08/23/2025
Riverstone practitioner, Aya, shares her story with us.
"Yoga and this wonky body. Before yoga asana, I was using a cane, spending days on end in bed, using a wheelchair to navigate museums and basically anywhere that required a lot of walking. I couldn't reach to wash my feet unless I put a foot on the edge of the tub, forget about scratching my own back (or unhooking a bra) and stairs.. no ma'am. At first, my poses felt like a failure, embarrassing! I would think, you want me to do what?!?!?
I was 40 years old and OLD.
Guiding meditation, offering spiritual healing and even doing energy work was not enough focus on my own healing. My practice was not complete. I still have days where inflammation makes asanas challenging, but I do my practice anyway. I still teach, even when I'm creaking and groaning along with my students. We laugh at ourselves, deepening our breath. This body surrenders to yoga, like a fussy baby relaxing into a loving parent rocking to and froe. Forever a student, observing, seeking, soaking in wisdom with every breath."
