Kula is a Sanskrit word that is often translated to mean community. The term is how we as yogis and yoginis refer to the people with whom we choose to share our practice. It is also the place where we make our yoga home.

I enjoy teaching group classes. I enjoy the energy, the camaraderie, and the friendships that develop between students who practice together.  Personally, I am motivated and inspired by students who choose to share their deeply personal “on the mat journeys” in the presence of others.

There is nothing quite like moving and breathing with a group of unique individuals who share a collective intention. Yoga teaches that we are all one, and our kula is a reflection of that teaching. 

So what happens when we are asked to let go of our sense of kula and consciously separate?

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, we have been advised by government health officials, specifically the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to practice social distancing. To socially distance ourselves requires us to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other people when possible.

According to the CDC, this virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person contact and through respiratory droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes. Therefore, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed.

This virus could have a devastating effect on the most vulnerable among us: older adults, pregnant women, the immunocompromised, and those who are living with health challenges that place them at higher risk. To complicate matters further, the virus is transmissible in the absence of symptoms, meaning you may be unknowingly exposed or expose others.   

Unfortunately, as yogis, in order to protect our beloved kula, we must step away. But physical separation doesn’t have to mean emotional and energetic separation.

Here are a few ways to maintain connection within our community during this time:

  1. Cultivate a home practice. Don’t know where to start? That’s okay. Just roll out your mat, check in with yourself, and move.  Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
  2. Stay in touch with members of your community via email or social media. Missing your yoga bestie? You know, the one who always saves your favorite spot when you’re running late to class?  Reach out, perhaps schedule a home practice together via FaceTime.
  3. Take an online class. There are many wonderful platforms and teachers who are now offering recorded and live streaming yoga and meditation classes.
  4. Help financially. If you’re in a position to do so, look for opportunities to offer financial assistance to community members who may be unable to work during this time. Continue to support locally owned, small businesses through online or phone transactions. If you can afford it, please continue to maintain your yoga studio membership, even if you aren’t able to attend classes.
  5. Know that you aren’t alone. We’re all in it together. Each time you roll out your mat or take a seat on your meditation cushion, we’re all there with you.

It is not my intention to instill fear, but to empower you with knowledge that will help keep our kula and our broader community healthy and safe.

To learn more about how you can protect yourselves and your loved ones, and stay up to date with accurate information as the situation unfolds, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

and https://www.nhrmc.org/about/news/2020/03/nhrmc-covid19-faqs.