Ep 042 – Talking Yoga, Body Positivity, and Community with Paris Alexandra

BeREAL, podcast

Welcome back to BeREAL! This week, Diana and Ednesha are joined by Paris Alexandra to discuss diversity within the yoga community and body positivity.

Image of BK Yoga Club Co-founder, Paris Alexandra, talking about body positivity and finding self confidence through yoga. Image reads "BeREAL The Podcast: Episode 42 - Talking yoga, body positivity, and community"

Paris Alexandra is an Artist and Creative Wellness Practitioner (IIN). As a 200 hour Registered Yoga teacher (RTY) & Healing Arts facilitator, Paris utilizes song, poetry, and movement to inspire self love and transform narratives in beauty, health, & the arts. As a wellness practitioner she supports curvy athletes and creatives in growing lifestyle habits that honor the body, increase vitality, and ignite their creative lives. 

 

Paris begins the episode by introducing herself and her yoga practice, BK Yoga Club. She explains that BK Yoga Club is a black owned practice whose goals are to promote body positivity and welcome new people to yoga, who maybe thought it was not for them based on how they looked. Paris then tells the backstory of how it came to fruition by the hands of Paris and her co-founder, Alicia Ferguson. Next, she gives an overview of what BK Yoga Club looks like today (two years in) and announces that they are opening their first storefront in Bedstuy in January. 

 

Next, Paris tells listeners about how she got into yoga herself. She explains that she was the only black and plus size woman in her yoga classes, and that inspired her to make the yoga community open to a more diverse group of people. On top of that, she would like to redefine what healthy looks like. She hopes other people can learn the lessons she learned through yoga: self acceptance and body positivity. Ednesha also brings up that yoga is not something new to black women, but many people choose to overlook that many historical black women practiced yoga. 

 

After a break, Paris explains what the desired BK yogi looks like. The desired yogi is anyone! BK Yoga Club is a place for people of all races, sizes, and backgrounds. These yogis can take BK Yoga Club classes during the pandemic through the new BK Yoga Club app that will be releasing soon. They are also offering classes with therapists during the pandemic, to help maintain both positive mental and physical health.

 

Thank you so much for tuning into BeREAL this week. Be on the lookout for a brand new episode next Tuesday. In the meantime, make sure to listen to last week’s episode about mental health and fitness.

 

For more info on Paris Alexandra or BK Yoga Club, visit the links below:

 

Website: https://www.bkyogaclub.com/home

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkyogaclub/

 

For more information on BeREAL (our psychotherapy podcast) and BeWELL (our psychotherapy practice in NYC) visit the links below:

 

To schedule a therapy appointment text BeWELL to 484848 today 

 

www.beher-now.com 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Be.WELL.Psychotherapy/

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewell.psychotherapy/