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Almost two years ago, I retired as a yoga teacher. The politics started to overshadow my love to teach and I left. One of the main reasons was how the industry is now filled with narcissistic personalities and people who want to be famous and use spiritual teachings as a way to gain notoriety and fame. All while abandoning the fundamentals of being an honest teacher.
I am not perfect and am learning in life. However, I made it important to have some form of integrity while I taught because I believe that that is what the foundation of yoga is.
While I still practice, I am no longer interested in teaching and probably won’t ever again. Mainly because what I asked of myself, I didn’t see good examples of around me. In every industry, there is politics and issues that need to be addressed.
However, I was experiencing sexual harassment, bullying from management and, stalking at levels that I have never experienced in any other industry.
As I wanted to bring change that I saw was necessary, I was silenced with an NDA and threatened out of being a teacher- which was my ultimate straw and why I left.
Here are 3 things that I wish I had known before I decided to speak out on a popular yoga studio:
1. You will be alone.
I am used to being the only one to speak up about humanity and how things need to change. I have also learned to do it from a place of introspection; as opposed to telling others what to do and pointing the finger.
While I have often taken on the role of someone who speaks up and acts against injustice; I have learned that (most of the time) I will be alone. In 2021, I found myself speaking to The Director of Human Resources at the yoga studio that I taught for and pleading with them to see my point of view.
At this point, I had been stalked, sexually harassed and bullied while teaching or working the front desk. I was fed up and tired. I had caught onto their tactic of trying to keep me quiet and decided to file a complaint to The EOCC. I went through this process alone and was rarely helped by anyone and, I found myself betrayed by some teachers who claimed to have my back but then would suck up to this studio on social media. It sickened me so much that I decided to leave and let go of people associated with this.
2. People will question you.
After leaving this popular yoga studio, I filed a complaint through The EOCC. I then went through a grueling process of being interviewed with different lawyers who saw me as a money ticket or didn’t believe me.
To me, justice has never been about money. It has been about holding studios and companies accountable. And, I have decided to tell my story because although people have tempted to silence me, I am not afraid.
Even though a lot of people have doubted me, I believe in the truth and releasing it is very freeing.
3. Don’t expect people to take your side.
I saw a different side to people that I considered friends. When I had reported my issues with a former colleague who had been sexually harassing me, I was told by a manager that there was nothing that she could do. She then proceeded to tell me that there was another popular yoga teacher who was accused of harassing other teachers but was excused because he brought in a lot of money for them.
Learning this information made me see another side to a lot of people that I worked with. I understood in that moment that most colleagues are not your friends. You can be friendly with them but when something serious happens, they might not take your side.
When it comes to money (in any industry), most people are defending what keeps food on their table. And, in the yoga industry’s case, it involves people being afraid of being blackballed and having their name tainted of speaking up against a person or company that is renowned.
Speaking up against toxic secrets and comprate abuse is not for everyone and doesn’t have to be. However, I don’t have to hang around or be in the company of those who choose to act like the toxicity doesn’t exist.
