Unveiling My Journey to Healing and Power Through Yoga

How this yoga journey started

Life has its twists and turns, and my journey into yoga started with a desire for change. About a year before the whole world went into lockdown, I was battling stress, feeling the weight of life and work, and searching for something that would pull me out of the dark. I was lost and needed a way out. 

Discovering the Path & what it meant to start a yoga Journey 

As I looked for answers, I stumbled upon the world of yoga on YouTube and Instagram. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first – like, how can bending and stretching help me out? But as I read more about it, I figured, “Why not give it a shot?” So, there I was, taking my first step into this unknown territory. I wasn’t flexible or in shape, so I didn’t know if I could even do this. That was until I learned that yoga is a way of life and isn’t about being flexible or in shape. That it is mental just as much as it is physical. 

From Doubt to Belief

Starting with YouTube tutorials, I started doing these poses that felt a bit weird at first. But you know what? Something changed. I actually felt better. My yoga mat became my hideaway, a spot where I could let go, move around, and feel better. And the more I did it, the more I wanted to dig deeper.

Building a Squad and a Mission

Instagram brought me to a bunch of folks who were as into yoga as I was. Getting into yoga challenges and connecting with other people who got it made me feel like I’d found my crew. And then, the world started changing, and  some white yoga teachers/ studios started stepping up to the plate. They were giving out free yoga teacher trainings for Black & POC (people of color) that were interested in becoming yoga teachers due to the lack of inclusiveness in the yoga communities, and I was like, “Hell yeah, I’m down!” Yoga has become so westernized and white washed and I appreciated and respected the white yogis that saw this and wanted to help change the way people viewed yoga. Yoga was changing and I wanted to be apart of that. Yoga studios were becoming more inclusive and accepting of yogis of color and different body types in their studios. They were having the difficult conversations about race and body positivity. Westernized Yoga wasn’t for Black, people of color or overweight or disabled people. Even though this practice was started by people of color, in India and Africa. In America it was for skinny white women that saw it as a workout class or a hobby, something to do with their friends and I’m not saying all but majority. 

Empowerment, Healing, and Giving Back

So, I rolled up my sleeves and took that training. But this is just the beginning. I’m on a mission. My goal is to use yoga to make my community stronger, prouder, and healthier. I’m thinking workshops, classes, and events that bring us all together to grow and heal. Because when we heal, we rise, and when we rise, we’re unstoppable.

What Lies Ahead

This journey from feeling low to rising up has been something else. Yoga isn’t just poses; it’s a lifeline that’s helped me connect with myself, with others, and with my community’s strength. As I walk this path, I’m grateful for the past, excited about the future, and fired up to use yoga to make a difference – for me, for you, for us.

Stay Strong. Stay Empowered. Stay Yogin’.