Editor's note: Shortly after this article was posted, it was learned Jessica Martin did not make it to the next level of the competition.
For Jessica Martin, yoga isn’t about winning awards or money, but she has entered a competition with the hope of helping more than herself.
She is in the running for the Yoga Warrior title. The international competition is run by the Yoga Journal and comes with a $10,000 cash prize for the winner.
If she wins, Martin, an instructor at Eight Limbs Yoga on Peter Street, will give the money to the local studio.
“It’s never been about money for me and I want to support our studio during this time,” she said.
The past year has been “kind of scary” at times for the studio, she added. It opened six months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and didn’t qualify for the initial round of subsidies.
“It was challenging for quite some time, and we’re not through the woods yet,” she said.
“I really want to make sure that Eight Limbs is here to help people in the future as yoga, and this studio in particular, is a place that has helped me so much.”
She said the studio has been fortunate to have strong support from the community, and people have adapted to online yoga classes.
Martin is hoping the community will continue to show its support by voting for her on her Yoga Warrior page.
“This whole contest is about community and is based on a public voting system,” she said. “I have seen our community come together here in the most beautiful way, but we could use some help.”
Voting is now open and the competition will run until the end of April. People can vote daily for free. The winner will also be featured in the Yoga Journal.
For more information about Eight Limbs Yoga, click here.
Martin’s page on the Yoga Alliance website can be found here.
