Hello Mutineers! If you’ve followed us here on the website or on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook, you know that I like to share the things we actually use around Mutiny Ranch. Since our interests are diverse these items range from animal care to gardening implements but also footwear and kitchen gadgets. No matter what the item is though if we recommend it here then we personally own and use it or have researched it enough to have it on our “wishlist”.
The Mutiny Ranch Item of the Day for 4/4/2021 (Happy Easter!) is YogaDownload. If you didn’t know, I am a certified yoga teacher. Back in 2014 (we were still full-time RVers), I spent a month living at an ashram where I immersed myself in all things yoga…twice-daily meditation, ayurvedic food, kriyas (or cleansing rituals), Satsang, kirtan, karma yoga, and 4 hours of asana yoga practice a day. It may sound cliche but it truly was life-changing.
But even with all that learning and deepening of my practice, it was still sometimes difficult to feel inspired on the yoga mat. When we were traveling I made it a point to take yoga classes wherever we landed (that’s why I started the Rambling Yogi section of the blog). But when I started teaching I quickly found out that it often means less time on your own mat. I’m getting back on my mat more consistently and dedicate 2 hours to yoga every Sunday.
The view from my mat every Sunday.
Having access to a variety of inspiring classes is crucial to my practice. And that’s why I absolutely love and recommend Yogadownload.com to pretty every single person interested in yoga.
I joined YogaDownload on December 8, 2013, and I’ve been a member ever since. That’s more than 7 years without a lapse! I’ve been introduced to more teachers than I ever could have met in person. And each of them has helped my practice grow…perhaps by showing new ways to enter a pose or by saying the right thing at the right time to open my mind or help redirect my feelings when I was feeling down. Some have even rekindled my love of yoga after I’ve let life get in the way for months on end.
So what makes Yogadownload worth it?
1- As the name indicates, you can download classes…and they are yours forever. Yes, that’s right. You do not have to be able to stream the classes. This fact alone was worth its weight in gold when we were RVing. Internet was spotty or non-existent in many places we visited. Campground internet was often unable to stream (or even check email). And our personal hotspots had data limits.
With Yogadownload I could scan through classes and download a bunch of them when we had good internet. Sometimes I’d spend a few hours at a coffee shop or library catching up on the blog and downloading classes. Then, when the internet was bad I still had tons of classes available. (When we moved to our new, rural location only satellite internet was available. No streaming! We suffered through that for two years and have only recently gotten something better).
2- There are classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced. If you’re just starting out you can check out Yoga 101 which is a collection of beginner classes taught by a variety of teachers (and styles). That will help you figure out what you like best without getting overwhelmed. More advanced students will find more challenging classes including some with challenge poses they might want to learn.
3- There are many different styles of classes. From Ashtanga to Yin you will surely find a style that suits your taste. Or practice your dispassion (a yogic practice of neither liking nor disliking something) and try them all. I enjoy learning from all of the lineages of yoga so it’s hard to pick any favorites.
4- It’s not just yoga. You will find a few other types of classes available like Barre, Meditation, Pilates, and Pranayama (breathwork).
5- Have kids? Yogadownload not only has kid’s yoga but there are also classes for soon-to-be moms and new moms with prenatal and postnatal classes.
6- You can filter by the teacher, style, class intensity, class length, level, and focus. This is a great feature! Short on time? Well, you can quickly scan through 10-20 minute classes so you can get on your mat sooner. Or maybe you want a “feel-good” class versus a “you’ll feel it” class. Yogadownload has you covered!
I really can’t say enough good about Yogadownload. It was featured in our 2020 Holiday Gift Guide because I love it so much but it still deserved its own post. Whether you’re brand new to yoga or a seasoned “pro” this is for you! And if for some reason you still aren’t convinced you can check out the Yogadownload.com Facebook page where several teachers are hosting live classes for free (a caring company with caring teachers that offered this during the Covid lockdown).
Here’s a little snippet from one of my favorite teachers:
As always, we sincerely appreciate it when you use our links to make purchases through our affiliate links. As a YogaDownload.com affiliate, we may earn a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you. This money goes toward our rescue animals’ upkeep as well as to help assist the rescues of other animals.
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