Sweat, Surrender, and Deep Connections Through Yoga
Soul Society Yoga Monthly Member Jess Duvall shares her yoga journey
Soul Society Yoga monthly member since January 2020
Insta: @jess_duvall04
Years practicing: 8
Classes taken at Soul Society: 184 (and counting)
Favorite SSY class: Hot Flow
Fierce pose: Warrior II
Spirit pose: Half Pigeon
Go-to yoga attire: lululemon from Soul Society Yoga; Niyama Sol leggings
“For me there’s nothing like getting sweaty with a bunch of strangers. No one cares what everyone looks like at the end. We’re all sweaty messes, but we’re all connected.”
That connection and community is what Jess Duvall was looking for when she found out Soul Society Yoga was opening in Chester, Md., on Kent Island, where she lives.
Jess, a former dancer, discovered yoga about eight years ago while working in Washington, D.C., and started practicing regularly, thriving on the routine of a consistent practice. But when she left that job, she also left behind a yoga studio where she felt comfortable and connected. She craved the mind-body connection yoga is known for but just wasn’t finding an environment, instructors, and yoga classes that she vibed with.
“I was really excited to give Soul Society a shot as soon as I heard it was opening. From the very first class, it gave me what I was looking for—a nurturing environment; unique, personable instructors; and yoga classes I don’t get bored with.”
Right from the start, Jess took four to five classes a week, quickly hitting her stride. She loves Hot Flow the most, but you can often find her in VinYin, Slow Flow, or Restorative yoga classes, too. Even through COVID shutdowns, she was able to maintain a consistent yoga practice through Soul Society’s virtual yoga classes.
"Practicing yoga consistently keeps me centered all the time. If I’m not practicing then I’m looking forward to the next practice. The more I practice, the more I want to maintain balance off the mat. I think about that a lot: How am I practicing when I’m off the mat? The more I practice, the more front and center that is in my mind. It helps me stop and take a breath and realize we’re all human."
Even though during the COVID pandemic she switched her gym membership to an at-home Peleton membership, she says she prefers to get her yoga at the studio.
“It’s the community. The instructors. The temperature. For me there’s nothing like getting sweaty with a bunch of strangers. No one cares what everyone looks like at the end. We’re all sweaty messes, but we’re all connected,” she says.
Now, over a year since starting her yoga journey, Jess says she feels noticeably stronger and has regained much of the flexibility she had when she danced. But more than that, she says, she loves how her body feels when she’s practicing. “Yoga forms your body into the optimal physical shape that it’s supposed to be. Oftentimes we fight for an aesthetic, but yoga puts your body into its natural shape. It feels effortless.”
Jess encourages beginners to remember, "Everyone starts somewhere, and in a way we’re all beginners all the time. Yoga isn't like a dance routine where you work to master and perfect it. Some days you’ll be able to balance, and the next day you might fall out of it. It’s very humbling. We’re all beginners here, and we're all accepted."
