I want you to know, I really understand how hard it is to feel like you don’t fit into the yoga community. Sometimes, even being a Desi/Indian woman (whose ancestors literally invented yoga) I have at times felt like I don’t fit in. Wild, right?
But this is what happens when white supremacy and cultural appropriation reigns.
It’s okay if you don’t "look like a yogi." If you believe what you see in yoga magazines, it will probably seem like the foundational tenets of yoga are about:
*being flexible
*looking young
*being thin & slender
But I promise you, these are NOT the foundations of yoga. 💥
The truth is, the foundations of yoga are 100% for YOU no matter how you look or identify in the world. Yoga is about connection, unification, and integration.
Yogic principles apply to more than just mind, body and spirit. They apply to the community and society. Applying yogic principles means creating opportunities for diversity, inclusion & equity in yoga studios, yoga magazines, and all yoga offerings.
In this video I dive deeper into what it really means to be a yogi:
A great yogi and a great yoga teacher cannot be measured by physical ability or appearance. And flexibility doesn’t equal strong leadership skills.
It’s time for the yoga world to take a deeper look at what yoga is really about: the awakening of consciousness and connecting to true peace.
A great leader and a great yoga teacher is someone who:
⭐ cares about people
⭐ has integrity & vision
⭐ is courageous and challenges norms
None of these qualities has to do with whether or not you can put your legs behind your head.
So what does a “yogi” look like?
Well, in India when we say "yogi," we mean a realized master. In the West, we mean a yoga practitioner or teacher.
And what does that look like?
Like you.
Your unique identities may not be well represented in the yoga world (yet) — but representation does not define belonging.
If you’re on a spiritual path, if you desire to be a good person, do good things in the world, reach your full potential, are drawn to wisdom & knowledge and expansion… then you look like a yogi to me.
You belong in any yoga class, yoga teacher training, or yoga retreat, because of who you are, not what you look like. ❤️
P.S. If you’d like to learn more about embodying the roots of yoga, check out my FREE Yoga Roadmap: A guide to practical and spiritual growth with yoga — PLUS Recommended Resources, Trainings & More by clicking here.
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