Speaker 1: Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a weekly conversation
Speaker 1: about mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions
Speaker 1: we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
Speaker 1: I'm your host, Doctor Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist
Speaker 1: in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or to find a
Speaker 1: therapist in your area, visit our website at Therapy for
Speaker 1: Blackgirls dot com. While I hope you love listening to
Speaker 1: and learning from the podcast, it is not meant to
Speaker 1: be a substitute for a relationship with a licensed mental
Speaker 1: health professional. Hey y'all, thanks so much for joining me
Speaker 1: for session three forty one of the Therapy for Black
Speaker 1: Girls Podcast. We'll get right into our conversation after a
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Speaker 1: the Therapy for Black Girls January Jumpstart mini series. All
Speaker 1: month long, we'll host conversations with talented black women leaders
Speaker 1: across creative and professional mediums to assist you in putting
Speaker 1: the p and prioritizing your personal growth. If you've been
Speaker 1: holding back on doing you, this is your sign to
Speaker 1: jump headfirst into the possibilities of a new year. It's
Speaker 1: a new year, which means it's time to bend and
Speaker 1: stretch your body to new heights. In this episode, we'll
Speaker 1: be giving you some tips and tricks to accomplish your
Speaker 1: dreams of becoming a yogi in twenty twenty four. Joining
Speaker 1: me for today's conversation is yoga instructor and wellness advocate
Speaker 1: it Austin Matics. Austin's yoga journey begins sixteen years ago
Speaker 1: and has since expanded into a multifaceted wellness program. Her
Speaker 1: practice focuses on building customized and effective instruction that any
Speaker 1: individual can implement into their own wellness practice to promote
Speaker 1: better health, increased mindfulness, and a holistic lifestyle. During our conversation,
Speaker 1: Austin shares how to develop a yoga practice that works
Speaker 1: for your personal needs. Her favorite yoga post is for
Speaker 1: a mental health release and where beginner yogis can look
Speaker 1: for cost effective resources and classes. If something resonates with
Speaker 1: you while enjoying our conversation, share it with us on
Speaker 1: social media using the hashtag TVG in session, or join
Speaker 1: us over in the Sister Circle to talk more about
Speaker 1: the episode. You can join us at community dot therapy
Speaker 1: for Blackgirls dot Com. Here's our conversation thanks so much
Speaker 1: for joining us today, Austin.
Speaker 2: Thank you, Doctor Droid. Such an honor to be on
Speaker 2: this podcast. I'm really excited.
Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you so much. So tell me a
Speaker 1: little bit about what inspired you to get into yoga
Speaker 1: and what was your introduction to the practice.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I was introduced to yoga when I was twelve
Speaker 2: years old in sixth grade. It was a part of
Speaker 2: my school's fitness program. So my first instructor was named
Speaker 2: Sarah Sullivan. She had this bright red hair, and she
Speaker 2: came in and taught us all yoga, which is such
Speaker 2: a huge privilege, I realize now.
Speaker 1: So it was just kind of like a pe class
Speaker 1: in your sixth grade.
Speaker 3: I went to.
Speaker 2: I went to an all girls school, and so they
Speaker 2: tried a lot of experimental ways to get us to move.
Speaker 2: And I had been doing gymnastics for about seven years
Speaker 2: before that, and I had just stopped at age twelve.
Speaker 3: So me doing yoga was a big.
Speaker 2: Lesson in just learning not to have to be perfect
Speaker 2: all the time, and I could still do things that
Speaker 2: were challenging and make me stronger, make me more flexible.
Speaker 2: But I didn't have to worry about someone yelling at
Speaker 2: me if I didn't point my toes, and so I
Speaker 2: had this moment where I can just have fun and
Speaker 2: make this my own. So that was my introduction to
Speaker 2: yoga at twelve years old.
Speaker 1: And is it something that you've just stuck with since
Speaker 1: then or have you picked it up and put it
Speaker 1: down or what was that process? Like?
Speaker 3: It came in waves.
Speaker 2: I did yoga for a while when I was in
Speaker 2: school because it was a part of my curriculum, and
Speaker 2: I explored studios outside of that as I got older,
Speaker 2: but it really wasn't until I graduated from college where
Speaker 2: I took it to the next level and it really
Speaker 2: became a part of my life. When I graduated college,
Speaker 2: I didn't know what I was going to do next
Speaker 2: like most graduates, and everything feels like a really big step.
Speaker 3: You're afraid to make the wrong move.
Speaker 2: So I had my first experience with anxiety there, but
Speaker 2: I didn't know it was anxiety, so that made it
Speaker 2: even worse. So I was having trouble driving, having trouble
Speaker 2: being in public spaces, and I didn't know what was
Speaker 2: happening to me. So my mom was like, why don't
Speaker 2: you do more yoga. I needed to go to therapy
Speaker 2: as well. Which I ended up doing. But I was like, Okay,
Speaker 2: I'll start doing yoga. And so when I went back
Speaker 2: to my practice after having this experience with anxiety, I
Speaker 2: was able to see yoga as more of a mental
Speaker 2: health benefit as well as a physical benefit. I was
Speaker 2: able to be present in these poses that were really
Speaker 2: challenging and really tough, like I had to only think
Speaker 2: about the pose. I couldn't think about anything else otherwise
Speaker 2: I'd fall down. So I really got to experience what
Speaker 2: it's like to really tune into your body, tune into
Speaker 2: the present moment, and see how you can change your
Speaker 2: thought patterns through yoga.
Speaker 1: So do you remember yoga as something that kind of
Speaker 1: came easily to you or what were the most difficult
Speaker 1: parts for you?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 2: So, as I mentioned, I had done gymnastics before, so
Speaker 2: I knew how to move my body, but it was
Speaker 2: through the lens of executing something at a perfect level
Speaker 2: that I would be scored on, that I would be
Speaker 2: compared to other people on.
Speaker 3: So it was really.
Speaker 2: Beyond the physical but the mental aspect of really tuning
Speaker 2: into what my body is feeling and what my body
Speaker 2: needs now versus what my teacher is telling me to
Speaker 2: do or what my coach is telling me to do.
Speaker 2: So I had to really learn or unlearn that perfection
Speaker 2: aspect and wanting to be the teacher's pad and wanting
Speaker 2: to get all of the rewards of doing something.
Speaker 3: Right where it's really just for you.
Speaker 2: So I had to take a step back and tune
Speaker 2: into my own body instead of just doing the poses.
Speaker 2: So I was a learning curve with the mental health
Speaker 2: and emotional aspect more so than the physical.
Speaker 1: Got it. You know, I'm trying to think about like
Speaker 1: twelve year olds and myself as a twelve year old,
Speaker 1: you know, having a ten year old now thinking about
Speaker 1: they're very conscious of their body, and like, I'm aware
Speaker 1: of what it must have been like to be as
Speaker 1: of your kind of learning yoga. How did you navigate
Speaker 1: the body consciousness that sometimes comes with that kind of movement.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 2: I think because I grew up in a space with
Speaker 2: a lot of women, going to an all girls school,
Speaker 2: I didn't have so much of a societal pressure thinking
Speaker 2: about the male gaze or anything like that. So I
Speaker 2: was able to really do yoga in a space that
Speaker 2: felt safe for me starting off, and that's something as
Speaker 2: a teacher. Now, I tried to integrate into all of
Speaker 2: my classes, but going into social media and now that
Speaker 2: I record myself and show videos of myself online, I'm
Speaker 2: more aware of my body and I had to have
Speaker 2: a moment where I'm like, Wow, I don't want to
Speaker 2: post sometimes because of how I look, and it really
Speaker 2: takes me a moment to dissect what am I feeling
Speaker 2: and where is this coming from. Is this my own
Speaker 2: voice such judging me, or the voice of somebody else.
Speaker 2: So I'm fortunate in that when I was a young person,
Speaker 2: I didn't really experience that I wouldn't have that kind
Speaker 2: of awareness.
Speaker 3: But now I'm aware of the way my body.
Speaker 2: Changes when I do yoga, and I just start from
Speaker 2: a perspective of gratitude that my body can even do
Speaker 2: these things and recognize where that judgmental voice is coming from,
Speaker 2: if that's my own or if that's something that's been
Speaker 2: taught to me over time.
Speaker 1: It's really interesting to hear you say this, Austin, and
Speaker 1: I'm curious about whether you had that same conscientiousness about
Speaker 1: what your body looks like teaching in person, or did
Speaker 1: that only come from the social media gaze.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a really great question.
Speaker 2: I think teaching in person, I want my students to
Speaker 2: feel like, no matter what they look like, they can
Speaker 2: do yoga. Because I've been doing yoga for sixteen years,
Speaker 2: i have confidence in my poses, and I know that
Speaker 2: my body type is traditionally acceptable in the yoga space
Speaker 2: and beyond.
Speaker 3: So I don't.
Speaker 2: Experience the same things as some of my other students might.
Speaker 2: So it's been my mission to help people really understand
Speaker 2: that yoga is a practice for you.
Speaker 3: You don't have to work to do yoga. You have
Speaker 3: to let yoga work for you.
Speaker 2: And so I'm more so creating a space where my
Speaker 2: students aren't necessarily looking at me as the ultimate inspiration,
Speaker 2: rather an opportunity to see what's possible in a posed
Speaker 2: because I show different variations. So maybe we're starting off
Speaker 2: with this basic level, but then I'll show you, Okay,
Speaker 2: we can work towards extending our leg up and so
Speaker 2: not so much being a model, but also just showing
Speaker 2: what's possible and letting my students know that, regardless of
Speaker 2: where they're at, just the fact that they're on the
Speaker 2: mat is the yoga practice.
Speaker 1: Thank you for that. Yeah, I do think that there's
Speaker 1: something about social media that as this voyeuristic piece that
Speaker 1: doesn't seem to happen in person. So I appreciate you
Speaker 1: sharing that you know, in person, it is very much
Speaker 1: like Okay, how can I be a model for my teachers?
Speaker 1: But on social it changes into something else.
Speaker 2: Yeah, totally, And on social media people get really experimental
Speaker 2: as well. And so sometimes people see other fitness influencers
Speaker 2: or yoga influencers, and I like to have fun with
Speaker 2: my practice too, but sometimes we're doing things that really
Speaker 2: aren't even yoga poses. We're just having fun and doing
Speaker 2: an expression of yoga. So sometimes students come in and
Speaker 2: want to do something, which I'm happy to help them
Speaker 2: achieve their goals, but also taking a step back and
Speaker 2: saying like, this is not really a.
Speaker 3: Traditional expression of the posts.
Speaker 2: So if you want to go there, that's your choice,
Speaker 2: but don't feel like because you're not hitting the post
Speaker 2: like somebody is in this video doesn't mean you're not
Speaker 2: doing it right.
Speaker 1: Got it? So, what are some of the resources, maybe
Speaker 1: some podcasts or classes or videos that were helpful for
Speaker 1: you when you started again as an adult?
Speaker 3: Yeah, coming up.
Speaker 2: It's so funny because sixteen years ago there wasn't as
Speaker 2: many podcasts or Instagram and all of that, and so
Speaker 2: now there's so many resources for yogi's and people that
Speaker 2: want to get started. Keno McGregor has an amazing podcast
Speaker 2: and it talks about just life as a yogi, wanting
Speaker 2: to create discipline, practice, different phases you might go in
Speaker 2: your yoga practice when you've been practicing for a long time,
Speaker 2: dealing with boredom in your practice. There's a million yoga
Speaker 2: videos that are free that you can take for beginners,
Speaker 2: which also helps you build a practice at home, which
Speaker 2: I think is fantastic to really own your practice in
Speaker 2: your own space. So Qino also has great yoga videos
Speaker 2: on YouTube, and Deanna de Carlo also has great resources
Speaker 2: on her YouTube and her own website that you can
Speaker 2: subscribe to.
Speaker 3: So there's a lot out there.
Speaker 2: And from books, I read a lot of historical yoga books.
Speaker 2: Light on Yoga is one of my favorites.
Speaker 1: Got it okay? So what should be in somebody's starter
Speaker 1: yogi peck? What kinds of things do we need to
Speaker 1: get started with that practice.
Speaker 2: I'm a very minimal person. I like to have a
Speaker 2: good mat, and I should say a good mat is
Speaker 2: a mat that you don't feel like you're slipping on.
Speaker 2: So I think something that people encounter a lot is
Speaker 2: they'll start sweating and their and feet will get sweaty
Speaker 2: and they're slipping, and that's a whole another obstacle that
Speaker 2: they have with their practice. But find a mat that
Speaker 2: you don't slip in, and if you can't find one,
Speaker 2: there are yoga towels that you can put on that
Speaker 2: will prevent you from.
Speaker 3: Slipping and get a good grip. So a yoga mat, a.
Speaker 2: Good matt towel, some blocks if you don't have access
Speaker 2: to blocks, big books work for that, and a nice strap,
Speaker 2: a yoga strap. If you don't have a yoga strap,
Speaker 2: you can use a T shirt. I like to get
Speaker 2: creative with what I have, and then I'll add just
Speaker 2: an outfit that you feel comfortable in, and it doesn't
Speaker 2: really matter what it looks like, but that you feel
Speaker 2: comfortable moving in.
Speaker 1: Got it? Okay? So tell us because there are a
Speaker 1: couple of things that I did not know you needed
Speaker 1: for yoga, and so then I'm sure our audience also
Speaker 1: needs some help. So what do you do with the
Speaker 1: blocks and the strap that you mentioned?
Speaker 2: Yes, blocks are my favorite because you're able to use
Speaker 2: them for support imposes. One thing that's important in yoga
Speaker 2: is get into a pose and trying to relax.
Speaker 3: That's really the essence of yoga.
Speaker 2: So we're in these different postures and the intention is
Speaker 2: to try to find.
Speaker 3: A way to relax.
Speaker 2: So these blocks can be helpful to keep you steady. Also,
Speaker 2: if you're working on your flexibility, sometimes we get into
Speaker 2: poses that are meant to help us stretch, but we're
Speaker 2: still struggling to stay in the pose and the stretch
Speaker 2: kind of gets lost in that.
Speaker 3: So if you're able to use blocks.
Speaker 2: As support while you're in say pigeon pose, you can
Speaker 2: let the rest of your body relax while you're stretching
Speaker 2: out your outer hip. So it can be used in
Speaker 2: a lot of different ways. Some people think the blocks
Speaker 2: are for beginners, but I love my blocks to this day.
Speaker 3: And straps are good for stretching out your shoulders you
Speaker 3: want to bring your hands up stretching out your shoulders
Speaker 3: that way, Or if you're working on grabbing your back
Speaker 3: leg in a pose, you can wrap that strap around
Speaker 3: and go through the movement of grabbing your back leg
Speaker 3: until you're more comfortable doing it without the strap. So
Speaker 3: there's a bunch of ways that you can use straps,
Speaker 3: and some days you need them, some days you don't,
Speaker 3: but they're always good to have as a resource.
Speaker 1: So maybe we should go back a little bit and
Speaker 1: talk about what is the purpose of yoga, Like how
Speaker 1: do the poses then translate to relaxation and kind of
Speaker 1: distressing in all of those things.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the essence of yoga is building the mind body
Speaker 2: spirit connection. So when you're doing a yoga practice, you're
Speaker 2: putting your body through a bunch of different poses that
Speaker 2: can be at different levels of comfortability, and in its essence,
Speaker 2: you are getting help with your mobility, your flexibility, but
Speaker 2: you're able to learn really about yourself and how you
Speaker 2: react in moments of uncomfortability. When you're in a pose
Speaker 2: that might be new to you, you might notice how
Speaker 2: you talk to yourself. You might notice that you're starting
Speaker 2: to get a little bit negative, or you might want
Speaker 2: to give up, or your mind is going in a
Speaker 2: bunch of different directions. But the intention of yoga is
Speaker 2: to connect into yourself. Have a moment where you're really
Speaker 2: doing a study on yourself and notice where am I
Speaker 2: feeling strong? Where am I feeling like I need a
Speaker 2: bit more support or a more tension release in this stretch,
Speaker 2: or how do I react and respond mentally when I'm
Speaker 2: in a moment that's uncomfortable.
Speaker 3: So there are physical.
Speaker 2: Benefits and mental health benefits, but the essence of yoga
Speaker 2: is to allow yourself the time to get to know
Speaker 2: yourself and connect to yourself.
Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break, So, what are
Speaker 1: some of the foundational poses that are a good starter, Like,
Speaker 1: anybody with any skill level can do. What are some
Speaker 1: of those?
Speaker 2: One of my favorites is utanasna. It's a forward fold.
Speaker 2: You just bring your feet hypsistance or more apart and
Speaker 2: you fold forward. There are so many poses that people
Speaker 2: do on a regular basis that they don't even know
Speaker 2: our yoga poses, and that's one of them. It's great
Speaker 2: for hamstring stretch. It's also great for a spinal decompression
Speaker 2: because you're just letting your head hang down. It also
Speaker 2: helps with any anxiety that you're feeling. Giving you that
Speaker 2: release with your head being lower than your heart can
Speaker 2: help calm the nervous system as well. Another one they'll
Speaker 2: add is a sequence it's called Sun salutation, A Seryanama
Speaker 2: scara A and that's a foundation of a lot of
Speaker 2: different strands of yoga. They're a bunch of different kinds
Speaker 2: of yoga that you can do, but this Sun salutation
Speaker 2: A is a foundational sequence and a lot of them,
Speaker 2: and it's a series of I think probably five or
Speaker 2: so poses that you cycle through, but it activates your
Speaker 2: whole body. And I should say with almost any yoga posts,
Speaker 2: there are variations and modifications that you can do to
Speaker 2: tailor each pose based on whatever your experiences in that moment,
Speaker 2: level of ability and access. So you should make the
Speaker 2: poses your own and make your practice your own. I
Speaker 2: change my practice based on how I'm feeling that day,
Speaker 2: So don't feel like yoga is something that is stagnant
Speaker 2: or that you cannot adjust and taylor to be your
Speaker 2: own practice, you know us.
Speaker 1: And it feels like there's probably some mindset work, and
Speaker 1: it sounds like that is a part of the work
Speaker 1: of yoga. But to even get on the mat and
Speaker 1: just start it sounds like there needs to be some work.
Speaker 1: Going back to earlier conversation around body and security and
Speaker 1: feeling like maybe I don't look good when I do this,
Speaker 1: or I don't look like this instructor what kinds of
Speaker 1: things would you say to somebody who maybe is struggling
Speaker 1: with that before they can even get started with a
Speaker 1: yoga practice.
Speaker 3: That is really true, doctor Joy.
Speaker 2: There's so many things that happen before you can even
Speaker 2: get on the mat, and I hear often I'm not
Speaker 2: flexible enough to do yoga, or I need to practice
Speaker 2: before I take your class, And as an instructor, I
Speaker 2: really want students to know that the class is the practice.
Speaker 2: You do yoga to get more flexible, and you do
Speaker 2: yoga to reach those mobility goals that you might have,
Speaker 2: or the strength goals or the mental health goals. So
Speaker 2: when you step onto the mat, yoga is really just
Speaker 2: a commitment to be kind and compassionate to yourself as
Speaker 2: you go on a journey of exploring your body through
Speaker 2: different poses. So the work happens on the mat. There
Speaker 2: really is no extra work as far as flexibility or
Speaker 2: anything that needs to be done. The class is there
Speaker 2: to create a space where you can explore and get
Speaker 2: better and over time you'll notice your body changing. But
Speaker 2: as far as your mindset, it's really just having compassion
Speaker 2: towards yourself and being present for the experience. Sometimes we
Speaker 2: can come into an experience already thinking this is hard,
Speaker 2: I can't do this. That thought process can create tension
Speaker 2: in your muscles. Literally, when you're like I can't do this,
Speaker 2: you build resistance in your body. So your brain is
Speaker 2: you you can't do something before your body can even decide.
Speaker 2: So I think coming onto the mat with an open mind, compassion,
Speaker 2: and no judgment on what's going to take place during
Speaker 2: the class, but knowing that this is a place to
Speaker 2: practice and that overtime, if you stick with it, you
Speaker 2: will see results.
Speaker 1: So it feels like there are often lots of different
Speaker 1: types of yoga and hot yoga and all of these things.
Speaker 1: What kinds of things should we know as beginners? Are
Speaker 1: there certain kinds of classes that are probably not good
Speaker 1: for a beginner to start with. Can you talk us
Speaker 1: through how to make some decisions around some of those things.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, that's a great question. So I think first just
Speaker 2: knowing that there's a bunch of different types of classes
Speaker 2: that are out there for you. So as a beginner,
Speaker 2: it's important to know that you can take a beginner
Speaker 2: class and not resonate with it, but there is another
Speaker 2: class that's a different style that you might So somebody
Speaker 2: who likes hot yoga may not like a vinyasa class
Speaker 2: that doesn't have any heat. So when you start on
Speaker 2: off just being open minded and knowing that there is
Speaker 2: an array of different classes also a ray of different
Speaker 2: teachers that have different teaching styles. Not every class is
Speaker 2: the same, but I would start off with the beginner
Speaker 2: class and just have an open mind, see if there's
Speaker 2: a bunch of different studios in your area, and also
Speaker 2: use YouTube.
Speaker 3: As a resource.
Speaker 2: Maybe look up some different classes and see what their
Speaker 2: descriptions are and if that's something that resonates with you,
Speaker 2: and just be open to trying something new. In my practice,
Speaker 2: I get tired of the same kind of classes that
Speaker 2: I often take, which is a power of anyasa class,
Speaker 2: and when I get tired of that, I'll pivot to
Speaker 2: a different class, a hatha class, which has longer holds
Speaker 2: and they spend more time focusing on your form and structure.
Speaker 2: So there's different classes that can activate and provide different things.
Speaker 2: So it's kind of a trial and error and exploration
Speaker 2: phase that you need to embark on when you first begin.
Speaker 1: And you mentioned that you like to keep it simple
Speaker 1: for your beginner. Really all you need is go mad
Speaker 1: in the blocks or a stack of books like you mentioned.
Speaker 1: But I think we've all probably heard that like, yoga
Speaker 1: can be really expensive and there may be some financial barriers.
Speaker 1: Can you talk a little bit about why that might be.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think there's definitely an industry around yoga now,
Speaker 2: with clothing brands, studios, and also just an image around
Speaker 2: yoga that we see in the media. Privileged people with
Speaker 2: the time to go take a class in the middle
Speaker 2: of the day are allowed to do, which is kind
Speaker 2: of self care at largest viewed that way. I know
Speaker 2: my parents did not have the privilege of taking yoga classes,
Speaker 2: so I can now be viewed as something that is
Speaker 2: for people who are in a higher tax bracket or
Speaker 2: have more time, and I think industries like studios and
Speaker 2: clothing brands can sometimes contribute to that. But I will
Speaker 2: say that there are so many free resources and teachers
Speaker 2: who really just want to teach as many people as
Speaker 2: I can and share the benefits of yoga with as
Speaker 2: many people as they can. So there are sliding scale
Speaker 2: classes that you can take that are donation based and
Speaker 2: you can give what you can. Additionally, there are free
Speaker 2: classes at the Beach that I've taught myself that you
Speaker 2: can take depending on where you live, of course, but
Speaker 2: then again there's YouTube where you can.
Speaker 3: Take classes for free there, so.
Speaker 2: I think that's something that's been a new trend of
Speaker 2: teachers really trying to counteract that perception of yoga because
Speaker 2: definitely there were financial barriers, and I know when I
Speaker 2: was starting out, something that contributed to me kind of
Speaker 2: doing yoga and waves was not having the money to
Speaker 2: pay one hundred and eighty bucks for a monthly yoga class.
Speaker 2: So there's definitely financial barriers, but I think with some
Speaker 2: research on sliding scale classes and free classes in your area,
Speaker 2: you can circumvent.
Speaker 1: Those GOADNI thank you for that. So one of the
Speaker 1: big parts of having a new year and picking up
Speaker 1: a new hobby is goal setting along the way. So
Speaker 1: can you talk with us a little bit about some
Speaker 1: milestones that beginners might want to look for in their
Speaker 1: yoga journey, So maybe at the one month, at the
Speaker 1: six month, and maybe at the year mark, how can
Speaker 1: they track their progress?
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think a good way to track your progress
Speaker 2: is just committing to a frequency. So how many classes
Speaker 2: do you want to take this month or this week?
Speaker 2: So if you're like I want to take one class
Speaker 2: a week this month, set that goal and see how
Speaker 2: you do.
Speaker 3: Another one is based on a skill.
Speaker 2: So if you're like, I want to start touching my toes,
Speaker 2: I think at a six month mark, if you're diligent
Speaker 2: in your practice, saying okay, let's see how I am
Speaker 2: when I first started, and at the six month mark.
Speaker 2: Another one is trying something new. So everyone has something
Speaker 2: that they're like, oh, I don't think I could do this.
Speaker 2: I think at a four month mark, once you're a
Speaker 2: little bit more comfortable with the basics. Is trying something
Speaker 2: that you wouldn't think that you can do before, because
Speaker 2: everyone's stronger than they think. And I love when students
Speaker 2: surprise themselves and try something that they didn't think that
Speaker 2: they could do.
Speaker 1: Can you say a little bit about a pose that
Speaker 1: really made you feel successful once you mastered it?
Speaker 3: Oh?
Speaker 2: Yeah, So this pose is king pigeon. You're in a
Speaker 2: pigeon pose.
Speaker 3: Like one leg.
Speaker 2: It's hard to do to explain on the podcast, but
Speaker 2: basically you're in pigeon. Your front leg is on the
Speaker 2: ground and your back leg comes up behind you.
Speaker 3: And so when I first started, I.
Speaker 2: Was like, I will never be able to do that,
Speaker 2: even with all my years of gymnastics. I was like,
Speaker 2: I don't know if I'm ever going to be able
Speaker 2: to do this, but you know what, I'm just going
Speaker 2: to try the foundational skills. Every pose you can break down,
Speaker 2: So I knew that I needed my back to be
Speaker 2: more flexible for this. My hip flexers to be more flexible.
Speaker 2: It's kind of like when you have a big project
Speaker 2: coming up and you're like, I just need to pick
Speaker 2: at this from the basics, break by brick, and then.
Speaker 3: Eventually it all come together.
Speaker 2: So I set the intention and let it go while
Speaker 2: I was still practicing the foundational aspects. And now it's
Speaker 2: a pose that is very easy for me. But I
Speaker 2: always look at it as the first pose that I
Speaker 2: was like, Wow, yoga works, and I am worth the
Speaker 2: effort it takes to learn something new. I can spend
Speaker 2: time with myself and practice, and through that practice I
Speaker 2: can improve. I'm capable of doing things that were once
Speaker 2: impossible to me.
Speaker 1: More from our conversation after the break, so Alstin, can
Speaker 1: you say more about how the poses built on one another? Right?
Speaker 1: So the beginner poses that you mentioned, do those things
Speaker 1: stack up to get to this pose that you're talking about.
Speaker 2: Yeah, So this pigeon pose activates your outer hip, your
Speaker 2: hip flexer, and your back. So there are poses that
Speaker 2: are less intensive on those aspects that you can do
Speaker 2: to then create the strength that you need to create
Speaker 2: the flexibility that you need. And each pose has variations,
Speaker 2: which is really helpful in yoga because this is what
Speaker 2: allows yoga to be a really expansive practice because no
Speaker 2: matter what level you're at, there's a variation of that
Speaker 2: pose that is likely accessible to you. So if you
Speaker 2: want to do a more calm practice, you can just
Speaker 2: go for half pigeon, or you can go for lizard pose,
Speaker 2: which also activates the outer hip, but it isn't taking
Speaker 2: your foot.
Speaker 3: And bringing it to the back of your head.
Speaker 2: So poses and yoga do build onto one another. And
Speaker 2: in the beginner class you learn the foundations and you
Speaker 2: learn just how your body functions and the different muscle
Speaker 2: groups that you'll need to strengthen and create flexibility in
Speaker 2: space before moving on to the next level. So yoga
Speaker 2: is super expansive. It's something that you can tailor and
Speaker 2: fully make your own through these poses that are adaptable
Speaker 2: and that build onto one another.
Speaker 1: Got it, So how much time do people realistically need
Speaker 1: to be able to practice yoga, because I think a
Speaker 1: part of starting new hobby is is like, Okay, I'm
Speaker 1: interested in this thing, but like, where does it fit
Speaker 1: in my busy schedule? So can you talk with us
Speaker 1: a little bit about how you fit it into your schedule,
Speaker 1: maybe some suggestions for other people who may be interested.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, that's been one of the things that I've struggled
Speaker 2: with the most. Building a consistent practice is trying to
Speaker 2: find time while I work a full time job to
Speaker 2: do yoga. So there's a few options, and I think
Speaker 2: one important aspect of building a disciplined yoga practice, or
Speaker 2: consistent yoga practice, I should say, is knowing that every
Speaker 2: day is different. When I was first starting out, I
Speaker 2: was wanting to be the most intense, the longest classes
Speaker 2: every single day, and I burned out I stopped having
Speaker 2: time to do it. But then once I realize that
Speaker 2: sometimes it's just about having my mat open. I always
Speaker 2: have my mat open in my house, and sometimes my
Speaker 2: practice is five minutes by myself. So it's figuring out
Speaker 2: what does my schedule look like and what's realistic for
Speaker 2: me to do today, and not feeling down on yourself
Speaker 2: or bad if it's just a five minutes stretch. And
Speaker 2: I'll also say that it's great now to have online
Speaker 2: resources in case you don't have time to go into
Speaker 2: a studio. If you're able to then use the end
Speaker 2: of your day to open up your laptop or go
Speaker 2: on your phone and look at a video even on
Speaker 2: TikTok or Instagram and use it from your house.
Speaker 3: So that saves time.
Speaker 2: But finding a time every day that works for you
Speaker 2: is also helpful.
Speaker 3: If you say, okay, my mornings are free, I'm.
Speaker 2: Able to go to a studio in the morning or
Speaker 2: able to to roll out my mat and do something
Speaker 2: in the morning. But knowing that not every day you
Speaker 2: need to do an hour an hour half long class.
Speaker 2: Five minutes is okay, But it's just the act of
Speaker 2: getting on the mat and saying that I'm going to
Speaker 2: commit to having this time for myself is the most
Speaker 2: important thing.
Speaker 1: Got it. So you've already mentioned that you started again
Speaker 1: with yoga to help manage some anxiety symptoms, and it
Speaker 1: sounds like it has helped you with some perfectionism kinds
Speaker 1: of things too. Can you say a little bit more
Speaker 1: about how practicing yoga has impacted your mental health.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, I would say yoga is one of the things
Speaker 2: that completely transformed my mental health and my self image.
Speaker 2: I was going through a tough time in a relationship
Speaker 2: that wasn't serving me, and when I'll speak for myself,
Speaker 2: but when I was in a situation that didn't feel good,
Speaker 2: it affected myself image and made me feel like I
Speaker 2: deserved lesser treatment or I wasn't able to focus on
Speaker 2: myself more that I wasn't significant And so once I
Speaker 2: was out of that relationship, I was able to focus
Speaker 2: on my yoga practice.
Speaker 3: And that's when I really built my at home practice.
Speaker 2: So it's by myself working on these poses and having
Speaker 2: that king pigeon in my mind of oh, I wonder
Speaker 2: if I can ever get to this post. So just
Speaker 2: the act of taking time for myself was something that
Speaker 2: was transformative for me because I was able to get
Speaker 2: to know myself a lot more and I was able
Speaker 2: to even then realize, wow, I haven't spent time with
Speaker 2: myself and I didn't have a great self image. I
Speaker 2: didn't believe that I could ever do a handstand or
Speaker 2: do the splits again. But also giving myself the space
Speaker 2: and the grace to work on something and not be
Speaker 2: good at something, spending time with myself and allowing myself
Speaker 2: the compassion of saying, look, I'm not flexible right now,
Speaker 2: and I accept that, but I can work on this.
Speaker 2: So yoga has helped me move through uncomfortable moments, recognize
Speaker 2: that powerful, that I'm strong, that I can continue to
Speaker 2: work on something and be good at something, and I'm
Speaker 2: worthy of the time it takes to learn something new,
Speaker 2: and worthy of just having time spent on me. A
Speaker 2: lot of the times in yoga class, people are not
Speaker 2: used to having an hour of just listening to your body,
Speaker 2: even that action of saying, oh, I noticed that I
Speaker 2: have a muscle here that I never even knew existed,
Speaker 2: but now it hurts, or I am now trying something
Speaker 2: new for the first time, and I have a lot
Speaker 2: of negative self talk. I would talk really negatively about
Speaker 2: myself when I was going through something new, but I
Speaker 2: realized that did not help me at all, and I
Speaker 2: was like, huh, maybe that's what stops me from doing
Speaker 2: a lot of hard things because I'm avoided. I'm trying
Speaker 2: to not acknowledge myself, not acknowledge my quote unquote shortcomings.
Speaker 2: That really, when I just spent more time focusing on them,
Speaker 2: I was able to improve. So yoga was really pivotal
Speaker 2: for helping me realize things that I wanted to adjust
Speaker 2: and spend more time with about myself, and also realize,
Speaker 2: like my value, my inherent value is a human being
Speaker 2: and my capability of adapting and changing and building appreciation
Speaker 2: for this body that gives so much to us on
Speaker 2: a daily basis and can evolve with us.
Speaker 1: So are there any other mindfulness practices that contribute to
Speaker 1: your yoga practice or just your overall mental health.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm practicing Buddhists, so I do meditation as well,
Speaker 2: and anyone, regardless of your religion or your beliefs, could
Speaker 2: do meditation. I think that's been pivotal as well yoga's
Speaker 2: sometimes people call it a moving meditation, So the other
Speaker 2: end of that is sitting meditation, and similarly to being
Speaker 2: in an uncomfortable position where you have to learn how
Speaker 2: to sit with the uncomfortableness, meditation is great for that
Speaker 2: for me where I always want to be doing. You
Speaker 2: can tell I'm a virgo, so I'm very perfectionist and
Speaker 2: i always want to do something, So meditation definitely helps
Speaker 2: me with sitting with my emotions sitting with my stillness,
Speaker 2: which then reflects some what I'm able to.
Speaker 3: Do on the mat. Another thing is cooking. I love cooking.
Speaker 2: I think that's another form of meditation and creativity for me,
Speaker 2: which has really helped me with yoga too, because I'm
Speaker 2: able to realize how things that happen on the mat.
Speaker 2: Lessons on the mat then reflect on how I cook
Speaker 2: or how I teach, or how I talk to my
Speaker 2: friends and talk to myself. So through those things, they
Speaker 2: all talk to each other. My yoga, my meditation, my cooking.
Speaker 1: So we've had many therapists here on the podcast, Aten
Speaker 1: and some of the people who practice like more somatic
Speaker 1: forms of therapy talk about the release that often happens
Speaker 1: with a particular stretch. Can you talk a little bit
Speaker 1: about some of the emotions that might come up with
Speaker 1: people that they are not even realizing are connected to
Speaker 1: a stretch, And are there any particular stretches or poses
Speaker 1: that are helpful for maybe dealing with like difficult ems.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, that release that you get when you're deep in
Speaker 2: a stretch.
Speaker 3: There's nothing like it.
Speaker 2: I've been there, just like I'm in a stretch and
Speaker 2: I just burst out into tears and you don't really
Speaker 2: know what's happening to you, but you're realizing it's because
Speaker 2: a lot of our emotions are held in our muscles.
Speaker 2: Just like I was saying earlier, when you're stressed out,
Speaker 2: your shoulders tense up. That then creates knots in your
Speaker 2: shoulders that you have to massage out and work through.
Speaker 2: So the mental really does have a reflection on the physical.
Speaker 2: So some poses that are really helpful with that kind
Speaker 2: of release is like a lizard pose, which helps stretch
Speaker 2: your inner groin and your outer hip. A lot of
Speaker 2: people experience really tight hips and an emotional release when
Speaker 2: they spend time really stretching their hips. Another one is
Speaker 2: king pigeon that I've mentioned earlier that has been really helpful,
Speaker 2: and happy Baby, where you're putting your feet in the
Speaker 2: air and you have your knees and by your armpits.
Speaker 2: Those are great. And I'll say something that's really helpful
Speaker 2: if you're looking for an emotional release or tension release
Speaker 2: and a stretch is give yourself the time. A lot
Speaker 2: of these stretches you might not feel them right away,
Speaker 2: so be willing to sit there for a few minutes.
Speaker 2: I tend to sit there for three to five minutes,
Speaker 2: depending on your ability, But you don't have to get
Speaker 2: into the post fully right away. Find your edge, find
Speaker 2: a moment where you're like, oh, I feel a bit
Speaker 2: of a stretch, but I'm not in pain. I can
Speaker 2: stay here. It's manageable for me to stay here for
Speaker 2: a while. So continue to stay there, breathe, and then
Speaker 2: you might feel after a minute or two you're able
Speaker 2: to go a little bit further, and a little bit further,
Speaker 2: then you'll notice, oh, there's a release happening here, and
Speaker 2: it's really nothing like it. I've seen it happen with
Speaker 2: my own students where we're in a pose and holding
Speaker 2: it for.
Speaker 3: A while and they're like, Okay, I feel that. So
Speaker 3: it's very real.
Speaker 1: And is there anything that you suggest for your students
Speaker 1: after that kind of release? I mean, the immediate thing
Speaker 1: that comes to my mind is like journaling after a
Speaker 1: yoga class maybe, But are there things that you instruct
Speaker 1: them to do with that release?
Speaker 3: Yeah? I think it's really taking it slow, drinking water
Speaker 3: and sitting with your emotions, taking a moment to acknowledge them,
Speaker 3: and sometimes in yoga class just the nature of the class,
Speaker 3: you can want to just move on to the next thing.
Speaker 2: But a lot of the times it's just important to
Speaker 2: just be present, take a moment. You can go at
Speaker 2: your own pace in class for sure, and if you
Speaker 2: need to take space and take time to process, that's
Speaker 2: really helpful because then you're able to fully know Okay,
Speaker 2: I was able to access that emotional release through this pose,
Speaker 2: and you learn about yourself through that pose, and you're
Speaker 2: then able to replicate that or continue to do that.
Speaker 3: Kind of work.
Speaker 2: So yeah, journaling and from a meditation, just acknowledging the
Speaker 2: moment and letting it really move through you is important
Speaker 2: instead of just rushing to the next thing.
Speaker 1: So I'm curious to hear how you are hoping your
Speaker 1: own yoga journey will evolve with this new year. Are
Speaker 1: there any things you're hoping to practice new this year
Speaker 1: or what are you thinking?
Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, always having goals is something that's definitely helped
Speaker 2: my yoga practice continue and build longevity. So this new year,
Speaker 2: I really want to do a yoga retreat in India
Speaker 2: and spend like a month away and learn from a
Speaker 2: teacher there. I also want to continue working as an
Speaker 2: instructor and getting my three hundred hour certification, working with
Speaker 2: instructor to help me improve even as a teacher and
Speaker 2: reach my fullest potential. There Being a teacher has been
Speaker 2: one of the greatest honors ever. So I really want
Speaker 2: to continue to learn and see how I can really
Speaker 2: bring the benefits of yoga to my students.
Speaker 3: So those are a few of my goals.
Speaker 1: I'm curious, because I forgot to ask you this earlier,
Speaker 1: what should people be looking for in a yoga teacher,
Speaker 1: because you mentioned sometimes people are getting real risky with
Speaker 1: the poses. So how do you vet like a safe teacher,
Speaker 1: somebody who's going to actually teach you in a way
Speaker 1: that's not harmful.
Speaker 2: Yes, for sure, I would pay attention to teachers who
Speaker 2: are informed about foundation, so they talk about your foot
Speaker 2: should be here, your hips should be open here, so
Speaker 2: taking time to set up a pose instead of just
Speaker 2: moving through it. And this is for beginner classes. And
Speaker 2: also just the tone of a teacher. Sometimes people like
Speaker 2: teachers that are more firm, but also some people like
Speaker 2: teachers that are a bit more gentle.
Speaker 3: And also depends on what you're looking for in a yoga.
Speaker 2: Class, because some people can be coming just for the
Speaker 2: physical benefit, and if that's the case, then you might
Speaker 2: find teachers out we'll talk about Okay, it's time to
Speaker 2: activate your core and get those apps. And we're more
Speaker 2: focused on a visual representation of the practice instead of
Speaker 2: a mental So those are some things that I would
Speaker 2: be sure to look out for, just like what perspective
Speaker 2: the teacher is coming from. And please know that there's
Speaker 2: so many different types of teachers out there that you
Speaker 2: can find a teacher that works for you, whether that's
Speaker 2: online or in person, but it does take a bit
Speaker 2: of time.
Speaker 1: So where can we stay connected with you, Austin? What
Speaker 1: is your website as well as any social media challenge
Speaker 1: you'd like to share?
Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely, My Instagram is underscore ausmed ausmad, and that's
Speaker 2: the same with my TikTok. I have videos on different
Speaker 2: yoga poses. I go into the mental health benefits of yoga,
Speaker 2: and I'll be sure to share any classes that I
Speaker 2: have in person or online.
Speaker 1: There perfect We'll be sure to include that in the
Speaker 1: show notes. Thank you so much for spending some time
Speaker 1: with us today, Austin.
Speaker 3: Thank you, Doctor Joryce. Such an honor.
Speaker 2: I love your work, so I'm really excited to be
Speaker 2: on this podcast with you.
Speaker 1: Thank you. I'm so glad Austin was able to join
Speaker 1: us for this conversation. To learn more about her and
Speaker 1: the work she's doing, be sure to visit the show
Speaker 1: notes at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash Session three
Speaker 1: forty one, and don't forget to text two of your
Speaker 1: girls and tell them to check out the episode right now.
Speaker 1: If you're looking for a therapist in your area, visit
Speaker 1: our therapist directory at Therapy for Blackgirls dot com slash directory.
Speaker 1: And if you're looking for a support system to aid
Speaker 1: you in your New Year journey, join us in the
Speaker 1: Sister Circle. It's our cozy corner of the Internet where
Speaker 1: we celebrate support and practice vulnerability. Each week this January,
Speaker 1: we're setting the foundation to turn our resolutions into realities.
Speaker 1: You can join us at community dot Therapy for Blackgirls
Speaker 1: dot com. This episode was produced by Frida Lucas, Elise Ellis,
Speaker 1: and Zaria Taylor. Editing was done by Dennison Bradford. Thank
Speaker 1: y'all so much for joining me again this week. I
Speaker 1: look forward to continuing this conversation with you all real soon.
Speaker 3: Take good care, m