Inspiring Conversations with Jamila Bowens of Yoga/W Mi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamila Bowens.

Hi Jamila, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My love for yoga started just about 4 years ago after I lost my grandmother to stage 4 pancreatic cancer . Not only did I find myself in a dark place but I was truly lost and broken she was everything to me and my family and I just thought I couldn’t do it without her. I would find myself doing things that was just so unhealthy for my body and lifestyle to the point it literally caught up with me. I knew I had to change things or it would change for the worse. I remember going to grief therapy and she told me she does yoga and how it calms her and more. I went to a yoga class here in Akron and absolutely loved everything about it. I started to do it at home with just you tube and also brought a book to better understand. One day an old friend of mine said you really love yoga why don’t you just teach classes and I thought umm i don’t think I can do that I don’t know if I can….just having so many doubts about it but he was so confident in me that I CAN and gave me the opportunity to do classes at his gym and I’m for ever grateful for his encouraging words and faith in me. So I started having small groups with some girls and over the course of years it lead me here. I am currently enrolled in my 200 hours online for my instructor certification to be able to have my own space right here in Akron, oh. Yoga has help me mentally physically and emotionally I have had the time to really learn what healing yourself mean and in the midst of it I lost a lot of friends but that’s ok because I FOUND who I really am in the making. So I starting doing my classes at Hardesty park for the community getting both men and women to come out and move their body more and connect with their mind body and soul . My classes are made for beginners so that they can get the concept of what yoga is about. Once it started getting cold out it frustrated me because I didn’t know where I would hold my classes and then came My friend Myka Smith she has a dance studio in Akron oh on roming rd I remember her contacting me and saying I can help you with space I’m proud of you and I thank God every day for her because now every Saturday at 9 am after that I was able to hold my classes that my peers love to join. In the midst of my journey I met Char (TheJewellMethod) which is a new Pilates instructor right here in Akron, Oh which was truly a blessing because we just clicked something so perfect. We both had the same vision to help our community at a affordable rate we have had a lot of successful events together and more to come. So here I am today YOGA/w Mi every Saturday at 9 am summer days Hardesty park and 2056 Roming rd I am working on getting a app for booking classes but you can just join just bring mats and follow me on ig simply_mila 29 or fb jamila Bowens

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
At the beginning it wasn’t so smooth because things didn’t work out for me with finding space in the beginning and also with juggling so much with a full time mother of two children which both are in sports but time management is everything. I feel like in our community we don’t have a lot of funds and support to actually do more events so I come out of pocket for a lot of things

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Yoga/W Mi?
I am a African American yoga instructor here in Akron oh… I hold class every Saturday at 9 am in the summer when weather permits at Hardesty park and 2056 roming rd Akron oh my classes are $10 and all you need is a mat classes held for about 45 minutes…classes are at a beginner level and affordable rate for both men and women to join I also do private one on one classes for youth as well …I post all information on social media platforms ig :simply_mila29 or facebook Jamila Bowens …I feel like what sets me apart from others is the community I’m in and the opportunities I give. My heart is really in this and I love to help my peers find themselves and be happy in the making. I do a lot of random free community events as well because I do understand times are hard and If I can be a blessing to the next I will . I always tell my class do what’s best for you give yourself grace because it’s so easy to feel like you’re not enough or doing enough but you have to focus on healing yourself and looking at the bigger prize here which is you . I’m proud of my growth my classes started small but now some classes is as big as 25 people at A time .. I strive to continue my journey and getting the knowledge that I deserve to be able to help my community

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
They can reach out to me through social media ig simply_mila29 or fb jamila Bowens also via email jmlbowens@gmail.com

Pricing:

• $10/45 mins

Contact Info:

• Email: jmlbowens@gmail.com
• Instagram: Simply_mila29
• Facebook: Jamila Bowens