Dear everyone,
With these almost unprecedented changes in our society, it is now the time to stop Wednesday night classes, for the time being. Crathes Village Hall itself is closing doors. I am ambivalent about this as I love teaching you all. Indeed, last week we observed as much safety protocol as possible and sensibly navigated through a lovely class. Numbers were low, mats were spaced very widely, no physical adjustments were given, mats were not lent out, there was minimal talking and, as always, breathing was with the mouth closed. However, I also respect the reasons for this collective distancing; not reversing the flow of the virus, nor eradicating it, but stemming the flow of infection and giving our health care a fighting chance of avoiding collapse through sheer volume of cases. Moreover, a number of students are caught in the age ranges that must be most vigilant, with others working in sectors in direct contact with the vulnerable.
This may be a hard time for many with loneliness, financial strain, and negative consequences of inactivity looming into the foreground. That being said, I am keen to keep giving out in some way to you and the yoga community in general, and am exploring ways of doing so on social media. Beyond this, my partner ‘Yoga By Charlie‘ has successfully set up an online class using Zoom and I am thinking of doing the same (Zoom is like Skype but aimed at meetings of multiple people at once). It would be free (or optional donation to my PayPal if you wished) with no requirement for accounts to be made (either download the Zoom app to tablet/phone, or run it from a computer if using a compatible browser). We will be able to see one another, and hear one another, or you can just leave your camera and mic off and appear as a black screen to everyone else. The class would be similar to those on Wednesday evenings, focussing on foundations of safe practice. As I won’t be able to properly examine alignment, hear breathing, or feel tension in muscle I imagine these classes would be slightly pared down from the regular sessions, but I think they could provide a beautiful way for our small community to stay connected, vibrant and active during these uncertain months ahead. Furthermore, I’m sure my dog Moopy would make an appearance!
Do let me know if you would be interested in this.
Also, please pass this on to folk I may have missed – I don’t have contact details for all students who regularly attend.
Many thanks and much love,
Oliver
P.S. Charlie took this candid shot of me in Savasana this morning as I unwittingly lay there like a corpse; if you look closely you can see the paw and muzzle of Moopy poking out of his bed. He hates mornings, and hates the cold.