Together, the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): will they?
You? You
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): welcome, welcome, welcome!
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And I'm very excited for our July office hours. We have some
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): thoughtful, insightful, complex questions.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And I also feel like it's this time where there's so much happening, there's so much energy out there that it's really a precious time to come together and to get to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): just be with one another in the practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So this will be a more kind of traditional office hours time, where I'll share some questions and invite folks on the folks who wanted their names shared and wanted to maybe talk, and then we'll have some. Probably we'll see where that takes us. But we'll probably have space for other questions or other things that come up, even if you didn't submit your questions ahead of time
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): before we get into all of that, I just want to take a moment to anchor in. to connect to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): your heart. and I have my hands placed on my heart and welcome to do that in the heart of this practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Often
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): think about how it's not just
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm on my mat or
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): teaching, or on the cushion, or really embodying like really
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): kind of showing the signs of yoga. But it's in the places that I mess up. It's in the frustrations, the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): grieving the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): didn't you know? Do that quite right. It's in those moments where our practice can get really, really interesting.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): really show up for us. And so bringing that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): quality of welcoming, welcoming all the aspects of yourself.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): You don't need to be
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): a perfect student of Yoga. You don't need to be a perfect practitioner or teacher.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): In fact. it's probably going to be much more
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): helpful for students and for those around us.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the more we can get that up, and the more we can just say, Oh, wow! New thing I get to practice with. Okay.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): hmm. just welcoming all of yourself.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): all of your intention, your heart. all of your imperfections. the messiness. the playfulness.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then stretching in any way that you would like. expanding that inclusiveness of, and generosity of spirit out and right now that might mean just like around your space.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And it also could mean in your community.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It could mean expanding that generosity of spirit out to friends and family to people that are in your life co-workers. Maybe there's folks who are not ready to extend generosity of spirit to, and that's fine, too. You don't have to include them but expanding
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): welcoming that practice of imperfection
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then offering it up. And if you'd like finding some way to release it. So I'm going to do a forward full. Just feels kind of needed an appropriate with some movement so like
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I'm going to move a few times. So all of that, and then letting it go
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the last time. If you're moving. Cory, fold whatever that looks like. I think I want to fold on my desk, so, folding your arms.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): resting, or leaning forward on the chair, how are you like to do it in and full breath out.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then we'll do a couple more like this in right to your nose.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Exhale with the big sound side loud noise through your mouth.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Take a few breaths here, just back in your normal breath cycle
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): intently
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): coming back up
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and into our space. And if you would like continuing to stretch and to move shopping.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): how you're feeling in the chat. And then for those who already kind of thought about your 2 words, even just that, whatever that was like, 5 min of practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Do you feel different? I do. I actually feel different after just that. And also, I think the energy that we build when we practice together, even though we're virtual. there's some real power
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and feeling your practice in your presence.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and an invitation for folks who can it to have your cameras on, just because it's nice to see one another, and especially for office hours, is really nice to build that community feeling. And of course we understand. If you cannot have your camera on you do not need to.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And if you would like.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I want to begin.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I just yeah, it's tired, hopefully excited. I'm gonna curious, existential dread. Yes. feeling that postman apostle challenges.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. Just like all the causes and conditions, internally and externally, that are there and that we can bring our practice to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): imperfectly support us with. Yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I leave sadness. Yes.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So you have a few questions today. And first, I'd love to see Anna. I think you're here. Your question about the intersection of
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and the context of as a white person. I sometimes find myself a good intentions, trying to cultivate the Amazon Yamas can see it easily bordering on spiritual bypassing or white Saviorism, especially in my career as a mental health professional, and that you're happy to provide specific examples. I think this is a a question that a lot of us
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): regardless of our identity, can connect to and in the places where we have privilege. I love that you're asking like, how do we still care
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): without?
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): How do we practice these spiritual tools without bypassing. So, Anna, would you like to share?
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): See you microphone?
Anna: Unmute Anna, please. So sorry I had my baby crying a little bit ago.
Anna: yes, but so I'm trying to think about where I was. when I wrote that I wrote it about a month ago, and I don't think it went through quite in time for our office hours last month. but
Anna: so
Anna: I as a mental health professional, I was an art therapist before I had kids
Anna: at the start of the pandemic and ended up being, you know, a stay at home, mom? And so I'm kind of intentionally thinking about getting back into my career, whether it's art therapy or
Anna: as a yoga teacher or I'm really passionate about passionate about accessibility. so perhaps opening a space where both of those services would be accessible to anybody, regardless of
Anna: whether your insurance will cover something like art therapy, or you know
Anna: something about all of these things about
Anna: with the toy over here.
Anna: I I'm thinking about how to do that with care for others and providing accessibility.
Anna: without it being like
Anna: I don't know. I kind of have a bad taste in my mouth for charity right now. Because I feel like it can often come off as white Saviorism, and end up feeling very inaccessible for the people that I would like it to be accessible to.
Anna: So yeah, I think that's kind of where I was when I was writing that last month, just being intentional. And how I approach these things. And
Anna: you know, I'm reflecting on things that I did as an art therapist, or things that I didn't do that would have been harmful.
Anna: I'm trying to
Anna: go forward
Anna: in a more
Anna: helpful way and keeping Aheimer in mind.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, I really just appreciate your thoughtfulness. And also just including your baby and there sounds, and you know, like the that.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that part of what it is to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): like move into work as well as the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you're giving right. And that's a lot, too.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): when I read your question that I'm really glad you
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): 2, because I was thinking about how like
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): there's a way that if I've gone through something hard, then it can be.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I get to be the one to be like that was my teacher. But that's something I learned from. But when someone else tells me like I broke my wrist right I in October, and it's literally the day I was there. I didn't even know it was broken yet someone came up, and it was like, let me give you the affirmation or the thing that you need to like. Slow down and do it. It's like
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we I I don't want the lesson like I'm not. I don't want the lesson yet, like I don't that I'm in the pain like I'm not even in. I'm don't even know what's wrong, right? And so I think of that with people
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as that we guide as therapist, or, as you know, we'll get teachers, or just even as friends is. Maybe
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): they don't want the lesson, and that's where we bypass. They just want to be listened to, and where we can practice, say, prior to about an hour, or those things is in a listening. It's tricky, though, if someone literally is coming to you as a therapist, right and as a as or a friend says, I want your advice. as a yoga teacher, whatever. And so in those cases.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And again, I'm no, I'm not a therapist. I'm not trained as a therapist, so you could probably enlighten us and and any other therapist as well. But as a yoga teacher, the which I take is, I share what what I have learned, or what you know has worked for me or my own stories without, and I usually say.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you know, when you may not be ready like, I said at the beginning, like you may not be ready to include everyone in the in the like, accepting their imperfections like there may be, and so giving that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that bigger context around spiritual practice, and like good intentions and helping people.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and we still might mess up.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we still might project our experience. We still, you know, and and with offering, like what you're saying, like accessible
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): part
Anna: from my experience, a lot of what I hear from my friends and colleagues is like. Yoga is not accessible because of the price. Therapy is not accessible because of the price. And so
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I actually think it's really needed. And maybe there's a way to
Anna: frame it where it's like fighting scale. And there's a very
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): honoring process by which someone you know they don't have to justify or explain that they can select in, or you could do it where they you know you. It takes a little front work like work on the front end for you to set up. So someone understands that. And maybe we can crowdsource if folks know good examples of like scale pricing. So folks know where
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): they can slot themselves in terms of the pricing. But that could be really empowering. Right? So someone is like I need this.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I can pay at this level whether it's, you know, 10 bucks per session or 50, and then someone else to pay 200 right and so.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and they then learn and know.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and can access and then the other part is the one that I always have, which is what organizations are already doing the work with the communities that you want to serve? And how can you connect with those works, you know, and see where you can fit in and build a relationship right? That was that was kind of my follow up question, was I? I don't know if anyone in here is living in the Kansas City area.
Anna: I kind of started my career in Virginia, and I came here.
Anna: and I'm not yet seeing what
Anna: what I am looking for. But maybe it already exist here. If anyone knows.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's a great question. Okay, yeah. So I'm looking
Anna: Kansas City. I don't know
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): personally, but I think if anyone does, let's share that sliding scale. Gosh, someone just shared a really good example. Now, I can't remember where
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I can find it lower while we're thinking. And then I'm gonna just pause and not talk and see if anyone else has insights to share on this
Anna: nice, I'm going to read it out, because for folks watching the recording, I don't know if they can always see the chat. Camille says one thing and it touched on. I've been thinking about a lot is accessibility
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and ensure that entering that we get paid. Yes, I think about even sliding skills, a model which is so beautiful. But often people may really be able to benefit from these practices and don't have any money to spare. Yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I think there is a way to serve folks by saying, no one turned away for a lack of funds, right like, or apply for a full, you know, full
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): scholarship here.
Anna: okay.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. And then Stacy offered
Anna: questions.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yes. How would you like the convert to go noticing you were hurt and waiting, offering assistance of your choice if needed.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Sometimes I get stuck as a helper and don't want to overstep. Do you want to be of service when I see someone in pain? Yeah, yeah, that's great.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): let me share my screen. And I can share this. This is from my teacher training 300 h.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so an example, this is a sliding scale example. This was for a submit. So bigger kind of thing. hey? Because you can, general cost pay what you can so pay anything right? So pay any amount and then forward. So those folks who have resources
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and And then the other thing I do is I
Anna: personally do a lot of
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): deciding ahead of time.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): How
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): like have my my practice, my teaching practice be sustainable? We have, like, for, say, one individual.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): a quarter of full scholarship, a quarter, half scholarship, and then half full pay. Right? So that might look like 20 people.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): This is right. Yeah, 5 are free. 5 pay
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): $10 and 5 pay no. 10 paid $20 right? So for like a workshop or a class
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): does that make sense? And then that way.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It's sort of set up based on my values, starting with my values. And then I'm it's not awkward or weird. It's like, if we fill the scholarship spots. Then we have the half scholarship left, and we have the full pay left.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and this worked really well. I actually did this for a program that I will share with you in a second, and then here, and I'll share this document with you all. But
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Is this sample description
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): right. For when you explain scholarships, I think it's helpful to give people context and who it's for, and why, and also like depending on who you are, right, like we ourselves are a small business with limited resources. So we offer a set number of partial scholarships right? and then there's some other stuff. But let me stop sharing and see. Is that helpful to see?
Anna: I had to mute myself again. Yeah.
Anna: yeah, because I think that's, you know, part of like
Anna: part of what I'm dealing with. there are all the logistics around it. I think a lot of us deal with that, too. Like
Anna: how? Yeah, how and what? And then someone else in the chat brought up the point like, then how do people get paid
Anna: a living wage?
Anna: yeah, that's
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's why I think it makes sense to start with your values and actually think about how much do you need to make for a particular program like, again, I just drafted the program example. This is now, I think, 2 years ago we did this. But I think this is a really great example. So I was running a one off program
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): actually, 3 years ago. It's 2020. we. We're running a program for South Asians. It's a 6 week series, right? And I did it with 3 other people. I knew I wanted to make a thousand dollars for this program for my time, and ideally closer to 2,000 right for a 6 week, 3 h every week, plus all the planning, right? So it was a lot of work and
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and we also wanted to create accessibility. And we had our values. So you know how we talk about a lot, sometimes about reparations and like how we're giving back. We wanted to get back to 15 of the proceeds to go to these 2 organizations, the quality labs doing caste equity work and now doing work for
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): supporting like black collaboration. So we did all that, and then we offered a spot for folks to sponsor scholarship. So we actually got all. It was amazing in this particular program, because we got all of the full scholarships we're funded by people who donated. And so when you go to apply now. And I'm just making sure you can still see this. Right?
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, so. And then I shared the link with you, because you can literally
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): take this as an example and then use it right? So we had an application, and then we had
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): considerations for applying for a scholarship, and it was all very clear. Right? Like, I need the 50%.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I need a full. I don't need a scholarship
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): depending on the context. You can ask this question or not. Right? You don't need to ask people to justify why we asked just in case we had more applicants. But luckily we had like these, it just worked out but here.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So when you click on it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it has considerations for applying. And so this helps people decide like, is this for me. Right these are.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Are these things, too, for me? And then, if you
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): on your home benefit right from all these things, then maybe consider not applying for the scholarship. So And then we put where this came from, and and so this
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is something I do with the teacher trainings that I run? So I see people in the waiting teacher trainings as well as pretty much any program that I run. I use that I do scholarships. I do some form of application, and then a percentage. And so if you start with
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): how much you want to make
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for like, say you want, and you have space for 10 clients right a month. And then of those 10 clients
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I don't. What's an average amount that folks pay for therapy, I mean my world. It's like somewhere between 100, 200, like, if we're paying full pay.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): does that sound right?
Anna: Yeah, for our therapy? Probably a little bit different. but
Anna: yeah, because in most states, our therapy isn't license, so we don't often
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): does that mean less than a hundred to 200, so so we could say 85 or 65
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): something like that. So then, maybe of your 10 clients you want 5 at full pay for at full pay, and the other you can do re half like.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So then, like reduce cost, or you know, when you've got 2 full right? So just that way, we're not constantly being pulled by like, oh, I really want to help. But we've set our values. We know our books, and we know how many people we can take, and this can be transferred to one on one, you know, if you're teaching you the one on one or also classes or workshops. Right? When I read teacher trainings.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we intentionally hold a big space
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because we want to bring in a lot of people on scholarships. And so we do. Usually somewhere around. 40 of our students are are on some form of scholarship that's really high, most teacher trainings. It's like one scholarship spot or 2 scholarships. But we're like.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you know, 30 people, something like that. And so but that's at the scale that we're at, because we're trying to impact a whole industry. When I did this.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I taught 8 people in my backyard. Of those 8 people, 2 to 3 were on scholarship right, and 5 were full pay.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So it's it's really setting your kind of like what your values are. And then making your choice based on your values, and then actually doing percentages. Does that help?
Anna: Yeah, it really does. yeah, I think it's just good for me to start thinking about
Anna: the logistics of it. Like I said, anyway, because, yeah, I think I have the intention. And then I get in my head about
Anna: I don't. I think I've mentioned in here before about the perfectionism about like
Anna: I don't want to hurt anybody, and that becomes it turns into perfectionism around like I'm just not gonna do it then, because I don't
Anna: want to do it wrong.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah. And I think there's something really
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): useful about that. I don't want to hurt anybody to allow us to be thoughtful and to check in with friends, with community members with, you know, other other folks like. Maybe there's
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I think we've had space where you can find accountability right like maybe here there could be someone like I'd love to think about this with you, and you can DM
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in the Zoom chat and connect
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for me. That's where it really helps is to have some of the bounce ideas off of, and then to still move ahead, because for the people who you can offer the full pay, the part pay, and even the the free services, who want that.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It's going to be really impactful. It's kind of really benefit them. And for the people who that feels saturistic, they're not gonna come to you right? Maybe they'll come and they'll be like that like they take their first session that they're like, that's not for me. And that's okay. Like we're not. We're not gonna serve everyone, not everyone loves all of us right as well as the teacher for everyone. And that so yeah, I am keeping in mind like
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I get asked almost every week by people for accessible Yoga for me, but like people are looking for what you have to offer, and not, you know you, Anna, but also you like everyone here who's thinking about the program or an offering like people really need it. They're hungry for it and
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): doing whatever aligns with your values. To try to make it accessible, I think is is.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it's just so needed. Yeah.
Anna: thank you. And then I'm looking at
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Nope.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I love the invitation from for folks to donate and support others from a place of generosity. Yes, done.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Bonnie. I ran the scholarship program for one of the nonprofits, and it was so hard to get people to recognize when not to apply for scholarships. Yeah, I love that. It's just out there. Clearly, it's been delinated, and I think I have an updated one. Let me find the updated one.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): The other thing I did want to say is,
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): again. This will depend for you all on yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then, please, like just like I did with little red birds.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Please feel free to take this or any part of it, model it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): turn it into like, copy it and make your own using the same language. I just ask that you credit. You know where it came from, like I did with little Red Bird at the bottom, because
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): this is so useful. it's it's helpful for for all of us, I think. to be able to kind of crowdsource what our best practices are.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and You'll see in the new one I just shared. It's got a lot more information, kind of more details. this is about the ytt. And then it has in there
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): again an opportunity to donate right? So for everyone who goes through, you can kind of make that assessment. And I just did this because I took an embodied Social justice program myself. Right? And I looked at. They had different tiers. They had 3 tiers, and they had a donation tier, and I got to go through as a participant and be like, oh, do I fit here? Do I fit here? Do I fit here, and then
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): choose to pay in at what made sense based on their description. So really don't do just what my description is, Taylor for you, because yours might be different, right? Like it had different considerations.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So the really other important thing that I found
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): over the years that I've been doing this sliding scale, and you know
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): free has not always worked well for either party completely free.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I feel like there has to be some level of investment that's appropriate for where someone is. So even if it's, say, $5 a month for a teacher training when other people are paying hundreds of dollars.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Some form of appropriate
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): energy exchange has been helpful, because when I've done completely free.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): it somehow hasn't quite worked out where, like those folks drop out or don't attend or even sometimes, like later, get really upset with the program for some reason.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I'm not entirely sure why this is. maybe other folks have insight into this. Guys have some heads nodding, but something around an appropriate exchange has worked better. and so we do. Very low.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): exchanges now. But we don't.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I don't think we've done free for about 2 years. year and a half.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): You haven't.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): okay, thank you. And I'm gonna move to the next question. It's so much here. But I hope this is helpful for other folks, too.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Laura is every asen as sacred. As I understand it, many of the poses we do in Vinyasa classes are taken from turn of the century gymnastics, and we're included specifically to engage white women. Okay? so yeah, let's talk a little. Yoga history. This is a a great question. Let me just And I think
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): this is in one of your bonuses this timeline. So. But I'm just gonna pull it up.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So there's all this history of Yoga, right from the Vedic period to the classical period to the early medieval period. late medieval with all the different, the Punishad forbidas, the the different, you know Yoga features, and then, in the early modern period we have, because the reason I'm bringing up history is is
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): We can't really answer this without talking about colonization, right? Because in 1757, the British East India Company set up
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): economic rule essentially in in India.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then the British Raj came
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): a couple like maybe a hundred or so years after that. And then there was political, social, cultural, and economic
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): oppression of Indians in India by the British, and during that time in many parts of India.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yoga was outlined under British law
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and indigenous ways of living. Practicing like you've been here to were banned or just put down, or, you know, became known as
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): inferior. And because of that right, there's all of this
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that goes along with that type of
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): living under that level of oppression and that level of dehumanization. And so for a lot of Indian men particularly, and stop sharing the offices so that it goes all the way to there and to us in this moment.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): There was a level of
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): emasculation particularly. And feminization right? This is problematic, too, because it's like the feminine isn't inferior, but
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that occurred for the Indian body in particular, the Indian male body, and so Indians themselves, in order to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the the Independence movement, although independence came in the forties in the 19 forties. It's it had been brewing and at work and simmering for the entire time that there was colonial rule and even economic, cool. And part of that resurgence was a reclaiming of in the Indian body, as powerful as Indian practices, like Yoga, like our Beta as not just
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): healing, but but
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): bringing of self, will, dominance, power right? And so Yoga became one of those vehicles.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and definitely there was. There was intersection of, you know, Western, like German, particularly gymnastics and other physical practices.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): With this research, instead of of Indian independence. And so it was in it was a mix of all of those things, plus the spiritual foundation which sometimes was more emphasized and sometimes it's less emphasized, depending on the situation. So essentially, Yoga became a tool of war, right like, if you really want to be
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): clear about what was happening there with us. And it became more in the foreground
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): war that for some people was violent and militant, and were that for others was nonviolent. And all of that context is how we got to where we are with modern Austin, and that often doesn't really get talked about. So from the perspective of the earlier practices. And we looked at like the Vedas and punish that Yoga was always spiritual.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and even for, like Gandhi and the other, you know, folks who are practicing as or practicing Yoga as a nonviolent tool for social change. It was always spiritual, including Asana, was a way of purifying the body
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): in mind.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): so one could achieve self rule, and therefore also political self rule and remove the British.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Were there people who practiced
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): secularly? Yes, I think there's probably always been people who practice secular for many years, and definitely during that time. I don't think it was focused on white women specifically not then. But when Yoga came to the Us
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): with
with
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Where is it here? Why is it not here? I need to add it in. So it's for me. Back. And they came to the Parliament of World religions. What was? I think it was like 1890.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Something someone can tell me. But it was late. 18 hundreds and we know it's perhaps the Uganda was in the Parliament of World religions.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): She's really not in here. It's not I need to add. So
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): at that time
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the people who were most open to learning. Yoga were in general white folks and and white women, and then he moved over to the You to the west coast, because the east coast was a bit more kind of uptight and not as open.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And again, here in La, you know, the self realization fellowship isn't not far from where I am.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It was a lot of that merging of
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hollywood culture, body focus culture, and then spiritual teachings. And the people who are open to that. And so there became more physically focused. Yeah, But
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): the teachers themselves were never teaching Yoga separate from spirituality, including the physical practice. So I think that's been something we've done in the West more than like what the intention was. yes, Bonnie says, you guys that has an episode on this right to deconstruct a promot to genesis. I actually think of that claim
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as a claim coming from a white centering perspective. I just want to like to be really clear.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): like I don't. Yes, of course. Indians looked at what other militaristic, you know folks were doing, and what symbolized power and brought it in.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But I don't think that that means that you is the way it is because just because of Western, you know culture, it's it's all of these complex things.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, I'm looking. thank you.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm gonna add that in okay,
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm gonna pause there and see if you had any comments or questions on that. Laura.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): okay. all right.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Feel like I talked a lot about that. So we can. So I think the answer is.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): most of the teachers I've ever looked. All of the teachers I've ever learned from.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): say, as in itself, as a spiritual practice. And
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): my main teacher, Shankar, do you also acknowledges that someone could be an atheist and still practice Asana and Yoga and focus it towards critical thinking, and, you know, clarifying their mind and being a better person.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and still be a a a wonderful practitioner. So I do think there is. It doesn't have to be spiritual.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): but that much of the intention has been for it to be spiritual.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, look at the history makes me think about the world traditions and the role of teachers passing down teachings. Yes, which we all are right. Those of us that that share about our practice in various ways. we're doing that, too.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): okay, great. We have a question. Anonymous question the focus of in Ycc is around care and kindness, which seems broader and more proactive than the definition of a, he said, as non violence.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Can you talk a bit about if or how you think it differently about these concepts, nonviolence and care and kindness, and the context of a hem. So yes,
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And I love for folks to time in your thoughts on that right like. Is there a difference for you between not harming.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): How do you think about the difference between not harming and then care and kindness, and even further interrupting harm? Right? So there's kind of like these levels or circles expanding, supposed to practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): So for me, not harm is that kind of foundational like I'm going to try to not harm
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as much as possible and not Herming is still focused on the negative.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And so for me, it's just helpful to. And I've seen many translations of that, he said, as love right. It's love in action. And I think that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): with the also the foundation of the Indian Independence movement was a kind of respect and love for oneself to say, I'm not inferior, and also respect and love
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for the oppressor, and say like, when you understand that we are the same, and we're interconnected, you will not be able to oppress us, and we want you to leave retaining your dignity.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): That kind of love is a spiritual love, right? It's it's only possible, I think, when you're practicing active love, not just not harming, not harming, would be like leave. We're not going to kill you, but get out. But
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): But he said, in that context was beyond right, beyond that.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and then
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and an interacting harm is the call of a him to as
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): as social justice, as a way to move beyond, like into service beyond just beyond just a personal or interpersonal thing, but structural, to try to interrupt systems that are causing harm.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): remembering that this is all aspirational right. So even for those of us here that might decide to be, say vegetarian, because we don't want to, or Vegan, because we don't want to contribute to killing animals.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): That's wonderful. And we're still harming
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): thousands countless bugs right? Who might die in that, in the processing of the vegetables and fruits that in grains that we might eat. And so there! There's no way to back full circle to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): unpacking perfectionism. There's it's not that we're going to do this perfectly. but we're moving in that direction of what for me and body's active love.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Hmm.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Rachel, I love this African American theologian, Howard Thurman and Gandhi talked about a hemeat as rooting out the causes of harm, not just the absence of injury. Yes.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah, it's so powerful to see. And I think a lot of the lesser known talks of Martin Luther King.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): like just a talk on loving your enemies. you can find a lot of the talks online
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for free. take some of the theory that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): he learned through Baird, rest in through Gandhi through other nonviolent social teams.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): creators in India and then have moved into like civil rights
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): discourse. so that's really cool.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Okay? And then
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Beth.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): okay? And then I think it's our last question that came through. And then we can open up my one. I know I talk a lot today like discussions have gone really in depth. that I work for an organization that teaches trauma and more nyoga to underrepresented communities in the trauma and for model, we were told to avoid using Sanskrit terms, because it's not inclusive when others don't understand it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): There are other ways as well that trauma informed Yoga is more clinical than liberating. How could I best find the balance between honoring the roots of Yoga and being sensitive to the needs of those who have experienced trauma when introducing them to Yoga.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, I'm really glad you asked that. I think that we as a group circle back to this question, because
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): there are schools of that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): who have taught that in their schools, historically, like the trauma center.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that big one is like tc, why, something the trauma centered training for embodiment, something like that.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Their big school they in the last few years have updated to say, include
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Sanskrit. But do it scaffold it right? Just so we would scaffold any new knowledge
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is, for example, like we're going to do a practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that is cultivating kindness. The word that is used in Sanskrit, for this is a him that means not harm. It can also mean love right? And then we're going to do a Yoga practice. Now that connects us to ways. We can feel kindness in our own bodies. And so it's scaffold. It's defined. It's explained. The context has been brought in.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I think from for me. My understanding is we've moved away from say, we have to pull sounds good out, because also like. is that really trauma informed? Or is that just underestimating that it's teaching? that said, if you're in an environment where you know you're not allowed, or legally, you know, there are some folks who teach in schools or faith, based communities where they
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): actually ban the use of sounds. Good my approach. And again, this is also through the blessing of my teacher if you do what's necessary to teach Yoga by whatever name you know like. So if you never get to use the Sanskrit word.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's just teach Yoga. We teach the tools and mindfulness of care, of love, of, you know, self autonomy. So I think so much of it is to where we are. And Beth, I wanna hear if you have anything to add.
Beth Nelson (she,her): Yes, thank you. yeah, because it it also ties into some of the other questions that were asked. Because
Beth Nelson (she,her): we, the organization that I work with, we provide fee for service, Yoga. So no one is paying, and many are
Beth Nelson (she,her): forced to be there because of their therapy.
Beth Nelson (she,her): or you know, it's part of their, you know whether it's for substance, abuse, or or mental health issues. And so there's that
Beth Nelson (she,her): I I there's a reluctance on the teachers to turn them, you know, like they want to. They want to reach them in some way.
Beth Nelson (she,her): and I think that's the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): reluctance to to bring in Sanskrit because it opens up so much.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): You know, you're in a recovery program, or like to keep your kids. You gotta go to the like. That is terrible. And also
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I've been in those circumstances and taught as a Yoga teacher, and as a, you know, other like a teacher teacher. And what I do in those circumstances, and my students really don't want to be there. They're kind of mixed in their motivations, including some of them, are are forced.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): they say, Hey, I have some tools that I'd love to share with you, and this is these are tools that have helped me. Depending on the context. I might share some of my story.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): just to further draw this out. So they understand. Like, I'm not standing above them, or think I'm better than them might be around like, because I have various stories right like recovering from traumas being a survivor of different things, and an immigrant
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): dealing with addiction right or being in recovery. So I might share, not the
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): whole like 10 chapters, but just hey, please really help me when I was struggling with with this? And
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): would you want to try right? Or I'm gonna offer these things you can engage in these ways. And then that way, there's a bit more of a perhaps a buy in where they understand that you're I'm delivering, or you're delivering the teaching, because it's part of this
Beth Nelson (she,her): structure that they're in. But you're trying to do it in a way that says empowering as possible. Yeah, it. I mean, it's complicated, because many benefit and make fun.
Beth Nelson (she,her): or, you know, try to pull, pull those who want to participate out by making fun of them. And oh, you look stupid in that pose, or, you know. So it becomes really complicated. We just met and talked a little bit about that.
Beth Nelson (she,her): a. And yeah, I I when I was doing a little bit more research, I I I can't remember the name of either of the organization, because there's a difference between trauma, sensitive and trauma informed
Beth Nelson (she,her): Yoga. And I think it's the trauma informed that has a a more broader understanding of
Beth Nelson (she,her): bringing in Sanskrit and and other.
Beth Nelson (she,her): Yeah, that's
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah. Thank you. Beth, yeah, thank you. And anyone else, anything else on your mind.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I want to ask us something or share something
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): that's real.
rachel@yogasong.net: Hi, Hi, I'm happy to be here. I just wanted to speak to Beth. and and I've been in many situations like that teaching, and I often start similar to what Susannah said about recognizing this is a practice that deserves to be respected.
rachel@yogasong.net: there are. There are things here that may support you. Take what you like, leave what you don't Do your best to be respectful for those who wish to partake, and if you're if you're not interested, I would just ask that you do your best to not be a distraction to those who are, and that's sort of
rachel@yogasong.net: puts a little bit of a nips that in the butt before it becomes an issue, if that's helpful.
Beth Nelson (she,her): Thank you. Yes, thank you. It is very helpful. I appreciate it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Yeah, thank you. And then I also think about
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you know, there's some class like some environments where, like folks sitting
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): around the edges of the room and doing each other's hair has been the yoga. You know what I mean like where
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): we're not doing traditional poses or shapes, but people connecting and getting to be in a safe space for an hour. Again. It it's so environment-specific and contact specific and student specific. And then the other thing I try to do is
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): if there is this often like the kind of class clown with disruptor or ringleaders, you know. I'll try to form a connection with them.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): maybe before after, just like something where we're kinda like, hey, how can we be on the same page? And then, once that's established, and it sometimes takes a little extra energy, and because it's not attention and care in various ways, right? Often not always. But it's like the thing for children. Is it a cry for help or for love. And we're just big kids. So it's the same often for us, you know. And this is why I think that he says so foundational
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): is, it offers help and love? Right? So what do they need? And maybe it's just like to be seen to be heard. And then, once we're kind of like connected a bit. they're not so disruptive in the whole group. Those are just some things that help me. What I was teaching, particularly like
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): young folks. groups of him. Crooks.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): anything else?
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I love that my says, I was taught to use the sense of it to us and it for kids classes, because corpse, those sounds scary. Yeah, it does right.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And I think we could say, relaxation pose, resting pose. You know.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): if we're using English to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): anything else.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Anything you're taking out taking away
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): from our anything that's like. Oh, that anchored.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and for me it's where we started with embracing and perfection and the the moments of doubt we're messing up or unsureness are like.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yes, like I get to practice.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): It' be taking that with me this week.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yes.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I'm so glad. And then you all I wanted to mention you all may have gotten an email from me. I think you probably did about Yo Yoga, which is a new initiative that we're working on to ultimately connect
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): teachers like us with students who need us, or maybe haven't even thought that they could do yoga. And so, if you know, anyone that would be like would know, because I'm not a tech person, but doing a tech project. So if you know, with any like, you'll get in tech or just tech people who'd be interested,
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): or have ideas we'd love for you to, or just have things you would want. Right? Like as we're, we're gonna be building the site over, or it's an app over the next
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): about 6, 8 months, if you're like, Hey, this would really work for me. I would love this. Please reach out to us, and you can. You can do that. at. I think we said the hello at yes, I know I'm really I I feel like it's what we needed.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): but we haven't had. So I'm excited that we to be building it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): yes.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I think I will drop the link just so you can check it out.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): I like to
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): practice letting folks folks know what's going on right? Because that's kind of going on on the side. And then the other thing that's happening is, some of you all are cycling around to ending your time in a yoga class curator, and so you'll get information for us on
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): on the Yoga side of the pathway that it's just your opportunity to to reflect on this experience. And then, if you decide, we don't because of consent, we don't like a lot of things. We enroll you. We do not re-enroll you. So if you choose that you want to come to again and continue to be part of the community in this way, and our live classes, plus some, we have some special stuff that would be just for alumni.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): you'll get information on that. So just letting, you know. But you have till the end of August. So you have a whole extra month for those who've already been there for those who just join. Yeah, you still have your whole time, and don't worry about it.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): thank you so much to me on it. Oh, what kind of help am I looking for, Bonnie? Honestly. right now we're open to any ideas
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because I have been applying for grants, for through this last year from 2,022, and I haven't gotten anything. And I think it's because
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): for various reasons, right? But so any connections to tech folks who may understand how to move in the tech world
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): grants funding like, for example. organizations that might have resources that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): what they can to be the hero in making Yoga accessible right for like. So where it's kind of gonna be a win win But we really need funds. And people who are excited about this type of project and wanna contribute to it in whatever way it makes sense. And once we get funding there'll be paid opportunities. And I think hopefully, a lot of them that's the aim is to really make like continue to uplift our profession. And
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): but right now it's all it's all just kind of like Diy until we get funding. So those are the particular things that we're looking for
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): does access to. How do we link you to resources. Yes, through email. The hello at would be great below at ignite as well
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): And then so
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): donna as does access to past content, or they know, because you'll go. Curator is intended to be kind of like a subscription right where, when you're in you, you have everything when you're not in, it's done. you'll always get an extra month. So you do get that extra month, but
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): because it's such a low price relatively, I mean, I know it's not for some, but for what we do here, you know, $50 or $49 a month for 2 live classes, plus all the recordings, plus all the bonuses. so one, so that the the access to past content ends unless you we enroll, and if you re and all you get all of the modules, plus all the extra things that
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): at that add in anything bonuses all the live stuff. So just to make sure that's clear. Yeah.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Oh, nice, bonnie yay, that's so cool. It's very exciting.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): Thank you so much, all of you, for your practice and your presence.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): and I'd love to just invite us to close with a breath, or 3,
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): perhaps, with your hands on your heart.
Thank you.
Susanna Barkataki (she/her): We can unmute and say goodbye, and I'll see you all soon.
Cleo - Turtle Island: Thank you bye.