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stretchedbyshatera

Bump a caption. Here’s a 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃:

I’ve been insecure about my body since puberty. As a slim Black girl, I hate not being “thick” like our community very vocally prefers. But I self-soothed by convincing myself that #SickleCell is why I don’t have a figure like my gorgeously curvy family. I also told myself that at least I have a pretty face 💁🏾‍♀️. It helped make it okay to be tall and skinny. Model-esque, even, on my best days.

You know — “it’s not your booty, it’s your beauty.” 😅 It made it better. Bearable.

Recently though, someone suggested I get lip injections 🫦, and my self-esteem has been RUINED ever since.

The one thing that made me feel beautiful, my face — my smile, specifically — isn’t even “enough” as is apparently.

This comes up because as I’m celebrating my 35th on the other side of the planet, I keep asking my homegirl to “Please zoom out” for any pictures, because I’m uncomfortable with the way I look. And I only post pics, like these, where I’m not facing the camera. Or if I am, I’m doing something super awesome like scuba diving, or standing next to a stunning landscape/piece of artwork, or feeding a fucking kangaroo. In which case I hope people are distracted by the coolness of what I’m up to and overlook my lackluster features.

I’m not going to stop doing cool shit. I’m not going to stop capturing the moment in photographs. But I hope this is my last post of “looking to the left” or “focus on the background” posts.

Maybe not, but one can hope 🤞🏾

— little lips, huge heart. baby butt, strong spirit.

Can’t give you “Stretched by Shatera” withou

Can’t give you “Stretched by Shatera” without stretching my own comfort zone 🤸🏾‍♀️
Here goes nothing! Tune in. . .

#yoga #assistedstretching #meditation #mediation #curriculumdesign #curriculumdevelopment #blackeducators #blackyogateacher #blackyogis #blackyogasuperstars #yogisofinstagram #assistedstretch #stretchtherapy #guidedmeditation #stretchedbyshatera

Kick your feet up. Find balance. . . #yoga #yog

Kick your feet up. Find balance.

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#yoga #yogapractice #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspiration #yogaposes #melanatedyoga #yogaeveryday #yogachallenge #yogalife #decolonizeyoga #blackgirlyogamagic #blackyogateacher #blackyogasuperstars #blackyogateachersalliance #blackyogamovement #blackyogacommunity #yogajourney #yogadaily #yogalifestyle #blackyogateachers #yogapose #yogateachers #yogacommunity #yogavibes #yogi #yogisofinstagram #yogini #yogis #blackyogisuperstar #yogisofig

Ten toes down. Both hands on deck. Don’t forget

Ten toes down. Both hands on deck.
Don’t forget to protect ya neck.

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#yoga #yogapractice #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspiration #yogaposes #melanatedyoga #yogaeveryday #yogachallenge #yogalife #decolonizeyoga #blackgirlyogamagic #blackyogateacher #blackyogasuperstars #blackyogateachersalliance #blackyogamovement #blackyogacommunity #yogajourney #yogadaily #yogalifestyle #blackyogateachers #yogapose #yogateachers #yogacommunity #yogavibes #yogi #yogisofinstagram #yogini #yogis #blackyogisuperstar #yogisofig

Heart open. Chin up. . . #yogateacher #melanate

Heart open. Chin up.

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#yogateacher #melanatedyoga #yogaeveryday #decolonizeyoga #blackgirlyogamagic #blackyogateacher #blackyogasuperstars #blackyogateachersalliance #yogaeverywhere #yogagirl #yogafun #blackyogamovement #blackyogacommunity #yogajourney #yogatime #yogadaily #yogaflow #yogalifestyle #blackyogateachers #yogapose #yogateachers #yogisofinstagram #yogis #blackyogisuperstar #yogisofig #yogavibes #yoga #yogalife #blackyogi #yogawarrior

The fourth and final week of my #300hrytt was cert

The fourth and final week of my #300hrytt was certainly one to remember. So grateful for the experience, and proud of myself for embarking on the journey to both learn & live.✨

During week 4, I learned:
• I can “get by” okay, but I really need to put the time and effort into learning Spanish.
• You can take the girl out of New York…
• There’s nothing like making new friends while traveling 💕 Those connections are just different
• My body is capable of some pretty challenging and amazing things, that I tend to doubt myself about without even trying, because of my Sickle Cell ❣️
• I get really triggered by White women who don’t seem to be aware of their privilege. Like, really triggered. But I think I’m realizing a big part of that is I’m lowkey jealous. I wanna do/say whatever I want with little to no consequences too sometimes 🥴
• Also, I’m RYT500 y’all 🎉

#ytt #yogateachertraining #300hrytt #300hryogateachertraining #200hrytt #200hryogateachertraining #yogainspiration #yogainstructor #blackyogis #blackyogi

Week 3 of training taught me: • my body really

Week 3 of training taught me:

• my body really enjoys having a regular practice 🧘🏾‍♀️ and I should award it that more consistently
• “global citizenship” starting to sound a whole lot like large scale gentrification, but I’m still unpacking. I love the concept, and am conflicted. 🌍
• I prefer a smooth #hathayoga flow over a #vinyasa.
• I continue to be abundantly blessed, and am deeply grateful for that fact 🙏🏾
• 22 days may be my ‘okay, I’m lowkey ready to go home’ threshold 🧳

#ytt #yogateachertraining #300hrytt #300hryogateachertraining #200hrytt #200hryogateachertraining #yogainspiration #yogainstructor #blackyogis #blackyogi

2.5 weeks down. 2 more training weeks to go. Here’s what I learned in week two:

• True strength comes from vulnerability
• Living in NY my whole life has my calibration for focus/centering all off. I’m so used to moving a mile a minute. Time to slow down.
• Spending so much energy trying not to appear as the #AngryBlackWoman, I’ve been neglecting to be an authentic* Black woman
• I don’t have to be #vegan. #Vegetarian it is, but I’m good off any dairy products factory farmed in the USA
• I’m really nice at this shit. Y’all should come to one of my classes sometime (:

Love y’all 💟

#ytt #yogateachertraining #300hrytt #300hryogateachertraining #200hrytt #200hryogateachertraining #yogainspiration #yogainstructor #blackyogis #blackyogi

turning over a new leaf 🌴

turning over a new leaf 🌴

Being a #LilBootyJudy is my biggest insecurity. Mo

Being a #LilBootyJudy is my biggest insecurity. More than my lanky legs, or my jaundice eyes, or all my scars.

I hate that my friends/family laugh when I say I want to workout, and they retort “Girl, please. For what?!”

I even went in for a consultation with a cosmetic surgeon after college. And if I’m being honest, I still periodically think “I should have done it” while getting dressed from time to time.

But I’m starting to lovingly accept (and affirm) the vessel I chose to inhabit in this lifetime. And I want to publicly apologize to her for under-appreciating it the last three decades. I’m sorry 🙏🏾 Truly.

I can only imagine how frustrating and disheartening it must be to consistently serve and provide and protect — while never receiving any love back. Whole time, getting ridiculed and chastised instead.

Actually, I’m a Black Woman in America. I don’t have to imagine.

This time last year, or even last week, I would have never posted these first two slides. Never.

So this post, though I hope you like it (literally lol), is for me. ❤️

I set that as my location because it’s the desired destination. I’m not there yet.

Packed light, though — just my Tshirt&Genes — and we’re headed in that direction. 🧳👚🧬

I was so warmly welcomed into this journey I’m e

I was so warmly welcomed into this journey I’m embarking on.

I wonder what parts of myself I’ll (re)discover while I’m here.

and which parts I’ll leave behind.

Journey with me (:

#yogateachertraining #yogateacher #blackgirlsdoyoga #yoga #yogisofinstagram #yogi #blackyoga #blackyogis #blackyogi #yogateachertrainings #yogateacherlife

One week down, three weeks to go 🧘🏾‍♀️

One week down, three weeks to go 🧘🏾‍♀️ 300hr Yoga Teacher Training in Palomino, Colombia.

This week I learned:
• To be patient with myself.
• Some cool #acroyoga poses.
• I belong in business class.
• Nobody needs the three huge meals a day that American capitalism pushes
• Days off are for rest, not errands.
• Walking barefoot ain’t all that bad (the “city girl” in me is slowly dying inside lol)
• My long ass legs are slightly pronated, and that’s okay.

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