As a yoga teacher and studio co-owner, holding space for others is part of my transformation.
It was 1968, shortly after the Detroit riots and Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination.
From her very first class, she was hooked.
I was tapping into that deeper level of being and freedom that exists within, Dr. Parker says.
And I cant explain it better than that.
Since then, Dr. Parker has used yoga to inform her work as a therapist.
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Paris Alexandra: Dr. Gail, your work focuses on using yoga to alleviate trauma.
Where does trauma live in the body?
For some, it feels like a knotted stomach or a gut punch.
Self-care is not selfish.
Self-care is being self-aware.-Gail Parker, PhD
How does stillness play a role in our healing journey?
You need a place to rest, relax, and let go.
We are training the nervous system to be safe in stillness.
Yoga is practiced in stillness.
Its practiced in low light so that youre not overly stimulated.
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Throughout your book, readers are given tools such as journaling prompts, meditations, and affirmations.
What role do affirmations play in supporting your healing practice?
I know the power of an affirmation.
You dont have to believe it.
You dont have to mean it.
Just keep saying it, just keep saying it.
The language we speak to ourselves is powerful.
And eventually, theres an energetic internal resonance that lifts you up.
Thats what we wantfor our souls to shine.
Specifically for Black women, why is self-care important?
We tend to prioritize everyone else.
But this is what I say: Self-care is not selfish.
Self-care is being self-aware.
If Im taking care of me and youre taking care of you, we are members of the community.
What wisdom would your 40 year-old-self tell an even younger version of yourself?
You already are, who youre trying to become.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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