Ralle Presents | Belonging

Watch the video here, and read Imani’s words below.

“Your practice is you versus you on your mat; it’s not about what anyone else is doing.

When I was at school, I had four part-time jobs. I was a STEM student, so I was just very busy and I needed an outlet to help me manage my stress and anxiety, and yoga ended up being that outlet for me. I initially didn’t want to take yoga classes because I thought, ‘this is only the class for a particular type of person, and it can be very intimidating.’

I was looking around and not really seeing people that looked like me within the classes. For me, a lot of times I feel safe in a space where I know there are people like me, or that are like-minded, or share any sort of like background. One of the reasons why I became an instructor was that yoga is oftentimes stereotypically known as a space for a certain demographic. I always get that feedback after class of people saying, “You know, I saw your name or I saw your picture on the schedule and I was like, okay, I kind of want to take her class. I want to see what that’s like.” That, for me, I think is very beautiful—to help be that sort of gateway for someone to try something new.

What I hope that students find when they take classes is the same thing that I find: that it’s okay to take up space. It’s okay to belong. Your community is only as strong as you showing up, being yourself, being authentic, and bringing that authenticity to the community. There’s something very beautiful about being in a collective and moving as well. Honestly, I’m just grateful to be here in the present, at this time. I’m grateful to be in a space practicing yoga outside in the fresh air and with a group of people that also all got up early on a Saturday morning. To practice yoga in a community is very privileged; to be able to breathe and sink, to share space and take up space. That’s something that I don’t think anyone should miss out on being a part of.”