Apparently I am way behind the curve in discovering Amber Karnes, founder of Body Positive Yoga, a “low-pressure, judgment-free yoga for big bodies, creaky joints, and beginners.” Luckily, I’m making up for it by devouring everything she has to offer.
Photo from Body Positive Yoga
The perception that yoga is exclusively the domain of thin people is A) just patently friggin’ false – people of all sizes are practicing yoga, and B) damaging for everyone of all sizes (except maybe corporations that are hell-bent on convincing us all that we are unfit to be seen in public LET-ALONE-YOGA-CLASS unless we buy their diet pills/shakes/books and tummy-sucking-you-can’t-really-breath-in-those-pants-pants because our asses and their sizes are everyone’s business, right!?). Unfortunately, even many folks within the yoga community continue to see thin as “good” and “healthy” and fat as “something yoga can fix” or, perhaps if you have a heart “tolerate.” If you’re interested in learning more about why that myth is damaging and what the alternative can be, check out Health at Every Size.
Back to Amber and her badass work! Her youtube channel has amazing resources for yogis in larger bodes, beginners of all shapes and sizes, and their teachers. Amber’s tone is playful and authentic PLUS she has a wealth of knowledge on safe and comfortable alignment and creative propping. It looks like she hasn’t added any videos for a year (because, ya know, life), but the ones there are very useful. Check out this video on making savasana (final relaxation pose) comfortable for individuals with, as she says, “junk in the trunk.”
Thank you, Amber!
