I recently got the extreme pleasure of attending a screening for a powerful new documentary titled YOGAWOMAN. Talk about inspiration; this movie was like a superbowl for yogini goddesses. One after another, I gathered wisdom from some of yoga’s most incredible female role models – Patricia Walden, Sean Corne, Tari Prinster, Donna Farhi, Cyndi Lee, Angela Farmer, and Judith Lasater were just a few in the all-star line-up.
If you are a woman and have always wanted to know what is so special about yoga, this movie brilliantly illustrates all of the benefits that a yoga practice can bring. If you have a friend, sister, daughter, or co-worker who you are trying to convince to take up the practice of yoga, plan a girls night out and watch this movie with them.
My favorite part of the movie was learning about the early women pioneers who doggedly pursued the practice despite the fact that, in most parts of the world, yoga was reserved only for men. Women like Indra Devi, Lilias Folan, and Geeta Iyengar, who dedicated their lives to yoga and brought the practice to women around the world, are my newfound role models, and I plan to learn more about them.
Here are a few quotes from these luminaries that demonstrate why I was so moved by this movie:
“Yoga is something that helps us care for ourselves, through purification of body and mind. It helps us to secure that time for ourselves, to come back to our center, and be in harmony with ourselves. It will save your life; it will change your life; it will make you so much more accepting of yourself than you’ve ever been.” ~ Mae Yoshika, Yoga Teacher & Author, Tokyo
“Yoga helps us to cut through the drama.” ~ Cyndi Lee, Om Yoga
“Yoga doesn’t care how many times you fall down; it cares about how many times you get back up. If you get back up, you’re doing it perfectly.” ~ Shana Meyerson, Mini Yogis Yoga for Kids, Los Angeles
“Yoga brings about amazing things. You shift your identity towards happiness, towards joy, towards wholeness. Just let go, perhaps loosen your hold on your identity with your faults, with your sadness, with your disappointments, and when you start to do that, there’s a feeling of great freedom and possibilities start to open up.” ~ Sharon Gannon, Jivamukti Yoga, NY
Take a peek at the official YOGAWOMAN movie trailer.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlYfO1R83A8[/youtube]
There were several times in the movie where I got a little verklempt. One of those touching parts came as I listened to Mary Wanjiru of the Africa Yoga Project in Kenya talk about how she felt about being a yoga teacher. With a huge smile and beaming with pride, she explained how yoga has made her not only strong in body but how it has also given her the courage to look people in the eye. She is so proud to be a yoga teacher and still can’t believe that people call her a teacher.
Please go see this movie and support it in any way you can. It will lift you up, and it will inspire. Go to yogawoman.tv to watch the trailer, purchase the DVD, or find out where it is playing near you. Better yet, ask your local yoga studio to host a screening of the movie and share the yoga love in your yoga community. As Sean Corne noted towards the end of the movie, “As women, we need to lift each other up to remind each other how incredibly fabulous we are.”
Watch the video below for a few more words from Sean Corne about the importance of YOGAWOMAN and what it meant for her to be a part of it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-HhvIEn40Y[/youtube]
If you were lucky enough to see YOGAWOMAN, please leave me a comment and let others know what part of the movie spoke to you, what inspired you, and what made you smile. If you have a yoga role model (male or female) I would love to hear about that too!
I have been a student of yoga since I was 18 and I’m now in my 50’s; it was my dream to teach yoga; I was a student of yoga when it wasn’t very popular at least not where I lived, but where ever I moved I would search thru the newspaper looking for whatever class I could find fastforward 30 years and I still practice yoga only now it is a practice I do at home, I guess my question is what happens to the practioners that develop a chronic illness such as I did and it feels like their yoga practice has gone in reverse physically by this I mean I can no longer do asanas that require great strength and due to a neck injury headstand isn’t going to happen but practice has turned more spiritual and less phyically orientated. I enjoy your blog alot as I’m isolated from a yoga community right now. All I can say after all I’ve been thru yoga practice has brought me home to myself time and time again and I find ways to work around my limitations.
Om Shanti
Shea – A practice that is more spiritual and less physically oriented sounds beautiful to me! Sometimes a yoga practice that is too rajasic (heavy activity or movement) can take away from your creative expression. Let go of your attachment to the results of the postures and let your gentler practice inspire you with each healing movement. We don’t have to do power yoga to get the benefits – as I always say, as long as you are breathing you are doing yoga. Thanks for stopping by The Daily Downward Dog and I’m happy to be part of your yoga community!
I loved this film. I loved Mary from Kenya, and the young woman who learned yoga in prison, and the woman who teaches yoga to help other breast cancer survivors. I loved all of them, really, but it’s the “everywomen” who made the most impact on me. I expect the leading, pioneering teachers to be inspiring. I didn’t expect to be so inspired by those who aren’t famous, who have found freedom, balance, and dignity through yoga.
Great point! I love it when my readers help bring out an important point I missed – so thank you Suasoria! 🙂
i loved seeing all the good work that’s being shared — non profits, caring organizations, yoginis out there doing GOOD! 😀
I have not seen this playing here yet !! I think i am just going to buy it and cram all my yoga buddies in and watch it at home!! Sounds fantastic!!
Cathy – great idea for a movie night with friends! Wish I could join you!