The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body. – Jason Crandell

There is a common misconception surrounding black people doing yoga. I have recently come to this new path where I do, or try to do, yoga almost daily. I have always been one to meditate and pray about situations I find myself in, or for clarity, understanding and many times, for resilience to get back up when I fall.

In sharing what works for me with others I have received a barrage of questions as to why I even bother doing yoga. “Yoga is for white people,” is what I have been told, but why do black people feel that way?

“Black people don’t do yoga”: Is it because we are conditioned to think that yoga is targeted towards middle to upper class white woman? OR Is it because it is not as easily accessible to minorities in the areas they reside in which in turn makes them ignorant to the yogi lifestyle?

Yoga is great for: Stress reduction, lowering blood pressure, getting better sleep, metal heath, and emotional health. It has also been proven to help with muscular skeletal issues, pain in lower back, breathing issues, chronic pain, flexibility, and cardio vascular issues like heart attack.

Anyone can do yoga (different types of yoga: Hatha, bikram, vinyasa yogas.)

 

“Yoga means addition – addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.” ― Amit Ray,

Benefits I find from being a black yogi

1. Focusing on breathe, deep breathing, linked with movements and gentle stretching movements and make sure to stay relaxed.

2.Emotional decluttering- allowing you to address, cry over, smile about any moments that affect you positively or negatively and working through those emotions and cleaning yourself of them. This is helpful because you have a sense of cleanliness and the likelihood of having an emotional breakdown is severely lessened. Yoga is a problem solving agent.

3.Self-awareness—being self-aware allows you to look at things objectively and see where your faults are and where you excel. This will allow you to have fuller and richer relationships with family, friends, romantically, etc. For me Yoga helps me have healthy perspective on life.

4. Chronic pain management- I suffer from chronic back pain and lately pain in my hips. Yoga has strengthen my muscles, stretched them out,

“Your life is a sacred journey. It is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… exactly where you are meant to be right now… And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love.” – by Caroline Adams

 

Why wouldn’t you want to be healthy, happy, and completely aligned? If this is something for “white people” then fuck it I am off to hang out with the white people. I’d rather have a body that feels good, looks good, and be clear n my path then to sit around and feel anything less. No Thanks!!!

 

 

“It is not arrogant or egotistical to feel good inside. You had nothing to do with it. It’s simply the honest response to clearly perceived Reality.”  ~ Erich Schiffman