When Covid hit our lives in March 2020, I was in a full speed of my yoga therapy study; fully immersed with my classes and yoga teaching. Suddenly, it felt like somebody pulled the rug from under my feet and I was falling. I was caught in the moment of life (like many others), not knowing how to progress. “How can I complete all remaining classes and assignments to fulfill the requirement of the program?”
Then, I discovered Zoom and a new path has been found. Honestly, I am not crazy about online technology, but Zoom teaching was my saving grace to solve the problem. Whether I liked it or not, I learned how to conduct, assess, and set myself in front of the camera, with my students on the other side. It was challenging at first, then rewarding on both sides of cameras at the end.
WHAT COVID TAUGHT ME
I learned that there are always other ways to do your life business. It might be a very different way than you thought of at first. I learned how to adjust my life travel to overcome new obstacles that might arise in my way, fast!
GAINING AND LOSING AT SAME TIME.
It looks like Covid’s mantra is gaining and losing – nothing remains the same. On one side you gain a new experience and on the other side you must ‘let it go.’ Our granddaughter was born in the middle of the pandemic, our flight was cancelled, and travel restrictions were announced = stay at home order. This was my biggest personal covid loss. We used a virtual hug to welcome her into our family circle. Almost daily, we keep witnessing her development and keep seeing how a baby is turning into a little girl. Nowadays, her smile comes on and big blue eyes sparkle when we sing our children’s song to her in our native tongue (online only); recently she started moving in tune to the rhythms and suddenly a sound of “baba” came out from her lips. Just imagine our surprise!
BEING ON THE SAME BOAT.
In the midst of Covid’s madness, I see both sides of the polarity of the pandemic. Covid unified us, as the world tried to connect us for the years; ironically, it took the covid virus only a few months to connect us all. No matter your status, origin, or education. covid has no preference; it keeps spreading whenever it can. Somehow, I feel it connected us in this fight against this invisible enemy across the globe. We are same via Covid’s lens.
COVID AND YOGA TEACHING
Many of my yoga teacher friends stopped practicing teaching, they were pushed by life circumstances to look for other routes in life. Summer was quiet, and September brought us new hope to activate a strong fall yoga season, as many seasons before. Even many recreational facilities were reopened for business; yoga businesses haven’t bounced back fully. Overall, we ( I ) lost about 50% of the classes and students, but I am still teaching! At the same time, we were lucky to open the door for those ‘who dare to come.’ For this season, my classes were placed in the Gymnasium due to space and air volume. We followed all protocols: online registration, physical distance, and wearing masks. Once we overcame the first obstacles, new ones appeared with the second wave of covid in our community. At the present, we are advised to pause practicing, to assist in curving down the covid spike.
MY REFLECTION on pre-covid time
I keep dreaming and cherish all my memories that we built up in our community yoga life together. I couldn’t forget my pre covid teaching time. Early morning with the rising sun behind my back, I was entering our Studio 4. Few regulars were already in the class claiming their spots. We used to have a big class of around 20 – 27 participants. I see them so vividly through my third eyes: a couple, war lovebirds – Canadian/ French – in the left upper corner, two ladies in power in the middle, and my friend, a yoga ambassador – a hoddie girl, next to me in front. At the present, I saw only two of them at the class. Our studio had plenty of morning light, one wall full of mirrors, and closets stocked up with yoga props for everyone.
How privileged we were to practice yoga in such a beautiful place filled up with light and positive energy!”
I dream so all will be established and settled (medically and mentally), so people will feel safe to seek wellness as before. I dream about moving freely between my students, talking to them, hugging them and perhaps gentle touch guidance for yoga alignments, if needed.
I wish we can breathe ( pranayama), chant, and move to create our group flow without worries about droplets infections, and mainly to talk to each other sharing smiles and life stories.
I dream about feeling joy and fun when we share our zodiac signs around our circle to recognize natural elements and their power reflected in us. We used to have fun and many giggles in our yoga check-in time. I wish we can regain something back to help each other to move forward.
MY MOST VALUABLE COVID learning
“To live in the moment of now, flying with the energy of the day and adjusting accordingly because nothing is here forever, and all can drop down in the matter of a little breath. Therefore, I will treat my present time with such respect as never before. I realized that practicing group yoga in our studio setting is a huge privilege.”
What about you, my friends, what is your learning from Covid, and your dreams for post covid time?
Please share your comments with me. Thanks.
Written by Veronika Prielozna, Yoga teacher 500RYT and Yoga Therapist, C-IAYT in time of manifestation better time for Winter Yoga, 2021 for all of us.
YOGA and TRAVEL 