Accessible Yoga is Yoga: Practicing Ahimsa through Inclusivity

Accessible yoga is more than twisting the body or holding shapes for long periods. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, comprising 196 short verses written around 400 C.E., guide us toward wisdom and self-realization through the practice of yoga. Patanjali defines yoga as the effort to calm the mind. We all have minds, even if they feel chaotic or are disordered, and we can all practice that effort. Sutra 1.3 reminds us that “The Self abides in its own true nature.”

Even from its ancient roots, Yoga was never intended to be exclusive. Its essence is unity, connection, and mindful awareness. Beyond physical postures, accessible yoga helps regulate the nervous system, is trauma-sensitive, and respects personal choice. It encourages students to modify, rest, or explore alternatives without apology, creating a psychologically safe environment and honoring the full range of human experiences, including those with disabilities, neurodiversity, and aging bodies.

Jivana Heyman, founder of the Accessible Yoga School, says, “The yoga practices are all designed to lead us back home to ourselves. They’re not about giving us something new or making us into something else… but rather, peeling away the layers that block our experience of that truth.”

Yoga is a practice of ahimsa, the Sanskrit principle of non-harming. Rooted in compassion, ahimsa extends beyond our actions toward others to include how we treat ourselves. We cannot practice non-violence while causing ourselves physical, emotional, or mental harm. Accessible yoga is not a separate style or “type” of yoga. It’s more than just yoga blocks, straps, boosters, and chairs. It’s a return to yoga’s heart—expressing compassion, patience, and self-awareness in practice. Communities of healing thrive when yoga centers, teachers, and creators commit to accessibility. 

My recommendations for Inclusive and Accessible Yoga teachers and  Social Content:

• The Accessible Yoga School, https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com.

• Allihopa Yoga, https://www.allihopayoga.com.

• ML Maitreyi, https://www.instagram.com/accessibleyogaml. 

• The Underbelly Yoga, https://theunderbelly.com 

Works Cited: 

What are the Yoga Sutras, https://youryoga.com/blog/yoga-sutras-of-patanjali

Embracing Difference, Not Conformity: What Does Accessible Yoga Really Mean?, https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/blog/embracing-difference-not-conformity

Interview with Accessible Yoga Part 1: Early History of Yoga for People with Disabilities, https://www.yogicstudies.com/blog/interview-with-accessible-yoga-part-1-early-history-of-yoga-for-people-with-disabilities#:~:text=We%20may%20discover%20things%20do,Vedic%20society%20of%20the%20day.