If the practice is not accessible, it is not Yoga.

In my 20+ years of practicing yoga, I've had so many people tell me, "I'm not [flexible/ thin/ strong/ etc.] enough to do yoga." But in reality, none of these things have anything to do with yoga!

So hearing this over and over and watching mainstream media continue to perpetuate these stereotypes is incredibly frustrating. It hurts my heart to think of all the people who avoid yoga, or worse, have had negative experiences with yoga because they are made to believe it's all about being flexible, strong, and agile.

Where did things go wrong? We see it as a combination of factors: a competitive industry with lots of money at stake, a colonizer mindset always looking to brand something, and our general human competitive nature. In many ways, the universal spiritual teachings of yoga are at odds with capitalism, so we've had to distort yoga to fit into our cultural norms.

The truth of yoga often isn't shared or taught because it's about giving people agency over their own bodies and lives. It's about empowering people to be truly independent. And that kind of independence might not be good for business.

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Contemporary yoga has made yoga about our bodies, but the original goal of yoga is to move away from your physical body and be connected with the universal spirit.

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At Zia Yoga and Wellness, we believe yoga is a practice for everyone.

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The most powerful tools of yoga are actually the most subtle and accessible ones. These are the techniques that help to quiet the mind and give us a glimpse of that eternal peace. Accessible yoga is about giving people access to the heart of the Yogic Teaching that we are all equal in spirit.

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We can't wait to welcome you into our circle.

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♡ Kristin

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Kristin Schultz (she/they) 

Founder, Director of Leadership at Zia Yoga & Wellness