Deivee's Tryst With The Curvy Yogi!

In Deivee's search for fab and fit women, we came across this dynamic woman who goes by the name - The Curvy Yogi. We caught up and chatted a little about her yogic journey, her vision and practices for a greener planet. Read on, to know how Deivee's tryst with the curvy yogi unfolded.

Deivee: The Curvy Yogi, now that is someone we'd love to be introduced to! Tell us about her and you.

Luvena: I’m Luvena Rangel, founder of The Curvy Yogi. My all-time love has been the human body, health, and wellness. I’ve studied medicine and Holistic Health and have focused on Anatomy & Physiology in no less than five different applications. Although I was familiar with it since I was about 9 or 10, yoga really came into my life only after a nasty back injury that left 5 of my spinal discs severely compromised and walking ever again seemed like a distant possibility. When all else failed, yoga helped me find my feet – literally – and eventually, I was able to get moving.

The Curvy Yogi happened around that time – because by then, I was definitely a yogi in a much larger body. I felt it was important to share that story with others who felt that injuries were setbacks and compromised by not living life to the fullest. I also knew that I was very keen on going beyond stereotypes – both of being a yogi in a larger body and of yoga for larger bodies. That’s how the intention of The Curvy Yogi surfaced.

Deivee: What made you turn to yoga from aviation and logistics?

Luvena: The Aviation and Logistics industry has been my springboard to following my purpose & passion. It gave me the flexibility and financial access to learning the science of wellness deeper. I spent my free time training and upskilling myself and did teacher training programs in meditation & Ayurvedic Lifestyle at Deepak Chopra’s center in the US. I guess I was just following my inner desire to get grounded into more wholesome and cleaner life choices. Knowing how yoga had helped me, I chose to bring together my understanding of the human body and my experience of yoga in a curvy body making it an accessible, inclusive and sustainable practice for all.

Deivee: You mentioned, as a yogi, you want to make earth-friendly choices. Do you suggest that yogis like yourself have the onus of making a cleaner and greener planet?

Luvena: I believe that every single one of us carries the onus of making our planet cleaner and greener. However, as yogis, within the philosophy of yoga, we have a responsibility to adhere to the ‘union’ that yoga is – the union between mind, body, spirit and the environment. If we are authentic in our approach to yoga and its principles as in the yamas and niyamas, then yes, the onus is upon us to keep our space greener and cleaner than how we acquired it. We are one with the environment – I see no separation.

Deivee: How do you make earth-friendly choices?

Luvena: My father came from a family of agriculturists. I studied  Holistic Health at a college, that is rooted in the values of environmentally friendly choices. Between these two foundational cornerstones, I have grown to be an adult consumer who attempts to choose consciously wherever possible. I avoid single-use plastics where I can and carry my own copper bottle where I go. I look for greener purchases and say no to use plastic shopping bags. I also look for greener options in my practice – eco-friendly yoga mats and props, sustainable essential oil blends for meditation mat cleansers and, if available, choose sustainable yoga wear too.

Deivee:  How do you motivate people to make greener choices?

Luvena: I think my role as a mother is my strongest leveraging tool to influence my children to be more mindful of their choices and actions. I don’t shy away from picking trash in public and remind my children to be conscious about keeping their environment clean. It is hard work convincing others to make choices – it is easier to practice it without making a big deal around yourself about it. Simple messages run the deepest. The best motivation for anything comes from setting an example – practice what you preach.

Sometimes, we have to remind ourselves and join a larger collective in order to build momentum. The #GreenDeivee pledge was something that spoke to me instantly – it was a reminder that we can think global and act local and at the same time knowing that we are a part of a whole.

Deivee: What is your message to other yogis to adopt the sustainable life

Luvena: Yoga is much more than simply asanas. Our planet's eco-system is here to support us in our journey of mind, body, and spirit. A sustainable practice would only be possible by having an environment that is sustainably healthy and nourishing. Our individual choices as yoga practitioners and teachers have the potential to add to the collective thought of keeping the world cleaner and greener for our future generations. And yes, do add a voice to brands like Deivee who share the same values of a greener, sustainable future.