Part 3 of an occasional series
Yoga is so much more of an inner experience rather than an outward expression. This inner transformation can be difficult to convey to folks, especially people unfamiliar with a full, rich yoga practice that goes beyond stretching your hamstrings.
The practice is sacred—a communion among body, mind, and breath. A way to touch into and connect with something deeper—sometimes I like to call it Life with a capital L. For all of these reasons and more, I no longer take photographs of people during yoga.
As a teacher, I want people to feel safe in my classroom. To feel like their inner experience is honored. To know that yoga is not about putting your foot behind your head, or getting a "perfect" 90-degree angle with the front leg in Warrior 2.
Yoga is not a performance. It's not a competition. It's deep inner work. The camera changes the whole vibe of this for me. When students are in savasana at the end of class, or a really comfy restorative pose, what help is a teacher with a camera? First of all, if I am taking pictures, I'm very likely not present with my people. Second, it feels almost exploitive to me anymore. As a trauma-informed teacher, safety is of the utmost importance. Knowing my picture could be taken while I'm communing with my Higher Self in savasana would definitely not feel safe to me.
Last summer when my studio building sold, and I needed to find a new space to teach, I wanted people to see what this beautiful new classroom offered. I taught a free yoga class with the premise that part of the class would be photographed and used for the website and flyer. Attending the class was optional. Students' time and energy was compensated to some degree by the exchange of not charging for the class. So, I've technically "broken' my own guideline. From that photo shoot, I do have some really engaging pictures of these practitioners during class, which helps to convey the joy and community of a group practice.
As with the other "Things I No Longer Do..." in this series, I'm doing my best to walk my talk, which also means reserving judgment when other instructors do the opposite. I think we all have the best intentions at heart. And sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words to convey the multifaceted nature of a yoga practice. And maybe I'll change perspectives on this down the road with further inquiry. For now, leaving the cameras out of the formal practice time feels in alignment with what I'm cultivating with yoga: safety, connection, inner awareness, and self-compassion.