Yoga in the Time of Recession

Yoga has not been hit by the recession, I think. Looking at all the students at Triyoga, people are still prepared to pay £14 for a class and most of the classes there are packed! Thankfully for me, my students also come back religiously for their regular practice. I do not even charge half of Triyoga's rate; it does help that my community-based classes are really affordable. Where else can you find an hour class for only £5? But of course we have to be realistic. The community hall we are using is not as posh as Triyoga's studios yet it is large, airy, well-ventilated and centrally located. 

As a novice teacher, I am appreciative of the support that Cranston's TMO manager, Karen, has given me over the past year. She lets me market my classes within the estate and in the hall, to the point of informing me of any event, where I  could distribute my flyers!        

My Friday class at OneKX is not doing bad either. I still get my regular students. The timing couldn't be worse, though. Friday 6-7pm! I am very lucky to still have at least 5 students in a class. 

People are starting to become more aware of their bodies and are investing a lot of time and effort in becoming healthier. Sometimes, the finance plays a big role in the activity we choose to do. But there are a lot of venues - sometimes even free - which aid in tackling stress, obesity and other illnesses. We just need to open our eyes to find these free events in having an active lifestyle. 

I recall my friend, Helen, saying that the recession is good for small-time entrepreneurs like us. As people are cutting back on luxury goods, holidays and activities - many are turning to a more holistic living a.k.a going back to the roots, simple life, staying in among others. We can help them overcome any stress and anxiety the recession has caused. People are changing the way they think, re-learning the steps to a healthier being.

Maybe in a way, this economic downturn still made a positive impact to our society. If we change our ways individually, in time, our world will become a better place.

   

Has it been a year?

I started teaching a year ago. After much hesitation, I booked a room at the Yoga Therapy Centre on Pentonville Road and rounded up all my friends at work to be my guinea pigs. I thought my heart was going to burst from embarrassment and stage fright. 

With every class, I slowly felt at ease yet my main concern was to follow my nicely handwritten practice and give out the instructions (military style hehe) as clearly as possible. I even had a CD player to add soothing yoga music and play some guided meditation. My friends were very good students and followed whatever I told them to do. Somehow it looked like as if they were actually enjoying themselves. However, the instructions sounded too much out of a book and didn't seem to flow as I had hoped. 

Looking back, I can't help but be amazed at how much I learned over the past year, how many mistakes I made, how many people I met. Imagining me on the verge of a nervous breakdown on my first class is a funny yet ironic parody of my future. Now I cannot imagine doing anything else. I have found my passion, my love (aside from the hubby, of course). 

I want to thank all the people who have helped me along the way, my husband for letting me quit my job, my family for their emotional support, my friends - without you I would still be looking for guinea pigs, my teachers and mentors (Marc and Malati) and all my students, who trusted me enough to join my classes.

How lucky am I to have found what I have been looking for?

Pose of the Month

Dvipada Pitham

(two legs table)

Lying down on your back with the legs straight and arms by your side, bend the knees and hold the ankles. The back and feet should be flat on the floor. Tuck the chin in and lengthen the neck.

Start with a long and smooth exhale. As you inhale, press the feet down firmly on the floor while  slowly lifting the hips off the floor as high as possible. Bring the knees together if they tend to go apart. Open the chest and bring the shoulders back. Stay here for a couple of breaths.

As you exhale, come down vertebra by vertebra back on the floor.