Practicing in person vs practicing on-line.

Over the last 7 months we’ve all adapted to our “new normal”, and while it’s been a blessing to be able to continue our practice together and meet in virtual community, nothing replaces the benefits of practicing in person with a teacher and in a group. The energy exchange between people, the lovingly watchful eye of the teacher, these are all irreplaceable aspects of practicing in person. And let’s be honest…..how many of you have just stopped practicing in the middle of a live-stream and went to take care of a household chore, deal with the kids or dogs, or simply just quit because you were feeling too challenged?

Let’s take a look at just a few of the myriad benefits of practicing in person with a teacher……….

Learn the subject matter. Yoga asana is a technical subject matter that is best learned through repetitive practice - the same way you would learn to play the piano, drive a car, or any other technical skill. Technical subjects are best translated in an in person setting. Due to the immense variations in body shape, size, and structure there isn’t a one size fits all approach to yoga asana, and the subtle nuances in technical variation are best conveyed in a setting where a teacher can observe your practice and movement patterns and help you find variations and alternatives that are safe and beneficial to your body.

Avoid your bad habits. The thing about habits is that they are largely unconscious. A good teacher can help you identify the unconscious postural habits that may not be serving you, and guide you toward new healthier habits. Even if you’ve practiced with a teacher before, there’s a chance that you’ll slip back into those old habits when your teacher isn’t there with a watchful eye.

Don’t avoid the hard stuff. Admit it….how many times have you skipped the back bends, the balancing postures, or the side plank? How many times have you opted to just sit and watch the class instead? I’m guilty of sitting a few live-streams out myself! Now, it’s not that you should push beyond the edge in any posture, but we have a tendency to take it easy on ourselves when no one else is around. Sometimes that’s EXACTLY what we need, but other times we need the challenge. One of my favorite quotes is, “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”. One of the benefits we receive from the physical practice of yoga is putting ourselves in a controlled stress environment (like when the postures are challenging) and then learning to manage the stress. This is how we build resilience.

Group energy is a thing. The benefit of the group energy is real. Group energy is one of the biggest factors in whether we challenge ourselves — with the support of the group we can always do more. Practicing yoga in a group gives you a feeling you can’t get anywhere else. The group fuels us physically, energetically, and emotionally.

Time and space just for practice. I love my house, it’s beautiful, comfortable, and cozy, but it’s also the place where my cats live, my kids live, and my dirty laundry and dishes live. Have you ever been in the middle of your practice and remembered there was a load of laundry in the wash that needed to transfer to the dryer? Been interrupted by a phone call or text message? Cat making his bed on your mat? Dog licking your face? Practicing in the studio affords you time and space to “get away”, to focus on the practice, to really care for and nourish yourself.