Teaching Yoga in the Digital Age

by Amy Ippoliti Sure, it’s the name of the new course I am teaching, but the reality that we are ALL teaching yoga in the digital age is one that we cannot ignore by closing the studio door and pretending. (No matter how badly we want to) Technology and social media has deeply infiltrated all of our lives, especially the yoga world. We are all incredibly connected now, whether email, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat! And after countless conversations and hours personally spent lamenting the representation of yoga on social media and organizing, planning, and executing my technological-driven marketing strategies, I knew that a change had to happen. I found much of this time I spent scrolling, posting and editing, used to be time invested in my practice or planning my next class. Now it just feels like we’re trying to stay afloat. My attitude shifted when I realized that I was in a place to positively change the discourse of yoga and to take charge of my own efforts to find a balance in my smartphone and social media use. As teachers, we are so often looked at to be zen all the time or as a pristine example of the ultimate yogi, but believe me, I am just as addicted to my phone as the next person. I knew I needed to tackle my own addiction so that I could help my students do the same. And so, Teaching Yoga In The Digital Age was born. It is a course designed to help yoga teachers at any and all points of their teaching journey navigate the sometimes very murky waters of social media and tech use.

“How do I find my voice?”

“I can’t backbend like that!”

“Should I start an email list? What do I have to say?”

“Should I tell that student to stop texting during downward dog?”

These are all concerns and pain-points I have heard through the years and even more so lately. Self-doubt, comparison, and confusion run amok as teachers witness the “social media celebrities” leading the yoga industry. We’ve got to address this stuff head on. I want to empower ALL teachers to know that you are worthy, you are talented, and you are a good teacher. I want to help teachers become even better and consistently fill their classes, experience financial stability, and find time to do it all! It is possible, and social media is not to blame. Social media and technology can be a source of unity, community, and comfort. You can find your voice and your people, and be hugely supported by otherwise strangers from across the globe. I want to shed light on the positive potential of social media - it can be a space of huge opportunity! Like I said before, we are all interconnected on a scale unforeseen to any of us, so you have an audience, you just have to learn how to speak to them in a way that is authentic to you! It’s a complicated and beautiful topic. So, share your voice and join the revolution of taking back your yoga!!! Learn more about Teaching Yoga In The Digital Age - seats in the live event are available only until June 27th! About Amy: ToeSox ambassador, Amy Ippoliti is the co-author of the new book, The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga. She is known for bringing yoga to modern-day life in a genuine way through her intelligent sequencing, clear instruction, and engaging sense of humor. She shares her passion for yoga, health, and earth conservation through her writings and underwater imagery with marine animals. A teacher on YogaGlo.com, she is a pioneer of advanced yoga education, cofounding 90 Monkeys, an online and in-person school that has enhanced the skills of yoga teachers and studios in 65 countries. Learn more at amyippoliti.com.