018: Accessible Yoga with Sarah Helt
There has been a growing movement focused on making yoga accessible to all that has caught Shannon’s attention. On today’s episode Shannon has invited Sarah Helt, an Ambassador from the Accessible Yoga organization, to share her insight on this topic. Sarah speaks with great thoughtfulness about what led her to teach yoga with a concentration on accessibility, on how to make yoga classes more available to those with disabilities, and the upcoming Accessible Yoga Conference.
Sarah was introduced to working with persons with disabilities through an apprenticeship program with senior Iyengar teacher Gabriel Halpern. This work became a great source of inspiration and led to her creation of NeuroYoga; an accessible style of teaching yoga and meditation geared toward persons with disabilities relating to the spinal cord and nervous system.
Sarah Helt is the Lead Teacher of Hot 8 Yoga, the Director of Communications and Marketing for Accessible Yoga along with her role as an Ambassador.
4:25 Shannon’s reflections on making yoga accessible to all
13:30 What to expect at The Accessible Yoga Conference
15:50 What led Sarah to practice yoga and become involved in Accessible Yoga organization
18:15 How Sarah began to notice a link between yoga and pain management
18:55 How Sarah found her niche, her “soul work”
20:35 Sarah reflects on the journey leading to her to work with persons with disabilities and if looking back there’s anything she would do differently
22:15 On not letting fear hold you back from modifying poses for those with disabilities and on taking your time to build your successes
23:55 On why there’s a separate conference for accessible yoga
26:55 Yoga Accessibility Conference resource guide points to how meticulously those with disabilities have to plan to move in the world
29:30 Sarah sums up the Accessible Yoga Conference
30:40 What Sarah would like yoga teachers to incorporate into their classes to make them more accessible?
33:30 Sarah’s involvement in the Accessible Yoga Conference and how to get in touch with the organization
34:40 About the Accessible Yoga Ambassador program
38:10 Shannon’s closing thoughts and key takeaways- when are teachers ready to teach one-on-one and how to make yoga classes more accessible
Links
Accessible Yoga Email: info@accessibleyoga.org
Sarah Helt’s Email: sarah@accessibleyoga.org
Accessible Yoga Conference in Toronto June 22nd- 24th
The Connected Teacher Facebook Group
Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube
Book a Consultation Call with Shannon
Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training
Mama Nurture Teacher Training (RPYT)
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes
“I think it’s really unfair that marginalized persons, such as those with disabilities, have to shoulder the burden to make society accept them.” ~Sarah Helt
“Unification will serve our world, as a whole.”
~Sarah Helt