Meet Amber. Our friend in Bahrain. Amber joined us in July, 2020 back when she was in the process of moving from the United States to Bahrain. In a matter of a few months, she made it to the MLPC Top Ten most attended classes in 2020 and was honored on Instagram.
When Alex first created Sober Girls Yoga, her intention was for it to act as a support system and bring sober/sober-curious women together through yoga. Knowing how hard and lonely it can get to go alcohol free. Soon after Amber went AF she came across Alex on social media and joined the SGY & MLPC. She found our community to be “a beautiful and welcoming community”.
Through the hard times of moving to a new country (and during Covid-19) Amber was maintaining her yoga practice and even done a couple 30 day challenges. She likes intermediate to advanced classes such as HIIT Yoga, Power Vinyasa and Power Party. She adds more delight to our classes with her sense of humor and great enthusiasm. I got to ask Amber our Community Interview questions, here’s our star for this week answers...
Hi Amber! Tell us a little bit about yourself! Who is Amber?
Amber: Hi all! My name is Amber. I am originally from Nebraska but currently living in Bahrain. I am an activist, educator, favorite auntie :), daughter, and sister.
What inspired you to start practicing yoga?
Amber: In the summer of 2017, I needed an outlet- actually I really needed something to fill my time. As a teacher and having the summers free, I typically travel; however, that summer I was only going to be traveling for a few weeks. Therefore, I joined a yoga studio and well, the rest is history.
Have you ever had any experience with yoga before joining the MLPC?
Amber: Yes, I have experience doing yoga in typical gyms but seemed to really find my community in more traditional yoga studios where the focus was less on calorie burn and more on finding my mind-body connection.
What’s your connection to the MLPC?
Amber: I found Alex about 30 days after I had gotten sober. I had gone down a rabbit hole on Instagram following yoga and sober hashtages when suddenly I saw a comment Alex had made on a post. I messaged her and joined #SGY and fell in love with the platform and community. It was like the universe connected me to Alex as a few months later I moved to Bahrain!
How did you end up being so committed to yoga?
Amber: I got committed to yoga about 1.5 years ago when I found my community at Kosha Yoga School in Sioux Falls, SD. The instructors there inspired and connected with me in a way that I had never experienced. I befriended several of them, attended their retreats, and found the deep connection to be the force I needed to continue my yoga journey.
Did you face any challenges during the month of November?
Amber: I feel like the biggest challenges that I've faced recently was the continuation of uncertainity (thanks Covid) and planning a holiday away from friends and family. I'm grateful to have the MLPC!
What are the biggest benefits you’ve reaped from your yoga practice?
Amber: The greatest benefits I've reaped from my yoga practice are finding peace and grounding. I feel like I've grown so much as a human over the past few years, and I know that yoga has been a massive influence on that evoluation.
Amber in a Headstand Pose
What’s your favorite posture?
Amber: My favorite posture is handstand! Thanks to Shavon and Alex I'm going to nail it soon!
What’s your most difficult posture?
Amber: My most difficult posture is definitely handstand. It has really taught me that sometimes when you're scared to try something new, you just need to chew off bits until you get to the good stuff.
What is your favorite type(s) of yoga? And why?
Amber: My favorite type of yoga changes daily. I no longer judge myself when I want to just relax with some restorative or yin. The same is true for when I'm feeling powerful or just want a quick burn.
Any words of wisdom to those just starting out?
Amber: I think you have to continue to put yourself out there and try a variety of yoga. Trust me when I say that no one is judging or comparing. We are all so focused on ourselves that there's no time for comparison. The beauty of yoga is that it's your practice and no one else's.
Thanks Amber for your great answers and being an integral part of the MLPC. Learn more about our SGY Challenge.
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See you next time, may you all be safe, happy, healthy, and free.
Yasir