If you teach yoga, who do you think is your biggest competitor?

Is it the teacher with the noon class? Wrong.

Is it the one at the studio across town? Wrong.

Is it the youngish one with a hot little body? Wrong.

It is the teacher on the internet.

For years, I have said that our competition is not each other. We lose our students to whatever they can do with an hour of their time. Your competition is just a click away.

The internet may be virtual, but it is also very real. There’s a lot of yoga on YouTube, Yoga International, Peloton, YogaDownload, YogaGlo and more. Some of it is very good. Excellent in fact. And inexpensive. And convenient.

Is this sparking joy? Or Oy?

There is one more thing, and many of you didn’t believe me. That’s okay. I’m a mom. I’m used to being ignored.

I said there is very little stopping a studio from putting up a big screen and playing a recorded class for students. It would save a ton of money in salaries, and the sense of community would be upheld by the students in the room.

You thought I was joking? In Denver we have two studios opening that are offering unlimited classes from a “virtual” instructor on a screen. You select what kind of class you want, and you are ready to go.

Folks, you know I can’t make this up.

For the love of Shiva, Shakti and all that is Holy, please take your craft of teaching yoga seriously. Prepare your sequence. Use a theme. Find good quotes. Share yourself honestly, and also with tact. Do not go on and on about your dead cat or how everyone should be a vegetarian. Offer something useful and/or uplifting. Give people a reason to come to class, and with any luck they still will.

That is all. Rant over. But hey, do not forget that I told you so on this one.

Michelle Marchildon is the Yogi Muse. She is the author of four books on yoga, most recently Theme Weaver: A Companion Workbook to Plan Your Yoga Classes. You can find her at One Yoga Denver teaching live and in-person, because nobody wants to hear her voice on a screen.