#yoga #chairyoga #yogaviazoom #connection #meditation #onlineyoga #stressrelief #keepmoving #yogaforseniors
It's now almost the end of August 2020, we have been living in a state of isolation or at least semi isolation since the second week of March.
While social distancing and quarantine have become familiar terms & mask wearing is mandatory in many states when we go into stores and in other public areas there are ways to stay connected and tune into ourselves as a way to find peace in turbulent times.
I am feeling a whole new appreciation for the ease of finding connection online. Yoga via Zoom is now a regular part of my life, teaching three chair yoga classes a week as well as being able to connect with family in different countries with just a click of the mouse. Usually my husband and I in the Sates are the ones joining with our early morning coffee, my brother in law is part way through his day in London and my sister in law and her family in Sydney Australia are fourteen hours ahead, sometimes joining us with a cocktail, other times with a bedtime cup of tea or hot chocolate.
I never thought I'd be offering online classes, I had no desire to and didn't see the need. I enjoy the connection of in person classes. However 2020 is the year that has taken all our "normals" and our expectations and flipped them upside down and inside out. Despite all the negative there are silver linings we just need to notice them.
It took awhile for me to take the plunge, order a lap top, learn to use it with the relative patience of my son. With much eye rolling on his part, Chair Yoga with Rachel via Zoom began. Much as I would never have chosen to be in this position, now that I am connected in this way I foresee Zoom as being a part of my long term future with yoga.
While it will never have quite the same connection as in person classes it is a great way and for now the only way to stay connected with my yogis and to continue the healing and magic of yoga. I truly believe that motion is lotion to our bodies and minds, if we want to keep moving we need to move, it's as simple as that.
This forced online class presence has shown me how easy it is to be able to continue offering these same healing classes even beyond Covid 19 to those unable to leave their homes due to many different situations. There is now no reason to miss class if you don't have a ride or your car won't start, feeling under the weather or looking after the grandchildren just take class at home, no more missed classes due to "snow days" as long as we have internet access a whole new world has opened up to those who are curious enough to explore what is on offer online.
I have joined in book discussions with authors I admire, while I would never have travelled that far to hear them Zoom/Facebook Live made it accessible. I have taken memoir writing classes, yoga classes with admired teachers, online Yoga Trainings and have signed up for other workshops and educational classes.
The best silver lining so far was convincing my eighty year old dad to try a Zoom call along with my two brothers. Three different states, two countries and four different time zones, we had a great chat for an hour or so. We realized that all four of us had not been together in one place since my wedding day which was exactly 34 years ago today. Wow! While we have all seen each other many times Zoom really did cross the divide for us and gave us all a great gift of connection which we plan to repeat on a more regular basis.
What are your silver linings?
With that in mind, below is a link to free/donation based yoga and meditation classes, my chair yoga classes being among them. Check them out, meditation is available to us all, even just a few minutes a day can make a huge difference to our feeling of well being and over time has been proven to change our brain, help with stress and pain management.
Enjoy.
