Why Everyone can triyoga – an Interview with Jonathan Sattin

Why Everyone can triyoga – an Interview with Jonathan Sattin

We caught up with triyoga founder Jonathan Sattin to discuss the launch of the triyoga film which has been circling the internet since it was first shared last month. Read on to discover the intention behind the film and what it took to bring this vision to life.

What was the intention behind creating this film?

We were having a marketing brainstorming session at the beginning of the year and we were talking about what we could do differently and someone said we should make a video! It was an interesting thought and then we starting having discussions around who could make it. I reached out to my friend Johnny Green, he practices at triyoga and we’ve known each other for about 15 years. I knew him originally when he was a set designer and over the years he became a very well respected commercials director. I asked him where to start and he offered to do it! I was very touched. We sat down with his wife who also comes to triyoga and is a producer and we started to discuss ideas. The big question was about the intention. What do we want the video to do? Through our discussions we realised we wanted the same thing. We wanted to inspire people to practice yoga and give people an experience of what it’s like to visit a triyoga centre – quite difficult to do through a film! We also wanted to show the diversity of the range of styles that we offer and the broad demographic of people that come because that’s important to us. We have always felt that yoga is for everyone and that can be hard to get across so we wanted to create something that could do that.

One of things I love about Johnny is that he talked to some of the teachers about what they wanted to get across too so it wasn’t just our vision. The teachers are an integral part of what we’re doing. It was a real collaboration between the people in our head office, Johnny and the teachers who were involved. It was a 3-day shoot in Camden and it was amazing. Previously our Camden studio was an old Victorian piano factory and when we first got into the building the floor was covered in carpet but when we lifted it up there was this amazing original wooden flooring underneath and there are also original pillars in the building which, as you can see in the film, Johnny really loved and celebrated. When you watch the film as many times as I have you see things that Johnny spotted. Such as all the studio windows in Camden have strips of colour on them, which is a nod to our original studio in Primrose Hill. There are certain shots where he has captured many details like that, he has a great eye.

What was the biggest challenge in bringing it to life?

There is something so nice about creating something with people you like. I wish I had a story for you about what was difficult but I don’t. Together, we all wanted to make it work. What’s really interesting is that the voiceover was by the cameraman who I made attend some yoga classes. Johnny then interviewed him at the end and so what he shared came completely from his own experience of visiting triyoga, none of it was scripted. We learnt a lot about grading, something I knew nothing about! Then we had to consider the music. Genny our Yoga Manager said she knew Ally McErlaine, a guitarist from Texas and he wanted to do it. He’d already prepared something before he got the job! I get the feeling that when things are meant to work they just do. There was a great atmosphere of collective contribution on the days of filming. There were many synchronicities and there was a sense of momentum that carried us. Everyone wanted it to be something special and I am really grateful for this.

How has the film been received?

When we did a preview for teachers and staff some people cried watching it. People are really moved by it. Hearing the impact that coming to triyoga has had on people, is very humbling. My life changed when I started practicing yoga and sometimes we forget this. I was in the centre today and a guy came up to me and said “I watched your film, it inspired me to practice yoga and I’ve shared it with everyone I can.” The feedback generally has been a mix of gratitude, which is lovely to hear, and people being inspired to practice. Lots of people have talked about how triyoga has transformed and even saved their lives. It’s very nice that people have received it so well as we kind of went out on a limb to put something out there that is a bit unusual for a yoga centre. I think it’s something we’re really proud of.

It’s great to know that the film is inspiring action. It’s one thing to create beautiful content but it’s another thing to know that it inspires people to act.

Yes you’re exactly right, that’s the whole point. The hope was always to inspire people to practice.

What do you think are some of the hurdles or misconceptions that stop someone from trying yoga?

I think there are misconceptions about yoga. I think most people know it would be good for them but I think some people perceive it as esoteric, “I will have to sit in full lotus etc.” and at the other end of that spectrum is the belief that it is just for young 20 something’s and for some people that can make it inaccessible. The irony is that one of our core values is about making it accessible. We’ve always wanted to try and get the balance right of honouring the tradition of yoga and not excluding people. People come to yoga for lots of different reasons which I’m totally happy with. Some people want to come to get fit, lose weight, become supple or perhaps they’re on a spiritual path. Whatever their calling to come to practice is fine – who are we to say otherwise? We try to keep it accessible by having a broad range of styles of yoga. In 1996 there was the Iyengar Institute and Sivananda and that was it, you either went to those places or you went to a church hall and found a teacher. Our job is to break some of these misconceptions down. Everyone can come.

Alongside the broad diversity of classes, how do you keep striving to break these misconceptions down?

There are different ways you can do it. We had a teacher’s symposium recently that looked at this topic and we discussed colour, gender, price etc. These are all things you have to address. When we opened originally we launched our community classes, which are half price classes because our intention was to try and make it financially accessible to everyone. In those days that was four pounds a class! We’re always looking for where we’re not doing enough. Some of our guest teachers inspire us to do things in a different way too, Dina Forseti, Richard Rosen, Matthew Sanford. Matthew has been coming to us for 10 years.

Also in your marketing material, you have to look at what you’re doing because you want people to feel comfortable that this is a place they can come to. We also have ‘triyoga in the community’, an outreach program and we have yoga for cancer classes with Vicky Fox which are free. We run concession clinics with therapists etc, so we try to do things, probably not enough because there is always more we could do, but I think we have a responsibility to keep looking at this and make sure that we make yoga accessible to as many people as we can. It can’t just be lip service. I’d like to think yoga is becoming more inclusive but perhaps it’s just that it’s more available.

How did you try to capture what makes triyoga different from other studios in the film?

Firstly the broad range of classes. The breadth of styles of yoga is important to us and I think that comes across. The diversity of the students was also captured. What people share in the film is the impact of yoga on their lives. Our aim for the film and our centres is to give people a sense of connection. When you walk in, our genuine intention is that we look after you. I accept that we don’t necessarily get that right all the time but we want people in this day and age to feel a sense of connection. We want to inspire practice and give people awareness that there is a style they can do. The middle section of the film with Anna Ashby was fascinating and captures this.

You opened two new centres last year. Do you think yoga is more relevant that ever?

Yes I do. We live in very interesting times. I actually felt the same way when we opened in Primrose Hill. People need a way of looking after themselves that I think only yoga can do – I would say that I know! I play football and tennis, I enjoy sports and I get lots from them but yoga gives me something that is deep and different. I think people need a place to go where we they can slow down. It doesn’t matter if you are doing mysore or vinyasa, just having somewhere you can go where you are present is so important. I think when we practise yoga it can ignite something in us that we weren’t expecting.. I think yoga works in a way that is very mysterious.

What’s next for triyoga?

When you’re growing something there is the possibility that you lose the soul of what you’re doing so right now our vision is to keep improving what we do, whether that’s more centres or not, we want to keep improving and maintain our integrity as we grow.

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