8 Limbs of Yoga & More! Podcast Discussion
Hello, friend!
Recently I spoke on the Wellness Nerds podcast about the 8 Limbs of Yoga.
As a yoga instructor, talking about the 8 Limbs of Yoga is super important to me because it wasn’t until I got my 200 hours that I even knew the 8 Limbs existed and that’s a problem.
In Western society we often forget to acknowledge the true roots of yoga. Yoga is so much more than just the physical poses! It is a spiritual practice filled with so much dense, beautiful information and these types of things should not be ignored.
I encourage you to listen to the podcast episode to hear more about the 8 limbs of yoga and what they all mean. One thing that we did discuss in the episode was how formats that are solely focused on using yoga as a workout, such as Yoga Shred, are problematic because they completely strip away the essence of yoga.
Yoga is not just a workout. If you are using asana and only asana, you’re missing the point of what this practice is. If you choose to partake in a workout format, that’s fine, but don’t call it yoga.
Although we didn’t dive too deep on how this is cultural appropriation, I wanted to do so more here by sharing resources from other incredible yogis that discuss how yoga is white washed. These leaders in yoga teach us how in Western society we have white washed this practice and are shedding light on the areas that need to be discussed more often.
Susanna Barkataki
Just from her Instagram alone, you can learn so much from Susanna! She posts about yoga’s roots, activism, and reminds white yogis what it means to be a true ally.
My first impression of her was this letter she wrote to white yoga teachers. Regardless if you’re an RYT or just a yogi, it’s a must read.
The hosts of this podcast, Tejal and Jesal, are awesome! They’re content is jam packed with facts about how Western yoga has stripped yoga away from its roots and breaks down how it all happened.
Their website is FULL of resources about anything you can imagine. Understanding racism? There’s a list of resources. History of different types of yoga? Another list. Yoga Alliance information? There’s a list for that too. So many lists!
Anusha Wijeyakumar
Anusha gives tangible examples of yogic principles and how they can be applied in our day to day lives, especially when it comes to activism.
Her content reminds us how yoga is political! She also has plenty of powerful articles and workshops that you can find right here.
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The physical poses in yoga are wonderful and have so many benefits, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that poses are only one branch in yoga.
Your practice is what happens off the mat too!
Sending you love and light,
