Online resources for stay-at-home yogis
As someone who cancelled his very first yoga membership because the student rate was cost-inhibitive, I am acutely aware of the economic realities that keep people from the yoga practice.
From donation classes and work-trade programs, to online offerings and free YouTube videos, the financial accessibility of the practice is growing…finally.
While the online format presents its own challenges and drawbacks—including the lack of actual human touch, which can’t be replaced virtually (yet) — video offerings are growing in quality and might represent the only way to get to some of the greats like Shiva Rea or Baron Baptiste, both of whom have free videos on YouTube.
Whether you’re facing the financial predicament of choosing between a class to feed your consciousness or a burrito to fill your belly, a time constraint or geographical isolation, you can get your yoga in with these affordable and accessible online resources.
Watch
Vimeo has some rich content including offerings from nurturing instructor Emily Darling of Kansas City, who more than lives up to her name.
Alberta-based Becca Pati is bad-ass, bold and beautiful and guides high-energy flows.
Sarah Beth, who has been leading hundreds of thousands of online yogis for five years, posts weekly videos that are clear, calm and presencing.
Listen
The podcasts Audio Dharma, The Alan Watts Podcast and The Joe Rogan Experience cover everything from meditations and dharma talks to the most up-to-date topics, offering a lot to laugh at and think about.
On Soundcloud, Cristen Malia guides a lovely, 15-minute Yoga Nidra lesson to promote relaxation.
Stream
Yogadownload.com offers an incredible variety and stellar rates ($12/month or $120/year) and feature videos from two of my most all-time beloved teachers, Kristin McGill Gibowicz and Jackie Casal Mahrou. For those of a more advanced level of “wisdom,” Michelle Marchildon and Desiree Rumbaugh have recorded 14 videos in the “Fearless after 50” series.
Yogiapproved.com regularly runs specials on their bundles ($19 – $35). Founder Ashton August is a dynamo as a writer, and as a Vinyasa and Buti yoga teacher.
Train
For a deeper degree of knowledge from a distance, teacher trainings can now be completed online. I personally have attended the Wim Hoff 10-week online course — the tools and techniques you will learn there are a game changer!
Veteran Resources
For veterans of our armed forces, the Give Back Yoga Foundation teamed up with the great Rod Stryker to create a wonderful Nidra resource.
Justin Kaliszewski is an award-winning artist, author, avid adventurer and the creator and co-founder of OUTLAW Yoga. He operates out of Colorado and teaches at Outlaw Yoga Littleton studio. He offers his own online yoga content on Facebook, YouTube and at justinkaliszewski.com. You can also find him on Instagram as @outlawyogi. This article was originally published in YogaIowa’s Fall 2017 issue.
