Danielle Washington [00:00:06]:
You're listening to the hella well with Danielle Show, a podcast taking women of color on a journey exploring all things wellness and travel related. We're all about showing you how to put on your oxygen mask first and creating lasting self care habits that will free you to travel the world and live the life you truly desire and not one you have to fake loving. I'm your host, Danielle Washington. Now let's buckle up and start this journey.

Danielle Washington [00:00:33]:
Welcome to the hello well with Danielle podcast, your weekly mental vacation from the daily grind for busy women who just need a moment to pause, breathe, and woosa. I am your host, Danielle Washington, and I'm excited. Today I am launching a new podcast called Black on the map with my co host, Sasha from Thick Thigh Yoga. And this podcast is all about telling the untold stories and shedding light on black yogis. Our experience as Black Yogis versus others is completely different. And what we're really trying to do is create a roadmap for others who may be interested into yoga to figure out how to deal with some of the pitfalls and issues and struggles and challenges that we had to experience, but also to tell people who are already into this practice that we're here and we're creating this beautiful community and telling our stories and that they're seen and they're heard. We're having topics like how to start your practice. We're talking about stereotypes in the yoga community that we're kind of overcoming the cost of yoga.

Danielle Washington [00:01:41]:
We're looking at spirituality in yoga, weed in yoga, and relationships in yoga, and even black masculinity in yoga. We had these two amazing black yoga teachers come on, and their perspective was so profound, I think. I can't wait for you guys to hear this episode. But today I wanted to talk about me finding my space on the mat because it wasn't easy. Today, I kind of wanted to give you a little bit inside stories behind the scenes on my own journey from going from a skeptical person be like, this thing called yoga is trash, to the transformation it's caused me from filling out a place in the yoga industry to creating a place for all of us. So before we get started, I like to just do a little bit of breathing. So if you can, I invite you to close your eyes. And we're inhaling the count of four.

Danielle Washington [00:02:39]:
And we're going to hold for the count of four, and then we're going to exhale for the count of four. So collectively, let's kind of tune into this space, centering our bodies and just getting a moment of stillness because I don't know about you, but I feel we all can use a little bit more stillness in our life. So let's try some breathing. So inhale deeply, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four. And exhale to your nose, two, three, four. And inhale deeply, two, three, four. Hold, two, three, four.

Danielle Washington [00:03:29]:
And exhale. 2341 last time, take the deepest breath you've taken all day. Hold and slowly exhale all the air out of your mouth and then connect back to your normal breath. Flutter your eyes open if they're not already open. So, yoga, how did I find my space on the mat? What's interesting is finding my space on the mat has helped me find my space in the world. I feel like I spent most of my life in this labyrinth trying to figure out where am I going. I was in politics, I went to high tech, I went into BeComing, I wanted to become a coach, a blogger, travel. And here I am.

Danielle Washington [00:04:29]:
And I feel so grounded in where I am and finding who I am and finding my space in the world. And finding my space in the world started when I found my space on the mat. And finding my space on the mat was not easy because when I first stepped on that mat, I was like, f these people, they don't look like me. They don't talk like me. I don't see anyone like me. They don't seem to welcome me. This ain't for me. That was my first story with yoga.

Danielle Washington [00:05:01]:
I was like, this isn't for me. Because no one. I didn't see my reflection. I didn't feel welcomed. I felt like I walked in classes, people were like, oh, you're in the wrong class. Flash forward to becoming a yoga teacher. I sometimes still feel that way. People are like, oh, you're the teacher.

Danielle Washington [00:05:22]:
Oh, she's teaching this Kunalini yoga class. But the beauty of it all is the fact that I have found my space on the mat. I'm able to kind of pass through some of that stuff, but it's a huge reason why I wanted to start this podcast called Black on the mat. I actually had this ideal about a year ago. It came to me in a meditation list. Most of my ideals do come these days. I knew we needed a space to come together collectively to tell our stories and a place for us to come together to be a community, to know that, tell everyone that we're here. Yoga, the yoga industry, because it is an industry that makes money, billions of billions, probably billions of dollars.

Danielle Washington [00:06:12]:
It feels like only during Black History Month or when, when we were going through Black Lives Matter, people actually were focusing on Black Lives Matter because black lives always matter. But in 2020, brands were realizing that, oh, this is really cool. This is like, we can do some branding around those black lives matters, the situation. But it was during those times and during February, Black History Month, which is when you would kind of see this industry shine a light on us, and then the rest of the year and other years is as if we don't exist. There is a lack of representation in traditional yoga spaces. And that's why I thought this was so important to have this conversation. But also, again, if you haven't seen other episodes, I talk about my experiences going from a skeptic to someone who didn't like yoga and how I got into it. And I talk about it more in the podcast.

Danielle Washington [00:07:11]:
And yoga isn't for everyone, I'd be the first one to admit. So for some people, get into yoga for the physical aspect of it all. And honestly, I can say I don't feel like I've seen a physical change in my body at all. I don't feel like I look like leaner, I don't look slimmer. I'm more in shape. I don't know, I probably am more in shape, but I wouldn't say that I look like I'm more in shape. But where I've seen the transformation is that I show up differently. Yoga has helped me flow through life's challenges in a way that I've never been able to experience.

Danielle Washington [00:07:50]:
It helps me with my creativity and as someone who's now going through perimenopause, which that sucks a lot, it helps me and gives me tools to help me go deal with hot flashes. It gives me tools to help me deal with night sweats. It has changed how I walk. It has made me feel more grounded in who I am. I can honestly tie my increased self worth, my increased confidence, my increased calmness to my yoga practice. I've listened to people who know me and know me well and have seen the transformation. Like, you just aren't the same person, what are you doing? Different. And the only thing that's different from what I was doing now until a couple of years ago is yoga.

Danielle Washington [00:08:42]:
Yoga has been my bay. It has helped me find my space in this world. It makes me feel happy. I feel joy. Yoga has introduced me to the concept of being consistent. I've been doing this one meditation for over 500 days. Maybe I'm close to 600. I stopped counting.

Danielle Washington [00:09:03]:
I wasn't doing that before. I wasn't consistent. I had a major issue with consistency, and it's just helped me, again, find who I am. But finding that space on the mat in this industry has been a double edged sword in a space that starts with the word well. I don't always feel well in the wellness industry, and that's why there's not always this feeling of wellness when you look a little bit deeper into this industry. And that's why podcasts like black on the mat is important, because I want people to experience this relief from stress, this feeling. The nervous system is more in checked, feeling calmer, feeling cooler, feeling happier. I want people to experience this.

Danielle Washington [00:09:59]:
It may be kundalini yoga, it may be some other type of yoga. But all I know is that yoga has made my life better. And if I had allowed those who were part of my beginning yoga story to be the only story I had, I would never be here. My blood pressure wouldn't be lower. I wouldn't feel more energy. I wouldn't feel so alive. And that's why black on the mat is so important, because it's a roadmap to help those who may be interested in starting anew or curious about yoga to not run into the daggers. I feel that have been a part of my beginning story.

Danielle Washington [00:10:44]:
Because if I did not stumble upon yoga accidentally in Bali, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be having this conversation. I may be sicker, my blood pressure be higher, maybe depression, maybe be on antidepressants, all these different things. I'm not. Because I found yoga. I found me. I found my happiness. I found my space.

Danielle Washington [00:11:09]:
And finding when you find your space, whatever it is that right there is that sweet spot. It's this beautiful place of I could breathe. I feel cozy. I feel comfortable. I feel like that Beyonce song, cozy like, ah, I'm so cozy with me, thanks to yoga. And this may not be your journey, but it may complement that space that makes you feel comfortable. So the first episode is dropping today, February 1, starting off Black History Month, with dropping our first episode where you get to know Sasha and myself a little bit better. But I hope you tune in and please share, even if yoga is not for you, share with your community, because it may be for someone else.

Danielle Washington [00:11:57]:
You may be someone's aha. Moment to finding their space or feeling more cozy in their life or dealing with stress, dealing with other issues that are going on in their lives. So you can find us also on Instagram at Black on the mat. You can find us on YouTube, TikTok, and we are just here and we're telling these untold stories and our stories of finding our space on the mat. I look forward to having more conversations with you about yoga and other things. And I'm wishing you a beautiful Black History Month. Oh, if you are listening to this, and you're absolutely listening to this today, side note, I will be at the California Academy of Science tonight from six to ten. They're having their Thursday nightlife event, but this one is called Black Thursday.

Danielle Washington [00:12:56]:
Got to love Black Thursday. But they're celebrating black joy in honor of Black History Month. And I will be in the wellness corner providing kunali yoga classes or many kunali yoga sessions in partnership with Timwell Collective. And I would love to see you guys if you are listening and you come to the academy. Just shot me a note. Say, hey, I listened to your podcast. Other than that, I wish you guys well, have a beautiful rest of your week and know that you are amazing just because you exist. Ashe.

Danielle Washington [00:13:32]:
And talk to you later. Ciao.

Danielle Washington [00:13:38]:
Thanks for joining us this week on the hello well with Danielle show. Make sure to visit our website, helloellwithdanielle.com where you can subscribe to our show on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon Music and never miss an episode. Also, you can follow us on social media at hella Hella with Danielle on Facebook and Instagram and helloell with Danny on Twitter. And if you like hella hella hella.

Danielle Washington [00:14:01]:
Loved the show and got some good nuggets out of it.

Danielle Washington [00:14:03]:
Know that I'm not too proud to ask for you to please leave a rating or review on iTunes so that we can continue to expand our reach and help other women of color. Again, thanks so much for listening and I hope to see you next week. Ciao.