Preparing to work during a pandemic is not something I ever thought any of us would have to deal with. The arrival of Covid 19 and the ensuing lockdown put us all in a place of uncertainty and under tremendous stresses which we had no real resources to deal with. Nobody knew how to react or prepare and we all made decisions based on our own and our loved ones’ needs with emotions changing daily and often hourly. During all of this time we were scared and stressed and needing support.
The decision to take my Yoga, Pilates and Mindfulness teaching online quite quickly after the start of the lockdown was led partly by what my existing clients wanted and partly by a genuine concern for other people who may need and/or benefit from support during this challenging time. From my own experience I know how beneficial taking classes regularly could be.
I did have some experience of online teaching (with clients who travelled lots and wanted continuity) and knew it could work extremely well on a one to one basis and in small groups. My longest standing client, who has been with me for 7 years, has always been taught online using Skype several times a week. I think this gave the confidence to know that with a bit of new technology using the Zoom platform, my other clients and new people maybe able to benefit as well.
There is something very relaxing about being taught in your own home, without feeling the pressures of having to be somewhere, travel somewhere or prepare oneself. Creating a room in which to conduct these sessions at home is also hugely beneficial in terms of promoting regular practice and taking that time to retreat and focus. I have personally benefited from being able to join classes with teachers who's work I respect (toddler schedule allowing that is!).
My weekly private group in London transferred easily to Zoom, each in their own home enjoying regular sessions and from the group setting allowing them to maintain a routine and social element to their lockdown.
Slowly over the coming weeks, my existing yoga and Pilates groups came online with great success and I even ended up teaching some new people who I’d never met before from across the UK and beyond slowly realising that this was an opportunity to teach further and wider than I had been able to before being restricted to Brighton and London teaching.
My Virtual Home Retreats regularly sold out with a week or so and only served to cement my feeling that there are tremendous benefits and support to being able to bring these disciplines to a wider audience online. Small classes meant I was able to really focus on clients.
Post-lockdown, when people are back to work and hopefully normality has resumed, I have decided to continue with my Virtual Home Retreats, weekly Yoga and Pilates classes and I am also planning several courses online including a Mindfulness for Stress and Mindfulness for Health Course Starting in September.
I hope to see many of you at these classes and always welcome new people at all levels , please get in touch if you would like to try any of them out.