#WisdomWednesdays: Making Connections That Matter With Margo Kellison Lightburn

We now live in a semi-online world. Unlike before, we can fully leverage our productivity in the comforts of our own home. But while this comes at our convenience, the one thing that gets compromised is making genuine connections. Especially in a physical practice such as yoga, it becomes a huge challenge for teachers and students alike. It's a learning curve, but overcoming it opens doors to forging invaluable lifetime connections.

In today's episode of Wisdom Wednesday, Tessa speaks with Margo Kellison Lightburn about her transition to online yoga classes pre-pandemic. She then explains the differences between online and physical yoga teaching. Finally, Margo highlights the importance of making connections for a fulfilling yoga practice.

If you want to know how you can transition to online yoga classes like a boss, this episode is for you!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

  1. Discover the importance of reaching out in making genuine connections.

  2. Learn some valuable tips in teaching online yoga.

  3. Find out the value of getting to know your students as an online yoga teacher.

Resources

Episode Highlights

[01:23] How Margo Started Her Podcast

  • At first, she was nervous to reach out to Rosie when she was still starting out. 

  • “Find your people who have a flashlight that’s a little brighter than yours” — the quote led her to connect with Rosie.

  • Margo realized that podcasting involves a lot of work and commitment. But she is looking forward to revving up her podcast again.

  • Nothing’s worse than trying to ignore an audio issue on a podcast. Tune in to the episode to hear Margo’s story about her unreleased interview with Mark Nepo!

[06:36] Tessa: "When we think about being yoga teachers, being actualized beings, or walking the talk — it doesn't mean that we're not going to have these feelings of envy or pain or suffering. It means we're going to stand in it, acknowledge it, and learn how to use that to fuel the fire." - Click Here to Tweet This

[08:16] The Full Circle Moment

  • When somebody likes your favorite band, you feel like they cannot like them as much as you do — that’s how she feels about Mark after hearing Tessa talk about him in one of her podcasts.

  • Margo used to run a yoga studio across Harpo Studios. One of her students, who was Oprah’s personal assistant, asked her about Mark’s The Book of Awakening.

  • She ended up giving the book to Oprah as a birthday gift, which catapulted its best-selling status. Listen to the episode for the full story!

[13:02] Coming from a Place of Service

  • Making sincere connections would never come from any place less than generosity, sharing, and service.

  • Rosie’s book is direct and accessible. She provides suggestions and valuable tools at the end of each chapter.

  • With all the noise around us, we sometimes just want to be told what to do.

[16:46] Online Yoga Classes: The Transition

  • She has been teaching since 2015.

  • Many of her private clients got sad when she moved from Chicago to Portland.

  • She suggested trying FaceTime yoga with a couple of her clients. 

  • Then, she continued group classes with her Chicago clients through Zoom from 2015 on.

[19:10] Remote Yoga Teaching

  • When 2020 hit, she started coaching people online on doing yoga business and teaching online yoga classes.

  • During pre-pandemic, people didn’t get the idea of teaching without being in the same room.

  • Online yoga teaching works timing-wise for both the teacher and the clients.

  • She had 75 people in her very first Zoom class when lockdown started, which was a huge turnout.

  • Consistency, schedule, asking questions, and showing up were crucial to teaching in online yoga classes. 

[21:46] Yoga Teaching Barriers: Online vs. Face-to-Face

  • The hardest part of online teaching is the barrier to entry for people with a new teacher.

  • Zoom fatigue is real. She understands people wanting to go back to real life.

  • She doesn’t miss getting paid a third of the amount she would get paid with a direct-to-consumer setup.

  • People used to be afraid to go into yoga studios and not be able to keep up.

  • Another barrier to entry to live online classes is the thought that the teacher doesn't know you. She also warns about Zoom bombers.

[25:08] Online Yoga Classes Format

  • Margo Kellison came to the conclusion that a one-hour online class is optimum. She usually changes the format when she teaches a shorter class.

  • She incorportates different modalities to create accessible and dynamic yoga lessons.

  • Giving credit to the modalities she’s pulling from allows her not to be perfect in it.

  • She likes playing music in classes as a support for energy. Listen to the full episode as Margo shares how she does it!

[30:45] The Process of Online Yoga Classes

  • She demos more than she would in regular face-to-face classes.

  • Margo has a big monitor where she can clearly see her students and their names. 

  • Knowing your students’ names and calling them in class makes them feel seen.

  • The accountability in live online classes is different. Margo puts a note on her door to let people know she’s teaching.

[35:18] Creating Connections through Online Yoga Classes

  • People from different coasts connect in Margo's class.

[35:19] Margo: “We need this connection right now. We need to be seen by our teachers. We need to be seen by our friends.” - Click Here to Tweet This

  • She lets them take over the class and continue chatting once they’ve created a connection.

  • She always records her classes so her students can revisit them if needed.

  • Online yoga has opened up an avenue to reconnect with previous teachers and explore new teachers.

[37:49] Margo: “That is what online has opened up for us — it’s to be able to reconnect with these teachers and explore new teachers. If you haven't found that voice yet, the one that just gives you like ‘ha!’. There's a teacher out there for you — there is. You just have to keep kind of trying.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[38:55] Approaching Safety Outside the Studio Space

  • In Margo's class, students have to sign a waiver in their very first session.

  • She puts up a disclaimer before every meeting to enforce safety and accountability for their own practice.

  • It's critical to have liability insurance for online yoga teachers.

  • As a teacher, you have to remind them to be careful in their space and environment.

  • She offers various alternatives for poses and movements so the class won't be too complex.

[41:21] “Keep it like a boss. You're the boss of your practice.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[42:27] The Importance of Knowing Your Students

  • Understanding what their body is doing and experiencing is how you care for your students.

  • Margo's advice for students is to stick with a teacher that makes them feel supported and heard.

  • Jumping from one class or studio to another is when people can get hurt. The new teacher won’t know your body.

  • The more advanced you are as a practitioner, the more likely you are to get hurt.

  • Keep in mind that not everyone wants to be touched for their own trauma-informed reasons.

[43:29] “When you find a teacher that you hear that voice in your head, and you feel supported, and you feel like you're growing, and you feel like you're being listened to as a student, stick with that teacher so you can really learn something.” - Click Here to Tweet This

[49:41] Creating a Genuine Connection for Yoga Teachers

  • Margo wants to put an end to yoga instructors feeling alone.

  • Instagram being the only source of connection is not a real connection. There's so much chatter around to get through to people.

  • Margo is seeking people who need help in learning and growing their teaching.

ABOUT MARGO

Margo Kellison Lightburn is a yoga instructor with almost 20 years of experience. She has been teaching and training yoga instructor since 2003 and has been a pioneer of online yoga. Her message revolves around empowering women's health, strength, and happiness through mindfulness and self-awareness. Margo is the host of The Lightburn Podcast.

If you want to connect with Margo, visit her website and follow her on Instagram.

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Rosie