When people think about yoga they may picture fairer skinned women wearing black leggings and tight tank tops doing difficult poses on their yoga mat in a studio. So when I saw Monique Morris doing intense yoga poses in everyday clothes in her backyard on Instagram I knew I wanted to know more about her philosophy concerning the great practice of yoga.
Thank you so much for doing this interview. Can you explain your background a little bit. Like where are you from? Where did you study?
It is my absolute pleasure. Well I am from the beautiful and deeply cultured island of Jamaica and I grew up in Kingston. Through hard work I was given the privilege of studying at the Immaculate Conception High School for girls. My experience at Immaculate equipped me with the tools necessary to attain excellency in whatever goal I imagine. If my mind’s eye can see it, it is achievable.
What inspired you to start doing yoga?
Whilst studying I came across an Indian yogi named Paramahansa Yogananda. At age 17, he found his guru and dedicated his time to meditation and yoga. He later went on to get his B.A and opened an institution for yoga.
I was inspired by his journey and his discipline and wisdom as a youth. I studied the philosophy of yoga, and decided it was a beautiful practice to incorporate into my daily routine to help me heal.
Obviously there are physical benefits to yoga, but what are some of the spiritual and emotional benefits you obtain from doing these exercises?
Yes the physical benefits are most obvious and it is rewarding to be able to get into those difficult poses, but that is only one branch of yoga.
The full practice is meditation, devotion, wisdom, knowledge, service and pose. This entails everything from family and diet to sex. I know when people see the physical act of yoga ( with the aid of intense marketing of now) without knowing the philosophy they might think it’s trivial to say this can be life changing.
Spiritually I have learned that I am not my thoughts and I am not the observer of the thoughts, I AM. Yoga creates a neurological pathway to enlightenment. The physical act connects the mind and body and we can utilize this process for self transmutation.
Do you feel like people of color are well represented within the yoga community in Miami? If not how can more people be encouraged to partake in yoga?
I do not think people of color are well represented in the yoga community in Miami or most places. The yoga community has been marginalized and those that are able to financially meet the requirements and the aesthetics of the community are praised and paid to bring traffic to companies.
There is a wave of colored women and some men applying themselves to a practice. Social media is a great tool to encourage more people of color to participate in yoga. You have full control of the content you put out. Embody your knowledge, be mindful of the image and mindset you want to see and be a walking representative of that.
What advice would you give to young people like yourself who want to practice yoga through a self taught method?
I began practicing yoga through a self taught method because I had no money to do otherwise. It was a blessing in disguise. Being self taught teaches you how to be focused and self motivated.
In general, my advice to ALL people is be safe, please, you can hurt yourself, understand your limits. Know when you have completely passed your threshold. Utilize the internet! A lot ain’t going right with this society but trust me the internet is useful.
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