College life gets busy quickly, as students must adjust their schedules to accommodate studying, work, personal relationships and other ambitions. This whirlwind of responsibility can disconnect students from the present. Yoga instructor Genevieve Aleman recognizes this stress not only among students but people of all livelihoods.
Aleman hosts free beginner yoga classes at Downtown Riverside’s vintage clothing store Raincross District to help attendees embrace stillness in their lives. She currently offers sessions on Tuesdays for parents and children, along with Thursday sessions for teens and adults, each from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Aleman is a 23-year-old mother who began practicing yoga in high school and started instructing yoga courses two years ago after earning her certification from the local non-profit organization Community Yoga Initiative.
She began hosting public courses and advertising them on her Instagram and Tik-Tok accounts to encourage locals to come out and experience the activities’ therapeutic qualities for themselves. Although it took months for people to begin showing up, Aleman expressed that the community that has formed through her classes is something she was proud to help curate.
“To now have a full room every time I see it, I literally just want to start crying because I feel so happy to see that people are showing up,” Aleman commented.
The classes themselves take place in the back of Raincross District in a separate, dimly lit room referred to as the “wellness studio.” It’s covered with zen decorations, and during classes soft music is played in the background. To start the class, Aleman greets the guests then offers them a card displaying a mantra and a spritz of lavender oil on their wrist, both of which are meant to immerse guests in a relaxing ambiance. Attendees are provided with mats if needed and can take whatever space is available on the studio floor.
The class focuses on gentle movements, which are held for minutes at a time to allow guests to reflect in a non-judgemental environment. Some movements encourage the body to enter positions which are not often used, such as the happy baby pose, which has attendees lay on their backs and hold their shins, putting them in a slightly awkward position. However, in the soothing environment of the studio, it induces a de-stressing yet empowering feeling as it introduces the body to foreign movements and makes guests aware of how much their body is capable of.
Although the experience does encourage attendees to follow the instructor’s lead, it’s emphasized that practice will look different for each person so adjustments are allowed which helps promote the therapeutic nature of the class.
Now that Aleman’s classes have begun to garner more attention and have grown, so have the reasons people have chosen to attend. Imelda Perez, a mother and someone who travels often for her profession, explained that she had decided to participate because she wanted to engage in more self care.
“I was thinking that I really need to start doing something for myself. It’s nice to have a little moment to take care of myself,” stated Perez.
Returning attendee, Amelia Wicker, had a similar sentiment, expressing that as a working woman who spends much of her daily life in busy environments such as her workplace, the weekly class has helped her decompress.
“I feel really relaxed, centered and happy,” mentioned Wicker.
By making the course free and donation-based, Aleman hopes to eliminate issues of accessibility that may prevent people from attending.
“Presence and energy matters more than payment to me, as long as you’re there and you’re present and participating, that’s how people can pay me,” Aleman insisted.
The class functions as an effective de-stimulant to everyday life for students, faculty and the community. In it, people can find a place to reconnect with themselves and find joy in stillness.
“I guess my hope overall is that yoga helps remind people that no matter what is going on in our lives that there is always a place of peace within us … you just need your breath, your body and your willingness to learn and show up,” concluded Aleman.
