It is common for the heart to be referred to in almost any yoga class. We do
heart opening yoga poses. We breathe into and around the heart. We may have a heart-centered sequence.
With so much focus on this area, it becomes difficult to live a life that isn’t inclusive. Yoga can be used as a tool for radical self-acceptance, but it can also be a tool to grow within our communities.
You can recognize what
your place is in the world once you have felt the fullness of your heart (kind of like when the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes).
These 5 yoginis know the value of yoga and take it out of the studio and into the world:
Linda Malone. When this Lululemon ambassador and yoga teacher lost her brother to suicide, she vowed to act. The Blu Matter project is an initiative to offer a new and holistic approach to help people with depression and/or bipolar disorder…one sweaty mat at a time.
Kyodo Williams. This author, spiritual teacher, master trainer and founder of the Centre of Transformative change apparently wasn’t busy enough. She also designed fearlessYOGA, the first yoga practice designed specifically for activists. The social framework behind the series believes that how we engage on the mat directly relates to how we behave in the world.
Seane Corn. This famous vinyasa teacher says, “How dare we not speak our truth?” Her truth is declared in her organization Off The Mat Into The World, a nonprofit dedicated to utilizing the tools of yoga within a justice framework to inspire people to be conscious leaders of change. They believe that grassroots social change is possible everywhere and with everyone.
Jardana Peacock. Jardana uses yoga as a healing tool for those working through emotional trauma and physical injury. She has also spearheaded antiracism and anti-oppressive teaching and encouraged teachers to authentically outreach. Emphasis on the word
authentic.
Poet Gloria E. Anzaldúa said: "I change myself, I change the world." These yoginis are living that quote.
What's better for your mind & body than a daily yoga practice? How about a daily yoga practice outside in nature? Join tuja & Lole for our Take Your Yoga Outside Photo Contest. Starting June 1, snap a pic of yourself outdoors in our "pose of the day", post to Instagram, and you could win amazing Lole prizes, including gift cards & yoga mats. Grab all the details here.
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