Propaganda I’m Not Falling For (Yoga Edition)
I am sure many of you have seen the trend now; where everyone has something to say about the propaganda they are not falling for. Well, I particularly love this trend because I believe my entire life is a paradox according to the boxes society has attempted to place me in, time and time again. While I tend to stand in perceived confidence, I often second guess my choices because I have been born into a life that has not been able to rely much on external validation from others.
With that being said, I am returning to a place in my life where I am reevaluating my beliefs, values, and what is important to me. I often have to critically examine where my beliefs came from, who gave them to me, and if they are serving me any longer.
I notice I get a lot of push-back about yoga and people’s perceptions of what it is. Here is some yoga propaganda that I have been hearing lately that I would like to challenge.
Yoga is demonic
The first time a family member shared their unsolicited opinion that practicing yoga was demonic, they “kindly” told me to sit with the thought, and let God reveal to me what I needed to know. All God revealed to me, literally, was that he created yoga as a practice for humans to utilize to come closer to Him and self. The thought that yoga could cause the demise of my belief in God never resonated with me. Yoga honestly has been one of the greatest gifts God could have granted me actually. It has helped me to resolve my gut issues, regulate my nervous system, enhance my outlook on life, and has granted me the ability to run a wellness business. If that isn’t a gift from God, I don’t know what is. Plus, everyone who makes this claim is often overtly religious, overweight, judgmental, chronically ill and confused as to why.
You Can Only Do Yoga If You’re Flexible
How do y’all think existing yoga practitioners that you all speak of got flexible? They started from somewhere, possibly nowhere, and built up their flexibility. I have been practicing yoga for 8 years and there are poses I can do now that were completely impossible for me at the beginning of my journey. Flexibility comes with practice and for that reason, yoga is for every body because the goal of yoga was never to be flexible. A natural byproduct of practicing yoga is flexibility and you will notice its growth in your body the more often you practice.
Black people don’t do yoga
I really want Black people to continue to free themselves of the limitations of what we can and can’t do based on the color of our skin. It’s unfortunate because if we only focus on our history as slaves, we cannot often see that there is more to life than the bare minimum, survival mode, and lack of opportunity. We as Black people are allowed to experience joy, travel, freedom, novel experiences, and YOGA. Living a dynamic, bright life is a birth right of black people and I pray we continue to free ourselves from the thought that it’s not. Yoga means to unite- to create unity within the mind and body. Why would black people not be allowed to do yoga, to achieve exactly this?
Yoga is too feminine for men
I really hate this one. We currently live in a world where men are currently being taught the importance of their financial capability but not character development and emotional regulation. While women are taught to emotionally labor and rely on romantic love as the pinnacle of all relationships, it creates a disconnect for us to be able to come together. Yoga invites men to explore physical and mental well-being beyond their ability to be providers. Yoga has the ability to strengthen one’s flexibility, strength, and balance, while reducing stress and improving overall body awareness. Yoga can provide a safe space for men to explore the traumas within them that never get addressed. Yoga can also be a complimentary practice after strenuous training that can aid in recovery and injury reduction.
Black women that wear Lululemon are not part of the 92%
Lol I was told on the internet that I was not apart of the 92% coalition and that I don’t care about women because I wear Lululemon. To be honest, I don’t care. At this point, with the amount of brands that society is asking us to boycott, I would be forced to sew my own clothes and forego any type of conveniences in this already ridiculously hard life. I would be subject to a life with zero conveniences although capitalism leaves me no time to be completely self-sustaining because I always have to PHYSICALLY BE AT WORK , making my money to survive in this economy. I think its important to be a critical thinker in the purchases we make, but I also will not be guilted into a lack of morality because I own and have access to clothes that existed before everyone’s performative respectability politics. You all can kick rocks and go find another cause to care about that’s really going to make difference.
Paying $200 monthly for yoga studio access
When I was teaching in a yoga studio, I had access to a plethora of heated yoga classes that I could attend for free. However, as many yoga teachers experience, your personal practice can fall to the wayside after teaching so many weekly classes if you let it. After leaving the studio and hoping to maintain my personal practice, I quickly realized $200 just to access yoga was crazy for me and from there on, I’ve been a Youtube girl, in the house!
Just because a studio hires Black people does automatically make it an inclusive environment.
Many black instructors often experience extra scrutiny, nitpicking, and micromanging in maintstream, westernized studio settings. I’ve noticed that being black at a yoga studio actually makes me more a target for micro-aggressions rather than a symbol of inclusivity in wellness. As a black instructor in a studio, you are usually not able to create the environment you desire, although you will try as much as you can. You are more so perpetuating the values of the studio while they get to claim that they are diverse with your face on the front lines. Being black in a studio does not mean that your growth as a teacher is valued.
Yoga is Just About Poses on a Mat:
Let’s be clear: yoga is not just a series of postures. Yoga is breath work. Yoga is meditation. Yoga is how you move through the world with intention, compassion, and alignment. It’s how you respond to stress. How you love others. How you love yourself.
What about you? Do you have any yoga propaganda you’re not falling for? I’d love to hear from you!