So I thought I’d have a clear picture of yoga, life and everything by now, but I do not.
 
What I do know:
-Courtenay Rec has canceled the rest of the Fall session
-Nourish is likely to return to in-person sessions but a few details need to be ironed out first
-Zoom (live online) classes will continue in some form
 
And everything else falls under the heading of “I dunno…yet”.
 
So what am I going to do about it?
 
I am going to have a "Strategic Planning Session" with myself tomorrow, and in to the weekend, if required. It will probably involve a few spreadsheets,  several big pieces of paper, coloured markers, sticky notes, my meditation cushion, and chocolate. And maybe some glitter too.
 
My goals:
-plan a zoom yoga schedule for the remainder of December
-figure out how best to register and track students for said classes (so far, my systems have been flawed!)
-update my policies
-lay on the floor and breathe for 3 minutes every working hour
-find a clear way to articulate my findings to you
 
So please send me good vibes of all sorts.

hugs to all of you!
:)

As most of you know, all in person classes are on hold again. So i decided to take the plunge and offer my current classes as on-line, live classes via Zoom.

If you are not on my email list, and you are interested in attending an on-line live class, please send me a note via the contact form on my "contact/bio" page.

So, you are interested, what do you need to participate?
If you are already familiar with ZOOM, skip below to PROPS & SPACE.

NEW TO ZOOM?

1. You will need a Computer/Tablet/Laptop/Smart Phone with Internet access.
2. You will need a web camera (built in or separate) with a mic. If you do not have a mic, you can still participate, you just won't be able to talk to me or other participants.
3. You will need audio on your device (internal or external speakers) so you can hear me.
4. You will need to download the Zoom Program or "App" as its called nowadays. And you can do that on a Desktop Computer, Laptop, Tablet or Smart Phone. 

• On a Computer or Laptop, simply search for "Zoom" in your web search engine of choice (Bing, Yahoo, Google, etc) or click on this link zoom.us/download
• For Tablets and Smart Phones, go to your "App Store" or "Google Play Store" and search for "Zoom".

There are loads of tutorials on Zoom to help you get started. There are also a lot of helpful tutorials on YouTube that are device specific like "how to zoom on an iPad". Start playing around.

PROPS & SPACE
This will all depend on what class you are taking.

• Will you need room to lay on the floor? Could you do it in bed instead?
• Are there standing poses? Do you have room to stretch your arms up or out to the side?
• Is your space or location of computer so tight that only chair yoga would work?
• Will you need props? Can you improvise a bolster or blocks if you don't have any (and don't want to buy any)? If you don't have a yoga mat, is your floor slippery (dangerous for standing poses), Will you need padding on a hard floor?

This is just a starting point. I will add more as i think of it.
Questions? Let me know.
Suggestions? Let me know.

HUGS!

It took a few months to get this together. With many stops and starts. I had to continually remind myself of my own advice with this project (click here for that blog post) ; “I do not have the skills, ability, energy or understanding to accomplish this task right now. So be gentle. Do what I can when I can. This IS something that WILL happen because I am passionate about it. BUT it will happen only when it happens and not a moment sooner”. 
Well that moment finally arrived.
 
My first offering is one you might already be aware of in video form. “Guided Relaxation - Savasana”.
I recorded this in audio format specifically for Insight Timer. It is the same script but a few minutes shorter and likely will feel different as it was recorded at a different time. The links are at the bottom of this email.
 
First, A bit about Insight Timer:
-A smartphone app for meditation, sleep, stress education, relaxing music and so much more.
-An amazing free basic version with over 35,000 titles (music, talks and meditations) provided by experts such as neuroscientists, psychologists, mindfulness & yoga teachers,  lecturers and professors.
-A paid option that provides access to 400 courses and additional features like rewind, repeat and download.

Teachers CAN earn an income on Insight Timer “We calculate who earns what based on two metrics only; Total play count (75%) and Teacher engagement (25%). As well, teachers can receive donations from their listeners.”
This means that you can support teachers by

1. Writing reviews after you have listened to the meditation,
2. Share your favourites on social media or just tell friends.

And 3. You can donate directly to teachers on the app. After you have listened to a meditation, a screen will pop up with an option to donate and 3 amounts to choose from. You can also visit the teacher’s page and click the donate button. If you do not like to use your credit card on-line, this is what i do. Once a month I purchase a Google Play gift card from a drugstore or office supply store. Then, when you click on donate, choose “redeem code” and enter the string of numbers and letters from the back of your gift card.

You don’t have the app, but you want it....
1. On your smartphone, click on the Google Play Store app and search for “Insight Timer”. Download and start using! (if you need help with this step, or how to use the app, let me know and i will walk you through it.)
2. On your computer, head over to https://insighttimer.com/. And you will see a floating button at the bottom of the page that says “download our app”. If you click on that, you can enter your cell phone # and they will send you a text message with the link to download. (I have not used this option so i am not entirely sure of the steps. If you have, and you’d be willing to share some details, then i will pass them along too).

And if you are reading this on your phone, and you have the Insight Timer app, click on the links below and (you should) be taken directly there.
https://insighttimer.com/yogasheron

https://insighttimer.com/yogasheron/guided-meditations/guided-relaxation-savasana-2

I look forward to practicing with you in the new way!
hugs!

The results are in!
First i'd like to thank everyone that took the time to respond to the survey!

so here are the main results:

Who is watching? 
53% of you are watching/making use of my videos.
And of those, 75% watch them via Virtual Rec on the City web site, and the next highest 44% on my YouTube channel.
75% would like notification when new content is uploaded,
56% would like regularly scheduled content,
50% would like themed series

Who isn't watching? 
47% are not watching. 
And 100% of you said part of the reason is because you prefer in-person. And the next highest 36% of you have your own practice, and 29% don't have adequate equipment.

Live on-line classes?
40% no 
26% did not respond (though all that didn't respond to this question answered "no" to watching videos so we could speculate they also do not want to watch live either. If that is the case, "no" would be 66%).
22% yes
12% maybe

In the category of "anything else":

• ​Outdoor yoga? Umm, probably not. It is not a fit for me. But if you are interested in participating with other teachers and need some contacts or recommendations, let me know. I have a list. 
• Hand out? Quite possibly yes. I have had a convo with a friend to explore taking some pics to make a practice sheet or two. I will keep you posted. 
• Tips on how to strengthen home practice habit? Yes! The hardest part for so very many of us!! Perhaps I will write a blog post about this.
• How to stay safe/secure or anonymous with live stuff? I am not sure. But if i go that direction, i will most certainly answer that question!
• Sheron on Facebook? Yes, I am now on Facebook. I tried to add a link here, but when i test it, it doesn't work. So if you are on there, just search for me and make a friend request!

So thank you once again for participating. If you have anything else you'd like to add, or if you have any questions, please reach out!

hugs!

Alrighty! i had a great strategic planning session with myself and the outcome....

a survey!

I have questions i need answered and the only way to get the answers, is to ask the questions! 
This is your opportunity to shape the future of on-line yoga with Sheron.
Let your voice be heard!
So click on the link above (or the words "a survey") and it will direct you to separate page on my web site.
There are 8 questions. There are also options as to how you take the survey. 

If you have any questions:

• leave a comment below this post
• send me an email
• reach out to me through the contact page on my site

The survey will close on Monday July 13th.

And i will be away from my computer
from Tuesday June 30th to Wednesday July 8th. 

I look forward to hearing your opinions!
hugs!

What i I know:

1. i answered the big question from my previous post "45 more steps" - i want to continue offering on-line yoga and meditation - even when/if things go back to "normal"
2. i am struggling with creating content because i never really know who is watching - i work best when i have an aim 
3. i work best when i am making a connection with others
4. i would like this to be an income source, so that i can continue to easily dedicate time to it
5. i have lost some of my motivation - probably because i am not sure if anyone (other than a the few people that comment/send messages) is watching or benefiting - see point #2 and #3

So what does this all mean?
Well, i am going to get my newsprint and markers out. It is time to have another strategic planning session with myself. Then, i need to make contact with you, my viewers.
​I have some (more) questions that need answers before i can proceed. 
​:)

Oh
My
Word.

So i thought of a great way to adapt the way i offer on-line videos/classes to better personalize and track.... but apparently, my idea, it isn't as simple as that. I see now, why i became the "stick in the mud" person re technology. It seems that every idea i have, to simplify, actually requires MANY steps in front; and those steps are mostly researching a new product &/or software. Of course, this then also leads to learning this new item!
Ai ai ai!
So i am not "back to the drawing board" just yet, but i am taking a step back to analyze my intentions and time and finances.
I guess, what i really, really need to make a decision on is:

• is this going to be a long term thing that i do?

However, if i do decide this is long term, i will need another several weeks to do some research and training. I will not be able to do that if i am "working full time". So, does that mean this is all hanging in the COVID CERB balance?
​It might be. 

So for today, i am going to take a step back and regroup. I am also going to take this pause time to do some digital organizing and decluttering. I need to let go of some of the weight on my blog. So that feels like a do-able project, with a positive outcome. 
​
​:)

Well, that was unexpected!

• I ended up having very, very little time at my computer last week so i decided to give blogging and web site stuff a rest. (and email too)
• I didn't have any "alone at home" time either so i gave recording a rest too.

It was weird. After go-go-going for so many weeks it was strange to pause. What ended up happening is the pause seeped into (most of) everything else too. I had a couple days of "out of the house" work but that was it. I read (fiction and non-fiction), wandered, napped, cleaned (a bit - and in random spurts), wrote a couple letters to pen pals, walked with friends.... but most of those activities were flavoured by the pause. So the world often felt surreal and i mostly moved slowly, and rested often.

Today was day 1 of catch up.

• I replied emails
• visited my favourite blog to catch up on her writing (i forgot to ask her if i could make her blog public here, so i will do that and edit, if she says yes)
• did a little book keeping
• and, updated some of my web site (and wrote this, of course)

I am looking forward to connecting with you again!
:)

I have upgraded my website.
So today i am going to play with some the new-to-me features. I am hoping this will open up some versatile ways for you (and me) to use this website.
​I won't go into details just yet as it would be all speculation. I will update you when i have something to share. 

Hugs
and Happy Friday everyone!
​
I am so grateful that i can continue to connect with you in this time of dis-connect. 
​:)

Phew! What a lovely and different day!
I started out the day by attending a webinar on Pain and Movement. Fascinating! 

Then i headed over to the Lewis Centre and recorded another Gentle Yoga session.
I added, as per request, some "leg in the strap" and "chest openers" to this one. 
The learning curve continues. The camera that was recording me stopped after 33 minutes. And of course, i didn't know. So i had to re-record the last 10-15 minutes over. But, i am getting better at this! It is much easier to start and stop and start again.
I am grateful for all this learning.
 
My brain is delightfully tired so i am going to chill for the rest of the day.
:)
​hugs

Well, that was unexpected and delightful!
Good news:

1. My cel phone video tests were very enlightening! I am not sure why i didn't consider doing this before... i guess i was just overwhelmed with info and "considering obvious options" was not available for my brain. My tests revealed that if i reduce the recording quality of the "front camera" (vs. selfie) to the middle option (not the best but not the poorest), i can double my recording time without losing too much visual clarity. Hooray! This will buy me some time. Now i can continue to record pretty good quality videos while i carefully research a Camcorder and an Editing Program. Phew!
2. I had a couple hours of "empty house" dropped into my lap today so i too advantage of it. I deleted the Restorative practice that requires an editing program to complete and started over. I re-recorded, watched/cued and edited all in one day! Hooray! So head over to the "expand" page to take a look, and maybe give it a try too!
   

Happy Wednesday!
:)

Today:

• Filming test session in progress: As i mentioned yesterday, i would like to really understand the video capabilities on my phone. So today i have been playing with the possibilities of recording on my phone. My goal is to find a longer record time without losing too much quality in video. On my list are the 3 different size (qualities) of videos. And i am curious if the quality is different if recorded straight onto my phone vs. onto the memory card. I am on round 2 of testing. i will let you know what the verdict is. 
• Video planning in progress: I will be going in to the Lewis Centre again this week to record another Gentle Yoga session. So i watched the first one i recorded (and made notes) because that was over 2 months ago and i have forgotten what was on it. And now, i am planning the second session. 
• Did a little more research into camcorders and cameras today. I learned that although 4K is all the rage, i will avoid it. It sounds like editing it is challenging as it takes up a lot of space on the computer - and i do not think our computer is new enough to handle it. So that is a relief in some ways, as i can cross a lot of cameras off my list. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!
​:)

Happy June everyone!
I am still in research mode. Today was learning all about DSLR vs Camcorders. 4K vs. HD. And a couple other heady subjects.
I thought i found a suitable camera but then when i went to buy it, no one, not even the manufacturer has them in stock. So i went back to square one. I have found a few more to investigate but my brain's capacity to research seems to be 3 hours. So i will return to it tomorrow. 

Also, the Play with Balance video i recorded at Courtenay Rec 10 days ago is supposedly out, but i have not had a chance to look for it and therefore watch it. So if you are search savy, go find it!

And... I will (hopefully) go in to Courtenay Rec again later this week to record another video!

I have not yet had a chance to research an editing program for glueing those 2 Restorative practice bits together. It is on my list! Maybe I need to hire an assistant! Ha ha! 

And i have a filming test session planned: i would like to really understand the video capabilities on my phone. Specifically, how long can i record before it cuts off? And is this consistent? This should be a fairly easy experiment as all i need to do is set the format, (& make note of the format), press record on my phone and walk away. Then go back every once in a while and check on progress.
I have been inspired bu all the camcorder review videos i have been watching. 

AVCHD vs. XAVC, codecs and wrappers (not candy wrappers!), intra frame, log GOP....
I started researching video cameras a.k.a. camcorders about 3.5 hours ago. There is A LOT to learn!! 
I have learned so very much. And i realize now that i have way more to learn before i can even consider buying a camera! Every camera has its pros and cons depending on what you are using it for and that you want at the end.
 
Some of the features that are important to me:

• a camera that has the capabilities of shooting one long continuous video (so i don't have to spend hours editing 3 to 5 small videos into one)
• has an AC adapter (runs on electricity instead of battery)
• manual exposure control (so i can up the "light" in darker conditions without having to also buy an external light source)
• capability to record high quality in indoor light conditions (so, not grainy and grey)
• has a rotating screen so i can see myself as i record
• potential to use an external mic (if required) or built in mic that can receive voice (clearly) from up to 10 feet away
• manual audio control
• i do not want HD

So now, i just need to find ONE camcorder that does all that. So far i have fully researched a few Sony and a couple Canons and they DO NOT fit the bill, for one reason or another. Tomorrow, i will continue my learning and search. 
Now, i must go rest my brain!
happy Thursday!
hugs
​

Ok, so as it was so aptly put to me a few minutes ago, it is time to let go of "pseudo technology"!!!
I spent 2 hours recording a Restorative yoga video today with some of my "usual" technology issues.

• video stopped recording in the middle of a pose, near the end of my session (but i didn't know because i wasn't looking at screen)
• so i decided "o.k. i guess it is time to learn a more elaborate editing program so i can join segments of video together" and instead of re recording the whole thing, i restarted at the pose where it cut off.
• video randomly stopped recording again, 3 minutes in!
• Sheron comes out of room making Chewbacca sound followed by "TECHNOLOGY!!!" while shaking fists in air.
• Sheron regains composure and starts again.
• This time, phone did not stop recording (phew) until i pressed stop.

So i have a Restorative practice for you..... However; i need to learn a new computer program in order to edit it/splice it together.

i think, the universe is telling me to keep moving forward, keep upping my game, keep learning the next level. So i am also going to start researching other ways of recording videos i.e. camera versus laptop versus phone etc. And unlike this bear, i will not hide in a hole in a tree! I will move forward! I will learn! YES!!
:)
Wish me luck, send me good vibes!

Today i did a lot of editing to an audio version of Savasana i recorded a while back. My goals were:

• get comfortable with editing on my phone
• cut segments out to reduce it to 10 minutes (from 14)

It took 1.50 hours, but i did it. Editing is slow. I have a lot of empathy for those in the music and movie biz now. I get how much work it really is! An hour and a half to trim 4 minutes out of an audio clip! here are some of the why's:

• part of this was also a learning experience. I took my time and i did some trial and error as well.
  
• the editing program that comes with my voice recorder is very basic and the touch screen is way more finicky than a mouse on a computer would be.
  
• if you have been following my blog, you also know that (my) technology is unpredictable so i too my time and saved a copy after each "cut".
  
• and i have to listen tot he recording, make notes as to where i want to make the cut (how many seconds) and then go back and make the edit.
  

All in all it was a great learning experience. I believe that the next step is to learn an audio editing program on my computer. So i will add that to my research list.

:)
Happy Monday!

Today is a day of research and learning.
But first, an update (the reasons "why" i am in research mode today):

• Nourish Wellness, one of the locations i use to teach my in-person classes has, in light of new covid  regulations, changed their operations. These changes do not fit how i teach and who i teach. So for the summer, it doesn't look like i will be teaching classes there.
  
• Courtenay Recreation has not yet made any announcements in regards to yoga classes for the summer session. The chatter right now, is "they might not happen".
• My "covid benefits" are going to run out soon which means, i need to start earning a proper income again fast!

So in light of the 3 realizations above, my brain has been switched to over-drive again. Over the last couple days i have had a couple brain storming sessions with a couple friends/colleagues around "yoga teaching in this new word" and "what gifts has this time of isolation given and how do I carry those forward?". I love love love brain storming sessions, especially when there is space given for ideas to flow freely (mindful listening). When I know that I can just process and blurt stuff out without fear of judgement of ideas being shot down, the juices flow! So i have some ideas that need to percolate now. And as usually happens, more questions have come up, and will probably continue to do so.

My research today is on the capacity of my web site and what upgrading will offer. Some of the ideas i have will require a step up in "bells and whistles". My basic plan will not cut it.

So stay tuned! If any of my ideas are doable, i will let you know. And yes, i will let you know if they are not doable also.
hugs!

I went to the Lewis Centre today to re-record the video that didn't quite work out last week. I planned and even made myself cue cards so i'd remember all the important bits. I had a couple false starts (i am getting used to those now). It felt like it was going smoothly. Well, when i finished and went to press stop, the screen was black, which means, at some point, the camera stopped recording. GAH! So with help from D, we figured out roughly where it stopped and i re-started from that point. I am not 100% sure i got it right. I hope so. Hopefully when the video gets to L, the editor, she can figure out my mishap and "sew" the 2 videos together. HA HA HA!

I am not upset, nor was i at the time of discovery. I am getting used to the random glitches that occur with equipment. Dare i say, i am coming to peace with technology. Well, for today anyways.  ;)

I was in admin brain again today. So i went with it.
There are so many little jobs to be done that can take up a whole day, if I let them. And i did. It feels good to have many of them complete. Filing, sorting, shredding, correlating, organizing, compiling...

I also cleaned up my email;
deleting, sorting, compiling, cross referencing....

Phew! I feel light now.

Happy Thursday!

I was in "admin" brain today so i went with it. I had not been able to complete everything last week so i figured I'd keep going while the momentum was there. I am up to date to the end of March with my financials and 90% of my admin work is done! YAY!

I am looking forward to getting back to recording and am excited for the upcoming projects.

Happy Tuesday!
I hope you are all well and riding the waves of change with ease, grace and gratitude.
hugs!

Happy Friday everyone!
So my recording at Lewis Centre yesterday was challenging. I was not focused and i kept losing the flow. I decided to let it go. So i will go in again next week to re-record. One of the reasons i felt unfocused is that i didn't listen to my intuition when it urged me to make a light plan for the recording - that was also what i stated in my post yesterday! It happens. It sucks when my gut is right and i don't listen. BUT it is another opportunity to learn. So i enter this work day and long weekend with the question: How can i slow down, pause and listen intelligently to the inner cues? How can i be open to receive? 

On the table for today:

• admin stuff - sorting and data entry and tidying all my accounting and admin stuff that i have not looked at for, hmmm, a month
• write the May newsletter for my email list (and hopefully send it out too)

​And before i sign off for the long weekend, a bit about today's photo. I saw a long time friend and student yesterday and her lilac bush was in full glory. The aroma was intoxicating! She clipped a bouquet for me to take home. It is off and on keeping me company while i work. I say off and on because the aroma is incredibly strong and while it is glorious, it feels a little overwhelming at times. The good side of that is that i keep getting up and down from my desk to move it outside, or back inside. I am certain my body will appreciate that by the end of the day.
​Also, this image ended up with a soft focus - accidentally. The lens of my camera was dirty and i didn't know. When i saw the pic i thought "ahhhhh....". I believe this will be a nice combo with the questions above and will form the theme of my long weekend.
"Soft focus and sighs" to all of you! 
​Hugs!

Hi All, Happy Thursday!

A quick note to say that i am heading in to the
Lewis Centre to record another video.

So my "work" today is planning and getting
ready and... recording!

​Woo hoo!

Hugs

I am getting comfortable and skilled at editing videos now on YouTube. I am also getting skilled at pausing while recording when i've made a mistake and starting over. Yay! and Phew!

​The good thing about getting better, is that i am braving some trickier edits - like the video (How To Improvise A Bolster) i just posted (see "expand" page).

I realized that i talked extensively (in the video) about Halfmoon Yoga Products and i put myself into new territory. This product chat could be seen as product endorsement which would put my video into different category AND add extra bits to my video. YouTube's explanation on what qualifies as "product endorsement" is ambiguous. Since i am not likely to get a response to my inquiry into clarification in a timely fashion, i decided to edit out that bit of my video - thereby removing any possibility of confusion. I don't need to get myself in trouble, nor do i want my video to get removed. Plus, from what i was reading, there are legal guidelines outside of just YouTube that need to be followed re product endorsement and i am not yet ready to read that extensively on the subject - especially since i am not actually profiting from the "endorsement"! 
​:)

Well I have to trust there is a reason only one of the four videos I recorded yesterday worked out. Restorative practice? nope. Belly Breath practice? goner. How to make your own yoga blocks? sorry, it didn’t make it either. Sigh. I watched them all to see if anything was salvageable but no.

HOWEVER; “How to improvise a bolster” survived and turned out well. So to the editing table I go. It should be up on my web site and my YouTube Channel tomorrow, that is, unless it somehow meets the same fate as the other fallen videos. HA HA HA!
I can only laugh, sigh, surrender to “what is” and start over.
Boy, am I gonna be resilient after all this!
:)

I had a few hours this morning with an empty house so I decided to record a video. Long story short, the universe was testing me today… “How many things can we mess with until she losses her cool? Until she says I give up?” Well the answer is I don’t know.
Many, many things went wrong

• I decided to shoot a vid with the better camera on my phone (rather than selfie) but this meant that I’d be blind - I would not know if I was off screen at any point. So I tested and tested again. Then I recorded a 30 minute video…. and when I looked at it… my head was somehow cut off at the eyebrows!!
• A parcel was delivered… the dog went mental.
• Part way through recording a shorter video, it just stopped recording (but I didn’t know until after).

There were other things, big and small, but I think you catch my drift. After each mishap, I had a moment of frustration, I might have even swore a couple times, but I dusted myself off and started over. This appears to be the new theme in my life. So I didn’t reach my limit! Woo hoo! The thing that finally forced me to stop was a roaring sound of a chain saw or some other loud power tool outside my house. That I could not work with.

So the lesson in all this?
I AM COMMITTED to making these videos!
I AM COMMITTED to sharing!

I am still feeling a little raw so I won’t look at the videos today. I need some space. But if something was salvageable from my 3.50 hours of work, I will post it!

Hugs!