Inclusivity in Yoga - with Donna Noble @curvesomeyoga

It’s International Women’s Day, and we could think of no one better to talk about all things that Inspire Inclusion than with Donna Noble. She is a Yoga Teacher and Founder of @curvesomeyoga a body positive yoga brand that spans community to retreats, all with the aim of encouraging a diverse and affordable access to yoga for ALL bodies and backgrounds. We asked her a few questions to find out what she thinks of inclusivity in yoga, what inspires her and about her upcoming events.

Hi Donna! Firstly, what drew you to practice and teach yoga?

I was inspired was a friend's enthusiasm for yoga after she saw a picture of Madonna doing Yoga and suggested that we give it a go. At the time, I did not realise how it would transform my life. It was never my plan to become a yoga teacher, but decided to do the training after another friend suggested that I should have a plan B. I was enjoying the yoga journey, so I decided to do the Triyoga Teacher Training just in case I became bored after I retired.

However, my journey led me to a deeper mission: promoting inclusivity and diversity within the yoga community. This came about because I saw there were certain groups of society invisible from the yoga space, and so created @Curvesomeyoga to show that everybody is a yogaBODY. Representation does matter and is so important.

How well do you think the yoga industry includes people from different backgrounds, abilities and body shapes?

While the yoga industry has made strides towards inclusivity, there's still a long way to go. I believe we need to move beyond tokenism and focus on genuine efforts that inspire participation from all backgrounds. This will then mean that everyone will feel welcome to practice in safe judgement free spaces and be able to access yoga and wellbeing, after all it is their birthright. 

What would you like to see happen in the industry to Inspire more Inclusion?

I would like to see the industry replace images that create an intimidating perception of yoga with diverse representations that fully represent the unique and diverse bodies that make up our society. But also show poses that will allow yoga to be seen as accessible – poses like savasana etc. To show the full spectrum of yoga not just the asana, but all of the eight limbs.

I'd like to make yoga more accessible – by helping to address the financial barriers by offering affordable classes or Scholarships.

My current offering is my Weekend Body Positive Yoga Retreat 10th-12th May in Kent.

You can follow along at @curvesomeyoga