A Sequence for Liberating Your Soul
Yoga Journal|November - December 2020
My name is Alicia Crysta Easter, which means “noble anointed one of dawn.” (ostre was a Germanic goddess of spring.) I am the daughter of Cynthia Geneva Lawson and granddaughter of Eleanor Cecilia Lawson. I am a yogi, Black woman, teacher, podcast host, candle designer, liberator, Black joy beam, writer, facilitator, lover, sister, and friend. I stand on the shoulders of the 10,000 ancestors who came before me, and I do not take my presence here lightly. I am honored to be a pair of shoulders to stand on for those who come after me. My ability to fully claim who I am came through the practice of yoga.
By Alicia C. Easter
A Sequence for Liberating Your Soul

I took my first class in 2007, led by an elegantly strong, brilliant Black woman on the Southside of Chicago: a place that’s predominately Black, beautiful, proud, and full of love! Since this was my introduction to the practice, I assumed every studio was inclusive and diverse. Over the next decade, I learned that this was not the case.

When I started my yoga journey, I was still knee-deep in working through the intricacies of grieving my mother’s death— she died five years earlier, in 2002, when I was 19. Yoga saved my life. As the sweat rolled off my back, I disappeared, and my mind was no longer consumed by repetitive thoughts that did not serve me. The stretching, the pauses between breaths, and my body’s resilience brought me great comfort.

The more my heart cracked open, the more I learned I was not born to fit inside anyone else’s box. Grief is not linear, and I was learning that liberation was on its way. Svadhyaya (self-study) through yoga had become my refuge in the darkest of times, helping me navigate my emotional growth spurt. But the more I practiced, the more it became clear that yoga in the United States was not as diverse as I thought it should be for BIPOC. I knew I had found a calling and a soul-awakening.

For much of my life, my voice was hidden in the depths of fear, angst, grief, and abuse. I discovered my authentic voice during my first yoga teacher training, honed my ability to listen, and used both gifts to make me the teacher I am today.

Bu hikaye Yoga Journal dergisinin November - December 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Yoga Journal dergisinin November - December 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

YOGA JOURNAL DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care
Yoga Journal US

Learning to Hear the Voice of Self-Care

How to discern what really matters.

time-read
6 dak  |
Summer 2022
Inclusive Yoga for All
Yoga Journal US

Inclusive Yoga for All

A Down syndrome diagnosis set this family on a path to make yoga accessible to everyone.

time-read
4 dak  |
Summer 2022
For the Joy of Practice
Yoga Journal US

For the Joy of Practice

Doing yoga without attachment to the outcome can bring unexpected gifts.

time-read
4 dak  |
Summer 2022
Be Kind to Your Spine
Yoga Journal US

Be Kind to Your Spine

Your vertebral column is a series of complex, interconnecting parts that support your every movement. Here's how to keep it safe.

time-read
5 dak  |
Summer 2022
A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing
Yoga Journal US

A Skeptic of Chakra Balancing

The experience helped me make peace with things that can't be explained.

time-read
6 dak  |
Summer 2022
Are We Having Fun Yet?
Yoga Journal US

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Bring play back into your practice with three styles of yoga that can get you out of your head and bring a smile to your face.

time-read
9 dak  |
Summer 2022
12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before
Yoga Journal US

12 Ways to Use Blocks You've Probably Never Tried Before

The beauty of blocks? They not only meet you where you are in your practice, they take you beyond where you ever thought you could go.

time-read
10+ dak  |
Summer 2022
THE SCIENCE OF AWE
Yoga Journal US

THE SCIENCE OF AWE

THOSE MOMENTS IN LIFE THAT STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS IN ASTONISHMENT? RESEARCH SAYS EXPERIENCING MORE OF THEM CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

time-read
8 dak  |
Summer 2022
What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma
Yoga Journal US

What Your Doshas Say About Your Dharma

Ayurveda can explain so much more than what's out of balance.

time-read
4 dak  |
Summer 2022
The Future of Yoga
Yoga Journal US

The Future of Yoga

Yoga has been evolving for thousands of yearsfrom a mind-and-body spiritual practice to a billion-dollar "lifestyle" practice. What's next? We asked futurists, teachers, and thinkers what to expect in the next decade and beyond.

time-read
10+ dak  |
Summer 2022