Why I am not in my ads: self reflection on presentation online, how it affects my business, and Journaling prompts to reflect on your social media consumption

spoilers: It’s annoying for marketing but also not as big of a deal as you might think

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Written by Rose Moore

on June 26, 2021

Rose Is a Yoga alliance registered yoga teacher with a 200hr level. In her free time she writes, reads tarot, and has been reading Dune for almost two years and still only a chunk of the way into the book. She is a treasure to anyone who finds themselves always asking themselves “why?”

The last two days I have been taking no sleep naps outside with my head under poncho and the rest of my body nude. I am trying to get more sun. I heard that the sun is good for Vitamin D. Ever since I was told by a doctor to take vitamin D for my back pain, I have been thinking about it.

I can get it for free from the sun.

I will do ANYTHING to help my back pain without paying anyone.

And I happen to be free at about the time the sun is at 12 astronomic time. No shadow time according to a young Tommy Pickles. When everyone else is at work and I am surrounded by privacy fence. Truly alone. Gosh I never thought I would be able to say that and not feel ashamed.

By the way, I am the only neighbor who has not contributed to my fully fenced property.

What does that say about me? My yard—So unsightly in past years, Rose, so unsightly.

Anyway, it was noon and then I came inside to try to work some. I have stuff to DO so to speak. Like a lot

But how can I do any of that if I do not have any vitamin D?

I have never spent so much time topless outside in my life since I started doing this. Is this not weird? Girls, am I right? Guys, you are topless all the time, right?

I am so modest. No no, I know what you are about to say!! Oh no, not in the performative expression of my being. I am not modest in my message, my decisions, my pen stroke, my movement, or my outward pouring of passion. I am not modest there.

Its my body. And it is so paradoxical. Allow me to elaborate:

For comfort I did not wear a bra for years. It was no big deal to me, even at my bustiest. I am a card-carrying member of the itty-bitty bust club. Since my stomach has always reached out past my knockers, I said whatever. Plus, I have never worked anywhere I did not have to wear an apron before I started Royo Yoga Service LL. No one could tell in my professional life. (If they did, they never called HR so whatever!)

Also, Eric was not complaining about the view.

We are all subject to the public gaze on S.M.

So, I have no qualms with my body just being, existing so to speak, for the sake of my comfort. On my own terms. It is more like; I do not want to sell at the expense. I do not want my job to be branded or sold due to a curated display of flesh juicy for consumption. (even if that’s why you come to my classes. Paying customer is a paying customer)

The public gaze is an odd thing.

When you add money into the equation plus the nature of my work—to help people physically connect with their bodies—It is hard for me not to separate this from an exploitation of my body for material gain. Remember, remember, I did say I am a modest woman.

Rose, you do not have to do that, you say.

This is my yes but moment.

Yes, but I need to engage with my audience in a meaningful way. As my teacher so clearly stated, “They need to see that you can do it or they’re not going to bother.”

Gyan Mudra — Gyan mudra also known as the knowledge mudra. me being seen

So here I am in between by catering to the royo yoga private group which you should totally join by the way

If only there was a way to bypass the ads and sponsored content, see all the goods I provide to my group members by joining my mailing list. ANYWAY

I have been drawing a lot and I am hoping it will help bridge the gap between 14 views and the outpour of admiration for the men and women who can sun their asshole and take a picture for the internet(its a whole thing). They are not hung up like I am. Gosh I admire you! Email me and we can trade notes on the algorithm.

I am glad I did take the time to photograph my progress through yoga before and during my teacher training, back when I was heavy on my original Instagram account photo dairying, so there are pictures if you have the time to scroll. It wore on me more and more after I began teaching for cash and I had time to sit with it.

Then I look at the fresh faces of Yoga students I meet who are so empowered by their first time fearlessly posting a full body shot in a yoga pose, smiling into the camera—and into your eyes. It is a powerful thing and I gush. No really, I GUSH when I can see these moments. My immodest empathy.

I was unconscious of my modesty. I do not call it an anxiety or shyness. It is my principles, an expression of my authentic self, part of my identity. How I show up to the world is a huge part of my life, and I want people to know who I really am.

But like, not every mole on my body to sell a yoga class you get me.

Share you answers at www.facebook.com/groups/royoyoga and join the discussion. Or take a class with me, let me show you how to make a deeper understanding of the why when it comes to your image. Peace

Journal Prompts

Ok now here is where you

can look inward Journal prompts to think about. Do you have any hang ups about the nature of our photo centered online realm of life?

Do you feel gorgeous when you post a photo online?
- How do you want people to see you?
- And is this the same way you see yourself?
- If you do not show your face online, think about why?
- Where does privacy play a role in the things you post
- do you ever regret posting something
- How does it make you feel when you get positive responses vs negative responses

In what ways does money, social media, and my body all fit in together?
- Am I the consumer or am I the product on social media?
- How much capital am I not getting for my original content because it is going to the corporations who own these networks?
- Do I want to keep up with the ocean of jones’ or do I really want (insert product or service)
- How much do my friends see me online versus real life and how does that make Facebook money?

Is there a difference between my lived experiential self and the face I put online?
- How are they different?
  - Where does this disconnection come from?
  - How are they the same?
  - Where does this connection come from?

How do I want to use social media? What do I want to get out of my time spent there?

For each question:

Ask yourself WHY and do not stop after the paragraph where you talk about.

Those feeling one way, or another might come from inner beliefs you are not aware of. Because such thoughtful insights take a while its best to try to write for 5 or ten minutes at a time to start off journaling. I know some people who can write all day about their inner workings. That is the kind of stuff in me of which I would want to be aware of!

You can come back to this journal entry a week later and read it. Respond to yourself as if writing back to a pen pal. Notice what a week of consideration does to change your reflections.

I hope you enjoyed this article, thank you for your time

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Grounding with Tree Pose

Roots
Balance
Nutrients
Hydration
Change

Tree Pose, Balance, and what I mean when I say Grounding

An essay and contemplation by Rose Moore

4/7/2021

Grounding is a term to describe the praxis of coming to the present – Royoyoga

Anxiety is caused by thinking about the future. Depression comes from thinking about the past. Think to yourself, do you find yourself thinking about the past of future more? How do this correlate with your depression or anxiety symptoms? Grounding is a term to describe the praxis of coming to the present. A dulling of the future and past.

How can tree pose ground you then? First let us meditate on the idea of a tree.

When we think of the broader concept of grounding a tree you might think roots going down into the ground, a large trunk to keep the tree from falling over, healthy nutrients so that the limbs of the tree retain durability, water, to soak the cells so not to shrink, or even the cycle of life when in the fall leaves may fall literally onto the ground.

So how can we relate to these conditions of a tree? Next time you come into this asana I want you to really think on the subject.

Roots? What are your roots?

For some people it is their home, for others it is their family, some even connect their roots to their ancestors. In a smaller sense your roots can also be what is the motivating factors for your current project. All of our ideas have a root in our prusha, our lens of the world. In this sense, tree pose can signify a cleaning of this lens, clearing out the distractions so that you can see the roots in your life—meaning what makes you tick, what makes you swoon, and everything in between.

Balance? Have you ever fallen over?

I recently cut my heel. I was running around my back yard barefoot, carefree, and sliced my calloused heel open on a small stump from a bush I had cut down last year. In a literal sense, I fell over.

Since then, I have had a limp on my right foot slightly. Being injured from the base of my body has changed my yoga practice, and I am unbalanced. Funny thing, it is not the cut which caused the imbalance, no. It is the cut which brought my imbalances to life.

When you practice yoga these kinds of imbalances physically can help you with your emotions, mind, and soul as well. Do to the cut on my right foot I have been practicing tree pose on my left side, which is the side that represents the sun (the HA in Hatha yoga). Now, having contemplated these symbols for a while, I said, aHA! Something is imbalance in my daily life, rather than a deeper undercurrent in my life. This is because the THA in hatha represents night, and what comes out at night?

The moon, which takes a month for a cycle. Daily tree pose on the left side has helped me come back to my daily habits and I wouldn’t have made this choice to focus on my left if I had not gotten injured. Much like a tree with a limb cut off, branching out the opposite direction to keep up tall.

Food? How do you feel different when you get the nutrients you need?

We all must eat, even trees. In a way, trees compete with grass for the nutrients in the ground. Who do we compete with for food? Yes, there are outer competitions for beauty, health, prosperity etc, but Id challenge you to look internally. What have you eaten recently and how does your body feel in return? What issues do you have with food, emotionally?

A lot of us have emotional eating patterns and tree pose can be a time to contemplate where those thoughts are coming from. If you stop and appreciate a single slice of orange*—the texture, the flavor, the pulp in your mouth, the feelings can dissipate, grounding you by allowing you to appreciate the food coming into you.

Tree pose helps with digestion because of the balance you receive from sucking in your belly during the pose. When you do this, you will feel more grounded, meaning less likely to fall! Your center of gravity happens to also be where your body digests food,

*I choose orange because it is the first food I picked for mindful eating. It is not just enjoying food, there is a whole process. More on this practice coming soon.

Hydration? When you drink water, how does your body react, and how does this help with expansion?

Like I said earlier, water expands the cells in a tree. It also expands the cells in your body, plumping them up giving a reserve for which your cells can keep working. When you do not drink water, you may notice particular sensations. Your mouth may feel dry, you may get dizzy, your urine changes colors. All of this is effect from dehydration. It is easier to deal with difficult situations, over pour with gratitude, and live your best life when you are hydrated. Just like a tree!

Trees know when it is going to rain. They curl their leaves into a cup for water and get ready to be drenched. You too can prepare yourself for water with the tree pose asana. Taking a moment to check in with your body, decide what affects you are feeling from more or less water, and make a plan. Drink the water! Merely taking the moment to check in is grounding. You are feeling the root of your body’s sensations.

Change? Where do you find yourself when you feel your leaves falling, entering a new phase in your life?

This contemplation is fun! As humans we stay the same forever in our consciousness which never goes away, a deeper lesson on yoga that deserves its own blog post. You know what does not stay the same??? Literally everything else, from the world spinning to the emotions which may rock you like waves. The same goes for a tree, which is always the same tree despite its reactions to the time of the year. There are some trees which will die in cold climates, they tend to have juicy leaves, flower, or have fruits. They go barren in the winter and come alive in the spring. These are called deciduous trees.

Once you go north you will see trees with needles, that do not appear to shed during the winter or change in the summer. These are called coniferous trees. Both types of trees are ever changing, however. The pine trees shed their needles often and drop cones filled with seeds, much like the fruit of a cherry tree.

Are you a fruit tree with dramatic, visible changes in your life right now? Or a pine tree, constantly shedding but also keeping up a constant image to the world? Change is hard, so let these contemplations guide you through tree pose when you feel something new coming along.

To conclude

Woah, trees are more like humans than we thought eh? The yogis have known for centuries. Not because of education for which a yogi has much, but because in yoga we can contemplate how we are human, but also no different than any other aspect of the world. Something you cannot learn in a book or from a guru. It must be experienced, thus suffering (that anxiety and depression we talked about earlier) be quelled from the mind. We have a lot in common with our tree friends when we can come into the present, leaving the past behind and the future as something for later.

Yoga Body Commodification modesty