Health

op-ed: yoga saved my life, that’s why i’m a passionate advocate for its physical & emotional benefits

By Robust Health

December 15, 2015

I credit yoga with literally saving my life, and for the past 10 years I’ve made it my life’s mission to encourage others to try it too – especially those who feel they don’t fit the “expected profile” of a yoga student. I enjoy defying that stereotype as well: a tatted-up African American female, former pro-ballerina turned yoga teacher, licensed psychotherapist and yoga therapist. I will never forget my first yoga instructor, who gave me the opportunity “to meet yoga in such a non-intimidating way,” at the age of 21.

By Nityda Bhakti, AFROPUNK Contributor

With the vision of making yoga less intimidating and more accessible for all, I founded The Yoga Wellness Space. In my 10 years of teaching I have introduced hundreds of thousands of students to yoga through one-on-one instruction and group classes. Like many of the students I embrace, I chose to defy the narrowly defined preconceptions of what a yoga practitioner “looks like” in order to begin my study of this centuries-old practice. I place special emphasis on connecting with individuals of color and those who are self-conscious about their body image. Yoga is truly for everyone, not just super-thin white chicks and modern day hippies..

I often enthusiastically share my personal story with my students, expressing to them that “yoga helped save me from a lifestyle that was physically and mentally toxic.” During my childhood, I embraced ballet as an escape from a stressful situation at home and a turbulent childhood, as my family moved frequently. Expressing myself through movement was liberating, an escape from the drama at home. Ballet, though, had always enabled my perfectionistic attitude, and as I progressed to dance professionally, I began to use my body as a tool for competition and control. This spiraled into an absolute disdain for my own body, and eventually, a paralyzing eating disorder.

I feel fortunate because I had a wake-up call on my 21st birthday and realized I couldn’t go on starving myself literally and emotionally. Even after leaving the professional dance world though, my contempt for my own body and distorted image of it remained. I was fortunate that three months later I signed up for a 2-credit yoga class at Old Dominion University, where I was finishing up my undergrad studies.

When I found yoga, over time, my life and my relationship with my body and myself changed. I gained self-respect and learned to love myself, imperfections and all. Yoga helped me see my own beauty and embrace my individuality and imperfections. Without having to use words, it helped me find my voice.

This is why I’m passionate about not only teaching yoga but practicing as a yoga therapist, where I combine my skills in providing traditional talk-therapy with yoga. My focus as a yoga therapist has now shifted to those with body image issues and trauma survivors. I’ll be presenting at the 2016 Yoga Service Conference on yoga and trauma and I continue to research this area of interest.

My other areas of focus include helping “yoga newbies” as I call them- and this includes those who have not yet tried yoga but are curious to- develop and sustain a yoga practice. CLICK HERE to read my beginner’s guide to starting yoga.

Feeling passionately that yoga should be made available to all, cost not being a factor. I upload free yoga classes weekly on my YouTube Channel. I works hard to create a library of videos that vary from beginner to advanced, gentle to rigourous.

Check out my latest videos by clicking one of the links below: