Yoga and Diversity Documentary

I was honoured to be invited to participate in a documentary created by EK Park and Greg Mount of Global Mind Body last year.  This film is continuing a much needed conversation about diversity in the yoga community, particularly around race, class and gender.  You can watch part one here.

The second segment looks at Gender and Sexual Identity in western yoga.  Despite my extreme camera/interview shyness you'll find me and a few lovely students I've worked with, along with some other great folks.

The 3rd part looks at size and body image in yoga.  This incredible segment can be watched here.

And the conclusion to Global Mind Body's documentary on race and yoga can be viewed at the below link.  Enjoy!
http://www.globalmindbody.org/articles/yoga-and-diversity-people-colour

pwyc yoga, for students and the community

Our new term is upon us!  I'd like to take this opportunity to explain my ongoing drop-in policy.  Once our class is running if/when there are drop-in spots available (ie. student absence, or ongoing available spot) I offer pay-what-you-can spots on those dates.  Each term we choose a different organization or project to donate 100% of these proceeds to.  The January-March term raised funds for Idle No More.

I sent out a request recently asking for suggestions for the upcoming term, and this was the response:

http://maggiestoronto.ca

http://www.dogguides.com

The drop-in fees from the spring and summer terms will be split between the two.

To help raise moolah for these great organizations please let me know when you'll be absent, as you know, so I can advertise a drop-in spot for that date.  And also feel free to share drop-in dates with any folks in your life you think might be interested in some yoga in a pwyc capacity.  There are 2 spots available April 15 & 22.

FAQ about why I started teaching LGBTQ classes

I recently received a request from a fellow yogi who is studying to become a yoga teacher and is hoping to teach LGBTQ yoga classes upon graduation. They were working on a project as part of their teacher training, about yoga in the community, and sent me some interview questions.  I thought I would share them with you, as they are questions that I'm frequently asked.

What motivated you to start the program? 

Yoga was supporting me to manage life challenges that I was facing, such as cancer and anxiety.  When I would talk to friends about the benefits that practicing yoga was offering me, some of them expressed that they too would like to give yoga a try.  However, they felt unsafe accessing the pre-existing yoga spaces and classes, either due to a homophobic or transphobic experience, fear of such, or a lack of reflection of themselves in the spaces, languaging, etc.  So I made it my goal to graduate from teacher training and start to offer a class to LGBTQ folks.  I started teaching 7 years ago.

What are your goals for the program?

To provide a safer and more accessible place to practice yoga for LGBTQ folks; either as a seed to start their own practice, a springboard into the broader yoga community, or as a place to keep coming back to.

What obstacles did you have to over come if any?

Ignorance.  And not many studios are keen on offering a space to offer yoga to an "exclusive" group, unless seen as profitable.  Several negative experiences with studio owners, who either wanted to co-opt the group for their own profit, or made the students feel unwelcome.  I now hold my class in a rented community space, we can use the washrooms/change rooms as we wish, and I am welcoming folks into the space rather than receptionist, studio owner, etc.

Why do you think it's important to offer programs like these to members in the LGBTQ community?

It's important to offer practices like yoga to all folks who are interested, or could benefit from it.  In other words, yoga should be accessible to all, whether or not they can physically make it to a studio, have the $ to pay for classes, etc.  We can all work within the communities we are part of, as well as form collectives with others to learn from each other, peer review, share resources. Teacher trainings would do well to include trainings about diversity and accessibility, rather than focusing on serving the young, healthy and wealthy. We need to reflect on the lack of diversity and accessibility that exists in our current spaces, do our best to educate ourselves and each other, and offer the best that we can, even when it's challenging.

Are there any postures you avoid? If so, why?

No, but I do encourage folks to avoid postures or practices that don't work for them on a given day, without judgement, as part of learning to listen to one's body and honouring it.  And to know that they will not be judged but supported to do so.  Yoga is an individual practice, even though we are often practicing in groups.

Thank you!

In 2013 our Queer & Trans yoga drop-in classes raised money for the LGBTQ Youthline, Toronto Wildlife Centre, the Trans Calendar Project, and Oxford County Animal Rescue.

sound advice

New Class and New Studio

There is a new east end yoga studio, Ankh Yoga, opening on November 18th that I wanted to let you know about. As you may know there are not many yoga studios east of Pape, so this is a welcome addition! Ankh Yoga is located between Coxwell and Woodbine, on the south side of the Danforth. It's a small community oriented studio, with a max of 15 students per class.

Their website has the schedule and teacher info.

I'll be teaching a hatha flow class with a restorative touch Thursday evenings from 6-7:15p.m. And there are a variety of yoga styles and teachers to give a whirl. I'd love to see you there!

Herb Salt to Get You Through the Winter

It's time to tuck in our gardens for the season.  If you have any herbs left I suggest harvesting them and drying them out.  If you don't have your own herbs on hand make a trip to the market for some (chives, cilantro, basil, etc).  Once the herbs are dried combine them with coarse sea salt in a clean coffee grinder and voila delicious herb salt to sustain you through the cold season.  Do this in small batches to avoid plugging the grinder and enjoy!