6 Social Media No-No’s for Yogis (avoid like the plague!)
Gospel, book of Sutras, plain + simple Precepts. This is your handy helpful guide to NOT behaving like an imbecile in the social media sphere. Like it or don’t, so many of our interactions take place on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, websites, message boards, and in comment streams. Your mission, as a Yogi/ni living by the 8 Limbed Path, is to conduct yourself with wisdom, kindness, a sense of humor, and grace. (Even when you really want to kick someone in the root chakra.)
6 Social Media No-No’s for Yogis:
(image source: cheryl k. tardif)
1. TROLLING. Trolls are the worst. You’ve seen them before, usually in comment sections. They derive sad pleasure from shitting on anything and everything. Utterly unhappy with their lives and wanting to tear others down, they throw feces like primates do. Only this isn’t a sign of higher intelligence.
Reminder: Ahimsa. Cause no harm. Talk no shit for the sake of sheer assholery.
(image source: satyana)
2. THE UNYOGIC POLICE. Woo woo wooooo. The sirens announce the arrival of the mf’ing yoga police. They’re here to show you that you are in the wrong! You’re being unyogic! They’re (ironically) horrified that you posted that hilarious graphic showing where people can stick their opinions! Didn’t you know your PERSONAL website/page/thoughts/tweets/commentary was under their purview + therefore must pass their approval station?! Meet judge, jury, and executioner. Sigh. The yo-po-po is greatly appreciated when something truly terrible is taking place (exploitation by faux gurus, shady dealings, harmful practices, etc.). But most of the time, they’re smugly steeped in pointing the finger at others without any eyeballs on their own “stuff.” Just. Don’t.
When I dislike a site or an individual’s views, I don’t put my eyes or energy there. Simple. No need to weigh in. I weigh out. Vamoose!
Lesson: Saucha. Clean up your own backyard. Self align before you smear; that negative urge will fall away.
(image source: bebeca)
3. THIEVING + SCRAPING. The most vile element. They steal words, images, art; the things born of your heart and hard work. They pass it off as their own. For the love of Patanjali, PLEASE DO NOT BE LIKE THESE PEOPLE. Mark my words, they will burn like the fires of your Svadhisthana.
Reminder: Asteya. DO NOT STEAL. Energy, work, art, or otherwise.
(image source: good karma host)
4. FORCE-SUBSCRIBING. Ever received a newsletter or some such from a yoga studio, brand, teacher, or rando and thought, “When the cuss did I sign up for this?!” You didn’t. These types are either completely ignorant of CAN-SPAM laws (FTC penalty: up to $16,000 per email in violation) or, more likely, they JDGAF. Because you really, really, really need to hear about their workshop/product they’re slangin’/stream of consciousness rants. I’d reach through the screen and slap these fools, but I’m trying very hard to practice Ahimsa.
Lesson: Santosha. Be satisfied with the subscribers you’ve obtained LEGALLY. Attract more the right way.
(image source: worth 1000)
5. MACHINE-GUN PR. Akin to #4, more shit you didn’t ask for is sent to you in press release form. Newsflash: no one reads press releases. TL;DR. Too boring, didn’t fucking ask for it, don’t have time, don’t care. HOLD ON while we all pile in our time machine and go back to the age when press releases were actually well-written, punchy, interesting, and relevant. Hmmm. The 60s?
Same goes for direct tweets demanding you visit their link/support their cause/buy their crap (always from randos who don’t even follow you) and fb blast messages pushing likes. Put your weapons DOWN.
Reminder: Tapas. Control your mental impulses. Don’t go mental and fire off your PR guns. Instead, write fun + intriguing personal emails to prospective brand evangelists.
(image source: jahz yoga)
6. ASANA SELFIE GRAFFITI. Oy, crikey, Instagram. Make it stop. (The cat above has had enough + so have I.)
Lesson: Isvarapranidhana. Drop the ego. Stop worshiping the pose, the body, the facade. Surrender to what is higher.
What would you add? Anything you’re guilty of that you now know to drop like a hot potato?
Keep it real, roll deep with the 8 Limbs + stay socially kind.
I’m intj too, yet another reason to love your work. Self boundaries, acknowledging person areas of opportunity to do better a.k.a leaving that ego behind is always a hard one, but good points about members of our yoga community being the yoga po po of their own actions first.
Lordy, lordy! Do you know how rare it is to find other INTJs?! Especially female ones! :) We are < 1% of the population. This is cause for celebration — and pairing up for world domination.
Doh! I’ve posted a few selfies in poses! But certainly not daily. Although, I do wish Scarlet were photo bombing me in mine.
♥♥♥
Meredith
A handful of yoga selfies is fine, but the whole feed? Naw. Naw. NO. F*ck that ego flow.
As for Scarlet, she is a superstar. :)
Those who leave negative comments on how negative your posts are. You would think if they were so yogic, that they would be more positive about your negative posts. The cult of positivity is the scourge of the yoga world. As GrandmaDawg used to say, “If you’re not complaining,you’re dead.” Woof!
YD in the place to be! Missed you much, but I know you are elbow deep in paint. :) That’s a perfect locale.
I find that the positivity cultists are often the most judgmental, especially about “staying positive!” When negative emotions arise, tamping them down is the worst thing. Work ’em out! Write, run, make art, practice, sing, go full ninja.
Sure wish I could have met Grandma Dawg.
Two thumbs up, and a snap to the side! Now i’m going to go whistle towards this corner like i’m not guilty.
What?! You are much too cool to have violated any of these tenets. :D I just don’t see it happening.
Awww. :D My hoarded collection of silly pictures started to weigh in on the hard drive of my heart for a moment! I’ve been saving archives of internet foolishness!