What's the point in PAYING for YOGA when you can get it for FREE on YouTube?
- Catherine
- Jul 22
- 8 min read
"What's the point in PAYING for YOGA when you can get it for FREE on YouTube?"
Great question!! And I agree with your reasons for asking. Seems pretty pointless, right?
Wrong.
Why?
Well, because we now live in an age and a society where money and fake power is the collective baseline in terms of goalposts, for most.
Which, unfortunately for people seeking a real, true reflection of yoga as a practice to help strengthen and empower their own bodies and minds - they are instead met with a plethora of conflicting and potentially damaging ideals, within an algorithmic system that rewards and highlights the following:
AI (Artificial Intelligence) YOGA
OVER-SEXUALISED YOGA
BABY TEACHER YOGA
TOXIC / CULT YOGA
DANGER YOGA
SPORADIC YOGA
NON-HOLISTIC YOGA
Now, let me explain each one in a bit more detail for those who carry a genuine interest in truly beneficial self care practices, to hopefully help you separate reality from fiction within an increasingly confusing world...
AI YOGA 👾
Chances are, if you've used the internet for more than 1 week in your lifetime - you've probably seen at least 100 fake accounts, posts, images, and videos that are not even real. I.e. they are generated by computer apps that humans can speak or type into, to achieve a goal / ample revenue within minutes. And the yoga industry on social media / the internet in general is no exception...
An increasing number of possibly lazy and lacklustre individuals can now generate full length yoga classes for Facebook and YouTube - fresh out of their parents' basements - which are often led by (sometimes) realistic computer-generated images, that may or may not be sporting 15 toes on each foot, but with an exceptionally appealing face and butt.
I don't think I need to explain the dangers surrounding this one further. I truly hope folk are able to figure this one out for themselves, and if not, I'd be inclined to say that's natural selection.
OVER-SEXUALISED YOGA 🍑
Kind of like the above, but this time with real humans - over-sexualised yoga refers to people who seek validation via social media to gain approval for their aesthetically pleasing body parts.
Again, I don't think I need to explain further, but I will say this - when was the last time you truly felt empowered by following someone you know you will never compare to physically - and who generally goes to great lengths to ensure you never do?
BABY TEACHER YOGA 🍼
Okay, so clearly we aren't discussing babies teaching yoga because unless AI-generated, I doubt this would even be possible. What I speak of here is how the yoga teaching industry has now become nothing short of a pyramid scheme / commercial conveyer belt, where teachers with no prior experience or even self-knowledge, are handed out qualifications like sweets on Halloween night. Many of which can be completed online within a matter of weeks, and which do not even require the student to watch the full instruction / course - they can simply play the video in the background while engaging in other pursuits. Yet, still, they somehow achieve the qualification / piece of paper, all the same.
And, even if, let's say, a newly qualified yoga teacher does have genuine intentions and it isn't just about likes, money, and status for them - then there are many arguments to suggest that proficiency in teaching, takes time. Not to mention the quiet, undisturbed solo practice that would allow said teacher to tap into their own intuitive awareness to ensure that what they are teaching is truly beneficial and in-line with the needs and abilities of their student(s).
Again, this takes time, and oodles of patience and sacrifice.
TOXIC / CULT YOGA 😇
Okay, admittedly, who doesn't prefer a 'positive vibe' to a 'negative' one? But, is this realistic?
Is sighing it out and simply plastering on your happy face in class / for the camera, really going to achieve anything in terms of real, evolutionary growth for the mind, body, and emotions? Or, is it just another means of suppressing half the available spectrum of human feeling, in an already heavily filtered out (and potentially numbed down) world?
I feel no need to explain this one further, but trust me - I could continue.
DANGER YOGA 🤕
Also known personally, as 'circus yoga', 'glorified gymnastics' and 'prove your own worth via idiocy yoga' - Danger Yoga refers to the kind of yoga which is led by teachers who obsess themselves over the pursuit of perfection - something which DOES NOT EXIST.
Think about it, what do you think of when you hear the word 'yoga'? If you're new to yoga or even if you're a well established yogi - chances are you'll at least have some subconscious imagery spring to mind when you hear the word yoga, which no doubt includes headstands, handstands, and the lotus pose. You may also think of people bending their spines backwards into all sorts of unnatural positions - or maybe you think of the meditative branch of yoga where people chant, pray, and sit in caves or monasteries in silence for hours, days, or even years.
Yet, is this really yoga? Are any of the above images, stereotypes, and associations really the ULTIMATE GOAL? Or, is it something else?
Regardless, the dangers of chasing unrealistic and unachievable ideals, are pretty much self-explanatory. Yet, many yogis - even beginners, seem expected to get into headstands, handstands, and unsafe meditative practices before they are ready or even willing. And for what? The approval of someone else? For the empty smile and a nod of acknowledgement, from some self-proclaimed master or guru of the body, or of enlightenment - all while no doubt damaging their own spine, joints, and mind in the process?
Personally, I say no to all of the above for my students - beginner or not. Because, honestly, yoga is not about bringing in more ego, competition, and unmet / unpurposeful desires which ultimately will never fill the void they so desperately seek to fill.
Just to confirm, the performance of headstands, handstands and the lotus pose are NOT required to master the art of yoga.
SPORADIC YOGA 🤯
YouTube and other free forms of yoga - especially those found on the internet, often lack planning that is tailored to the individual. For example, let's say you have backache, and so you search for 'yoga for backache' videos - you will find lots of great classes pop up. Some of which will be led by amazing teachers with vast amounts of knowledge and experience under their belt, and so you'd be inclined to believe you've struck gold - especially if said teachers include playlists organised by body part, ailment, or goal.
On the other hand, can you honestly say that you know how to plan a safe and effective workout by yourself, without the aid of a teacher who knows the anatomy (of the body and mind) - who can provide modifications and progressions - and who has worked diligently both via formal and informal learning, to sequence each session?
Even the most seasoned yogi's get caught out by this one, so please - do not feel 'bad' if you cannot confidently answer 'yes' to this question.
Personally, I practiced yoga for years before I finally took the decision to gain teacher status, and I did so sporadically. Which means that aside from gorging on free YouTube videos a couple of times per week - I also took part in many live, in-person classes. For years I thought this was all I needed. My body was getting a good workout, my mind was feeling a bit calmer through breathing exercises, and I was engaging in meditation, to boot. So at the time, I believed I had everything covered.
On the other hand, I lacked a solid goal, and most importantly - I lacked the guidance of someone who knew my body. Which led to me missing out on the kind of yoga that would address all body parts, in a holistic and preventative sense - rather than just addressing the small components that caused me immediate grief, in a reactive sense.
NON-HOLISTIC YOGA 🤠
So, just to confirm - if a yoga teacher only teaches yoga of the body, it is not really yoga. It is simply another form of exercise.
True yoga - the kind that originated around the Indus Valley region circa 5,000+ years ago, is holistic. Meaning, it works on not just the body - but the mind and emotions, too. Not only that, but it also works on things like creative insight, intuition, and improved intellectual capacity. All things which, in practice, should always work together.
So, rather than be like other forms of exercise or mainstream, Western healthcare which only often seek to line the pockets of Big Gym and Big Pharma - yoga works on all levels of existence to include overall available energy, to ensure a greater chance of achieving overall (big picture) health and wellbeing.
Why? Well, because simply addressing one tiny issue in a reactive sense - for example, stretching out a painful back or hand, will only yield a result proportionate to the body part or body parts in question, while completely neglecting all else. Yoga in its purest form actually works to prevent bad backs, hands, and more, because literally everything is connected to make up the whole...
...The body contains the brain, which contains the mind, which contains the emotions, which contains the intellect, which contains the conscience, which also contains energy - and so it continues ♻️
REAL YOGA DOES NOT PLAY SMALL. IT SEEKS TO NOURISH AND NURTURE ALL
Because, honestly, what's the alternative? Continue playing small in a world that has clearly demonstrated a lack of patience and opportunity for those who do?
Or, is it time to do something different?
I mean, how else are you going to beat Einstein's supposed definition of 'insanity', whereby people continue repeating the same mistakes over and over again, while wondering why nothing ever changes?
Can you honestly afford to do that?
I know I can't.
#realyoga #⚖️ #YOGAFORALL
*Thanks for reading. If you made it this far, then you're already part-way, ahead of the 'game'.
👉 If you'd like to take it one step further - you know where I am 👇
Catherine (Cat 🐈⬛️) @ Meta Mind Muse
For those who truly cannot afford to check their bank statements for ways in which to cut costs and pay for a lesson - don't worry. I have you covered. I am currently in the process of gaining subsidisation for those who live within, or close to the poverty line, because I've been there myself and so I know firsthand, just how easy it is to see no way out. Therefore, I want you to KNOW this - I will ABSOLUTELY make sure you are NOT forgotten.
Keep checking in on the Meta Mind Muse website and socials for updates, but please note that this process will take time to complete.
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