Yogis of Instagram
From the Insta famous to the humble and dedicated, there are literally thousands of Instagram accounts dedicated to inspiring your yoga practice. If you are an Instagram user, you will know it’s heavily centred on beautiful and aspirational lifestyle images – and yoga practice is nothing if not aspirational!
Instagram is, in part, what has propelled my practice to the next level. If I’m ever feeling uninspired or as if I am going through the motions, a little browse of my yogi-filled Instagram feed usually leaves me feeling motivated and hungry for the next level.
If you aren’t part of the Instagram yoga community yet, why not check out these accounts to see what is possible when you dedicate yourself to practice, and open your mind to possibilities.
Get Insta-inspired in your practice!
@the_southern_yogi – 25 year old Morgan is a nurse-turned-barista from Kentucky. By implementing small changes, she has de-stressed her life and transformed her lifestyle to one that makes her content and motivated. Morgan also has some killer abs from her healthy lifestyle, and has produced her own e-book giving advice on how you can get her look.
Great for: The hilarious blooper videos that she posts when she falls from a pose, or can’t quite get to where she needs to. It’s always reassuring to see first hand that even the most accomplished yogis have to practice to perfect certain poses.
@mayuko_matsuda – Mayuko is a yoga teacher from Singapore, and she may be tiny, but she is seriously mighty! Her posts are consistently impressive, and are inspiring not just for her muscle tone and flexibility, but also for her daily dedication and consistency.
Even though I tell myself each day to be grateful, it doesn’t always happen, because life- it’s not perfect. Nothing is. But when I look at the big picture, I realise there’s plenty to be grateful for. And today I’m grateful for my job. I’m especially thankful for my students. If my heart could smile, it would! #joblove #yogamovement
Great for: Seeing her progress in poses. It’s great motivation to practice the things you find the most difficult, and reaping the greatest reward.
@daniellefordyoga – Back Stateside, this yogini bends it like the best, with some added healthy living inspiration to boot! Awesome smoothies, clean eating recipes and a little travel thrown in too, Danielle is a wonderful motivator for chasing what makes you happy. She makes it look easy, but also is great at reminding you to appreciate the little things. Great for: spurring you on to integrate yoga into your day-to-day life, wherever you are!
@jessicaolie – Based in Dubai, Jess is a former national level swimmer from the UK. Jess found yoga while looking for a way to deal with stress, and this really comes through in her posts. Having qualified as a yoga teacher in 2014, she has opened her own practice in Dubai, and her posts (and new e-books) are incredibly helpful with honing your own technique. Great for: advice, tips on form, motivation to never give up, and the sense of calm and relaxation that yoga brings to your daily life. @dkyoga Devin Kelley is a yoga teacher currently living in China who can contort his form into positions you never knew were imaginable! The male yoga community may be slightly less populous, but Devin proves that men can be zen, and then some!
This posture is a lot easier if I drop my feet, having a more prominent bend in the waist. And if I do it that way, to many it appears I have gotten closer to the full straddle planche. In reality, though, by dropping the toes there is actually not any more forward extension of the shoulders occurring, and the pose is taking me nowhere new; it’s only an illusion. In my life I find this choice presents itself often: fake it for aesthetics and approval, put some sugar and butter on it, or really search deep for new seas. The first road has its payoffs for sure. Aesthetics goes a long way with a lot of people, and most are fooled easily enough. But you could never pay me enough or give me enough praise to compensate for what adventure is lost by living a phoney life. A photo posted by Devin Kelley ○ Yoga Teacher (@dkyoga) on
Great for: strong moves and powerful resistance training.
While yoga is about so much more than getting a pose right, if you are ever feeling disenchanted, or unmotivated with your daily practice, it can be truly awe-inspiring to tune in to some of these yoga masters honing their craft. Seeing the joy and the sheer physical heights that yoga can reach, partly through Instagram, spurred on my personal practice a great deal, and whatever keeps you motivated has to be a good thing!
Are you active with the Instagram yoga community? Share your favourite yogis, and let us know why they inspire your practice!
If you’re new to Instagram, why not try to connect with other likeminded yogis? Great hashtags to search for are #myyogajourney #yogaeverydamnday #yogi.
