ENOUGH-NESS
When yoga spaces are done well they provide all of us the opportunity to meet ourselves as we are, no matter what we look like. But too often (if not most of the time) yoga can feel like an exclusive club for a privileged few who tick certain boxes: white-skinny-bendy. As a teacher and studio owner, I know I have a responsibility to keep doing better to share an accessible and adaptive yoga practice so that all people feel welcome, particularly those who have been consistently fed the message they are too old, too stiff, too whatever.
In a world where we are encouraged to see our body as an ornament to be shaped and admired, the hatha yoga tradition invites us to experience the body as a vehicle to enjoy life. A yoga practice should connect us to our innate enough-ness. Our asana practice is something we can do with our body, rather than to it.
Our question this week comes from the good folk at Vinny yoga who always inspire me to do better and to keep asking the tough questions.
One quote…
When the hierarchy gets set up to say that only the people that look young, thin, white and cis-gender and all the things that are held up as being worthy, then it says that there are winners and losers when it comes to what body you live in. But the truth is none of us win when our bodies are reduced to be objects ranked in some sort of perception of worth.
Amber Karnes
One question…
Have you experienced or witnessed problems with body image in the yoga world and what can we do about it?
Sent with love,
Melissa x