Jessamyn Stanley on Yoga Practice, Body Positivity, and Not Being Afraid to Take Up Space

and somehow finds time to listen to all of the Harry Potter books. I recently caught up with Stanley to chat about everything from her favorite yoga pose to why neither of us will sit on the 6 train in NYC.The very first time I did yoga, I was 16. I was very much the youngest person in the room, and definitely the largest person. There were [also] very few people of color, but that really wasn't even what struck me so much as the fact that [yoga is] really, really hard.

During that period, my practice became very athletic, and [I] focused on learning as many poses as possible. As time went on and I [began] teacher training, I realized why so much of the practice resonated with me: it is a way for me to look at aspects of myself that I've been hiding. I [want to] maintain this practice for the rest of my life. Regardless of what happens, I can always turn back to it.

As a fat-bodied yoga teacher working in a traditionally small-bodied, predominantly white industry, it's very common [for] people to belittle me. They're afraid that what I think, believe, and embody is contradicting their existence, and their response is to put up a wall. I don't have time to be worried about breaking down those walls; all I can do is keep doing what I'm doing.

While I was practicing yoga, I started to notice the things I would say about myself when I would take photos of my yoga practice. In the moment of the picture being taken, I would [think],"I feel so strong. I feel so powerful. Yoga is amazing and great." Then I would look at the picture and immediately start talking sh*t about myself —"Oh my god, my stomach, my arms.

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