Race and Yoga

This article explores the transformative journey of the Indigenous Yoga Collective (IYC) as a case study integrating a decolonial healing praxis through yoga with Indigenous and South Asian women. The IYC emerged from the First Nations Women’s Yoga Initiative (FNWYI), an 80-hour trauma-informed yoga training designed to foster community connection, cultural reclamation, and collective healing for First Nations peoples. Rooted in a culturally responsive framework, the IYC addresses the shared traumas of colonial oppression while promoting the reconnection of body, mind, spirit, and land. The IYC exemplifies individual and collective healing while fostering cross-cultural solidarity. By centering South Asian voices and Indigenous traditions, the collective provides a model for decolonial wellness frameworks that resist cultural commodification and build reciprocal relationships. Moving forward, the IYC seeks to deepen its impact by co-creating inclusive, accessible programs that honor the rich spiritual traditions of yoga and Indigenous practices while addressing systemic and intergenerational trauma.