Plus Size Aerial Yoga Event…
My day at the Plus Size Aerial Yoga Event in NYC… I came to the wellness space very late in my life. I was already well in my 40’s, had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis for several years, and survived a terrible accident that left my back in a fragile place. Despite all this, my body was still going, and learning to celebrate and take care of it has been such a joy.
When Jessie (IG @curveswithmoves) approached me last year about putting together an event in NYC to promote movement I was ALL IN. We did our very first event and it was a success. THEN THE WORLD SHUT DOWN! Yes, the pandemic happened right after our first event and while we were all trying to survive we just waited until the time felt right to come back!
This past Sunday we began our “Power Plus Wellness” Initiative again and this time we went “Aerial”. Yes, Plus Size Aerial Yoga…
We partnered with OM Factory NY who allowed us to book a class just for our group.
They were aware of our initiative and the fact that 90% of us were beginners and all of us would be plus-sized.
Long story short we had a blast in the Plus Size Aerial Yoga Event! There were a lot of screams, laughs, cheers and claps because it was more than just YOGA, it was trusting our bodies to this piece of fabric hanging from the ceiling. We had to let go of our fears and quiet our minds in order to truly receive the benefits of how we were manipulating our bodies.
Yes, it was hard and the next day I was a bit sore but I felt so accomplished for two reasons, number one I personally met a challenge and did not walk away from it because of my size. And two, whether I was able to go upside down or not, being there in the class and trying was THE WIN for me. (I did hang upside twice, woo-hoo!)
Secondly, Jessie and I are doing this because we love the community and we know what movement means to our individual lives and we want to offer a safe environment where the plus-size community can feel comfortable and not be judged.
“I am just in awe of what our bodies can do if we trust ourselves a little bit more. It was amazing to see all of these beautiful people together trying something adventurous. It was the community that got us upside down (literally) and I’m so thankful we have this space. ” – Jessie Diaz- Herrera
After the Plus Size Aerial Yoga class, we all walked to the Athleta store on 5th Avenue. They hosted our afterparty in their lounge and gifted everyone $50 gift cards.
We will be offering many more incentives so if you are interested, please sign up for the PMM email list because we will be announcing the next few events soon. This past event sold out in 12 hours so make sure to sign up here.
[divider]PHOTO CREDITS[/divider]Maddy (IG @plusjones and PMM Blog) and
Jessie (IG @curveswithmoves) wearing Athleta
Images courtesy of Jessie Diaz Herrera
Om Factory
omfactory.yoga
Athleta
athleta.gap.com