BY JACQUELINE QUINONES
What inspired you to start Chair Yoga and
Soul?
Jeannie: Part of what inspired me
were the many yoga classes I attended that helped me to learn about body
posture and alignment. From the many studios that I visited I found one where I
felt comfortable. It was inclusive, diverse and they made me realize that size
doesn’t matter when you are practicing yoga. This practice was a gateway to
focusing on my body. It opened up my heart and I wanted to help others feel
this way as well. The teacher there also encouraged me to take the teacher
training. What I teach is chair yoga
which incorporates all of the same poses as regular yoga but a modified
version.
How long have you been a Comadre?
Jeannie: I have been a Comadre
since 2014, when I attended a meeting hosted at the Hispanic Federation.
What do you like most about being a
Comadre?
Jeannie: What
is dear to my heart is the sense of sisterhood you feel and all the support you
receive. If it wasn’t for Las Comadres I would not be doing my chair yoga
classes. I started providing my Chair Yoga classes during the pandemic and Las
Comadres gave me the opportunity to provide this service to their membership.
What would you say to someone who is
thinking about joining Las Comadres?
Jeannie: If
you are looking for a community of women Las Comadres is the group to join
because they are so inspiring and offer so much encouragement. You don’t have
to go to every meeting and they will still welcome you. They are there for you
whenever you need them. Eventually you will be drawn to this group and commit
to participate because of the culture of community they foster which is
important.
What is a positive affirmation you live
by?
Jeannie: It
is Feel good, Do good. When you are
in this line of business sometimes you forget to take care of yourself. I am
the type of person that gives and gives and I needed to focus more on loving
myself. So I started working with a life coach who helped to ground me and this
was an affirmation that we came up with that helps to ground me. I also like “What you think, you become. What you feel,
you attract. What you imagine, you create.”- Buddha
What words come to your mind when you
think about Hispanic Heritage Month?
Jeannie: Awareness
and curiosity. This is the month when people ask about our culture. Everyone
wants to be more aware of their ancestry. Now that I am older I am also asking
more questions especially of my Dad who told me that his first job was making
piraguas. He shared with me all of the jobs he had to do to save enough money
to bring the family to NY.
What is your favorite fall holiday and
why?
Jeannie: I
have to say it is Thanksgiving. It’s a great tradition where family comes
together shares food, music and reflects on what they are grateful for. It’s
also sad because you think about those who don’t have family. All of my family
is in Dominican Republic, but I have friends and colleagues who invite me and it's an
opportunity for me to meet people and make new friends.
Power of the Mind --- what does this
phrase mean to you?
Jeannie:
The biggest myth is that you need 30
minutes to do meditation. Even if you dedicate one minute it is your special
moment. In that one minute you give yourself the opportunity to open your mind.
It also reminds me of my first class of teacher training where they displayed a
slide on the projector that contained the words “welcome to your mind”. It’s a
beautiful thing. At the end of the day sometimes we forget to be kind to
ourselves and the world around us.
Jeannie Diaz is a 200hr Yoga &
Meditation teacher based in NYC. Her classes focus on breathwork, mindfulness,
body positivity and are accessible to all.
Email: Jnamaste18@gmail.com Instagram: Jnamaste
Virtual classes are free/by donation -
Chair Yoga 2x a week & Meditation Thursday evenings IRL private & group
Yoga classes- Sundays.
This post first appeared in the Fall 2022 Comadres Connect! Newsletter.
