Yogis Playlist

Picture this: mountain pose. Feet planted firmly on the mat feeling, rooted. Gaze either focused or eyes closed. Deep breathing. Arms begin to raise above the head stretching towards the heavens.

Panda by Desiigner plays in the background.

Most believe that doing yoga involves a “zen” environment, which includes the type of music that is played. Maybe in the studio the focus is on sounds of nature or melodic instruments, but it’s important to remember each yogi has a different practice, and each practice can come with a different playlist.  Each of us have songs with which our bodies want to move. What I’ve most commonly see is the rise in the number of yogis doing a flow to trap music, indicating that there is no universal sound that yogis move to.

There are days when I need to quiet my mind; these are days when to focus on my breathing and muscles I switch to my “instrumentals” playlist where no words can distract me. Other days when my emotions feel chaotic and I have no way to express them I use rock music as a filter while in High Lunge and Warrior II. Or maybe, as I have now seen quite often with others on Instagram, while in frog I want to incorporate a little booty poppin and Fi Di Jockey by Aidonia happens to work perfectly for me. Yoga not only involves the body and mind, but can hone in on the mentality of the yogi and music accompanies that mentality.

“But isn’t any other kind of music distracting?” I believe that when our bodies and minds are connected to the music that we can feel flow through us, it syncs with our being more than distracts us. One yogi loves playing Gangster by Kehlani while practicing her headstands because the song makes her feel empowered and badass and capable of doing many variations of the pose. And of course, with deviation from the “norm” comes controversy. Some people believe that individual having yoga classes with this different music are just trying to “get publicity” or “seek attention.” Others don’t understand how one could feel at ease or concentrate with any other type of music playing. But, the point of these “trap yoga” classes or “BeyonSLAY” workshops are to connect with others who share the same tastes and mindsets and practice. In the end, it builds on a community that you want to feel part of and in turn offers support and comradery for others.

Written by Anjé McLish

IG @yoga_tapdancer

How to Reignite Your Yoga Practice

           

            It goes something like this: you hesitantly start yoga, unsure of what you’re doing and noticeably awkward in class wondering why you came in the first place, and then time passes. As you make some progress- maybe your first confident Wheel Pose, five-minute meditation, or a successful transition from Crow Pose to Headstand- you’re on fire! Practice is exciting every time you step on the mat. The Sanskrit names, the history, the yogi community, the Instagram challenges; it is exhilarating and your loved ones start begging you to talk about something else for a change.

Then, maybe after a few years or even sooner, the fire dims. It happens slowly but it feels sudden.

Your practice becomes routine or not exciting. Perhaps you’ve plateaued and feel you have reached your best. You think to yourself, “This is the bendiest and the strongest I can achieve.” So now what? In this space, at best, you go through the motions and sequences unmoved and robotic. At worst, yoga becomes a chore and you stop practicing altogether. You’ve become disconnected. How can you reignite the fire of the novice?

           

Firstly, this happens even to the best of us.

I would argue it happens to most of us with a dedicated practice at some point. There are periods of time when a Sun Salutation is the last thing you want to do. Do not be ashamed, you are not alone (even though many of us will not admit it out loud). There are infinite reasons for yogi burnout or boredom. For example, life gets hectic and it’s hard to make time, we suffer an injury, we have a strict routine, or we compare our practice to others.

Whatever the case, a disconnection from our practice is actually a great opportunity!

It is a part of the yogic journey. You are fertile ground for self-discovery. If you notice you have strayed from your mat, this is a time to examine what distracted you in the first place. What is happening internally that is manifesting externally as burnout? This process will look vastly different from person to person. Take your time with this. There are no right or wrong answers and it is never too late to start back up again.

Here are some suggestions for those of us who may be struggling with re-engaging our yogic practices or are simply in need of taking it to the next level. Your practice is perfect for this soul-searching. Here is how you may reawaken your fire.

1.     Congratulate yourself for practicing awareness. Now accept it.

Sure, it sucks. You’ve realized yoga isn’t as fun as it used to be and your practices are progressively becoming less consistent (or have come to a complete halt). This feels like a huge setback physically, mentally, and spiritually, and you may worry that you are far from the flexi-newbie you once were.

However, what is now most important is that you have become aware of a change in your practice and your relationship to it.

There are many who have yet to even acknowledge their disconnection. Bring yourself into the here and now. It is easy to beat yourself up for your practice not looking how it used to, but what does that accomplish?

Look at your present state in all of its perceived imperfections and now… accept it.

You have not practiced in a week, a month, or a few months, or maybe even years. What is your reality? It is what it is. Your awareness prepares you for a space of infinite change. Congratulations. This is a beautiful place to start.

2.     Change of Pace.

Try to change the pace of your practice.

A different speed can potentially transform your relationship to each movement and, consequently, each posture (and therefore, your entire practice!).

If you tend to move faster in your practice, move slowly. Focus on each muscle that is engaged. Take deeper breaths. Spend more time with the sensations you feel. Instead of ignoring that hip that is asking you to back off, listen to it. Slow down.

            On the other hand, if you tend to stick to slower paced flows, experiment with speeding it up! Challenge yourself to create heat in the body. What does it take to break you into a sweat? Pay attention to that climatic release that comes after preserving through an intense practice.

            Practice at a different time of the day. Try a new class, a new studio, or practice at home. Practice alone or with a group of friends. Experiment with a different school of yoga like kundalini, Bikram, ashtanga, or hot yoga. Take a chance on a class you think you would not enjoy. Switch it up!

3.     Embrace the Tension.

Maybe one of the reasons you have been avoiding the mat is because you are anticipating the tension that awaits you there. If you have not stretched in a while, chances are your muscles may be a bit stiffer, your joints a bit creakier, and your mind a bit more distracted by the fact that this was not how you used to be. It is a blow to the ego.

            Here we are reminded why awareness and acceptance are so critical for our practice (and our lives in general!).

Instead of feeling defeated by a back that won’t bend as much as it used to, search for the lessons in the tension.

Is your stiff back a parallel to how you’ve become more rigid off of the mat? Are your tense shoulders a symptom of the heavy burdens you are carrying? Your body is a manifestation of the mind and spirit. So what exactly is going on up and in there?

4.     Progress.

Many of us catalogue our process and progress when we begin our yoga journey. If you gave me some time I could search through my computer’s photos and produce the evolution of almost every posture I have worked on. While this could be misconstrued as vain or egotistical, I think it is actually very useful and important for us to notate our journey. It shows us how far we have come.

If your practice is anything like mine, usually my greatest breakthroughs on the mat (like my feet FINALLY touching my head in forearm stand) is a mirror of a breakthrough I have had outside of my asana practice (learning to let go and enjoy where I am presently).

            So mark this new journey! You have decided to reignite the fire and it is important to give it the credit it deserves. Maybe a journal will be useful for you to express what your practice felt like today and what emotional, cognitive, or spiritual experiences came up for you. Or, like many of us in 2017, Instagram or a blog can be an exciting tool to crystalize your journey. Create your own hashtag of your progress for you to return to easily at any time (mine, for example, is #lacyprogress). It’s that simple! It does not have to be for anyone but you (but the interaction and support from others can be nice).

5.     Set Intentions.

It is common to attend a yoga class and the instructor invite you to set an intention for your practice. An intention is a goal or a plan that you feel is useful for your body, mind, and spirit at that given moment.

This is important because sometimes we need a concrete focus.

An intention can keep us grounded as we move through our practice and motivate us when we find ourselves challenged. They are incredibly useful and personal. An intention can be whatever you need. Maybe your aim for your practice can be to remain present, to feel peace, or to experiment with a posture you find scary. This internal promise can be just what we need to manifest our desires.

However, for those of us who are strict high achievers (guilty), not reaching our goals can be devastating. Beware of getting so attached to an intention that it overshadows what is actually most important- the journey there. Cliché, I know. But it is in the journey towards the goal that we find the lessons and love that we need. So, if you find yourself distracted when your intention was to be present- THAT IS OKAY. What is much more useful is to then meditate on why you found yourself wandering. If you end up backing away from that scary posture you intended on trying- THAT IS OKAY. What is it about the posture that intimidates you? Whatever the outcome, there is a lesson to be learned. If you achieved your goal, awesome! What worked for you? If you did not, awesome! What do you think would help you next time?

6.     Integrate Meditation.

If you do not practice mediation, I strongly encourage you to try it. I could talk all day long about its benefits and importance for a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

In short, meditation can help clear your head of the static that is keeping you from your truths.

If you are having difficulty understanding why you have disconnected from your asana (poses) practice, meditation is just the cure. It can be incredibly intimidating to start if you have never practiced, and intimidating to restart if you have become irregular. To be frank, you must decide it is worth it. The tools offered here, considering your pace, embracing tension, tracking your progress, and setting intentions, can also be applied to your dhyana (meditation) practice. You can find introductory information here.

            It can be tough to reignite the fire once it has dimmed or burnt out. There are a hundred reasons why you may feel discouraged or not want to risk trying to bring back the flame. But I promise you there are a thousand reasons and benefits of why you should search for that glow and warmth once again (because, yes, I promise it is still there no matter how long it has been). Some of these suggestions will help kick start the process and some may not quite be what you need. Or maybe you need them all! What is beautiful is that no one will know but you.

Try these suggestions out yourself and share with anyone you feel may be stuck or stopped in their journey! Comment below to share your progress.

Written by Kala Lacy

IG @benditlikelacy

BGY Featured Yogi - Niecey P.

Niecey Peace was born in Atlanta, Georgia and spent a large chunk of her life living with family in West Virginia. Supportive parents, close siblings, and a handful of friends kept her entertained without skipping a beat. She was always active and enjoying every experience to the fullest! Once she graduated from high school, she attended college at Johnson and Wales University concentrating on Marketing, Consumer Behavior and Strategy Development. Today, Niecey is gearing up for a Masters Degree in Psychology and her 200hr Vinyasa Yoga Certification for 2017! She is also an aspiring Live Art and Nude Model, with dreams to create a masterpiece with her body.

How long have you been on your journey?

I've been on this journey, consciously, since about 2013, which would be over 3 years. It started with my desire to create a relationship with something similar to the one I had with Dancing. I also wanted to try out the natural (hair/fitness) lifestyle, and Yoga seemed to be a great compliment to my big chop lol.

How did you discover yoga?

I discovered Yoga through Dance. I was forced to take my first class ever in 2009 by a very strict Dance Instructor who I would love to hug today, lol. For years we used what I now know to be influenced by Vinyasa Yoga as a warm up before class. It helped me to work on my flexibility and was also a fun way to connect with friends before we got serious. I also took Yoga in gym class and occasionally after school. I lost my little connection to Yoga once I went to college in 2011, but I slowly discovered it again, sticking to it in 2013 😊

How often do you practice?

At the very least I practice a full sequence about 3-4 times a week. I pretty much bounce on and off of my mat throughout the day even if it's an unorthodox routine. I'll pop into poses at gas stations or grocery stores as well. In my opinion, you can practice ANY and everywhere!

What type of yoga do you practice?

While I do have a rather consistent Vinyasa practice, I don't consider my practice very traditional at all. I've recently learned to incorporate more fluid movement into my home routines and it helps me to understand what my body desires better. I like to call it Sensual Yoga. It's basically combining the practice of asana and dance to stimulate the mental, emotional and physical pleasures (I took a lot of time defining it a loooong time ago😂.) Being a dancer for so long made movement apart of my healing process. I love everything that a traditional Vinyasa flow has to offer, but it satisfies me on a far deeper level to add dancing as well. Sensual movement, to me, is ideal for confidence building, physical therapy and channeling creativity. I think it's important to take our Yoga practices and really make them our own, because that's where the light shines. I also practice Acro Yoga with my best friend a couple times per week. I adore Acro because it teaches me to trust outside of myself. It is a great practice to establish new friendships, improve relationships, and it forces you to communicate! You have to tell your partner what works and doesn't. 

What have you learned from your practice? What has it done for you?

Oh wow... I've learned to let go and enjoy the moment, most importantly. Sounds cliche, I know... but hear me out! Originally, I struggled to see progress because I was just forcing it. I wanted to reach the end expression so bad that I completely ignored the journey. It wasn't until I took appreciation in the prep poses and warm ups that I really began to understand myself, how I handle situations and what truly makes me happy day to day. This realization completely liberated me. It allowed me to deal with my problems when they came up as opposed to letting them fall to the side. It taught me to find strength in myself for how far I've come and also taught me to accept and forgive the negative moments of my past.

What is your favorite and least favorite pose or type of pose?

My favorite group of poses is definitely hip and hamstring poses because I've found the most comfort in them. My least favorite group of poses are backbends, I'm hoping to find some inspiration to start practicing them again, but I just find them so intimidating.

What keeps you motivated throughout your practice?

I would definitely say the connections I've made through social media are what motivate me most. Not only has it brought to light SO MANY people who inspire my practice, lifestyle and creativity, but it has allowed me to provide inspiration as well. When I reflect on my everyday life, I'm a loner with 4 friends for the most part lol. Social media has put me in contact with people that live extremely similar lives, believe similar beliefs and most of all accept me for exactly who I present myself as. At the same time, we're all so different and we have completely different styles. It's just so cool to know that there actually are people out there I can relate to. I feel like there aren't many around my parts.

What do you think about the increase in black women getting into yoga?

I adore this increase! I definitely think it has affected our community as positive as the Natural Hair movement. I never even took note in how rare it was to see other black women in class until I found the IG Yoga Community back in 2015. I've witnessed nothing but positive interactions between fellow black yogis and the love is so genuine.

Who are your yoga inspirations?

@iamreneewatkins HANDS DOWN, she is the person who helped me make my Naked Yoga debut. Her confidence and unapologetic nature sparked action in me to go public. I've always considered myself a nudist. I have always found comfort when I have little to no clothes on, I just always felt I had to cover up to avoid judgement of others. I realize now, thanks to Renee, that I am not here to live for anyone but myself. She's also incredibly strong, flexible, confident and STUNNING 😍 Another person I consider a "role model", if you will, is @her_naked_truth... Not only is her beauty completely captivating, but I really admire her knowledge of sexual health. I can definitely relate to her views on sensuality, and I just really love her approach to life!

What do you find most challenging and most rewarding?

I think the most challenging part about my Yoga practice is knowing when to dial back on a pose. I often push myself further than my physical body can handle. After experiencing my last two injuries, however, I will definitely be more mindful to what serves me best. On the flip side, I find that when I'm not in hyper-training mode I see the most progress. It's like my body just decides to do a pose one day after I spent weeks working on it. As soon as I'm not paying attention, I get it 😂 It makes practicing fun, spontaneous and definitely rewarding!

What do you think about the increase in naked yoga and sensual yoga?

Let me just say I LIVE for this. I get to see so many diverse bodies taking such artful forms! It's is so satisfying to my heart. The naked body is probably my favorite thing to observe and learn. This increase represents an awakening, in my opinion. Taking nudity in a completely different direction than it is normally portrayed. Displaying our poses in the nude showcases raw strength, beauty and purpose. Naked Yoga helped me to accept and love my body 100%. I can't hide from anything when I'm nude. For most of us, clothes cover the scars and body parts we're ashamed of. You can wear certain colors and garments to alter your appearance in its natural state. People who are willing to take their clothes off AND post it to Social Media are saying 'thank you' to the scars for helping them grow. They're saying 'I appreciate you' to the stretch marks, cellulite and rolls. That's bravery! That's LOVE!!

Contact Niecey:

Instagram: @nieceypeace_

Comment, Share, and Follow us on Instagram @ blackgirlyoga.

What My First Year as a Yoga Teacher Taught Me

            Becoming a yoga teacher has been one of the best decisions of my life. I could not have imagined when I began practicing that yoga could and would transform my life in so many ways. Since progressing in my personal journey and acquiring the role of teacher, my experience has only deepened. October of this year (2016) marked my first anniversary of being a certified 200-hour hatha teacher. I have been privileged enough to have the opportunity to teach privately, lead workshops, work in a studio, contribute to amazing platforms like BlackGirlYoga and Black Girl in Om, and now teach youth each week at a residential crisis shelter. As I reflect on this adventure, I realize that becoming an instructor has only made me more of a student. Here are some of the greatest lessons my first year as a yoga teacher has given me.

Find Your Inner Voice.

Being a teacher has helped me find, define, and own my inner voice. My unique teaching style is a reflection of who I am as a person and, with time, I have come to love and appreciate what I have to offer. It is easy as a new teacher to feel pressured to mimic the style of a more experienced practitioner. In fact, teacher or not, I would argue that many of us battle the impulse to mirror others. But there is not only one way to be or to teach, and different is not synonymous with “better” or “worse”. Sometimes this is easier said than believed, of course. The truth is, not everyone will like your style! Finding comfort and confidence takes time. You can’t please all of your students all of the time, and that is okay. I had to learn to accept and value who I am as a person in order to value and accept who I am as a teacher.

The beauty of yoga is that it is for everyone. It is a dynamic and multidimensional practice. There are numerous styles, infinite flows, and countless variations of postures. As long as safety and the students’ needs are in mind, all diverse forms are valid and encourage healing and wholeness. It was a big moment to realize that to not remain true to my personal approach could potentially deny a student access to their best experience. I have a lot to offer, and you do also, both on and off of the mat. It is a practice of unconditional acceptance that gives us access to all of our beautiful selves. Being genuine in the classroom paralleled my sincerity and self-love in other spaces.

It Is Not About Me.

            Let’s face it, most of us care what people think. How my students reacted to my classes used to determine how I felt about myself. If they didn’t love it, seem completely transformed, or follow every instruction I would wonder if I had done something wrong. I have even felt offended by students’ lack of enthusiasm. On the flip side, I have received my self-worth from students’ admiration or compliments about my class. The teacher-ego is real, and it’s hard to admit. As instructors, we’re somehow supposed to be above all of these feelings. Well, I’m not perfect, and it took a long time to realize: It’s not about me.

         

          Guiding a student’s practice is an honor. You are a part of a very intimate internal process. As a teacher, you are privy to a student’s experience on and sometimes, even if never verbalized, off of their mat. Feeding the ego from your classroom is not beneficial to anyone. The goals of yoga and your students have to be kept in mind so that the process remains focused and pure. Time spent considering my own feelings and thoughts distracted me from my role of as an instructor and the experience and energy of my class. I cannot control what students receive from my teachings, but it is my duty to be present and to offer them.

            Focusing on my clients only made me a more efficient and effective teacher. Practicing awareness allowed me to more accurately meet my students where they are at and feel what they need. It took away the burden of searching for evidence of progress. It also opened me to receive knowledge from my students. I am never the only person in the room with something amazing to give and transformative to teach. By making it about my class I was able to be a more selfless teacher, a more informed student, and a more compassionate person.

It’s All a Process.

            The practice of yoga is often referred to as a journey and for good reason. It is absolutely a process. From the first stiff forward fold to the excitement of a first handstand, there are many steps and lessons in between. I continue to be amazed at what yoga has to offer and am humbled by its infinity. Becoming a teacher does not signal I have mastered anything. In fact, I am more of a student than ever. Helping others is simply a calling I have answered and a part of my development and progress towards healing and wholeness. A goal that, teacher or not, we are all striving for.

Guiding others to and through their practice is an important part of my own. In order to act as a channel towards the spiritual and emotional self for my students, it requires my continuous exploration of my own inner world. I am more connected than ever to my intentions, my body, and my breath- and that does not mean that I am at my best all of the time. Part of the process is recognizing when you are straying from your path and learning from it. Teaching others to forgive and accept themselves has helped me to do the same. It’s okay to mess up or not have all of the answers. My teaching certificate does not negate my role as a student. It’s all a process. I cannot wait to see what lessons year two has to offer!

Written by Kala Lacy

IG @benditlikelacy

Injured Yogi Problems

The Image

Those who do not practice yoga see us as majestic ninjas. We are the chosen few who can balance their body weight on their head (with or without the use of hands). We are the beings that bend but don’t break, that can stretch our legs high to the sky and still be well rooted to the earth. In pictures, we appear ethereal.

But not everything is picture perfect, and our poses don’t come without some cost. Just as any other physical activity, we practice to get where we are. However, this is a special practice. We can accomplish a pose one day and not be able to do it again the next. Or the next. Or the next. Or only a few seconds again. Yoga moves and flows aren’t always constant; they have their good days and bad days. The worst part isn’t when we can’t do a pose a certain day, because although disappointing we become aware we’ll eventually be able to do it again soon; the worst is when injuries hinder or set back our practice.

The Injury

We get injured from practicing a new skill and even from doing our favorite poses. We fall into furniture, strain muscles, and face plant into the floor. Getting injured is how we learn how to listen to our bodies more, even if sometimes injuries sneak up on us despite the precautions we take in our practice. People think that of course novices in the ways of yoga will injure themselves since they’re still learning. However, even yogis seen as experts have days where they just can’t get into their handstand or it takes them a bit longer to slip into their splits. Those pictures everyone admires of us doing handstands weren’t without many falls, whether straight to the floor or into other objects. Sometimes the body really just says, “Not today,” and forcing ourselves into something our bodies say no to isn’t ideal. Injuries can also occur even when we’re listening to our bodies, but it doesn’t help the feelings of frustration and disappointment we feel when the move we used to be great at is now something we have to learn post injury.

The Recovery

When I injured my hip flexor, I continued my yoga practice but avoided anything that needed the use of my hip. This was a lot harder than I expected because anything that involved forward folds or leg extensions caused me pain, and they were my best areas of flexibility. That left arm balances and backbends for me to continue but at one point I paused my practice for some time for two reasons; the first was to attempt to heal and the second was because my practice felt empty having to take out a main part of it. Across my yoga Instagram I noticed I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. One yogi expressed how her Type A personality made feeling a little better make her push herself a little too far. Another said how it felt like she’d never done yoga in her life. Patience is a hard virtue to keep, and the healing process can either be short and sweet or long and tedious; but no one, even the cool and badass looking yogis, is perfect and we just have to trust the process. Even when it feels like we can’t do our beloved poses anymore, we can still find enjoyment in practicing the basics that got us to where we are. Setbacks are learning experiences and ways to humble us. We learn to be patient, we learn to listen to our bodies, and we learn that failure is a stepping stone to greatness.

Written by Anjé McLish

IG @yoga_tapdancer