Rachel Storck is a bombshell of a Yoga Babe. Beautiful, strong, and so very sweet. She’s been on our team of Karma cleaners this past summer and she’s been such a delight to have as part of our Poser family. She will be leaving for the winter, and our fingers are crossed that she returns next summer! Please take a moment to read her story. It’s touching, honest, and thoughtful. She truly IS a badass, in the best of ways! Thank you for sharing a little part of yourself, Rachel. Your story will inspire others, in ways you might never know. xx

Why Yoga? 
My journey to Yoga has not been especially exciting. I was interested in learning a new craft, some physical fitness, and a way to quiet my thoughts and mind. Also, I just thought it’d be badass to be able to do some of these poses. Have ya’ll seen some of these?! Seriously. DAMN. I have been practicing when I have time (on and off) for a few years now, sometimes Youtube-lead home practice and sometimes at a class. What I really want to share is a much more recent experience of what Yoga has done for me.

I am an intelligent person. I am resourceful and capable and giving and amazing. I love to celebrate the joys and strengths of being a woman and all the inspiring women around me. I like to laugh in the face of culturally constructed beauty standards telling me how to be my most beautiful self. Despite all of this, a parasite of negativity wormed its way into how I felt about myself, about my body. I kept focusing on what was wrong with my body- getting chubby in my stomach and thighs. It just continued to bother me. The worst part was that my intelligence and fiercely feminist beliefs were still in place, telling me that my size did not matter; however, I just couldn’t bring myself to feel that way. The gap between what I had always thought and what I actually felt was distressing me. If I truly believed that my body was worthy of love, then why did I frown every time I looked down? And believe me, my divine spark was telling me how fabulous I was, I just didn’t quite fully believe it. It’s a hard thing when your brain and heart are contradicting each other.

I was doing Yoga before this happened. And so I continued to do Yoga- if anything is supposed to help this, it’s Yoga right? I went to class. And another class. Another. Etc. And for a long time, nothing changed. It took a lot classes and a lot of work mentally before I started believing in the goodness of my body again. But I did! Yoga did that for me. Yoga gave me the opportunity to take time to just be with my body without insane beauty standards. I got to feel the strength in my thighs right there under my hands in a seated pose or working to hold me in a warrior pose. I got to reacquaint myself with my tummy- oh yeah, she’s there, but guess what she works hard too! Every class was a small reminder that taking the time to be there was an act of kindness to myself and that I was absolutely worthy of that, that my body deserved that.

I love my curves, my big ol’ butt, and that little extra jiggle. I can’t run as long as I’d like. I can’t really do more than one chaturanga properly. But here’s the thing that Yoga has put into perspective- the goals that I have cannot be reached without the support of my body. My body and I are together in this. Yoga helped me to regain the confidence in and love for my body that I had lost for a little bit. Yoga gave me the space, opportunity, and time to reunite my heart, mind, and body.

“These curves are kickin’
These thighs are strong
I love this body
That’s my song!”

Care to Share?
Have you had an ‘a-ha‘ moment? A shift in perspective? Why do YOU practice Yoga? Please tell us more… (psst…you’ll get a mini yoga photoshoot out of it!!)