Yoga Journal

yoga rules

FOR SCHOOL KIDS Yoga remains illegal in Alabama public schools after a proposed state bill failed last spring that would have lifted the 1993 ban prohibiting schools from offering the practice, likening it to an Eastern religion. Though the bill, introduced by Representative Jeremy Gray—a former football player turned yoga practitioner—had support from 18 representatives on both sides of the aisle, it never made it to the House floor for a vote. Gray says he’ll reintroduce the bill next session. “We’re doing kids a big injustice if we don’t implement yoga in K through 12,” he says. “Children are going through traumas every day—some are living in poverty or being bullied. Yoga helps people learn how to deal with daily stressors in a critical-thinking capacity, and teaches them how to reflect.…

brandt new day

South African actress Lesley-Ann Brandt may play a demon bounty hunter on Netflix’s Lucifer, but her real-life pursuits are a little more inspiring: The dedicated yogi has been practicing for 10 years and recently teamed up with Earthchild Project—a Cape Town nonprofit that offers education to disadvantaged schools—to implement a yoga program into its curriculum. Here, Brandt shares some of her favorite things for staying calm, cool, and collected, whether she’s acting in the underworld or helping to save the world. Eminence Organic Skin Care Stone Crop Cleansing Oil: During my hot yoga classes, I sweat and release lots of toxins. But I don’t want to strip my face of [necessary] oils when I wash it. This cleansing oil hydrates, brightens, and moisturizes my skin, and contains lots of vitamins A,…

for karma or cash?

FOR KARMA PURUSHA: LIKE SLOW FOOD, THIS IS SLOW FASHION Peace out, polyester. Each piece of Purusha activewear is handmade from Tencel (sustainably sourced fibers that come from eucalyptus and beech tree pulp), organic cotton, and spandex, then hand-dyed with Tennessee-grown organic indigo. It’s all done with the goal of avoiding plastic-based products like polyester—which rely on drilling fossil fuels. Bonus? These are made right here in the USA; purushapeople.com. FOR CA$H WEARABLE X NADI X YOGA PANTS: PERSONALIZED TECHNOLOGY Smartphone, smart house, smart…pants? Nadi X yoga pants use embedded sensors to guide practitioners through asana practice with vibration and audio feedback via a phone app. As you flow, gentle pulses cascade through the leggings, providing alerts when poses need adjustments. If you’re a tech-savvy type who loves your home practice, electronic trousers might just…

4 yoga podcasts to follow

WISE ROSIE ACOSTA INSTAGRAM: @thewisepodcast With her Radically Loved podcast in its fifth season (with more than a million downloads), Rosie Acosta is launching a second, called WISE (Women Inspiring Success and Empowerment), this month. Episodes will feature powerful women on navigating difficult situations, breaking cycles, changing beliefs, and transforming—and the wisdom that comes with all of it. THE 108-SECOND INTERVIEW YOGA JOURNAL: What do people misunderstand about wisdom? ROSIE ACOSTA: They think they don’t have any. Wisdom isn't something you reach for outside of yourself; it’s something that you can tap into when you’re still or meditating. The soul’s innate essence is wisdom. I also believe we become wise with experience not age. I know 10-year-olds who are wiser than some 30-year-olds. YJ: What's something that’s brought you wisdom? RA: Breaking the spell of disempowerment and getting…

break down the walls

Five days a week, in Rochester, New York, Yoga 4 A Good Hood’s volunteers hold donation-only yoga classes in the basement of a 150-year-old Lutheran church. Some students wear yoga pants; others come in jeans. Not everyone can make a donation or practice on a yoga mat, so chairs are provided. “Wellness is a civil right and should not be a luxury,” says founder Imani Olear, a yoga teacher and pastor. “You can come in as you are.” Whenever Olear has experienced turmoil, she’s turned to yoga. Hardships such as the murder of her son’s father, sexual assault, and losing a job have brought her to her mat time and time again. She says yoga has calmed her inner storm and helped her to see the practice’s potential as a social…

surviving abuse

I grew up in poverty in a drug-addicted and violent family. Without necessities like proper food or shelter, and subjected to regular abuse, I ran away at the age of 13. Within two years, I was on the road with a 19-year-old man. Being so young, I was attracted to his antisocial, rebellious past rather than recognizing these behaviors as red flags. Eventually, we called my mother and she threatened him with jail time for statutory rape and crossing state lines with a minor—unless he married me. She was, as she put it, “tired of dealing with me.” I was forced to wed him. One day, he returned from work with a vengeance. Storming through the door, he grabbed his gun and summoned me. I didn’t know if he was planning…