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Episode Overview:
In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Amy Wheeler welcomes yoga therapists and authors Marilyn Peppers-Citizen and Charlene Muhammad to discuss their groundbreaking new book, Yoga in the Black Community: Healing Through Wholeness, History, and Hope. With humility, courage, and vision, Marilyn and Charlene share the deeply intentional 4-year journey that led to the book’s creation—from its origins in conversations on chronic pain and health disparities to a larger message of universal healing through Yoga.
Together, they explore the historical exclusion of Black communities from mainstream yoga spaces, systemic health inequities, and the emotional toll of ongoing racial bias in healthcare and research. Yet this episode is also rooted in hope—emphasizing the healing power of community-based practice, and the recognition that Yoga is not something to be “brought into” the Black community—it’s already there.
Listeners will be moved by their reflections on resilience, the limits of resilience, and the need to reimagine yoga therapy education, credentialing, and access through a lens of equity, affordability, and cultural inclusion.
Key Topics Covered:
- How the book organically evolved through monthly conversations, Google Docs, and shared purpose
- Chronic pain, scientific bias, and the history of mistrust in research and healthcare
- Yoga as a path to liberation, community care, and remembrance of inherent wholeness
- Centering Black lived experience while offering a universal message of healing
- The challenges of inclusion in mainstream yoga and the importance of culturally-rooted practice
- Reimagining Yoga therapy education and credentialing with equity and accessibility
- Actionable steps for individual and collective healing, starting with self-reflection
- A call to yoga professionals to integrate social, historical, and emotional literacy into their work
Quotes to Remember:
“You don’t need to be in a place to practice Yoga. It’s how you wake up in the morning, how you walk through the day, and how you sleep at night.” – Marilyn Peppers-Citizen
“If you want to work with any community, you must know their history.” – Charlene Muhammad
“We are not a broken people. We are whole humans with pride, joy, and daily challenges.” – Marilyn Peppers-Citizen
Resources Mentioned:
Yoga in the Black Community: Healing Through Wholeness, History, and Hope – by Charlene Muhammad & Marilyn Peppers-Citizen
Jana Long’s film: The Uncommon Yogi
Gabor Maté – The Myth of Normal
Connect with the Guests:
- Charlene Muhammad – Yoga therapist, educator, and community healer
- Marilyn Peppers-Citizen – Yoga therapist and advocate for health equity
Takeaway Message:
This episode is a call to reflect, remember, and reconnect—with ourselves, our communities, and the deeper truths of yoga. Healing must begin within, and it must include all of us.
Listen & Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | www.TheOptimalState.com
Join the Conversation:
Tag us with your thoughts and reflections using #YogaTherapyHour
Follow @OptimalStateYoga on Instagram and Facebook
Also find us on Patreon under The Optimal State and Yoga Therapy Hour
If you would like more information about getting a masters degree in Yoga Therapy at MUIH, go to:
Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at NDMU https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy
Plans of Study for NDMU Yoga Therapy
School of Integrative Health at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health
Explore NDMU’s Post-Master’s Certificate in Therapeutic Yoga Practices, designed specifically for licensed healthcare professionals. https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/yoga-therapy/post-masters-certificate-in-therapeutic-yoga-practices
Try our Post-Bac Ayurveda Certification Program at NDMU: https://www.ndm.edu/academics/integrative-health/ayurveda/post-baccalaureate-ayurveda-certification
220 episodes
