With 32 million photos hashtag-ed “yoga” on Instagram, there’s no denying the popularity and fascination of this ancient practice on a very modern medium. And yet social media’s place in the teaching and practice of contemporary yoga has confused teachers just as much as it has inspired its students.
Is a photo of a handstand on a beach or a video of a complicated flow sequence an accurate reflection of the wide teachings of yoga? Does it even matter when, as a teacher, you’re just trying to promote your classes and workshops?
On March 21, a panel of experts gathered at triyoga’s Teachers Symposium to pick apart these questions – and more – in an effort to, if not find clarity, at least find comfort in a medium that will only grow in importance as a way of communicating with students.
The five panellists – Jason Crandell, Carolyn Cowan, Marcus Veda, Naomi Absalom and Charlotte Carnegie – considered all sides from the point of view that pramparā, or the direct transmission of knowledge from teacher to student, is all but lost on Facebook, Instagram, Periscope and Youtube; to those who believe that yoga on these channels is inspirational and brings the tradition to those who might never learn about it otherwise.
While views and interpretations varied, all agreed that it was important for teachers to use social media with integrity and authenticity, and not be led with the ego.
“Be sure you are acting from a place that is congruent with your ethics,” said vinyasa teacher Veda. “Be practical and be honest. If you want to connect to more people through social media, make sure you are not trying to project an image that isn’t really you.”
Carnegie, a lawyer and fully qualified yoga teacher, agreed that teachers should use social media in a way that reflects who they are – and even what they would like to be – in a way that is beneficial and of service to his or her students. “The answer to this question may be different for everyone, but I think we have a responsibility to consider it,” said Carnegie, who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which can leave her bed-bound for years at a time. Social media is her best way of staying connected to the larger yoga community when she is unable to get to class, let alone go on retreats to India.
The discussion centred on the inability of a photo to capture the inner experience of the yoga practice with Absalom, a vinyasa teacher and mentor to teacher trainees, pointing out that understanding intention is a tricky thing in a two-dimensional image.
Cowan, a Kundalini teacher and psychotherapist, said photos and videos ideally should somehow encourage more thoughts on the “sacred in the ordinary ,rather than endless poses on beaches”. She would like social media to be used as a tool to welcome and support everybody, no matter what the gender, body type or ethnicity.
Some in the audience at the Symposium – mostly teacher trainees – admitted to feeling overwhelmed and not even sure where or how to begin when advertising their classes on social media. American vinyasa teacher Jason Crandell said he sets aside a couple hours at the start of every week to create content and then schedule his postings for the week ahead. “It’s a necessary component of the job”.
Whilst everyone agrees that word-of-mouth is still the best way to build a class or increase workshop attendance, social media undoubtedly can play a part. As we engage on these modern channels, we may want to ask ourselves what the image we present says about yoga, as the overrepresentation of it on social media is in danger of getting it wrong more than it gets it right.
triyoga’s Teachers Symposiums aim to address and explore big issues that face the practice and teaching of modern day yoga. The next symposium on the 03 May will feature Dr. James Mallinson, a senior lecturer in Sanksrit and Classical Indian Studies at SOAS, and others on how to incorporate the teaching of philosophy in every day classes.
Genny is the Yoga Manager at triyoga, and teaches Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga, triyoga hot and general yoga. She is an Authorised Level 1 teacher by the K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, and graduated with a distinction from triyoga’s BWY and Yoga Alliance-accredited teacher training programme. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree from SOAS in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation. A mother to four boys and former journalist for Time Magazine, she edits “Pushpam Magazine,” a yoga magazine that focuses on the history and philosophy of yoga as well as the issues the modern practice of it faces.
