Journey of an Urban Yogini

I was first introduced to yoga when I was in middle school, when we had a guest come to our P.E class to demonstrate some of the poses. I remember being very interested, and listening to what she had to say about Yoga’s origins and benefits. Most of all, I loved the poses. I thought her movement looked much like dancing in slow motion. But her visit was a one time deal, a “special” that was rare in my predominantly Black and Hispanic inner city school. In order to continue learning more about yoga, I checked out books from the library and tried to do the poses in the books. I felt good, but I was alone in my practice. Little Black girls in the ghetto “don’t do no yoga”, I was told. So I gave up practicing.

I picked the practice up again after the birth of my second child, using books and home videos. This time learning both basic poses (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama). Again, I was feeling good not only physically, but emotionally. I lost almost all of my baby weight and the breathing and meditation taught me valuable skills on coping with stress and staying in the moment, skills anyone, especially a mother can use. But again I was alone in my attempt to practice. And I was further discouraged by the church members who warned me that that yoga was “sacrilegious”. So I gave up practicing.

Now here I am again, picking up the practice, 4 kids and 15 years after I was initially introduced to yoga. Once again I am trying to rediscover what it feels like to be physically strong and emotionally aware or centered. So many of my beliefs about life and myself have changed since then, for the better. Honestly, it feels as if all my beliefs have fallen away and left me in a deserted place. But for me this is freedom, and it has left me with only the desire to live and experience life on a moment by moment basis, knowing, that this moment is all there really is.

It is yoga that gives me the ability to fully experience this moment by moment living. Yoga, which means to “Unite” in Sanskrit, is a practice whose main goal is the unity of mind, body and spirit. One of the wonderful things about yoga is that it is available to anyone who wants to improve their flexibility, increase strength, cleanse and condition their internal organs, improve balance and coordination and reduce anxiety, stress and tension. What Black woman doesn’t need all this!

Namaste