Welcome to the BodPod! Today, we are thrilled to have Jessamyn Stanley, an internationally acclaimed voice in wellness, a yoga teacher, advocate, podcaster, and published author, on the show! She launched The Underbelly, a wellness platform that includes on-demand streaming yoga classes – taught by Jessamyn – for everyone, especially those who may feel displaced, discouraged, or overlooked in the health and fitness community. Her most recent book, Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance, explores issues of self-love, body positivity, race, sex, sexuality, and so much more all through the lens of an authentic yoga practice. Jessamyn’s advocacy work includes a variety of cultural issues including the modern Black experience, LGBTQIA+ representation, and equity in the health industry among so many others. She is a regular contributor for Self Magazine and has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, Good Morning America, Vogue, InStyle, BET, Cosmopolitan, and many other publications.
In this episode, Jessamyn will share with us how her yoga journey began, why it was important for her to share her practice, and how this led to her wellness community called The Underbelly as well as her advocacy work. We will also discuss Jessamyn’s book including cultural appropriation and the reason she uses the word “yoke”, her experience with yoga teacher training, and why it’s important for her to reach everyone who has asked her to teach yoga. Last but not least, we’ll talk about the overwhelming whiteness that has become the hallmark of yoga, the importance of sitting in discomfort, and Jessamyn’s personal body confidence. Keep listening to hear how Jessamyn is taking care of her body and letting it be, while encouraging others to do the same.
Jessamyn’s Instagram: @mynameisjessamyn
Jessamyn’s podcast: https://dearjessamyn.com
The Underbelly: theunderbelly.com
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