What is a yoga body?

Yoga is definitely good at bringing out body-image issues.

There’s nothing like a magazine cover photo of someone with their body folded in half or twisted in an apparent knot to make us turn our gazes away from our own bodies.

I can’t wear that.

I can’t put my foot there.

My belly will be in the way.

My butt is too big.

My butt is too small.

My feet have bunions.

My thighs are too thick.

They don’t make tops for my boobs.

There aren’t any tops to make me look like I have boobs.

I hate my boobs.

I can’t do yoga.

I don’t have a yoga body.

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP.

By all accounts, I don’t have a yoga body.

I’m short, thick, busty.

I’m way past 40 and have a ton of yoga postures I can’t do.

I catch myself still today with the same chatter cited above when I see skinnier, stronger or more accessorized yogis than me.

I tell myself: WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP …and snap out of it.

You have a yoga body if you are working on a mindful connection with your spirit.

Yoga bodies are round.

Tall.

Thin.

Short.

Brown.

Not brown.

Deaf.

Blind.

Paraplegic.

Yoga bodies are ….the vessels that carry your spirit.

You have a yoga body when you’re willing to find grace within the frame you’ve been given, honoring its limitations and its gifts without pride or disappointment.

You have a yoga body when you turn your gaze from the shell to within, letting the glorious YOU shine out.

You have a yoga body when you are in a pose and find bliss in a quiet mind and full breath regardless of how it looks.

You have a yoga spirit when yoga has nothing to do with your body at all.

Emily White and I attended the march for Just B Yoga in support of our neighbors and neighborhoods.

The gathering was more emotional than either of us bargained for. Surrounded by victims of homicide we walked through some of Lansing’s East Side neighborhoods chanting “Stop the violence!”, “Keep the peace.” Children smiled and chanted with us. Some folks came out on their front porches to see what the hub bub was about.

And while it wasn’t a Million Man March by any means in terms of numbers of participants, it was a powerfully moving to be a part of.

At the Foster Community Center, where the march ended, people who had marched with us took the microphone and shared the stories of their loved ones – shot and killed too early like Amaia Edmond at the age of 7, or the victim of senseless violence outside a nightclub like Ygnacio “Notch” Bermudez Jr.

So much hurt and suffering for such a small city.

The message was to stop the silence – speak to one another, help one another, share information when you have it.

Right action.

Right speech.

As a working journalist in Lansing, I felt I knew most of the stories that were shared by the families yesterday.

But what I hadn’t truly felt was the pain. The pain of a grandmother expressing she would have gladly given her life for her grandchild. A cousin begging a community to come forward with information so families aren’t left in the dark without answers on top of their anguish.

I was also struck with how few people I know on my own block.

We will change this. I will make sure I know my neighbors and their children’s names. I will see whether we have a Neighborhood Watch and join it. I will go to neighborhood association meetings.

I lived my practice of yoga yesterday and found I have a LOT more practice to do.

Join us: Just B Yoga will leave the studio immediately after the 11 a.m. class at 12:30.

The march begins at 1 p.m. and ends at the Foster Community Center.

Our city has so much potential. Just beneath our rusty exterior lies a shiny coat of armor we haven’t yet let shine.

Much of the crime in our city is from desperation, a lack of options, ignorance, lack of chances.

We will knock over our brother or his store to get that short-term gain which is short-lived and exchanged for long-term anguish often ending in  incarceration. That in turn, spreads suffering to their families and our greater community that foots that bill.

Then there’s the senseless violence – sometimes out of a split second of not thinking and giving in to our emotional states. Sometimes out of knowing no other way – a culture of violence breeds violence. I know. I came up as a teen in the early 80s in D.C. – as crack cocaine was rising and gunshots replaced the sounds of double-dutch and basketball on my street.

It hasn’t stopped. It’s just another day in another city.

Our children are being shot and killed. Our elderly are being abused. Our neighborhoods held hostage.

Even as that is true, Lansing is also a victim of the PERCEPTION of being OVERRUN with crime. Across Twitter and Facebook the criticism and jokes about the degradation of our city is troubling. We can’t turn our backs and run. Don’t leave and turn around and criticize from outside. What did you do when you were here? What voice did you speak with?

What did you do to be heard?

What did you do to change the PERCEPTION and display another side of our community? The creative and innovative side? The generous and supportive side? The resilient and brave side?

That’s what tomorrow’s Keep the  P.E.A.C.E. march represents to me as a resident and business owner and yogi in this town.

Just B Yoga is about living the practice of yoga. Not in a “mightier-than-thou” kind of way. But in a “do-the-best-you-can” kind of way. If walking through the streets of Lansing hand-in-hand with our neighbors helps strengthen our voice it’s my obligation to be there as a citizen, as a human practicing being.

In the end I get to meet and greet neighbors who have a passion about our city. I get to hear their message and join mine with theirs.

That’s connection.

That’s union.

It wasn’t about us though.

Belinda, Monica Pino, Tara Scott, Kim Lewis, Emily White and Tiffany Lemieux McKissic got to spend the morning at the Capitol Rotunda with some amazing heroes of Michigan.

These are people and organizations you might not have heard of before.

Take for instance the Center for Urban Youth & Family Development in Detroit. This organization is doing great things for our D. From their website: The Center currently operates three program elements which include Youth Workforce Development Skills and Substance Abuse Prevention, Health Management, and Community Activism.

This excellent community organization is in the running for a $50,000 grant from the Maxwell House Drops of Good Community Project. So go, RIGHT NOW, and vote for the Center for Urban Youth & Family Development at www.maxwellhousecoffee.com Vote from now until June 8 to help this fine organization win some needed funding.

Other excellent folks of note?

Jessica Yorko, a Lansing city councilwoman and the environmental justice coordinator for the Ingham County Health Department, won a Health Policy Champion award. She’s been a huge advocate of the complete streets initiative in Lansing. She’s an advocate of clean commuting and safe bicycling for Lansing. Jessica and B met originally helping promote Walk and Bike Lansing. It’s so heartwarming to see her efforts being recognized.

Kevin and Tammy Epling of East Lansing won the Hometown Health Hero award for their anti-bullying advocacy. Their son Matt took his own life in 2002 after being a victim of bullying. His parents’ efforts led to Michigan’s anti-bullying law requiring schools have anti-bullying policies.

Other local winners? Ann Siegle of Lansing, who provided public relations help and design work to the Capital Area Breastfeeding Coalition to raise awareness, prevalence and duration. And the Vision Priority Team 6 “Healthy Living”, part of the Michigan Department of Community health, won for creating a community garden that provides nearly 100 pounds of produce for the Greater Lansing Food Bank.

Just B Yoga is honored to be among a greater community effort to foster healthy living.

Deepest thanks to Laura de la Rambelje who nominated Just B Yoga for this award. Big super gratitude to: Emily White, Tiffany Lemieux McKissic, Kim Lewis, Connie Varma, Monica Pino, Anna Kaschner, Tara Scott, Sara and Will Metz – Just B staff, family and supporters. Recognition goes to Kathie Dunbar, state Rep. Joan Bauer, Melissa Osborne, Rina Risper for their efforts, inspiration and encouragement.

“Dear all of my friends that work in Lansing:

I am going to lunch time yoga today at Just B Yoga…you should come. 

In the event that you have an excuse why you won’t be able to make it I have prepared a handy list of why in fact that is crap:

1. You: I don’t have enough time.

Me: It’s from 12:10 to 12:50, plenty of time to get back to the job that you hate being at anyway.
2. You: I’m too busy

Me: That is precisely why you need to disengage for 40 minutes and get some YOU time in.
3. You: But I’ll get too sweaty

Me: It is mostly stretching and slow flow- you wont get any sweatier than running out to get a double cheeseburger.
4. You: Isn’t yoga expensive??

Me: This is a donation based studio so you pay only what you can.
5. You: But there is construction in REO Town- Where do I park?

Me: The parking lot just south of the train tracks (QD-where the mural is) has plenty of parking and is right around the corner from the studio.

The address is 106 Island Avenue in REO Town.

See you there! ♥ Tiffany”

WOW.

We had about 40 people come to the studio to enjoy an evening of talent, sharing, emotions, laughter and fun. This event showed me not only how much talent is out there but how much it is DESPERATE for a venue. Poets, instrumentalists, vocalists….many who had never come to the studio for a “yoga class.” But you know what? They still did yoga on Friday with us. They came together with us to share and connect with one another.

I can’t wait to see how next month’s event unfolds.

But for now I leave you with some sharing from the evening – some video (poor but we’ll get better) and a copy of a poem I wrote and spoke.

Will Metz on Saxophone

Linda Flanagan gets her flow on

THE Rina Risper.

“My Skin” – Belinda Thurston

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

How loose it is

How tight it is

How pretty (or not) it is

How dark or light it is

It is mine to wear and care for

It is mine to find myself in

It is not yours to define me by

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

Don’t tell me what it means to you

Don’t tell me what it reminds you of

Mexican?

Asian?

Filipino?

You got some black in you?

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

How it tells you how I should talk

How much money I should make

The way I should walk

How smart I should be

The music I like

Who I should be hanging with

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

What you think about the history behind it

The races that came together to make it

Whether you call it mixed

Mulatto

Blasian…Mutt

It’s not your skin, not your business

So shut the fuck up

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

How one group will love me or hate me

Because history told you or it’s just your dime-store opinion

How I will be shunned, envied, cursed

Favored, Rejected, Accepted

How can the skin God gave me be bad?

This is my jacket to try on

To fit into

To make look good.

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

How proud or ashamed I should be

What loyalties you think it makes me owe

To a movement a struggle

To a people, a tribe or clan

Maybe there’s something in my reflection you think reminds you of you

A feature in the face – eyes, mouth, cheekbones

Maybe we’re a shade away from one another

The hints of the Himalayas,

echoes of West Coast of Africa,

A memory of the Mayans

A drop of the Caribbean?

Maybe we are akin to one another

But that akin-ness gives you no hold on me

To dictate or Discriminate

It gives you no hold on me

To trick me and hold me hostage

With false promises of oneness and unity

Of “I got you”

Cause once the non-you in the reflection surfaces, I’m less to you

I’m foreign to you

I’m separate, isolated

That thing in my skin that reminds you of you

Can it not help you love you? Can it help you love us?

In an appreciation and acceptance of the We-ness? Of us?

Why does it have to be something to change in me?

Why does that little bit of you  you see make me less me?

Don’t tell me how to wear my skin

How loose it is

How tight it is

How pretty (or not) it is

How dark or light it is

It is mine to wear and care for

It is mine to find myself in

It is not yours to define me by

Zaphod’s hip surgery is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, April 3.

Through your amazing generosity YOU have donated a little over $400 toward his $1,000  hip surgery bill.

To help keep the generosity going, Just B Yoga will match dollar for dollar any more donations that come in for Zaphod through Monday.

Original post March 25:

Meet Zaphod.

Zaphod is a German Shepherd who needs hip surgery. He’s only 6 years old. He’s in a lot of pain but his spirits remain high and he’s got a lot of life to live.

His owner, Matt, Is awesome!

You might recognize him from Lamai or Gone Wired.

Zaphod is too young for this. Matt rescued him when Zaphod was 3.

I would love to help Matt and Zaphod. Matt has always treated me with loving kindness.  And you know I love me some doggies.

The surgery costs $1,000.

Every little bit counts.

DONATION BUTTON REMOVED – WE RAISED $600!

Look at what was in the Just B Yoga inbox today.

Just B Yoga Award Letter pdf

What an wonderful honor from the Michigan Department of Community Health (a REO Town neighbor) and the city of Lansing. I cannot say that two years ago when the idea of free yoga in Lansing came to mind that in any way the vision was what we are today.

It was simple – make yoga and tai chi affordable and accessible.

If only for one and a half hours a week someone who was out of work, down on their luck or maybe not the most fit – got a chance to move and share community in a positive and supportive environment – then we are for it. That’s what started us. That’s what remains in our core.

And it’s being recognized!

I hope this honor helps bring more exposure to the programs we offer so that more folks who need what we have to offer find us.

Thank YOU Lansing. Thank YOU to our students. Thank YOU to our teachers.

B

Have a beautiful day.

Just B Yoga salutes you, Lansing.

Peace.

Kathie Dunbar, executive director of the South Lansing Community Development Association, wrote this article in her newsletter Tuesday, March 6. It is reprinted here with her permission. Many thanks to her for her lovely sentiment and sharing yoga with south Lansing. And if you don’t know who Kathie is, read this recent FEATURE article about her in  Greater Lansing Woman magazine.

“Young. Thin. Flexible.”

These are not words I’d use to describe myself. They are words I’d use to describe 99% of the images used to promote yoga classes.

“Not in this lifetime.”

Those are the words I hear when I see a yoga ad featuring a women balancing on one leg pulling her other foot to the back of her head.

“Aw, hell no!”

That’s what I hear when I see another ad featuring a woman balancing on her head doing mid-air splits? Did I mention no hands?? No HANDS!

The ancient practice of yoga is based on philosophies that stress self-acceptance. We’re taught to work at our own pace, that perfection is not the goal, but that can be hard to swallow when you’re in a studio with perfect young bodies that twist and bend like taffy.

I know. I’ve been there.

And I wanted to yell at the instructor, “Hey, I signed up for yoga, not gymnastics.”

Don’t get me wrong, I admire people who can wrap their arms around their knees while balancing on their hands. I just don’t want to see them while I’m working up a sweat trying to balance on one foot. Thin people take many yoga poses for granted, like standing with your feet together in mountain pose or kneeling with your forehead on the mat in child’s pose. Unfortunately, these simple poses can be difficult for anyone with stiff joints or extra weight.

Lucky for me, Just B Yoga offers classes that cater to people over 40 and those who are, as my mother would say, big boned.

Yoga 40+ and Yoga 2XL are designed for older adults, larger bodies, and those with arthritis or joint pain.

Instructors teach students how to work with their bodies, not against them. Poses are adapted to accommodate a wide range of abilities. Even those challenged with extra weight or stiffness will gain strength, flexibility and confidence to become more active.

   “Not in this lifetime”         “That, I can do!”

Our hope at Just B Yoga is to make the practice of yoga accessible and affordable to the entire community. It’s not just for the super fit and it’s not just for those with money. Om shanti to Kathie, her entire family and the SLCDA.