Last decade was the era of Web 2.0. Internet accessibility was growing exponentially throughout the planet, but so were people’s engagement in creating content that became easily accessible to millions of users. In 2006, even the TIME magazine Person of The Year was You, us, the generation of web users on smartphones. As Lev Grossman shared:
It’s a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before.
In this trend, the Web 2.0 swept up many communities – the art community, the music community, the education community and even the Yoga community. Globalization of Yoga rode on the backs of Web 2.0. It inspired us with challenging photogenic poses on Instagram to global online shipping of Lululemon apparels to even free YouTube Yoga videos that anyone can simply follow along from the comfort of their homes.
I can’t help but think how much empowered we are today with just a smartphone in our hands. If you are thinking on how to take advantage of this technology in our hands, I present you 7 ways on how to do it!
1. Social Media: Instagram
Yoga has found its online community on Instagram. There are not only beautiful poses being showcased on Instagram, but I’m particularly drawn to the infographics and tiny video tutorials that some accounts share freely. They are really helpful and will many anyone think “I can do it” given enough practice too!
Some of my favorite accounts that share progression pose tutorials are:
Not to mention here are some accounts where I’m always awed and inspired by the poses they strike!
2. Videos: YouTube
YouTube used to be a place where videos were only provided for a few minutes of a sneak peak. But merely a few years back, scores of practitioners have uploaded 30 minutes to even 60 minutes of complete yoga classes. And they do it year after year. I have found them really helpful to not only see what various yoga postures for different purposes but also various teaching styles.
3. Music: Spotify playlists
Even with a free account, Spotify allows you to listen to searchable music, follow pre-built or shared playlists or even make one. While practicing Yoga, there is a variety of music that we can play in the background. Whether it is just a soothing Pranayama session or some heart-pounding HIIT Yoga, a Spotify Playlist from smartphone come to the aid.
Here are some Playlists that I follow:
- Peace: Suitable for Pranayama, focussed on intense postures
- Workout: Upbeat music can be used for HIIT Yoga or Vinyasa
- Acoustic Calm: Instrumental, without words, can also be used for flow
- Light & Easy: Chill out ambient music
- Yoga for Geeks!: I made this playlist for a 60-minute session for my teaching assessment classes.
- Yoga with Marti: Martina Sergi‘s personal yoga playlist that she shared
4. Smartphone
A smartphone can truly be our personal assistant during our practice. We can use various apps to keep time, record a video of our practice to review later or even follow along a workout projected on a bigger screen.
- iPhone camera with slow-mo: Useful for slowing down that lift to inversions
- DailyBurn: Follow along workout with Apple Health integration
- Hyperlapse: Record smooth-flowing, fast-paced asana practice videos to review practices that are longer in duration
- Skitch: Annotation app for drawing lines on our own poses to ensure we are striking those 90 degrees and flatlines
5. Podcasts
Some of my commuting times are best spent on learning and catching up. Apart from occasional browsing on the mobile phone, I also fire up the Overcast app to subscribe and download podcasts.
Thankfully, the Yoga community online has already built some podcast lists to listen to!
6. eBooks
If we want to get a deeper understanding especially of the philosophy and theory behind Yoga, I highly recommend some books! Thanks to eBooks, they can once again read on our mobile devices.
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
- The Power of Ashtanga Yoga by Kino McGregor
- The Yoga Bible: Comprehensive 150 postures
Cheers,
Sayanee, YTT June – August 2018
