In Fall 2017, Raquel Bueno had an idea for a yoga festival. For months leading up to April 14th, Me, Raquel, Allie Larson, Melissa Shah, Winnie Pang, Sunflower Smith and many others worked on bringing this festival together to celebrate the joy, beauty and strength in Music City's diverse, inclusive and growing yoga community.
Together we brought to life "The Yoga Inclusive" and created a space where all yogis-- regardless of race, gender, age, ability, body size or orientation--can come together in the practice of yoga with a sense of compassion and loving kindness.
The 2017 teachers were myself, Raquel, David Swink, Melissa, Nick Major, Gillian St. Clair, Stephanie Perry-Bush, Lindsey Rhodes and Samantha Dahlstrand who graciously filled in for Leanne Woehlke who was down with the flu.
The Yoga Inclusive was held at the Wellspire Center just south of downtown Nashville off of 8th Ave S. The space was beautiful and peaceful with crystals EVERYWHERE adding to an uplifting, calming and positively vibrating environment to spend a warm, rainy Saturday in April.
One of my personal highlights of the day was not only being able to lead the yoga inclusive festival community in pranayama and meditation, but also being able to assist Raquel's class, and observe her stoke the transformative fire in every yoga practitioner with her use of kriya yoga techniques. I could feel the rising vibrations of everyone in the room--what a powerful experience to share with everyone there.
The exciting news is we already have plans for The Yoga Inclusive 2019! The scheduled date is Saturday April 20th, so get your calendars marked! Also, stay tuned for other community yoga workshops The Yoga Inclusive will be hosting throughout the year focusing on topics related to yoga and Inclusivity, or perhaps just giving the community an opportunity to learn yoga from someone who may or may not look like you or the stereotypical mainstream image of a yogi. I will be lead some of these workshops, too! Please follow the Yoga Inclusive on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theyogainclusivenashville/ or Instagram @yogainclusivenashville
Please enjoy the sneak video from my afternoon Breathwork & Meditation session, and the festival photos from throughout the day!
