About Me

“Why” I teach donation based/ pay what you can -3 min read-

Something I don’t often talk about, when I was a kid we didn’t have much money, there were times that we needed food assistance, lots of hand me downs from family and friends, there were years of sharing rooms, making spaces into “rooms” in a two bedroom apartment with 4+ people, temple donations for the holidays, and ect.

I was first offered yoga at Hebrew School, and I loved it. There were so many classes that ended in tears, and such a strong feeling of release. For that hour or so, everything else melted away, and it was just me, my breath, my body.

I worked all through high school, saving up as much as I could before I knew I’d be on my own. My oldest sister, who I always looked up to started taking me to yoga classes at the local studio, I was almost always the youngest there, I felt so nervous, self conscious, and like I didn’t belong. But once the lights were dimmed and I shut my eyes, that all faded away, and I felt we were all one. All ages, all humans breathing together as one. The breath as a collective was the first real healing. I felt like I didn’t really fit in with the community I grew up in, and couldn’t wait to move away- but in those moments we didn’t feel that different at all. I started to understand the many things we all share instead of the things that separate us.

In my early adulthood I worked three jobs to pay for rent and college- truly hustling and living the no days off life, until I simply no longer could. I crashed. I dropped out of school, went down to one job, and purchased my first year of unlimited yoga. $700 at the time- which felt so irresponsible and undeserved. I kept telling myself if I go twice a day everyday the money would be worth it.

For the next couple of years I went to yoga classes as often as possible. So many tears and so much release. I was feeling stronger and more capable. I joined the free book clubs and discussion groups, and felt truly inspired. As the years went by the prices went up, and I simply couldn’t afford it. My practice took a long pause, And it brought up a lot of anger and resentment to our society and just money in general, it again made me feel unworthy. I would occasionally hear about a free or a donation based yoga class and drop everything to be there.

Soon this shifted into my own personal practice- at first I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I just kept trying to remember things I enjoyed in yoga classes and do what made my body feel good.

Fast forward to 2020, I had the opportunity to apply for a scholarship to take a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training. Even with the scholarship I still needed to work out a payment plan for it to be doable. Throughout my training the thought kept repeating, yoga is for everyone.

I was working with low income families in Detroit, and as I sat with these humans, and heard their struggles and needs, I wished that they could have yoga as a safe and healing space as I did. But when you can barely put food on the table, yoga seems like such a luxury.

As I started offering my own classes I had to really sit down with myself and make some important decisions. As I invest my money and time in trainings and workshops to be the best teacher I can be, I need to be able to make the money I need to support myself. But at the same time, it is so important to me that this practice is accessible to everyone.

I made the decision to take a chance, and offer what my heart and gut were telling me, my donation based classes. I have been so pleasantly surprised, there are times that people make a small or no donation at all, and there have been times that people that don’t even join the class have made donations for those that can’t! So far since I’ve started, I’ve been able to make enough for myself, and even make some donations to other people in need!

I feel so grateful to have the life experience and the understanding that’s come with it, and to be able to offer something that made such a significant difference in my own life. I look forward to many more classes and offerings to come as I grow as a teacher.