Photography and communications project to demonstrate the accessibility of the 26&2 postures of Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class.
The 10 Percent Project is an international photo and communications project to visually demonstrate the accessibility of the 26 Postures and 2 Breathing Exercises (of Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class) to all body types, ages, colors, and levels of ability. The project will be representing 10 expressions of each of the 26 postures, with 10 different bodies, at 10 levels of depth - i.e. 10% depth, 20%, 30%, etc., all the way to as close to 99% as we can get.
The inspiration for the project came from observing people’s instantaneous reaction to seeing deeply expressed yoga postures. So often over the years, I have witnessed or heard about the viewing of an “ideal” posture and the immediate, “I can’t do that!” response. The mainstream yoga media has continued to contribute to the idea of yoga being for slender, flexible, female, white, young bodies.
This is a great tragedy in my opinion, and we all know people who could benefit from this therapeutic yoga practice but might need to witness its accessibility before giving it a try. The therapeutic power of the 26&2 (postures, training lineage, and method) is so incredible, yet I believe that many are kept away from it because of unintentional intimidation by the culturally-prescribed “beautiful” and “flexible” bodies that usually represent yoga in general.
This project is also being created at a time when the public misunderstanding of the Bikram Yoga method and lineage is perhaps at its most devastating point. The method and yoga class continue to heal people from their chronic diseases, yet the media improperly equates the independently-owned yoga schools all over the world with Bikram Choudhury and his actions. This yoga saves lives, and we need to take action to maintain and improve public awareness of this practice.
The Ten Percent Project will create an aesthetically-pleasing, professional quality poster of each of the 26&2, that encourages people to look at it and say, “Oh, I could probably do that.” Ultimately these will be published in book form as part of one of my writing projects.
A local photographer has already begun working with my students, and we have already created foundational shots of four practitioners doing most of the postures. The task now is to gather a more diverse group of practitioners and teachers who are inspired to share this practice with those who might not otherwise think they can do it.
I am looking for those who are willing to be photographed in your five least-expressed postures, the ones you feel you can only do 10% or 50% of, as well as three of your most-expressed postures. We are especially looking for those without traditionally represented yoga bodies (i.e. lean, flexible, white, female, etc.), although we will include those as well.
Our first photo shoots took place in October and November 2016, and March 2017. We will hold additional photo sessions on a semi-annual basis to build the photo collection.
All participants will receive digital images of themselves in select postures and special offers on the final products.
We look forward to your participation, your sharing of this project with anyone who is inspired to help demonstrate the accessibility of the 26&2, and to the final product.
To radically change public awareness about the therapeutic potential of yoga.
To demonstrate the accessibility of the 26 Postures and 2 breathing exercises transmitted by Bikram Choudhury, Rajashree Choudhury, Emmy Cleaves, Craig Villani, and their senior teachers around the world.
To improve international understanding of why people practice therapeutic yoga, who can do it, and the benefits of doing it.
