What We're About
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All bodies. All people. All stories.
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Yoga is a double-edged sword. On one hand, its potential benefits are boundless. It is an effective exercise for the body, combining cardiovascular activity, strengthening, and stretching. Research shows that therapeutic yoga has a positive effect on hundreds of conditions from irksome to life-threatening. Practicing yoga can create a mental shift towards positivity, emotional stability, and peace. Yogic breathing can calm the mind, help manage pain, and allow you to connect to what’s present, what’s important, what’s real. Yoga can help you to release old beliefs that are holding you back and even to connect to something beyond the self. And it might make it a little easier to get out of bed each morning. Yoga is truly miraculous in its scope and its potential for healing.
On the other hand, the way we “practice” yoga in the US cuts these benefits off from many of the people who need them most. As it has gained in popularity, the image of yoga has become a composite of stereotypes – young, bendy, thin, white women; aging hippies meditating in a field; impossibly toned bodies holding impossible poses – all dressed in coordinated, ultra-pricey gear. If you can get past the stereotypes and make it to a class, your next step is deciphering which yoga to try. The “no pain, no gain” style of yoga that dominates class rosters in the US can be a fulfilling practice for some students, but for many others it can instead foster injury, mistrust, and trauma (not to mention that it can scare many students away.) Then add that yoga is expensive, especially at a studio where you’re more likely to find the diverse kinds of classes that help you build your practice. And while it’s true that studios are expensive to run, in that they require talented teachers and specialized spaces, the studio format almost guarantees that only people of means can afford to take studio classes.
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We get this, and we’re committed to changing it.
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Into this gap, we have placed Marigold Yoga. Our reason for being is to take what is truly awe-inspiring about yoga and bring it to as many people as we can. We place extra emphasis on reaching those who feel like “yoga wasn’t made for me,” and we do our best to help them change their minds.
Our promise to you is this:
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We will offer a variety of classes, ensuring there is an appropriate class for most people. We have accessible and therapeutic yoga classes for people with injuries or chronic conditions that require modifications, and we have fast-paced, sweaty classes for people who want that level of challenge. Some classes are open to anyone who wants to try them. Some are limited to folks who belong to specific communities. We do that to make taking that leap of faith and coming to class a little less scary. We are also committed to addressing the financial aspect of accessible yoga and offer a Pay What You Can option for every class on our schedule.
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We are committed to maintaining a culture that is accessible, authentic, and approachable. As serious as the discussion above is, we think yoga is and should be fun! However, it is truly distressing to us that people who are taking steps toward improving their health are often met with insensitivity, indifference, and sometimes outright scorn at a time when they need the most support. At Marigold Yoga, you will have support from everyone here, both teachers and students. We will not tolerate anyone in our space who violates the trust we work so hard to build.
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We hire teachers that reflect our values. Our teachers excel at making yoga accessible, enjoyable, effective, and safe. If they can’t do that, they don’t teach here. We make an effort to have our population of teachers reflect our population of students. Diversity of experience, privilege, and background matters to us when we hire.
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So far, we hear you telling us that we are doing a good job for you. Check us out on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – the buzz is good. Plus, a lot of you tell us that yoga is helping you in ways you never expected…
What Are the Next Steps?​
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​Read the FAQs so you can find all the answers to the questions you may have, like what you should wear or when you should arrive.
Contact us if you have questions we haven’t answered.
We really hope to see you soon. It’s never too late to start.
Cheers,
Mindy and Jane