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That is the second in a series of “My Practice” articles, wherein we share a glimpse of a gaggle or individual’s unique relationship with yoga.

It’s only fitting that I’m chatting with the “Sacred Sisterhood” on International Women’s Day. Huddled around a hoop light and nestled on an opulent couch, they’re all glowing—even after completing a 63-minute Half Primary Ashtanga series. “Every [week] is something different,” says Koya Webb, who hosts the group at her home. “It’s based on the energy of the group.”

It’s the primary time the group has engaged in such a lengthy practice. Typically, nobody has an hour to spare. But on this particular day, they happened to—and Webb seized on the chance.

It is smart: these are five women without lots of free time. Webb is a yoga teacher, creator, and motivational speaker. Marve Frazier taps into interior design, cooking, and consulting as a creative entrepreneur. Aeshia DeVore Branch runs Pretty Girls Sweat, an organization focused on making fitness fun and accessible. Patrice Washington is a podcaster, speaker, and finance expert. And Chantel Jiroch crafts healthy and flavorful recipes for her 264,000 TikTok followers. 

Among the many five of them, they’ve greater than 1,000,000 Instagram followers—and packed schedules. But every Wednesday at 8:30 AM, they gather in Webb’s Atlanta home to speak, connect, and practice yoga.

What Their Practice Looks Like

The weekly class is Webb’s brainchild. When she moved to Atlanta in April 2022, she found herself craving a latest routine in her decades-long yoga practice. As an alternative of heading to a neighborhood studio, she desired to host a circle of friends in her home for a connective flow.

Depending on the week, they might opt to do a 15- or 30-minute practice, subject to timing constraints. And while Webb is a yoga teacher, she practices alongside the remainder of the collective as a substitute of leading them through the flow. Nonetheless, she does select the category the Sacred Sisterhood does, often from one in every of her favorite YouTube channels. On the day I spoke to them, she had chosen a video from Laruga Glaser.

The sort of class is a surprise, but everyone involves the mat with an open mind, Frazier says. That openness translates to how they approach the poses themselves. “Everyone knows that everybody isn’t perfect,” she says. Through the sequence, they may fall on each others’ mats, talk, and even make “mom jokes.” It’s the sort of energy that’s welcomed within the space.

The regular meeting quickly evolved into something that went beyond the physical practice. The group spends time prior to the sequence chatting, reflecting, and connecting. For every of them, those are sometimes essentially the most significant moments of the morning. “Sometimes that release of an emotion or the discharge of stress of a relationship or job thing, it is likely to be more essential than a pair poses,” Webb says. That intimacy is what makes their gathering a sisterhood.

The Significance of the Weekly Meeting

Although Webb is a yoga teacher, each member of the collective possesses a novel relationship to the practice. For instance, Branch and Jiroch work out almost each day with one another. Nonetheless, the Wednesday practice gives them a possibility to tap into a unique area of strength and stillness amid their busy lives. “Yoga is that moment where we actually pause and connect with our bodies,” Branch says. “It’s something very spiritual.” It’s befitting for the group’s name.

That doesn’t mean that every sequence is grounded in quiet reflection. Branch mentions the screaming session the group did as one in every of her favorite mornings. (A rather different—but much appreciated—cathartic experience.)

It’s a gaggle that recognizes strength, connectivity, and manifestation. A number of years ago, Washington cut a photograph from Essence magazine so as to add to her vision board. It was an image of Webb practicing yoga. She had never dreamed they’d meet, much less practice together. A 12 months later, the 2 connected—and now flow together. At the top of the day, nothing can stop the ability of sisterhood.