Spotlight - Cocoa Yoga for the Lockdown Interviews
I first met when I turned up at a new yoga class in equally new Humankind Studio in East Brighton. I was in a funk, I everything seemed to be transpiring against me but eventually I navigated myself through some shipping containers to a warm, welcoming Jo.
From that moment on I was hooked to this class on a Sunday morning - Jo’s playlists are brilliant, all my kinda music (minimal electronica) and this class just feels so seamless. I found myself in poses i’d never been able to do and it was just the way she moved us into them.
I’m so happy to welcome Jo to the blog and these images are by Jo’s boyfriend - links at the end.
Hey Jo! I’ve been coming to your Sunday morning yoga at Humankind for a few months now and I love it! Your classes just feel like they have something a bit different about them - can you tell us more about you and what you do?
Hello lovely Emma! Yes, you were one of my first students down here in Brighton and love that you are enjoying the classes! I teach both Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga. I love to intertwine yoga philosophy and my own experiences into each class. I think atmosphere is so important so everything is well thought out from the theme, the asanas (postures) and the playlist. I want each student to learn something more than just how to do the physical postures but to walk away having learned something new about themselves. I’m all about empowering people through yoga, inspiring confidence and positive change.
I know you’ve recently moved to Brighton and were establishing yourself - how has the virus impacted your ability to do this - has it had pros and cons?
Yes, classic event planner attitude (this was my previous career) I had it all mapped out. Studios to approach and classes to add so when it changed pretty quick it was a bit of a sink or swim thing. Like drop the ideals, practice what you preach and let go of what once was ‘the plan’. I went online pretty quick with Humankind here in Brighton and Yonder where I taught in London. My type ‘A’ nature initially was like do more, more, more but my soul was like take it slow Jo, you need this time too.
I felt a bit of resistance at first having always been an advocate to staying away from screens as much as possible! Plus never having done an online class before. But after I figured out the tech side, I was away. Post first class, seeing my students smile, both old and new and being able to provide them a little relief from all the crazy felt amazing. So that has been brilliant and honestly a light to each day! I do miss being in a studio, creating an atmosphere and being able to see the engagement between people but I am just so grateful to be able to continue to do what I love!
What does your day to day look like during lockdown and what are you finding is getting you through?
First and foremost, nature. Taking my daily outing either to the park where the sound of birds immediately chills me out or going to the beach and watching the sun sparkle on the water. That has been my saviour, so am very grateful that the sun has been shining! I have also got back into cooking more and experimenting with a variety of plant-based foods.
Keeping in touch with my family and friends and being a bit more open with them has brought us closer together. It feels good to be supported and to support!
Another key thing has been fine tuning a routine, which has been pretty essential working from the same bedroom as my boyfriend! Establishing how we can both work and support one another from the same space has been helpful. I have a habit of way over-estimating the number of things I can do in one day so having someone ask ‘is that really realistic?’ stops me setting myself up for failure!
How do you think this period of lockdown is going to impact the world of yoga and wellbeing afterwards?
I honestly think that it will be a positive thing in the long term, as we’ve been forced to place health at the forefront of our minds and re-prioritise it. I think it’s very easy to loose touch with how important both our physical and mental wellbeing is when we are running around like headless chickens. I know of course this is not the case for some but many of us have been gifted with some more time, to slow down and reflect. I think more people will look to yoga and meditation as a great way to do this.
Zoom classes have become super popular as a form of doing group exercise and a few of my friends have commented on the convenience of it, do you think we’ll see studios carrying on using this in a similar format in some way?
I think that yoga embodies so much more than turning up to a class, it’s about community, human connection and a shared energy in a safe space. So I think that although there will always be an appeal for online classes, I don’t think that it will ever replace in person but could definitely help to serve those who otherwise would not be able to make it!
If people could do one thing for their bodies during this time what would you say that would be?
Check in with yourself every, single, day and listen. Even if you can just sit for 5 minutes. Listen to your breath, feel the aliveness of your body, observe the thoughts and emotions without any judgement. If you can make this one of the first things you do when you wake up (maybe while the kettle is boiling!), you can then start your day knowing where you are at. Then no matter what else you choose to do, you know where you are starting from. You have basically told the universe, ‘I am worthy of acknowledging how I am’!
What, if any, have your clarity moments been during this time?
A reminder that contentment is not a quick game and that is very easy to get distracted in being ‘busy’. Self-care requires a fine balance between discipline (tapas) and kindness (ahimsa) to ourselves and that juggling these two is what life is about. I know I am happiest when I go slow, live simply and consciously.
Your yoga playlists are brilliant - who are your favourite artists to pull from when curating your playlists?
Thank you, I absolutely love putting them together! I have always loved it even as a kid I was making cassette mix tapes for friends and then being DJ at parties!
Ouuu that’s really hard because there is a lot of beautiful sounds but I would say my staples are Bonobo, RRAREBEAR, Kupla, less.people, Tourist, Beauvois…I could go on!
And for the most gorgeous meditation music: Beautiful Chorus.
Where can people join your classes?
At the moment, I am teaching for Humankind based in Kemptown Brighton online. Sunday mornings at 9.30am for Mindful Flow and Monday evenings at 6pm for Yoga and Meditation.
And for Yonder based in London online. Thursdays at 12.30pm for Vinyasa Flow and Friday mornings at 8am for Mindful Flow.
You can book all on Mindbody. Humankind classes are on MoveGB too and Yonder classes are on Classpass too.
Follow my Instagram @cocoa.yoga or my website for the latest updates.
Finally, if you could see one change within society from this time what would it be?
That we recognise the power of choice. To be a little more conscious of our own thoughts, behaviours and in turn choices. How these affect us, other humans and our planet.
Photo credit: Joe Parker @fulltangvisual / @joesnap