Tips for an optimal online practice:
Physical Space:
Pick a clean and quiet space to practice.
Clear clutter. A pile of laundry sitting in the corner can be the loudest thing in the room.
Create a little ritual before practice like lighting a candle or reading from an inspiring book. This will help your mind focus in a potentially distracting environment.
Technical Space:
Make sure you have good sound. If you have an external speaker or wireless earbuds that will stay in place while you practice, we encourage you to use them. You will find that you won't need to look up at the screen much if you can hear well, especially if you have a regular practice already. (please note: on a laptop, Zoom will not automatically pick up your speaker/headphones. Click the arrow next to the mute button in your chat window to choose your audio output).
Because you won’t be looking at your screen very much, set up your laptop or mobile device in a way that allows your teacher to see you rather than positioning it so that you can see them. Something in this ballpark is great. If you would prefer not to be seen at all, you are absolutely welcome to turn off your video feed.
Check out zoom’s “gallery view." It allows you to see all of the other students practicing online with you. Most students prefer this view for online group practice practice. If you find the occasional need to look up, gallery view is the closest thing to looking up in a physical class.
Turn off notifications on the device you are using to stream class. Nothing will end your yoga practice faster than notifications.
Once class starts, your teacher will either ask you to mute your audio or mute you from their end. You can press and hold your space bar as a talk button while you are muted. On mobile, swipe right for a talk button.
General Notes:
Get in to class early, especially if you are newer to this. Your teacher can help you set up everything mentioned above if you need help. And it’s awesome to see everyone!
Don't worry if you miss a cue or don't catch the details of a specific transition. You will be practicing under very different circumstance than you are used to, so leave room for practice to be different. Try to make sure above all that you keep breathing no matter what is happening. That's most of it.
Let us know if you have any questions. See you soon on the interwebs,
🙏🏽 jay co & team yogaraj