Shared to FB: (tl?dr) Like most of us, I am trying not to lose my shit. One positive of that is a more committed return to yoga. I've practiced yoga (and occasionally Pilates) for going on 20 years, and I've fallen in and out of practice - more out than in over recent years. Power Vinyasa yoga is usually my go-to, and it's the closest I get to prayer bc I am not religious and terrible at meditation (my therapist says PTSD will likely always make this difficult for me).
I subscribe to Gaia, and have followed Rodney Yee for as long as I've been practicing. Two things: I'm a bit tired of the man (sorry Rod - you're still brilliant) and the rest of Gaia is overwhelmingly white and cisgender, obnoxiously skinny, upper class, peppy and I just...can't.
There are a few women of color on Gaia who are warrior goddesses, but it mostly reminds me of what I've witnessed time and again in yoga studios: Latent body shaming, classism, and the notable absence of people of color. Yoga studios are usually inherently exclusive white spaces, even online. I could go into the socioculturaleconomic knot of that, but I won't here. Y'all know me.
So I did what I do: I researched. And I found this: https://www.goodbodyfeel.com/ and I took my first class tonight. There were about five of us including the instructor. We all stayed on camera (which felt awkward but I stayed with it), the Pilates practice (I'm out of practice) was challenging but not impossible (added challenge: our house is tiny but I moved around).
It felt vulnerable, inclusive, open to curiosity, welcoming of diverse body types, and very quietly, authentically, empowering. I have a 1-wk pass - if anyone wants to join another class with me this week please hmu. Would love to see friend faces to practice in such a space. Namaste, my darlings.
teacher was great and felt like a workout
Easy to access class
Great instructor!
Alison was amazing! So un-intimidating, fun, and a good range of moves (plus a killer playlist). I would love to take her class again!
The instructor, Alison, was really great!
Jeanette lead a great class with many modifications which was perfect for me.
