My yoga journey started after I began therapy. I was 22 years old and an owner of a gym membership. My best friend and I joined and agreed to work out together. We saw advertisements for classes and decided to sign up for yoga. Neither of us had taken a yoga class before so we were intrigued and nervous. We had no idea what to expect. Fast forward to half an hour before our first class. I called my best friend to let her know I wouldn’t be able to make it. My daughter’s father and I had gotten into an argument and I was feeling it. I had the worst headache and just knew it would get worse if I went out. Still, my friend convinced me to attend. I decided to because I didn’t want to leave her hanging.
I was also curious about what this yoga thing was about. First, I found the class to be intimidating. My best friend and I were the only Black people present. We stood out from the second we entered the space. Second, the instructor spoke with a language and moved with familiarity. The rest of the class could follow her easily. It made this newbie feel out of her league. Eventually, I got the hang of it. The discomfort melted away as I found the rhythm and gained understanding. A few things happened. I felt this incredible lightness and comfort that I had never experienced.
Within the same moment, my headache had dwindled down to nothing.
I finished the class lying on my mat wondering whether this was a one-time thing or if this natural high came with each practice. My newfound love for yoga began that day. Soon, I didn’t need my best friend to accompany me in order to go to class. I cared more about what I got from the experience than how uncomfortable the experience could be. I still had to navigate a space where there were no other Black people. Including the instructor.
That high continued to prove how therapeutic this form of movement was for me. I quickly became curious about this idea of movement. It inspired to me explore different types of yoga (restorative, Bikram, Vinyasa, and aerial.) I learned my favorite was the one I first experienced. Restorative. It became the thing I ran to, especially during times of unhappiness. I sorted through the stressors of my daily life and even through a recent breakup (there were tears, thank God the lights were dim in there.) Taking a class when you’re happy? It’s an even better experience. My takeaway from my first yoga experience introduced me to the concept of holistic wellness and evolved self-care. My yoga journey was founded on healing, holding, and loving all the different parts of me.
Any place there was a yoga class, I went.
I stumbled into this incredible way of resetting and grounding myself. I wondered what else I could add to my “therapeutic self-care cocktail.” That’s when I began a yoga journey alongside my therapy. I began to explore different concepts and ways that I could improve my life and live it to its fullest. That’s why I’m dedicated to opening my Curlfriends to new experiences.
Brown Skin Women is proud to host affordable and accessible yoga classes for our local community. I saw and experienced something that the community I grew up in didn’t offer. I didn’t have access to a resource that has helped me immeasurably since I found it. Today, I want to be the resource I needed for Black women. Every time we host a yoga class, I am reminded of how fortunate I am. I am so blessed and thankful to be someone who can serve Black women and provide them with the resources that they deserve.