Being a Supply of Constructive Development: Interview with David Procyshyn

This interview is from our new collection: “The people who make DYWM.” Study extra about our instructors, their tackle yoga, and what makes them tick.

Very similar to veteran DYWM teacher Fiji McAlpine, DoYogaWithMe founder and CEO David Procyshyn’s journey with yoga started with an damage that compelled him to reevaluate his priorities, his way of life, and his psychological well being. What began as a private path in direction of well being, mindfulness, and religious success shortly led him to hunt methods to open this path for others.

In 2008, David and his brother Sean began a web-based yoga web site with the singular objective of constructing yoga accessible to as many individuals as potential, no matter location or monetary state of affairs – a mission that has remained DYWM’s guiding star for the previous fifteen years.

In the present day, we grabbed David for a fast however wide-ranging chat about his perspective on yoga’s cultural course, how issues behind the scenes at DYWM have modified over time, and what units DYWM aside (spoiler: it has loads to do with DYWM’s deal with training with out plastic).

Are you able to inform us a bit about how and why you first began training yoga?

David Procyshyn: I used to be drawn to yoga in my late teenagers as a result of I used to be experiencing power decrease again ache from a collection of accidents, in addition to extreme anxiousness and melancholy. 

How do you assume your individual private journey with yoga knowledgeable your resolution to discovered DYWM?

DP: It helped me perceive the extent of struggling and wish on the planet. I used to be motivated to do what I may to assist, and to make as a lot of it free as potential, for these with monetary constraints.

In recent times, yoga has skilled an explosion in reputation as each a health and religious follow all around the world. It’s gone from an historical spiritual and religious follow rooted in Northern India, to a distinct segment, “hippy” curiosity, to one thing that’s broadly identified and classy throughout the globe. How do you’re feeling concerning the course that yoga as a tradition is heading in?

DP: I’ve blended emotions. I notice that it’s inevitable that issues adapt to the tradition. However I additionally really feel uncomfortable with many features of it, significantly the elitism, style, picture, and all the plastic that’s produced by the trade. These features starkly distinction yoga’s true essence. 

How do you’re feeling your method to yoga differs from the extra mainstream, modern approaches which can be so plentiful on social media?

DP: In each planning session, we ask ourselves if our choices are good for individuals and our fragile planet. We not solely need to be a supply of inspiration and constructive progress for everybody who involves our web site, we need to additionally be sure that our planet continues to be thriving and wholesome when our youngsters get to be our age.

Might you examine what a day of capturing and recording seemed like in 2009, and what it seems to be like immediately, in 2023?

DP: In 2009, Sean and I did every thing. We ran the present! I did all the filming and modifying – we’d movie the identical class twice and spend many, many hours piecing it collectively. I knew little or no about cameras, lighting, and audio. Now, I’ve two extremely expert, skilled videographers who know every thing wanted to create a good looking video. We’ve a workforce of passionate, expert, caring people who find themselves wonderful at what they do, together with social media, publication manufacturing, videography, images, graphic design and web site/app performance.

What would your recommendation be to a complete newcomer who’s desirous about dipping a toe right into a yoga follow however doesn’t know the place to start out?

DP: Each human is totally different, so we have now loads of choices for absolute freshmen. In case you prefer to throw your self into the expertise, select from one in all our newbie packages or challenges. In case you’d like to easily check out a category, select Newbie I from our Yoga Lessons filter. If you wish to be taught the basics first, go to our Yoga for Freshmen web page.