One of the reasons people say they come to yoga is for the 90 minutes of “me time”. No family obligations, no distractions, no pressing work issues, no phone calls, texts or emails. Our society has become a place where we can be bombarded by stimulation from devices. If not for personal boundaries, it can be hard to get distance from incoming communications.
The yoga studio is one of those places where the boundary is set for us. Cell phones off, placed in the designated corner of the studio, away from the yoga mats. Yoga, meditative yoga, takes 100% focus. To get the benefit and to practice yoga safely, it requires no distractions. In fact, that’s the whole point of doing yoga: quieting our minds. And to get to the point where we can quiet our minds, we must first relieve ourselves of outside distractions. Then we can move on to silencing the distractions inside.
That’s why last week I was surprised to see a student on her mat before class poking her finger at her phone. She was texting or tweeting or updating her Facebook status, something that required just one finger on the screen. Dutifully she tucked her phone in the pocket of her warm up jacket as class started. I know she didn’t turn off the phone because in the middle of class, as I was demonstrating a pose, it rang loudly. And, she answered it. Even though she took her call to the lobby, it was a distraction to the class, to me, and, obviously to her.
Find out what's happening in Dexterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
After class, I asked her if everything was OK, thinking there may be an emergency situation. She waved away my concern with an “Oh no, it was just my husband.” I encouraged her to take a break from her device, saying that she deserved to be disconnected during class time. We all do.
It’s easy to forget on occasion to turn phones off. And if that’s an issue for you, there’s an app for that. I use RingZones, (available for Android only) which allows me to designate “silent” or “vibrate” or “normal” for my most common locations. And at The Yoga Space, it’s always on “silent”.
Find out what's happening in Dexterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
If you’re interested in unplugging, in taking a break from being connected, and silencing the distractions in your mind, join me Friday, February 28 for a free class from 6-7 PM at The Yoga Space. And turn your phone off before you hit the mat.
Each week one of the teachers at the Yoga Space shares her thoughts and experiences in this blog. Pam Lindberg is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who sometimes doesn't even carry her cell phone with her. The Yoga Space is a studio just east of Dexter serving Dexter, Saline, Chelsea, Manchester and Ann Arbor. We have been helping people with their flexibility, strength, focus and stress management for over 14 years. There's a free class the last Friday of every month from 6-7 PM. Spring Classes begin March 10. You can register now for the upcoming 8-week session. 180 Little Lake Dr #1 Ann Arbor, MI, 48103. www.yogaspaceannarbor.com 734-622-9600