The curvy revolution is afoot.
Through the support of rad yogis everywhere, we’re gettin’ things done. Yoga Journal published my letter to the editor in their most recent magazine (p. 16). I’ve got to give them major kudos for acknowledging something that many of us have been saying for years; we’re all different shapes and sizes, and we can all practice yoga—without dieting.
I’ve learned some amazing things the past couple months since I first published that letter about how resilient and creative and caring folks can be when working for something they believe in. Here are just a few that I want to celebrate:
- Curvy folks aren’t the only ones who care about yoga that supports a positive body image.
- We have allies where we may least expect them.
- Body positivity isn’t a dream; it’s a concrete reality that forms a foundation for a more fulfilled life.
- Whether students, teachers or both, we all have a stake in growing yoga that is inclusive and accessible.
- We’re not alone. Lots of us have shame about our bodies—no matter what we look like. And lots of us can rock yoga like we never expected. As we continue to acknowledge this, we can continue to shake it out—together.
- Committed and passionate people can come together to do some fabulous things. Check out the YogaDork gallery as one example.
Many thanks to everyone for their support, especially everyone who commented, emailed or otherwise shared why they think this is important and my pals Flying Yogini and YogaDork for grabbing the baton. This revolution isn’t about any one magazine, or even the media in general; it’s about creating visibility and space for many different people to experience yoga. So let’s keep the momentum going—don’t forget to send in your pic for the Curvy Yogis, Represent project! All shapes, sizes and identities welcome. It’s going up next Monday (so excited!!); you’re gonna love it!
So, spill: what’s your favorite part about being an advocate for accessible yoga?
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you Anna for being so inspirational! I still need to get you a pic, I will make sure I do it this week:) Yoga is so much more then weight-loss for me, sure I have seen some. For me it is helping me living a calmer, peaceful life. I still have a lot of work, but happy for the changes I have seen so far:-)
Keep up your amazing work!
Take care,
Terra
Thank you for your continual support! Love hearing about the positive changes yoga can effect in people’s lives. I’ll be looking forward to getting your pic and adding it to the gallery!
I’m so proud of you, & I’m so proud of US! Us being us curvy ladies who just keep showing up and living our yoga on and off the mat!
YES! It’s definitely about us; this wouldn’t be happening without awesome folks everywhere working for the yoga and world we want to see. Thanks for being your awesome self!!
Yoga is my FUL-ness; yoga is the Feast Upon Life.
Love it!
My answer to your question is a simple one:
I’m a big supporter of keeping the joints juiced!
I was inspired after reading “A year by the sea” by Joan Anderson.
Anderson met Joan Erikson (wife of Erik Erikson), then 90 years old, one day out on a wind and mist-swept beach walking faster than her fifty-something self.
Erikson’s secret?
Keeping her body limber.
Inspiration for longevity is found in the oddest places (or sentences, in this case).
Gentle yoga is fantastic for exactly this joint juicy-ness, ESPECIALLY in curvier folks whose joints support larger weights and can sometimes be subject to greater wear and tear than other bird-like creatures.
What a cool story–definitely agree!
Your an amazing woman! I am so blessed to have found you O:-)
I totally feel the same way about you! xo
I love my day better when I get to practice yoga! And much Kudos for the publishing:)
Me, too, Janine! Thanks!
So happy to be on this journey with you!
Ditto. xo
This is great! I think it’s wonderful whenever we can share all sorts of bodies doing yoga… It truly can be for anybody. I will try to get a picture to you soon. Love the idea!
Wonderful–thanks, Amelia! Looking forward to it!
I have a wonderful teacher whose class I attend regularly who always says no one person is more enlightened than another just because they can stand on their head and that all postures can be modified for anybody. She also regularly give modifications in class. At a time when I first came back to yoga, that was very important for me because I was struggling with all postures…and still do with some. That makes me want to just pass it on to someone else who needs it. To be the messenger that says “It’s ok, you can too.”
I love this, Toni! Thanks!
Well, I am not practicing yoga regularly right now but something that has helped me feel better about doing it is that I no longer view it as a means to an end…it just is.
So great, Karen; I really relate to this. Thanks for sharing!
Oooohhhh..that’s good.
My fav parts are getting to know this wonderful community, and learning and teaching from a place that is safe, welcoming and full of love!
Love it–and you!!
Great insights! I feel the same way, Rebecca. I just graduated from yoga teacher training last Sunday. I’m not sure exactly how/where I’m going to teach yet (not quitting the day job!) but I’m most excited about being a living, breathing example that yoga can be for anybody. I love it when other students or even passerby (we practice at my workplace in a conference room) come up to me and ask me how long I’ve been doing yoga, etc. I think seeing me – a plus size curvy woman – obviously feeling comfortable and enjoying yoga makes it seem more approachable for people who may have thought otherwise before. That’s the best part!
Hi Anna,
I read your letter in Yoga Journal and I had to check out your blog!! I’m a curvy yogi, and yoga has made such a positive difference in my life. Above all, I’ve learned to connect with my body in a positive way and fully appreciate how strong and healthy I am. I’ve also learned to be content and appreciative with what my life is like now, and if I choose to diet or not, that’s fine, but I don’t have to be consumed with shame and guilt about my body type. I’m starting teacher training in the fall and hope to share the fact that anyone and any body can do yoga and benefit from it. Keep up the good work!
This is so awesome, Samantha! I love that you’re starting a teacher training; best of luck to you in your continued journey! Hope you’ll stick around here and share your wisdom!
Very excited to get my issue and see your letter! (And still holding my breath to see if they can manage a second guy on the cover within a year…doing it once does not change make.)
If yoga poses originated to make us comfortable enough to sit and commune with the god of our understanding, than really it has jack all to do with our body’s size, just the care and attention we put into doing the poses in our own body’s. I feel keeping yoga accessible to everyone also helps to stem the tide of pedestalling teachers, which can make student and teacher egos grow but not further either along their path to more skillful living.
Such a great point, as always, Jessica. You’re so right; it has nothing to do with size! Thanks for this reminder! xo
It really pleases me to see your posts about this issue! I started yoga very self-conscious and overweight. I am now a teacher and have lost weight slowly over time. Now I am at my healthy weight, still with some curves, and I’m learning to accept them as what my body wants and needs. Heck, the yogis pre-Western society were meant to be soft, not hard! I submitted a photo to the Yoga Journal model contest and was really proud of what I did, until I saw all the pictures of the other tiny girls and wondered if there was any way I’d actually win. But your post and letter have inspired me. Anything is possible! http://talentsearch.yogajournal.com/view/2808
Thanks, Liz! Anything is indeed possible! Just voted for you.
I got my new Yoga Journal a couple of days ago and was so pleased to see that they’d published your letter. I knew you had to be uber- excited! While not a yoga teacher, I am an elementary school teacher and one of the things I want to do next year is make yoga accessible to my students. We had a yoga club last year, but because of things too numerous to name, we didn’t have one this year. It’s one of my top goals to reinstate it. My students know that I practice and I’ve told them so many stories of how yoga has helped me, especially with anger control. I want my stories to help become their stories.
I love what you say here: “Lots of us have shame about our bodies—no matter what we look like.” I can’t stress enough how true that is. Just because one wears a small size doesn’t eliminate thoughts of inadequacy. I’ve never seen a fairly thin(but with a belly pooch and bigger breasts) Hispanic girl with tats in the pages of Yoga Journal, which describes me pretty well, and sadly, I really never expect to. People may look at me and think- that’s just another skinny girl complaining about nothing, but trust me, I don’t look anything like the typical yoga model. And as my yoga practice deepens, I see that it’s ok that I don’t.
This is why I love reading your blog every day. Strength and awesomeness are everywhere, and many times where people aren’t looking. It’s all about shifting the paradigm. And what a gorgeous outlook it is when does that.
Thanks, Gabrielle! I was excited.
I just LOVE that you’ve done a yoga club with your students and want to do it again. That is so cool! Do you know Donna Freeman of Yoga in My Schools? She does some great work around that, too: http://yogainmyschool.com/
I really appreciate you sharing your story. You’re so right that are many, many (probably most, actually) of us who aren’t reflected in mainstream magazines, regardless of our size. I think your description of shifting the paradigm is spot on and so helpful.
Thanks for all your strength and awesomeness!
Anna,
Thank you so much for what you’re doing. I am so grateful to be finding other Curvy Yoginis and body-positive teachers to network with now that I am embarking on becoming a teacher myself.
It was only a couple of months ago when I realized that being a yoga teacher was a realizable dream. As a fat yogini, I hadn’t even entertained the notion until recently. I am so excited to be embarking on this journey, not only because I love yoga so much for myself – but because if I could show just ONE other woman out there in the world that her body can move in glorious, beautiful ways, and that she can feel the sweet bliss of an aligned body and clear mind – that … that would be absolutely amazing.
Namaste,
Lisa
Thank you, Lisa! I love hearing about your story. So glad to have you in our community!
Hi, lovely yoginis!
My husband owns and runs a yoga studio in Dallas, and I am “curvy”. Until recently, I have been too embarrassed to even tell people that my husband runs a yoga studio, for fear that people would wonder what was wrong with me (how can I have access to yoga and still be this curvy) or what was wrong with my husband (how can he be a good teacher if his wife is overweight?). But I gave that up and claimed my own practice. I now go to his classes (I don’t teach yoga, and I was too embarrassed previously to attend his group classes), and I’m PROUD to grow in my practice, share my progress with others, and encourage other insecure people to jump in without fear. I discovered you guys on Twitter. As soon as I can get someone to take a pic, I’ll send it in! xoxoxo
How awesome, Donna! Thanks so much for sharing your story. So glad you’re here; can’t wait to add your pic to the gallery!! xo
Ha – oops, we’re logged in to my husband’s blog, so I see that his pic showed up with my post. That is HIM, not me.