I’ve been thinking quite a bit about support and stability lately. I’ve been in a particularly busy time with my work, so I’ve needed to shore up my self-care reserves even more than usual (although my instinct is to fill them less because I “don’t have time”).

I was really struck by how important a firm foundation is when I told a friend I was off to attend a yoga class for a change. She said, “How do you have time to do it, this week of all weeks?”

I thought for a moment and then said, “I don’t have time NOT to do it, this of all weeks.”

Base of Support

I’ve learned this first and foremost through my yoga practice — both in the action of the physical poses and through seeing, time and again, how much yoga meets my physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

In other words, when I don’t practice, I’m a bit of a hot mess. 

Recently, I was teaching Warrior 2. Many people overuse one of their legs in this pose and don’t use the other one much at all. For most people, this is the front leg. Other people hardly use either of their legs for support and try to hold the whole pose up by their arms, or clenching their jaw or squeezing their butt.

Because when they don’t use their full foundation, they have no choice but to create tension somewhere else.

Sound familiar?

Warrior 2

I think that message resonates with many of us, whether on or off our yoga mat, so that’s why Warrior 2 is this month’s pose.

Let’s start with building our firm foundation:

• You might like to begin by a wall if possible. We’ll start with activating the back leg.
• Stand with your body perpendicular to a wall, with your L foot near the baseboard. Step your R foot forward a foot or two.
• Turn your L toes in about 30 degrees and press your heel against the baseboard. Turn your R leg and foot out 90 degrees. Your torso will want to turn towards the R leg, but see if you can keep it more in line with your pelvis, facing the wall in front of it.
• Using your breath, inhale and bend the right knee; exhale and straighten the right leg. Try this a few times, noticing what happens to your back heel. Does it come off the baseboard at all?
• Next time you’re through a bent knee, hold it there. Press your heel back into the baseboard if it has moved, noticing how that activates the back leg. If your heel never left the baseboard, take a moment to allow it to collapse a bit. The leg is, of course, still supporting you somewhat, but the energy and feel of the leg is quite different from when it is active. Re-press the heel into the baseboard.
• Extend your arms out at shoulder height. Your L hand may have to press into the wall, which is fine. Your R arm/hand can extend out, palm facing the floor. Keeping your hands and feet where they are, gently turn only your head to look out over your R fingertips. Take one full breath here.
• Bring your hands back by your sides. Turn your feet to parallel and turn around to do the other side.

To feel the activation of the front leg, we’ll switch the orientation a bit. You’ll need a wall and yoga block for this (or something firm but not too hard that you can press your knee into).

• Stand about a foot away from the wall, perpendicular to it, with your L foot closest to the wall.
• Turn your R toes in 30 degrees and turn your L leg and foot out 90.
• Bend your L knee, placing the block on its shortest width between your knee and the wall. Adjust the knee/leg/block until you are in a comfortable bent knee position, pressing the block into the wall with your knee. You may be able to come down a bit farther than normal because the block helps you to hold up your leg.
• Hold here, extending the arms out at shoulder height. Your L hand will likely press into the wall, but it depends on how far away you are. Turn your head to look out over your L fingertips, taking a full breath here. Take a moment to feel the energy of the front leg and how it has to activate to support the block. Also, check in to see what’s going on with the back leg. Does it feel a bit inactive? If so, see if you can create the feeling of the back heel pressing into an imaginary baseboard. From this firm foundation, take one more breath.
• Then, turn your head back to center. Bring your L hand to the block and hold onto it while you gently straighten your L leg. Turn your feet to parallel and step them back together.

From here, repeat the pose again, this time without the support of the wall. You will now be creating that same feeling of support from your own internal reserves.

As you come into the pose, recreate the feeling of the support of the wall, both the heel at the baseboard and the block at the wall. Remind yourself that you have everything you need already inside you; all you needed was a quick demo to be right on your way.

Meditation                        

Building a firm foundation is a great step toward taking care of yourself, but it’s just that – a step. Sometimes I find it hard to ease into that support; I keep subconsciously looking over my shoulder, waiting for the metaphorical rug to be yanked out of me. 

Practicing a deep breath in Warrior 2 is a great way to play with trusting your support. Many of us hold our breath without noticing it in poses like this because they require considerable bodily effort.

But what would it be like to find ease, even here?

Well, you can give it a try with a lengthening exhale. To do this, come into the pose and take a deep breath. From here, inhale to the count of 3 and then exhale to the count of 4. Continue this, perhaps even lengthening the breath – maybe to a count of 4/5 or even 4/6. The numbers don’t matter as much as the process, so find a count that works for you.

This meditation is also lovely on its own in a seated or lying down position. Feel free to make it your own!

First published in Wild Sister magazine, Issue 14 — reprinted with permission. 

All right — in this episode of “From the Curvy Mat,” I’m answering one of my favorite (and most frequently asked) questions: who can do Curvy Yoga.

In the video below, you’ll hear:

• Who I thought would be interested in Curvy Yoga when I first started it (and who kept showing up)
• Why Curvy Yoga classes are welcoming to all — but tailored to the needs of curvy students
• Why we still need yoga classes that specifically let bigger bodied people know they’re welcome

Once you watch, do let us know in the comments below — why do you think a body positive yoga practice matters for people of all shapes and sizes?

Prefer to read a transcript? Click here! 

For more on size discrimination in jobs, click here. And in health care, click here.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is “Okay, I’m ready to go to a yoga class. But what do I wear?!” 

While on the surface this might seem like a funny, or even somewhat silly, question, it’s actually the complete opposite. I believe that in order for people to try yoga, they have to feel safe — and not just physically. Nope, it’s also imperative that people feel safe emotionally, and part of what contributes to that is feeling like you’re not alone and you know what’s going on.

And yep, clothes are part of that — especially for bigger bodied folks like me, who often have an even harder time finding clothes at all, much less ones that fit well, that we like and that don’t cost a fortune.

What I wear and why

My favs

Now that you know what I like to wear in general, I’ll share my favorite brands. These aren’t all the cheapest options on the block. Since my yoga clothes are my primary wardrobe, I find investing where it counts (AKA a bra that works for me) is well worth the up-front cost.

A disclaimer before we begin: this is just what I like to wear (and I’m not getting paid to recommend any of this). If something isn’t for you, that’s perfectly fine. My intention with this post is to share what one curvy woman wears in order to help people think through what they may like to wear. If you have other suggestions, please do share them in the comments below. The more ideas, the merrier!

Onto my list:

Bra: Enell

I came across the Enell bra when I was researching a post on sports bras for yoga. The fine folks of Enell sent me one to try, and I’m pretty sure I heard a choir of angels singing the first time I tried it. I love it because it keeps the girls in place (the first bra I’d tried in my life that did that) – no popping out unexpectedly and trying to put out my eye in Down Dog.

Have you ever seen the movie Bridget Jones’s Diary? If so, you probably remember the scene where we see her gigantic underwear. Well, I often describe the Enell as the bra equivalent — in a very good way.

Word to the wise: they tell you on the purchasing page to be very precise about your measurements, and that is no joke. If you vanity size even a smidge, you’re likely to get trapped halfway in and halfway out of the bra, possibly for weeks. Do yourself a favor and be accurate.

Hair clips: Grocery store brand

I’m not picky about these. I get those packs of 100 barrettes at my local Kroger for like $2, and that works perfectly fine for me. In my longer-hair days, I favored the grocery store hair ties. I’m all about function here.

Tops: Kiyonna

One of my top tips (haha) is to shop outside of the “Exercise” or “Fitness” section of wherever you’re shopping. It’s a rare day indeed that I find a plus-sized fitness/yoga top that I actually like. So instead, I look anywhere — if I find a top that I like and that I think will work for yoga, I wear it.

My criteria for what works include breathable fabric (no thank you, polyester), a snug fit up top, and some looseness around the belly. This isn’t because I’m embarrassed about my belly but because I just don’t prefer skin-tight clothes. They make me feel uncomfortable and hot, and there’s nothing that makes me crankier than those two things (which is not how I want to feel during yoga).

Many of the tops you see me wearing in photos on this site come from Kiyonna. Do you see people wearing these for yoga on their site? Nope. I just like them, and I have good experience with them in yoga, so I keep wearing them.

Leotard: Looking for a new brand!

I have a few leotards that I love from Danskin. They used to carry these in plus sizes, but they don’t appear to anymore. That means that next time I need a new one, I’ll have to find a new brand (suggestions welcome!).

I wear a leotard every time I teach for one reason: I want to be present for my students, not fiddling with my clothes. I also don’t want to flash my students — again, this isn’t because I think they’d die if they saw my big belly, but rather that I think being flashed by your teacher is distracting, and I don’t want that for my students.

I don’t always wear a leotard when I’m practicing (on my own or as a student in classes), but I often do. And my reason is pretty much the same: I like to spend my time focused on my practice, not worrying about if my pants are about to slip down a little too far. 

Comfy Underwear: You choose

I’m going to leave this one up to you. I’ll just say that I’m morally opposed to thongs (okay, not morally, but close) because with all the movement in yoga, it just seems too ouch-inducing, and that I don’t give a rat’s patootie if I have a “visible panty line.” I think that’s just some nonsense marketers cooked up to sell us stuff anyway. And I don’t think anyone should be shocked to find out that I’m wearing underwear anyway.

So yeah, whatever feels good and stays in place is the name of the game.

Yoga Pants: Old Navy

I’m not sure if I should be proud or embarrassed to say this, but I still wear yoga pants today that I got from Old Navy 10 years ago. 10 years! I think they cost like $17, and I’ve literally worn them hundreds of times during all kinds of yoga — even hot (yes, I went through a short hot yoga phase a decade ago).

In addition to the obvious perks of cost and durability, I also give these pants the thumbs up because Old Navy carries plus sizes, and they usually have a few different styles of yoga pants to choose from.

The style I prefer is ankle length and snug. I don’t like yoga pants that are so tight I have to use a crowbar to get them on, but I do like them snug. And here’s why: if they’re too loose, they move around way too much, which brings me back to my point above. If I’m spending more of my yoga time thinking about my pants than my breath, then I’m not wearing the right pants.

More Suggestions

For more recommendations on curvy friendly yoga clothes, check out the bottom of this page, which features a list of places I like and that others have suggested. If you have one that you think should be added, please do let me know in the comments below!

I went to visit my grandmother recently, and while I was with her, I thought a good deal about what she has taught me about loving my body.

And to be honest, my first, overwhelming thought was: not much.

Dreams

My grandmother has dementia, and it’s rare that she can remember what we just talked about half a minute ago, much less what I’m doing with my life these days.

What she remembers in fairly vivid detail, though, is her high school and college days — when she was a young woman who enjoyed hanging out with her friends and dating, when she wasn’t going to school, working several jobs, and taking care of her younger sister.

You see, my grandmother had to grow up early. Really early.

She saw a life around her of poverty, and she knew she wanted something different. So she started working — at multiple jobs, but also on reinventing herself. Both were partially because she wanted to and partially due to sheer necessity; she contributed to the family’s bills from a very early age and often helped keep the lights on and food on the table.

She came from “the wrong side of the tracks” in many ways, but she wanted a different life. She wanted a life of good manners, church, sobriety, a nice house and, of course, the ideal female body.

And she would stop at almost nothing to get all of them.

Photo Album

As I sat looking at a photo album from my grandmother’s youth, I noticed the commentary she’d written on each photo — who was who, where they had been. It was full of comments like “nice boy” beside an old beau – sweet stuff that made me smile, imagining her back then.

But then I increasingly noticed the comments she’d scratched in fiercely with a pen (so it couldn’t be taken back) — NO BEAUTY.

She’d written that on a photo of herself.

A gorgeous photo of herself.

My grandmother is, without a doubt, a beauty. She always has been and is no less so at 82.

But what she isn’t is sure of it — at least without forcing it to happen with every iota of her control. Because in the midst of the NO BEAUTY written comments was her live narration about how much she weighed during the various times of her life that were showcased in the album.

Her weight at different times in her life came up, I’d say, no less than 10 times in the span of that short weekend visit. Both her weight now, as she turned to the side and proudly told us how small she is (because her Alzheimer’s causes her to forget to eat), and her weight in high school, college and during her pregnancies.

And her recollection was very precise – down to the exact pound. No guessing or struggling to remember necessary.

Trickle Down

Out of the few things my grandmother remembers with consistency and reliability these days, the one that is unfailing is her weight.

And she is a very, very thin woman; she always has been, though I hardly think this is by default. Her weight has been a driving obsession her whole life, as it has been for every woman in our family.

In fact, weigh-ins at family gatherings to see who’s thinnest are not uncommon in my family (obviously, I need never participate in those).

Talking with her made it abundantly clear to me how our body insecurities are passed from generation to generation. Because, at least in my family, it wouldn’t be difficult at all to make a family tree of disordered eating and negative body image.

Power

Even though my initial reaction to my time with my grandmother was heartache (despite the fact that it’s a conversation I’ve had so many times), I began to look through the pain for the gems.

Because although I’m part of a matrilineal lineage of body loathing, that has been both explicitly and implicitly encouraged, I’m also part of a matrilineal lineage of power. And my grandmother claimed hers by reinventing herself and becoming the woman she wanted to be.

She was born in 1931, just 11 years after women got the vote in the US. It never fails to boggle my mind how short of time (white) women in this country have had that.

The opportunity to remake herself in the way she did wasn’t available to many women in generations previous to my grandmother’s, and it often wasn’t available to hers. So there’s quite a bit I admire about my grandmother stepping out and going for the (albeit limited) power that was so newly available to (white) women when she was a young woman in the late 40s and early 50s.

And, sadly, I don’t find it too surprising that one of the sacrifices she made to do that was in how she viewed and disciplined her own body. Because back then, power conferred to women who conformed to cultural expectations of beauty.

And more often than not, that’s still true today.

Legacy

As with most family relationships and conversations, I now find myself with a mixed-bag of emotions. And I also see how this story is much bigger than my family, involving the complex systems of oppression that affect all of us in varying ways.

So, for now, I’m left wondering: how, as women, can we separate ambition, success and body loathing/controlling? In what ways is that legacy still present for us, in what ways has it shifted, and in what ways can we take it in our own hands and make it what we want it to be?

Because even though glass ceilings have been raised in some ways, in some arenas, for some women, we’re still expected to do it all with effortless perfection — first and foremost in our own bodies.

I admire my grandmother and have learned so much from her – some things I’m glad to have learned, and others that I wish I hadn’t. But when it comes down to it, I’d like to think I make her proud by claiming my own power in my own way – by never writing down that I’m NO BEAUTY, and by thinking it less and less with each passing year.

This post is part of Tara Mohr’s Grandmother Power blogging campaign. Inspiration for this piece also comes from a wonderful one from Molly Langmuir in Salon. “Her Obsession with Weight” got me thinking about this in the first place.

Photo Credit

It is with great pleasure that Melanie Klein and I officially announce our anthology on Yoga + Body Image forthcoming in 2014.

I first met Melanie almost three years ago. I was introduced to her work via a great piece she wrote called “Feminism, Body Image & Yoga.”

I wholeheartedly agreed with and related to everything she shared, and we eventually connected over email and decided we should hop on the phone and chat.

In our first phone conversation, we realized that we had to collaborate on something because of our shared love and background in yoga, body image, and social justice. And after a few months of percolating, we realized what that was — a book about yoga and body image. 

Why Body Image

We decided on this topic not only because it’s something we’re both passionate about, but because it’s one we don’t see discussed often enough in the yoga community. Because for something that is often so focused on the body, yoga classes and conversations rarely include the topic of how we feel about our body and how yoga affects our body image and vice versa. 

And to us, that is a major gap in the conversation — not only how individuals’ body image can benefit from yoga, but also how yoga has a complicated place in the conversation about body image, both contributing to negative perceptions via media stereotypes of the “yoga body” and contributing to positive change when the practice is focused on connection with one’s body, exactly as it is today.

The Book

While Melanie and I could have written a book on yoga and body image on our own based on our own transformative experiences, we were and are fiercely committed to bringing together a diverse collection of voices that span across race/ethnicity, sexuality and sexual orientation, gender and gender identity, sex, class, age and size.

Yoga practitioners and those plagued by distorted body image issues do not come in a uniform mold. We want to reach readers of different backgrounds, casting a wide net and allowing people to draw inspiration from at least one contributor’s body image journey and how their yoga practice facilitated that transformation.

We closed a publication deal in January 2013. We’re so very excited and honored to be working with the fine folks of Llewellyn to bring this book to fruition.

And we are thrilled to announce our fabulous contributors, a group of people from the United States, Canada, Australia & New Zealand, who reflect the diversity of experiences we intend to showcase. We invited each of these thoughtful and inspiring yogis because of their unique perspective and ability to contribute to the critical conversation we wish to create — a wide one about how yoga affects body image. We want this to pique the interest of people who never thought yoga was for them, as well as deepen the conversation among people who are already part of the yoga community.

The Contributors

Without further ado, here are our contributors:

• Vytas Baskauskas: Yoga teacher at Yoga Works and Bryan Kest’s Santa Power Yoga; Professor of Mathematics at Santa Monica College
• Dr. Audrey Bilger: Professor of Literature & Faculty Director of the Center for Writing & Public Discourse at Claremont McKenna College; Co-editor of Here Come the Brides! Reflections on Lesbian Love and Marriage; Author of Laughing Feminism: Subversive Comedy in Frances Burney, Maria Edgeworth, and Jane Austen
• Dianne Bondy: Yoga teacher, writer about yoga & diversity and founder of Eastside Yoga in Windsor, Ontario
• Seane Corn: Internationally celebrated yoga teacher, activist and co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World
• Dr. Dawn Dalili: Naturopath, coach, mentor and yoga teacher
• Teo Drake: Queer yogi and spiritual activist
• Marianne Elliott: Human rights advocate, yoga teacher, creator of 30 Days of Yoga and author of Zen Under Fire: How I Found Peace in the Midst of War
• Dr. Sara Gottfried: Harvard-trained MD, yoga teacher and author of New York Times bestseller The Hormone Cure: Reclaim Balance, Sleep, Sex Drive & Vitality Naturally with The Gottfried Protocol
• Chelsea Jackson: Educator, yoga teacher and blogger for Chelsea Loves Yoga
• Dr. Kerrie Kauer: Asst. Professor of Sport Sociology at CSU Long Beach
• Bryan Kest: Founder of Power Yoga and international yoga teacher
• Kate Clere McIntyre: Director of Yogawoman
• Shana Meyerson: Founder of Mini Yogis® Yoga for Kids
• Rosie Molinary: Speaker, teacher and author of Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self Acceptance and Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image and Growing Up Latina
• Dr. Melody Moore: Clinical psychologist and founder of Embody Love
• Alanis Morissette: Grammy award winning singer/songwriter and activist
• Claire Mysko: Speaker, consultant and author of Does This Pregnancy Make Me Look Fat? The Essential Guide to Loving Your Body Before and After Baby and You’re Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self
• Nita Rubio: Priestess of the Tantric Dance of Feminine Power
• Linda Sparrowe: Editor of Yoga International and author of A Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health: A Lifelong Guide to Wellness (with Patricia Walden); Yoga for Healthy Bones; Yoga for Healthy Menstruation; and Yoga: A Yoga Journal Book
• Joni Yung: Executive producer and host at Yoga Chat with the Accidental Yogist and Associate Editor of LA Yoga Magazine

Thanks

We are honored to have such a fine collection of intellectuals, educators, activists, yoga practitioners and yoga teachers. We are sending each of these people our gratitude for being part of this dialogue. Big thanks to our agents, Elyse Tanzillo & Frank Weimann of The Literary Group International, too.

Finally, we’re extending our thanks to you, too — for supporting us along the way, and for being part of this conversation as it unfolds.

We’ll keep you updated as we go! To remain updated:

Follow us on Twitter:

• Yoga + Body Image: @YogaBodyImage
• Anna: @CurvyYoga
• Melanie: @FeministFatale

“Like” our Facebook pages:

• Yoga + Body Image
• Anna: Curvy Yoga
• Melanie: Feminist Fatale

To learn more about us, read our bios:

• Anna Guest-Jelley
• Melanie Klein

Share the word:

In this episode of “From the Curvy Mat,” we’re talking about a subject that trips up many people — myself included: how to tell if you’re being accountable or obsessive about your yoga practice.

In the video below, you’ll hear:

• How I may have a *small* problem with being obsessive (but only on days that end in Y) 
• How this tendency totally shows up in my yoga practice
• A brief guided exercise to help you determine where you land on the accountable/obsessive continuum

After you watch, please share how you navigate this often tricky terrain in the comments below.

Prefer to read a transcript? Click here! 

I was recently at the grocery store with my hubby on a Sunday afternoon for our usual weekly routine: picking up almost everything we need for the week, and then conveniently forgetting the most important thing we need for later that night.

As we looked across the check-out aisles to see which one seemed shortest but would turn out to be longest (another skill of ours), a bright magazine caught my eye with the line “MY NEW BODY” standing out in bold relief.

What’s Up, Trisha?

It turns out the magazine was People, and the person on the cover was Trisha Yearwood. Now, I haven’t really thought of Trisha since I spent a lot of time being driven around by my mom, listening to her favorite country music (in other words: before I turned 16 and got to mostly drive myself around).

But next I got to see Trisha herself, because right next to her bold pronouncement was a magazine high photo of her, in a bright dress, looking extremely happy.

At first, I could only assume the photographer was holding a puppy up while taking her picture.

But when I got closer, I realized what was really going on. The rest of the magazine cover was full of info about her quick weight loss (because that always lasts, right? Oh wait — nope. 95% of diets fail), “sad” pictures of her pre-weight-loss, and teasers for the desperate rest of us who also want to lose weight like she did — “the fun way” (after 20+ years & 65 diets, I can say with authority that I never found a “fun way”).

New Body

As I took all this in, while also navigating my way to the aforementioned slowest checkout line ever, I started to get irritated.

And then I got pissed off.

New body? Really?!

Trisha doesn’t have a new body. She has the same body she’s always had, and the same body she always will have.

And guess what? So do I.

And so do you.

And so does everyone else.

Last I checked, neither science nor plastic surgery has yet replaced an entire human body. So here we are — basically the same us as yesterday (except for the new hair and skin cells and whatnot, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what People had in mind by putting Trisha on the cover).

Bill of Goods

The idea of a “new body” is a myth we’re sold. Plain and simple. It could never be anything but that because we all logically know we’re never getting a new body — that even if our body changes, in any way (which of course it constantly does), it’s not new.

Losing weight doesn’t make your body new. Neither does gaining weight. Neither does gaining muscle. Neither does having an injury. Neither does having an illness. Neither does dying your hair. Neither does plastic surgery. Neither does having a baby. Neither does breaking a bone.

Some of these things may make your body feel different, but feeling, looking or even functioning differently does not a new body make.

This is as true for Trisha Yearwood as it is for me. Trisha’s body isn’t new — it’s just different (for the time being) in a culturally approved way. 

We’re all still us — for better or worse. Because the other side of this “new body” coin is that it presupposes that new = better. Not only does this insult your “previous” body, it also implies that all change is for the “better,” so that when we have something “new” about our bodies we don’t like, we’re doubly hard on ourselves.

Why Oh Why

Because sometimes, the idea that you’re stuck with your same body no matter what really sucks. Why? Because remember how I said we’re sold the idea that we can get a new body? Well, when we don’t get it, we don’t usually blame the people who sold us a bill of goods.

Instead, we blame ourselves.

Ourselves!!

In very few other circumstances would we blame ourselves for not being able to do the impossible that someone else tried to tell us was possible (and probably charged us lots of money for). We’d blame that person for pulling the wool over our eyes.

But when it comes to our bodies, we’re sensitive. We want to believe we can get a new body. Sometimes we even want to believe it desperately.

So instead of calling a spade a spade, we keep trying for that new body. And then we keep beating ourselves up when we don’t get it. Or celebrating ourselves when we think we do — only to hate ourselves even more when the weight comes back, or we get injured and can’t run every day, or life gets busy and we get tired of pushing ourselves so hard, or we get sick/get in a car accident/or otherwise have our bodies change due to circumstances beyond our control.

The Good News

So here’s the good news about the fact (yep, FACT) that you’re never getting a new body: you don’t need one.

And lest you think I’m cracked at this point and think I’ve never wanted a new body, let me set the record straight. I’ve wanted a new body, all right. I’ve longed for one. I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars and years (decades!) of my life “working” for one. I’ve wasted time I could have spent with friends, not let myself enjoy truly joyful moments of my life because I thought I didn’t look good enough, and blamed everyone this side of the equator for me not being able to get a new body — directing the bulk of that blame towards myself.

And this hasn’t only been about weight. Because during years of terrible migraines, I’ve also wanted a new, pain-free body — one that never gets sick or otherwise “lets me down.”

But here’s the truth — for me, you and Trisha — no matter your body’s shape, size, age or ability, it’s yours. And that means it’s with you for the long haul — an ever-present reminder that the only thing any of us can ever really learn is how to accept and love the one body we have.

Because even though it will change in various ways over time, nothing and no one is with us more than our one, never new body. It shows up more for us than anyone or anything ever will, even when we’re not happy with it, even when we wish it was different, even when we talk poorly about it and to it.

You’re never getting a new body (and neither am I). And that’s the good news.

Photo Credit

Our series continues! See the first four posts in this series here: Yamas, Niyamas, Asana & Pranayama.

I’m an activist at heart — and often in deed. In addition to collecting signatures, organizing rallies and speaking passionately in front of crowds, I also went through a phase about ten years ago where I email forwarded every moral outrage that crossed my path (and trust me, it was rare that I could go online or turn on the TV without finding at least fifteen) to my closest friends, asking (or demanding — depends on who you ask) them to sign a petition, donate money or otherwise get involved.

Fortunately for me, because they’re so close, they’re still my friends. Otherwise, I think I’d pretty much be on my own right now. People can only stand so many email forwards, after all.

Anyway, activism for me was about intensity. I wanted to bring about dramatic change in many different arenas, and I wanted to do it all right. now. 

Burn Out

Not too surprisingly, I could only weather that intensity for so long.

It turned out to be about ten or some odd years for me (not that I did it well that whole time, mind you — I was often sick, crabby and tired).

But when I was done, I was done. I wanted some time to regroup and chill out. No committees, no phone banks, no nothing. DONE.

Except, when I wasn’t.

Inklings

Because in my heart, and in the little corner of my mind that wasn’t so very tired, I could never give up working towards what I see as just and fair in this world. That’s just how I’m wired.

So it’s been with a mixture of interest, confusion, and uncertainty that I’ve approached the yogic concept of pratyahara — the fifth of the eight limbs of yoga.

Pratyahara is usually translated as withdrawal of the senses. And I have to admit that I really recoiled against this the first time I heard about it. To me (and the people from whom I first learned it), it immediately conjured images of yogis in caves who could devote years to an ascetic lifestyle. And that SO wasn’t me. Not only did I not have time for it (who does?!), I didn’t buy it.

After all, I live in this world. I want to engage it, not withdraw from it. I want to leave it even the teensiest tiniest bit better for having had the privilege of being here, so there was no way on Ganesh’s green earth that I was going to take a pass.

Going Within

Over time, and after talking this through with many thoughtful teachers and fellow yogis, though, I came to see that my concept of pratyahara had been far too limited.

Withdrawing the senses could mean literally withdrawing from the world, but it doesn’t have to. It could also mean drawing within — making time for the spaciousness and grounding we need.

In other words, pratyahara doesn’t have to be our pass to get out of the world. Instead, it can be just the thing we need to go into the world — from a centered, internally resilient place.

Where Body Acceptance Comes In

This idea has been immensely powerful for me in the realm of my relationship to my own hunger, desire and body. After decades of always going outside of myself for advice about what to do with my body, never trusting the whispers — then shouts — it was using to get my attention, I realized that something had to give.

And it wasn’t, as I’d expected, that I needed a more dramatic and expensive approach to weight loss — one that would finally “stick.”

No, it was that I needed to drop all that outside noise and go within. This wasn’t only about practicing yoga and meditation, though (although that was a big part of it).

It was also about cancelling my subscription to magazines that promoted diets and made me feel like crap, turning off my TV except for a few choice shows that had nothing to do with making women feel bad about their bodies, seeing the latest diet book in the bookstore and then turning the other way, and no longer engaging in body-bashing conversations as a form of bonding with my friends.

Power

From this place of inner awareness and listening, I felt not only more grounded, but more internally powerful. And this turned out to be what I’d been looking for but never found through dieting — the ability to set boundaries, say what I mean, and show up for myself — even when it’s hard or I forget until three weeks later.

Because the more I can come from that place of inner alignment, the more I am able to be present for and collaborate with others to create the world we envision — which most certainly includes one where body difference is considered the norm, not the deviation, and where people of all shapes and sizes can connect in community to celebrate the body positive world we’re building.

Through embodied activism.

Photo Credit

Hooray! We have a thoughtful, wonderful group of new Curvy Yoga teachers this month! To see a full list of our Curvy Yoga Certified teachers, please click here.

Renee Burke

Location: LaGrange, Georgia

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I first started yoga ten years ago but fell into an irregular routine. Thankfully I found my way back to the mat last year. Yoga reminds me daily to stay grounded in my body and be aware of its greatness just as it is. Yoga helps me to relax and be gentle with myself. I hope to share this with others and will be completing my yoga teacher training in July of this year.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community?  There are so many people who are searching for more. If we allow yoga to help us return to our breath and become more aware of our bodies instead of shaming ourselves or distancing ourselves further away from our truths, we will find our way back to ourselves, back home, back to our wholeness.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Using yoga I hope to honor, empower, motivate, inspire. I will offer a safe space. I will offer permission: to bring the body you have to the mat, to give yourself the gift of yoga, to extend kindness to yourself.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? There is a wealth of information that I know will be continuously teaching me throughout my yoga teaching and personal practice. Anna and my classmates have also been fabulous resources and support. I cannot say enough about them and this opportunity.

How can people get in touch with you?  My website is in its beginning stages but you can take a peek at: http://www.hungryforwholeness.com/. Feel free to connect on Facebook or email me at hungryforwholeness(at)gmail(dot)com.

Gabriella Moonlight Dahalia

Location: Charleston, WV

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. My relationship with yoga began when I was a child; my grandmother who was a free spirit took me to my first yoga class when I was 10.  I was completely captivated by the poses and the manner in which the students moved their bodies and it was all ages.

I have experienced profound grief and loss in my life, and it has been yoga that has been a saving grace and a force for change in my life.  It’s been the ability to move through the poses on my mat and take the process and the peace off my mat that has reminded me of the process of peace, acceptance and grief.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community?  I want to bring Curvy Yoga to my community to also share the peace and the gift of yoga, the manner in which we offer ourselves to restore, renew and allow our bodies to lead us in this. Our bodies are what move us, and Curvy Yoga allows us to thank and connect with our bodies in a manner that may be new to people, but is powerful, poetic and places us in the context of our bodies in a new manner. It allows us to have gratitude for our bodies in a culture that has us spending much money on shaming our bodies and trying to conform to standards that don’t promote health or body positive feelings.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? A class with me will bring you into relation with your body in a positive, gentle and exploring manner in which you will move through the asanas with body positive modifications and a sense of gratitude for the bodies we have been given.  It will be open, accepting and body positive and for EveryBODY!!!!  There will be poses, meditation and a sense of luminous love!

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? I have had so many amazing epiphanies and joys with the certification process. During the certification process I realized so much that I had not realized in my first 200 hour training.  I learned a great deal about the manner in which to move through a class and how to sequence it for positive body movement.  I also learned how to market in a way that wasn’t staid or overly simplified but that came from my strengths.  I benefitted so much from Anna’s down-to-earth and amazing spirit. She is exuberant and amazing; she is practical and magical!!!

How can people get in touch with you?  People can connect with me on Facebook or email me at lunamusidora(at)gmail(dot)com.

Margo Higuera

Location: Redondo Beach, CA

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I’ve been doing yoga my entire adult life and while I’ve gone in and out of practice, it is something that I’ve always tapped back into when I needed grounding. As a teacher, I act as a guide. I encourage students to really connect to their body and breath. While I provide the sequencing, I trust my students to listen to their bodies and breath and let that be their ultimate teacher.  To me, yoga should always feel good as a student or a teacher.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community?  Although there are plenty of yoga classes offered in my community, not many feel accessible for curvy yogis. Living in Los Angeles, there are many aspiring actors and models who fill yoga studios, and  I find that I’m often the only curvy woman in the class, so I want to make sure that there is a safe place in my community for curvy men and women to explore their yoga practice.  My intention is to provide a sacred, inclusive space where everyone feels accepted and supported in the body they inhabit in this moment.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? My students are always treated with kindness and respect. The classes are gentle and challenging while building strength and flexibility. When you come to my class, expect to have fun, reconnect to and strengthen the love for your body, and to find balance through breathwork and mediation.  As you practice yoga, you will quickly learn to carry all of that into your daily life.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? While I loved enhancing my yoga knowledge with modifications, my favorite part of the class was connecting with a strong community of loving and empowering women!

How can people get in touch with you?  They can find me on my website and at margohiguera(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Beth Loughran

Location: Chaska, MN

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I started yoga at a crossroads in my life. My kids were growing up, I had been in a career for 30+ years which was hard on my body (dental hygienist), our parents were aging, and I needed to focus on myself. After jut a few months of yoga, I knew that it was exactly what I had been seeking. I finally felt comfortable in my own skin. Before I knew it I became more mindful of my life, how I acted or reacted, and how I viewed my own body. I learned to let go and accept things as they are with self compassion and non judgement. I knew that I wanted to share this new gift that I had received with others. I completed my 200 hour training, and then my Yin, and silver sneakers yoga training. I love helping students find their own path and their own peace both on and off the mat!

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community?   I want Curvy Yoga to be as accessible to students who feel uncomfortable in a traditional yoga class setting. I will be offering class formats as well as private sessions.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Students should expect a teacher whose passion about the transformative powers of yoga will ignite their inner light. Through slow, mindful postures students should expect to gain flexibility, strength, and focus in both mind and body.  Students will be offered options for postures in this safe, body positive environment.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? The connection that I have made with like minded teachers has been so valuable, for support and new ideas.

How can people get in touch with you?  People can get in touch with me at BLoughran(at)comcast(dot)net.

Heather Robson

Location: Camden, SC

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I was introduced to yoga about 18 years ago by my mother-in-law. She is an amazing and inspiring woman.  For me, yoga has always been about connecting with something bigger than this time and space – something a little more mysterious and magical. It’s a way for the stardust that is in me to connect with the stardust in the person next to me and in the trees, to the moon, to the stars, and to the Divine.

When I step on my mat or lead people to theirs, I want to share that magic and mystery; the power that is in each of us. By simply releasing to it, we can connect with the amazing part of ourselves that often stays quiet or only whispers. Through an open heart and a sincere practice, we can learn to listen to the whisper and embrace its wisdom and our own authentic power.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community?  Curvy Yoga is a manifestation of all that I have ever believed yoga should be — a continuation if you will, of my own personal approach. Curvy Yoga is changing and will continue to change the way people look at yoga. Yoga has the power to transform us – physically, emotionally, energetically and spiritually. It is for everyone regardless of where they are at this moment. Curvy Yoga is the tool that opens up something that has been perceived inaccessible to many and allows those very people to claim their practice.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? I love magic, mystery and laughter, and I believe my classes reflect that.  Class sequencing usually follows some thought or theme that has inspired me in nature or in life. Music is always key in classes, connecting us to the vital life energy within our bodies. I am a believer that everyone brings beauty to this world. I create an environment where my students feel comfortable to go where they need to go in a pose – today, at this moment. I love to see the authentic beauty of all my students shine when they find their place on their mat. I vow to create a safe and nurturing environment for that to happen organically for each person.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? First and foremost, Anna and her wisdom and her commitment to her vision and to the practice of Curvy Yoga. I am so honored to call her my teacher. Secondly, the sisterhood that developed from taking the certification course with such amazing goddesses. I learned so much at their “virtual” lotus feet. What an amazing journey it has been.

How can people get in touch with you?  Please visit me at my virtual space www.justsouthofzen.com Also, you can connect with me at Yoga Without Walls on Facebook.

In today’s episode of “From the Curvy Mat,” we’re talking about one of my favorite topics — the concept of limitations in yoga.

In the video below, you’ll hear:

• How I believe limitations are the norm, not the exception
• A mini-rant against the concept of “full expression”
• How much easier it is to accept your limitations when you don’t see them as a problem

I know people have lots of different ideas about this, so once you watch the video, be sure to leave a comment below about what you do with limitations in your practice. We want to hear what works for you!

Prefer to read a transcript? Click here!