The very first Gospel of Sweat happened last Friday in New York City at the Riverside Church. Over 800 yogis, dancers, riders, and runners, came together to dig deeper into the inspiration behind our perspiration - a testament to the cultural shift that is taking place across the globe. We celebrated spirituality, community, and the personal journey that is our practice.
Watch a video recap of the event here:
sweat seekers united
There were many elements that went into creating the Gospel of Sweat. The space was magical; built in 1927, the architecture of this church in Harlem looks like it was plucked out of a European city. The crowd’s energy was contagious, and you could tell this diverse mixture of sweat-seeking New Yorkers bring their practices into all aspects of their lives. The ingredient that converted the Gospel from an event into a transformational experience was the incredible line-up of influential leaders: Suzanne Sterling, Schuyler Grant, Kay Kay Clivio, Melanie Griffith, Alan Finger, Gabrielle Bernstein, Kerri Kelly, Elena Brower, and MC Jeff Krasno. It was like being in the best yoga-spin-meditation class that you could ever imagine.
a recap of the night
Suzanne gave us all goose bumps as she sang songs of freedom in her powerfully angelic voice.
In reflecting upon her “calling” to be a yoga teacher, Schuyler told us of how she discovered that one’s calling is not something decided for you, but rather your choice to honor who you are.
Kay Kay shared the turning point where “getting a good workout” turns into something more.
With the same passion she inspires us with during a hard climb, Melanie brought us on a timeline of her life from lawyer, to mom, to teacher, to cancer survivor, to “mind-body-cardio” warrior.
Alan, a literal lifetime-yogi, guided us through the meditation that has allowed him to find calm inside, no matter what is occurring in the outside world.
Gabby enrolled a whole new troop of “spirit junkies” as she described how the moment that life brings us to our knees - the moment we know we have to change - is the greatest gift we can experience.
Kerri Kelly engaged us in her dedication to yoga-activism via Off the Mat Into the World and challenged us to empower ourselves as a community through voting.
Elena Brower shared how her biggest life lesson through yoga thus far is that we are the one’s responsible for the environment of our minds.
there is only one teacher
The common theme that kept re-emerging as each speaker took the podium was that though they are all teachers who have the ability to impact many, there is only one teacher that ultimately will change your life: you.
What is your Gospel of Sweat?
