Finding Queer Community: A Healing Retreat

[gentle spirited music]

[Kathryn] It feels so good to be back.

Getting to experience Kripalu

with Jessamyn Stanley is epic.

She sees me and she understands me.

[Jessamyn] Kathryn is one

of the most important teachers of my life.

I don't know

if I would've kept practicing yoga without her.

[Instructor] Welcome to Kripalu Intermediate Yoga.

Here at Kripalu, you're welcome as you are,

no matter your size, your shape, your age,

your color, welcome yourself as you are.

[Kathryn] I am ready to unplug

and to connect back to who I am.

[Jessamyn] It can be hard to find myself

on a day-to-day basis.

I'm here at Kripalu to remember who I am.

[Instructor] Take the hands down

through the crown.

Let them pass through the third eye

and once the palms land in the heart,

close your eyes.

[peaceful music]

Welcome.

Nice to see you.

This is our shared circle.

If you identify yourself as queer,

this is a place for us.

Take a couple of breaths and arrive right now.

There's something that feels very different.

I am gonna get emotional. [chuckles]

Oh man.

This just doesn't happen a lot.

[Instructor] Yeah.

Even when you're around people

who are like you, it is not always true

that we are all accepting who we are.

I feel like I don't spend a lot

of time thinking about

what my food looks like.

At home, sometimes it can be hard to visualize

like a really healthy meal

that is actually going to support my practice.

And I didn't realize like

how chaotic my life can be.

Do you know what I mean?

[Kathryn] Maybe your life is so chaotic.

Sometimes we get so deep into the structure

and the habits that we volunteer

in our work life.

As a queer person, I think that it can feel

like the world is not made for you.

And so it's nice to be able

to be somewhere where it's okay to just be.

[Instructor] We're gonna start to release

anything you might want to release

so you can shake and pulse your hands

and your feet and think of that one thing

that you're ready to let go of.

Maybe it's that negative self-talk

and start to shake it up.

Hey.

Everybody, all right, your shoulders.

So on three, we'll make a sound together

and let it go.

1, 2, 3.

[all shouting]

[participants clapping]

[Jessamyn] The energy on this land is so powerful.

For years and years,

people have been coming here

to serve, to devote.

I'm a part of that now.

[peaceful music]

[Practitioner] So I invite you to just take

some nice deepening breaths

and just allowing yourself

to release and let go and just inviting

in any healing that might be here for you.

So when are we coming back?

This is the beginning of a new tradition.

Yeah, yeah.

[Kathryn chuckles]

Yeah, I love that.

I love you.

[Jessamyn] Oh, I love you, too.