Yoga and Accessibility

By: Calie Phelps

Yoga is more than just a physical practice; it presents an overall approach to mindfulness and well-being. Along with physical movement, yoga also incorporates breath work, meditation, and ethical practices that promote resilience, emotional regulation, and mental health. Yoga is a unique practice that can be made accessible to everyone. 

To foster physical accessibility in a yoga practice the key is to create options, giving students the choice to decide what is best for their bodies at that moment. Choice is important because it grants individuals the autonomy to move and show up in a way that feels safe and authentic to them, making a more personal and beneficial experience. Using and offering props in a yoga class is another great way to promote physical accessibility by making a posture more comfortable and open to an individual in a way that is supportive to them. For example, blocks can be used to bring the ground up or can be used to support the body in seated and reclined postures. Another common practice is chair yoga, which provides a comfortable seat to those who may be living with age related conditions or conditions that affect mobility.   

While physical accessibility is very important to yoga there are other ways that yoga can be accessible. Most yoga offerings here in the U.S. are through brick-and-mortar studios that offer classes for a fee. While class fees support the local yoga industry, it’s important to recognize that cost may be a barrier to those seeking out yoga classes. Some ways to make yoga financially accessible include donation-based or free community classes and supporting non-profit organizations like Yoga Village, who works to break down these financial barriers through their programs and partnerships. Yoga Village offers a free community practice every Tuesday at 1:00pm at the Harrelson Center! 

 Another way to make yoga more accessible is by considering the diverse, mental and emotional experiences people are arriving with, which is why it is important to provide a trusting and comfortable setting. Using evidence-based trauma-sensitive practices can support students to make choices for their body in a way that does not feel pressured. This is important because the pressure to perform can cause stress, anxiety, and discomfort which are all experiences that a person may be trying to remedy or avoid when practicing yoga. Yoga has been shown to have positive mental health benefits on diverse groups. For example, a study about the effects of yoga on Veterans with PTSD showed statistically significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, depression, sleep, and quality of life. Creating a space of non-judgement and acceptance will help students to experience the benefits yoga and mindfulness practices can have on their mental health and overall well-being.   

Integrating all these different types of accessibility can help to make the wonderful practice of yoga available to all!    

Resources: 

 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7880235/#:~:text=The%20current%20study%20offered%20trauma,satisfaction%20after%20participating%20in%20yoga.