M o e Ko h a n • S e e k e r
Yoga i s for every body an d any bo dy.
Every Body is a Yoga Body By: Hala Khouri and Melanie Klein
Unfortunately, that’s not the popular perception about yoga practitioners. Yoga has been commodified and glamorized to the point that many people associate it with thinness, youth, physical perfection, whiteness, and able-bodied people with incredible flexibility and strength mastering complicated postures. And that keeps many from trying yoga in the first place. Yet a yoga practice has the ability to transform us from the inside out. Yoga is a healing tool that can be used by many, not just those typically seen in the mainstream press. The Yoga and Body Image Coalition is committed to dismantling stereotypes about who practices yoga, who should practice yoga and what a “yoga body” looks like. We are committed to the creation of new yoga imagery so that those who can benefit the most from it will see themselves in the imagery and be open to practicing. The Yoga and Body Image Coalition has been on a mission to diversify yoga media by leading by example to show everyone what a yogi looks like and that every body is a yoga body. Our most recent photo shoot included a variety of people who have all used their yoga practice in different ways to heal in countless personal ways. With bravery and open hearts, they shared with us how yoga is one tool that they use to deal with their challenges. As Laura Sharkey shares, “I have struggled with clinical depression my entire life, and chronic physical illness for several years. When I am consistent with my practice my mental/ emotional state is more balanced, I am more compassionate towards both myself and others, and I am better able to tolerate the emotional and physical discomforts that come from the
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