building and fostering communities online is our primary way of engaging and interacting. Online yoga connects you with teachers from all over the world, and often, other yogis from all walks of life. There are no barriers, no boundaries, just the union that makes yoga so intrinsically special. Start an online chat with your teacher or make a yoga date with someone on the other side of the world! The possibilities are endless.
Deeper Connection
While live yoga classes can help us connect to the greater world, they also have a powerful ability to connect us to our own self in a deeper way. The digital realm maintains that very special connection that comes through the practice of yoga. Online classes still have the power to transport you into the present moment and invite you to show up and dedicate this time to yourself. Online yoga classes are a simple and powerful way to stay connected, inspired and committed to your wellbeing and personal growth.
Fall in Love with the Pause
Having trouble balancing? Want to work on your handstand for a little longer? In a deep twist that you want to move deeper into? Hello, pause button! Practicing yoga online comes with several unique benefits that a studio class could never offer and the pause button is one of them. Taking a little extra time in postures or poses that you are working towards mastering is easy with online classes. And the best part? You can pause in Savasana also!
Try it LIVE!
Still not convinced? Well, further advancements in the online yoga world now allow you to practice live-streamed classes from the comfort of your own home. Combine all the benefits of an online class with everything you love about a live studio class. Have a teacher right there practicing alongside you and experience the energy and dynamic nature that comes with a live class.
Whatever way you look at it, online classes offer you freedom and flexibility, with the added benefit of not needing to rush out the door, find a car park, call up a babysitter or worry about what your yoga attire may look like! With yoga literally at your fingertips, there is every reason to embrace yoga in your daily life.
About the author: Lauren Verona is a passionate business woman, yoga teacher and business mentor who has created and grown four thriving yoga communities across Australia including Australia’s first LIVE online yoga studio. Lauren’s energy and enthusiasm for life is contagious and over the past 10 years Lauren has guided hundreds of people to connect with their true sense of purpose so that they can become the best version of themselves. Learn more at laurenverona.com.
