Teacher Spotlight: Lorrie Murenzi
Lorrie practicing yoga with her mom on the beach: Mother-daughter tree pose!
Do you remember your first yoga class? What was it like? Why did you enroll?
My first yoga class was when I was in 3rd or 4th grade – a parent came and taught a class to the students. I remember enjoying the quiet and I really enjoyed practicing my balance in tree pose! When I was in high school, I began practicing more regularly with my mom. I was an athlete and enjoyed the physical aspects of the practice and how I always felt great at the end of class. I also enjoyed learning how to connect more closely with my breath and this continues to be one of my favorite things about my practice.
Are there any preconceived notions you had about yoga that changed over time?
Even though I’ve practiced quite a bit throughout my life, I’ve always felt a disconnect from yoga communities. Class after class, year after year I was always the only Black person in the room, and while I was grateful for the practice of yoga, I felt completely isolated. A few years ago, I attended a yoga retreat at Kripalu for women of color, led by the phenomenal Maya Breuer. It completely transformed my view of what yoga is and who it is for (hint: everyone!). It was a beautiful weekend filled with the community that I had been craving for so many years, and it continues to be my most moving, and connected experience of yoga.
Lorrie and her partner smiling away.
What have you gained from your yoga practice?
From my yoga practice, I have gained a deeper understanding of my breath and the knowledge to anchor it into all aspects of my life. I have also gained patience and empathy with myself and others (which has been so important in my career as a second grade teacher). I have gained important tools to manage and work through my anxiety and other challenges I’ve faced in my life. I have gained courage and confidence in myself that has supported me tremendously on and off the mat.
Why did you want to become a teacher?
Yoga has so many benefits and I want to share that with others, especially other Black women. It is an avenue for care, healing, growing, and connection and while everyone deserves to experience that, too often yoga is exclusive or inaccessible. One day I believe I will see a greater representation of women like me in the yoga community, perhaps that change starts with me.
How would you describe your teaching style?
My teaching style is grounded in accessibility, self-love, care, and awareness, and the flow and movement of the breath. There is a little bit of something for everyone in my classes!
How do you want a student to feel after your class?
I hope students walk away from my classes feeling grounded, relaxed, affirmed, connected, and with tools that they can bring into their lives.
How does yoga inform your activism work?
Yoga, in its truest form is inclusive and accessible and so my practice has encouraged me to continue to amplify the voices and values of people of color while also providing the much needed healing practices that fuel our collective activism. Yoga for me is a tool that allows me to ground myself and pour into myself so I can pour into my activism. My yoga is focused on making this wonderful practice accessible to communities of color, to fight back against the trend of making yoga a practice in privilege and not a practice in inclusivity.
