What is the Bristol Yoga Roots Project?
The Bristol Yoga Roots Project (BYRP) was set up in 2017 by a group of yoga teachers who want to offer inclusive yoga to communities in Bristol. At BYRP we aim to share the practice of yoga out into the community to those who are often less likely to access studios but in many ways would benefit the most from the mental, physical and social benefits of yoga.
Yoga has the potential to heal on many levels and we are committed to share this practice in order to help our members achieve meaningful and lasting change. We want people to enjoy being present in their lives, and to do this they need to feel safe, welcome and connected. We aim to be part of those foundations through delivering a warm, caring and trauma-informed community yoga practice.
To further support this aim, BYRP is dedicated to promoting conversations in the wider Bristol yoga community around accessibility, diversity, anti-racism, de-colonisation, accountability and the importance of ongoing learning & reflection. We understand that these topics are inextricably linked to liberation practices and cannot be overlooked in any approach that seeks to become more inclusive. We offer regular reflective practice, CPD events and training for interested yoga teachers and students. We do not claim or seek to be ‘experts’ in all these areas and we are passionate about uplifting & collaborating with other voices in these areas, especially those that have so often been excluded
Why yoga?
Yoga is an ancient and modern practice that has supported an untold number of people over 1000s of years to live a more enriched life. Through developing a presence practice and working with the body, students come to know themselves and the world better, facilitating a sense of deep connection, belonging and freedom. Evidence shows that yoga brings a range of benefits including improved physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. This includes a positive impact on neurological and physiological markers of stress and trauma. As chronic stress and trauma are much more prevalent in marginalised populations, yoga can make a significant difference to our students' quality of life. See our 'why yoga?' page for more details on this. We are particularly excited about the potential for yoga to allow people to have fun and build community.
Who are we for?
Yoga is for everybody, however in reality we know that yoga is not accessible for many people and in some cases may outright exclude certain populations. This is due to a myriad of complex and interlinked systemic issues including capitalism, racism, colonisation, patriarchy and white supremacy. Our approach is to reach out to communities who may not easily access yoga currently due to physical, economic, cultural and social barriers. This includes a diverse range of people and organisations; for a flavour of who we work with check out our past and current outreach classes.