In this episode of the Get Loved Up Podcast, Koya Webb talks to Faith Hunter, a globally recognized thought leader, yoga and meditation teacher, author, and SheEO. Faith has spent her life working on big causes that have affected her and those she loved dearly, both as a nonprofit worker and yoga instructor. Faith talks about the trauma caused by the death of her brother due to complications related to HIV-AIDS, and how she was able to process it through therapy, meditation, and yoga. She also talks about her experience as an entrepreneur when she founded two yoga studios in DC. Now she’s passionate about ELEVATE, a digital and in-person experience that focuses on inner connection and personal growth. Earlier this year, Faith released her book Spiritually Fly: Wisdom, Meditations, and Yoga to Elevate Your Soul, a real-world guide to feeling more worthy, vibrant, and alive.
GUEST BIO
Faith Hunter is a yoga and meditation teacher, as well as the creator of Spiritually Fly, a lifestyle philosophy that celebrates every moment of life. A teacher of over 20 years, Hunter has owned celebrated yoga studios in DC, and now she has ELEVATE, a digital and in-person experience for inner connection and personal growth. One of the most recognizable faces in yoga, Hunter has appeared in Yoga Journal, Essence, Women’s Health, Shape, and New York magazine.
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HIGHLIGHTS
04:33 - From nonprofit worker and business expert to Yoga teacher
06:11 - Taking the time to heal from grief is crucial
16:33 - Setting boundaries and focusing on a personal practice for a year
23:09 - Childhood reprogramming and reclaiming her childhood voice
32:27 - 7 building blocks to becoming spiritually fly
35:51 - Creating safe spaces for people with color
38:37 - There's nothing wrong with nurturing yourself first
44:11 - Reawakening spirituality and faith in God through yoga
QUOTES
34:01 - Faith: "Be divine and unapologetic."
11:55 - Faith: "Going through the yoga, I really felt that that practice was holding my physical and mental body together. Therapy was supporting me to get through the process. And so when I moved to DC, even when I was working in a nonprofit, I was still practicing because I was, one, working in a very high-stress environment."
22:18 - Koya: "I think more people need to be given permission to have your personal space, have your personal time. You don't have to be with someone all the time."
24:28 - Faith: "The big trauma around my two brothers being HIV-positive, I took on the role of being the very good daughter. And, that kind of actually suppressed my voice. And so, realizing that that's also the thing I crave the most, was more of my mother's attention. Because her job, her role was getting it all to them. But I was like, I don't wanna cause any more stress, I'm gonna sit back."
25:22 - Koya: "It's so interesting how, when someone is in pain, when someone is hurting, you know, we tend to take the backseat and feel like, we all can't be hurting at the same time. I love that you called it out, like you had to reclaim your voice because even in that grief, you are also grieving too and you needed time and attention and nurturing."
48:03 - Koya: "I think too when you know, growing up, and reading the story of Jesus and Jesus always saying I'm the way, I'm truth, I am life, I am one with God and then saying I wanna be just like Jesus but we can't say that. To me, that's like a huge disconnect."
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To hear more about Koya Webb and Get Loved Up episodes, please visit her website at https://koyawebb.com/.