Classes to continue & What you need to do

This post seeks to update you on COVID-19 and and yoga classes in Hertford and Ware.

• Safeguarding your health
• What you need to do if you come to yoga
• What our community can do to support each other
• Online yoga classes

Safeguarding your health

Your health is of primary concern to me, I have updated myself on the latest health precautions given by the government, health authorities and the wider scientific community.

I have already been in contact with the local authorities of Hertford and Ware through whom I rent 3 hall spaces. I asked what steps they are taking to prevent the spread of the virus and what advice they could give me regarding the maintenance of a sanitary yoga space.

Essentially they are taking advice from health authorities very seriously, cleaning door handles and other places that may encounter human contact.

I have been arriving to venues earlier to personally clean door handles, taps and soap plungers. This will continue for the foreseeable future. No more Tiger Balm (sorry Brenda, I know how much you love it).

What you need to do if you come to yoga

• The first thing I ask you do is upon arrival wash your hands.
• If you think you have symptoms please do not come. For the obvious reason.
• At the end of the class I will make anti-bacterial wipes available to wipe any equipment used.

For the time being we shall not use straps, and I suggest that you bring your own mat instead of using one of mine.

What our community can do

I have set up a FaceBook Community page through which we can support one another. Join this community if you think you need help or if you want to help others who are part of our yoga community.

Yoga With Sunil FaceBook Community page

We are here for each other. In the spirit of yoga let us come together in friendship. I realise there is a lot of fear out there. We must take sensible precautions, but let us not forget that this time will pass and that our health is related to our emotional state also.

Only members of the group can share info, make requests, and comment – I feel that there has to be some safeguarding, but I also want those in need of help to be able to ask for it. And also, those willing to help to be able to offer it.

The WhatsApp group isn’t the correct forum for this kind of thing, so I hope that joining this group helps people connect. Please don’t feel like you have to offer anything, post stuff or anything like that. It’s more about the spirit of Yoga and focussing on what can be done in a practical sense.

If possible please avoid using the WhatsApp group to share health information – it is not the best forum for this as your post gets lost in the thread as more and more people reply and comment. If you need to share stuff, the FaceBook community page is the place to go.

Online Yoga Classes

I will be offering live online yoga classes via Zoom. You are all welcome to participate. It will be a 1-to-many scenario where you will be able to view me on your screens but (you’ll be pleased to know) not each other.

30 minutes before the class is due to start I shall email you a link to click. Once you hit the link you will be able to see me in my yoga space and we go from there! More info to follow in the coming days. I shall require email addresses once the time comes.

Finally…

Yoga means to join within ourselves and as a community. I truly believe in this and will do all I can to support you. If it is contrary to your health, classes will not take place.

My request to you is that you keep up your spirits and let nothing leave you defeated in your heart. Fear is an easy choice at a time like this, let us show how our internal practice of yoga has developed a strong and steady mind in leading those around us to keep their hearts open and their intelligence active.

One more thing, I think this is the perfect time to drop a quote from one of my favourite books.