2023 Social Media Challenge
We know that constantly coming up with valuable, relatable, and relevant content to post to social media and share via newsletters can be really hard (and time consuming)! Yet, it’s become such an important part of sharing our tradition and teaching in this modern world.
We also know that now many of us are moving back into studios and in-person training, whereas we have been connected with teachers near and far by technology in the past few years. This re-launch into local connectedness may have some of us feeling a little disconnected from the networks we created during the pandemic.
So, we are sharing some themes and content ideas for you to reflect on and post about on your own social media, for your own newsletters, and studios. We can stay connected to each other by thinking through and writing about the same topics, and then sharing with each other! Feel free to use the prompts we came up with to help you with content ideas or develop your own. Please also feel free to share this social media challenge with others in your network who appreciate our yoga tradition!
7-Day Challenge: June 21-29, 2023
In honor of International Yoga Day (June 21, 2023), we are offering a social media challenge to help you with your content posting (getting more eyes on YOU as a teacher). But we don’t think that just ONE day is enough! SO, we’re going for 7 this year!
Each time you participate in the 7-day challenge and tag us, we will note your post as an entry for the prize listed for that day! Of course the real prizes are the motivation you cultivate for developing content and posting, and the value you provide to your growing audience!
Maximum 2 entries per person, per day.
Winners will be chosen by a random drawing of the entries received. Don’t forget to tag us so we are sure to see your post!
Here are some resources you may wish to consult for this challenge, and for your overall practice and teaching in our tradition:
Sayings of Swami Kripalu (book)
Swami Kripalu’s Darshans (see our resources; you may wish to search online for others)
Some of Swami Kripalu’s Talks (lscroll down in our resources)
Walking the Path of Love: Connecting to the Kripalu Lineage and the Core Teachings of Swami Kripalu by Anandamai Charlyn Reihman (includes many teachings, and ideas about building into practice)
Post on the topic and tag us:
Facebook: @PranakriyaYogaSchool
Instagram: @pranakriya
TikTok: @pranakriya
Also tag other teachers who you’ve met in the PK community, and those in your network who might be interested in your content or participating in the challenge. Don’t forget about students you want to share your message with, too.
Use the following #’s in your social media posts:
#pranakriyachallenge2023 #pranakriyayoga #pranakriyayogateacher #yogachallenge2023 #pranakriya7daychallenge #internationalyogaday2023
7-DAY INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY(S) CHALLENGE TOPICS AND DATES
DAY 1
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2023: INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY
The celebration of International Yoga Day honors yoga, a custom with Indian origins. 2023 theme is:
Vaudhav kutumbakam
Unsurprisingly, there are several ways in to interpret this expression. 2 different interpretations you might want to consider are:
One world, One family, One light, One life. This world is ONE family, the family of ‘Vaasudeva’; Vasudeva is the life and light of all beings, the source of life itself. (Interpretation offered by our Program Director, Usha Lakshmi)
Earth is my home. This interpretation may lead you to focus on our interconnectedness with nature and the planet, and with each other.
When you post on this topic, please think about how our tradition of Pranakriya yoga, the ancient texts, history and philosophy, and/or teachings of Swami Kripalu influence you and your response to the topic.
Prize: Author-signed copy of Dharma then Moksha: the Untold Story of Swami Kripalu (compiled, edited and narrated by Richard Faulds) (value $27)
DAY 2
THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 2023
Topic: Responding - Reacting
After practicing yoga, do you find that you are better able to mindfully respond rather than react to things and people around you? If yes, why is that? Do you think this is something that more people would like to be able to do? Offer an opportunity to teach them this life skill for use off the mat (specifically set a date/time for a workshop or a class and make a call to action/direct invitation). Perhaps link to non-yoga situations like the workplace, parenting, etc.
Prize: Yoga Nidra for Kids of All Ages (CD) by Emily Gretz, with Steve Wolf (value $20)
DAY 3
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2023
Topic: Yoga and Nature
Do you take your yoga practice and/or teachings out into nature? Why is this powerful or important for you? How does the link between the natural world and yoga teaching/practice/the Pranakriya tradition show up for you?
Consider the resource: Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature, by Micah Mortali
Prize: Sari-silk covered journal with hand-made paper and hand-block stamped inside cover, for recording your thoughts and observations in nature (available in raspberry pink or cherry red) (value $18)
DAY 4
MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023
Topic: The Answer is Love
What does this mean to you and how do you take this out into the world as a teacher, practitioner and human being? Choose any or all of the teaching to reflect upon…
Or, if metta meditiation/lovingkindness is in your practice, talk about what it is, where you learned it, how you practiced it and what it does for you. Do you teach it? Offer an opportunity for others to learn to practice this too.
Love is the answer to every question.
Love is the response to every situation.
Deep loving kindness to yourself.
Deep loving kindness to others.
That is the practice.
That is the only practice necessary.
All other practices are bells and chimes
And can be distractions from the practice of Love.
Sashana, pranayama, and meditation are practices to strengthen your ability to listen to your heart.
These practices create ease around the practice of Love,
But every other practice must be based on Love and loving compassion and rooted in ahimsa - in non-harming.
Just listen, just practice - Be free to let your heart shine and grow.
Relax into the goodness and the Love.
Relax into and accept the goodness that you are.
Source: Walking the Path of Love: Connecting to the Kripalu Lineage and the Core Teachings of Swami Kripalu by Anandamai Charlyn Reihman (2020, p. 23)
Prize: Handmade carnelian bracelet with blue tassel and hand-stamped sterling silver tag in a gift bag - for yourself, or someone you love (value $25)
DAY 5
TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2023
Topic: Bend, Don’t Break
As a yoga teacher, you’ve probably heard more than once “I can’t do yoga, I’m not flexible”. It’s common to respond that doing yoga helps with that and, physically, most of us are not before we start (or even after we have done it for a long time). But, is that an easy cop-out response? Is yoga really about being flexible and doing fancy Instagram-worthy photographs? Or is it about something else?
Let your audience know what it is all about to you. Is it about becoming more capable of going with the flow in life, rather than doing a perfect flow on the mat? Is it about photo ops or something internal that can’t be seen? Is it about anything that people would automatically think about when they hear the word “yoga”, or is it something else? Let your audience know where you stand with all of this - and if it’s a mix, that’s OK! Remember, your best students will feel connected to the authentic you. Just like we know that our tradition of Pranakriya Tantra-Hatha yoga isn’t for everyone, we know that each of us is not the right teacher for every single person out there. Start finding your people by letting your authentic self shine!
Prize: 2 CDs: Meditative Posture class with Yoganand and Yoga Workout Class with Yoganand, to help you stay on track with your own practice and give you some inspiration! (Value $40)
DAY 6
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2023
Topic: Peace within, Peace radiating outward
How has your study of yoga in our tradition led you to this understanding and/or ability to cultivate inner peace? How do you share it with your own students and the people in your life? How has this/does this ability to cultivate inner peace help you in moments of personal or external conflict and why is it an important thing to be able to generate for ourselves and others?
When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others. - Peace Pilgrim
Prize: Out-of-production Pranayama 2-disc series by Yoganand, to help you continue to cultivate that inner peace and groundedness. (Value $25)
DAY 7
THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023
Topic: Why you became a yoga teacher, and what you’ve gotten out of it so far
At some point, you decided you were going to undertake the endeavor of a 200-hour YTT. You set aside the time and the investment. Why? What was it about your experience practicing yoga that made you want to take it further and train as a teacher? You chose a tradition - maybe you really connected with Pranakriya/Kripalu teachers and the message? Maybe you were only attending one studio and that was the YTT they offered so you took it? Maybe you needed a long weekends or a month-long intensive structure because of your lifestyle/work? Which tradition did you choose and why?
Since working through the YTT, and maybe teaching or living the life of an advanced practitioner, what has your training given you? Is it what you expected? Something more? Would you recommend that someone undertake this experience, who, and why?
Prize: hand-stamped larger zipper-closure pouch with tassel - to carry your yoga teacher stuff to-and-fro (value $15)
Thoughts or questions? Contact us at info@pranakriya.com. We’d love to base future challenges on your ideas!
