04/24/2025
I was inspired to create Limb to Life Amputee Yoga Collective as a result of my experience as a recent above-knee amputee and a C-IAYT yoga therapist, having completed my training in 2020. Following the accident that led to my amputation in December 2023, I confronted the physical and emotional hurdles of limb loss in the early days of my hospitalization, as I accepted this life-altering change in embodied form. During this time, my familiarity with the eight “limbs” of yoga became an anchor for me. Practices like pranayama and yoga nidra were invaluable during sleepless nights due to intense phantom pain. As my strength grew, I reintroduced asana into my daily routine.
During my rehabilitation process, however; I noticed that many of my fellow amputees encountered prolonged and more difficult recoveries. It was disheartening to see others excluded from experiences like yoga, especially knowing how profoundly yoga can support healing for amputees on all levels of embodiment. Attending conventional yoga classes, I saw with new eyes how inaccessible these environments can be for those with limb loss or other mobility challenges. The spaces I once navigated with agility presented barriers. Although my background and training as a yoga instructor and therapist allowed me to adapt my own practice as a new amputee and prosthetics user, I realized that someone without this foundation might not know where to start, and that I was well equipped to provide others with this caring guidance.
This realization inspired me to share yoga with others navigating life after limb loss, leading to the creation of the Limb to Life Amputee Yoga Collective. My vision is to meet amputees wherever they are on their journey, making yoga accessible and relevant to their unique needs. Our focus as a non-profit is on providing free and low cost access to yoga therapy sessions, yoga classes, and workshops in community and hospital-based settings. Witnessing directly the sparkle emerge in the eyes of people with limb loss I have worked with as they recognize that yoga is for all bodies–including their own–has kindled my desire to further materialize this vision in collaboration with others.
