Yoga Instructor Marley Ralph is Bringing Wellness to Her Community–On and Off the Mat

In this story:

Marley Ralph talks yoga and how she’s using it as an athletic response to help navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and recurring injustices.

Published
April 5, 2021
Cover Photographed by
Madeleine Rosenthal
Marley Ralph photographed by Madeleine Rosenthal

“Whenever I’m practicing yoga I feel closer to God,” said Los Angeles native Marley Ralph. “I think because I feel closest to myself.” 

Ralph is a community activist and certified yoga instructor. In the conversation below, she shed light on what it’s like to be a Black woman within the practice and how she’s using her position to bring wellness to her community.

Marley On Her Introduction to Yoga

“I started while studying abroad in South Africa. I was alone, homesick, and felt that was taking away from the experience.” Ralph began. That changed though when she met a guy in what she called a ‘funny position.’ “He told me it was called the ‘happy baby pose.’ I thought it was weird, but he encouraged me to try.” she continued. “I did...and that was the most relaxed I’d felt.” Ralph spent the remainder of her trip running, stretching and doing yoga. 

Feeling more grounded than ever before, she was able to fully embrace the new mental space she was in, which encouraged her to continue doing yoga after she returned to Los Angeles.

“An African man by the name of Temitope led my first yoga class back here in America. He spoke like poetry, played great music, and effortlessly connected with us. I was blessed to be introduced to yoga in such a way,” Ralph said. After two years, she started training for her own yoga certification. 

Racial Disparity and Power Imbalances Within the Industry

Yoga has since become a part of a trillion dollar health and wellness industry. “Yoga is free. What is not free is westernized yoga studios,” Ralph said. “Yoga is amazing and should be taught, but it should also be feasible for people who look like us.”

Ralph noticed that there were no Black people during the teacher training. In fact, everyone from the corporate offices was white. Ironically, the vast majority of those benefiting from this practice, which dates back to ancient Egypt and India, do not reflect those whom it originated from. “The power dynamic of yoga studios in the west has been dominated by white people. We all need yoga to better ourselves, because when we are bettering ourselves we are able to better society as a collective.” 

This is why Ralph was grateful to teach others, despite earning low wages doing so. As expensive as training and client memberships are, she was paid only fifteen dollars an hour for hour-long sessions conducted one to three times a week. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

COVID-19 Layoffs Leading to New Horizons

“They laid everybody off in 2019. No furloughs. No benefits.” Ralph stated. Fortunately for her, she had another source of income, but the events left her thinking, ‘We can go the capitalist way to help the corporation or give it to actual people who are suffering.’ 

Some months later, she was presented with an opportunity that allowed her to take the knowledge of the practice and share it in a bigger way. 

An Athletic Response to the Pandemic and Recurring Injustices

Actor, filmmaker, and community activist Etienne Maurice founded WalkGoodLA as a “5K Run for Freedom” in response to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. Maurice asked Ralph to lead yoga stretches before the runs and in those moments, she was “amazed seeing that many Black people taking a second to breathe.” Runs would take place every Saturday, followed by town hall meetings at LA High Memorial Park, where citizens discussed their feelings about the killings. Donations were accepted and the money raised was given to families who had been directly affected by police violence.

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As the heat of the summer set in, WalkGood evolved from runs. After noticing the impact of yoga stretches, BreatheGood yoga was set for Sundays, with sessions led by Ralph, who was also appointed Director of Health and Wellness. The socially distant classes started with a group of 20 people, but now average 150-200 people per week. Ralph mentioned that not only is she making more money with donation-based yoga classes, but she is now also able to raise money for different organizations.

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“Every Sunday there’s a goods and energy exchange. People pay in their own way. And money is collected for the homeless, as well as masks, tampons, clothes, food, and non-perishable items,” Ralph said. The wellness-based approach to the pandemic and recurring injustices helped get peoples’ bodies moving and provide relief for those in need at the same time. 

A Lifelong Practice 

When it comes to yoga, the practice itself is one of healing and transformation for the mind, body and soul. An even bigger part of yoga, Ralph told me, is off the mat. It’s the philosophy of staying connected and being intentional within interactions with others. “When we’re doing something for somebody else or for our community, we’re practicing yoga,” she explained. “The community that it’s formed has been the highlight of my life.”

For those of you who are interested in participating in the BreatheGood yoga sessions and other WalkGood LA events, follow WalkGoodLA for updates!

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