Ottawans sure do love their yoga. Walk down Bank St. from Wellington to Gladstone and you’ll encounter more yoga studios than Bridgeheads. While the majority of practitioners do yoga for the physical health benefits, it’s well known toned muscles aren’t all you get from downward dog.
Yogawoman is an award winning documentary that tells the inspiring stories of women whose lives have been changed by yoga. Why just women? Although you’d never guess going into a studio here in North America, traditionally yoga was developed for men. It was brought to the western world from India by male teachers. Now women have turned yoga into a multi-billion dollar industry, and this is the story of why.
The film details how women have used yoga to ease the pain surrounding conditions like breast cancer or infertility. It tells of women who have used yoga to work through anxiety and depression. Revealing stories from Manhattan to Kenya, from prisons to cancer wards, “Yogawoman” is nothing short of inspirational.
The exceptional part of this premiere is the chance to talk to Ottawa’s own yoga women. At the opening screening there will be a special Q + A period with four Ottawa women who can relate the powerful effect yoga has had on their lives first hand. Kathy Smart from Live The Smart Way, Tara Porter from Restorative Yoga, Megan Campbell from Journey of the Yogini and Jennifer Steers are all experienced, certified yoga teachers. Come let them inspire you to get on the mat.
The premiere of “Yogawoman” with Q+A is this Friday, May 17th Theatre., 5:30 pm at the Mayfair.
