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Instructors Unplugged, is a series where we dive deep into the hearts and minds of our partners and their dedicated instructors. Each post features candid interviews that reveal what sets their souls on fire—whether it's their passion for movement, the joy of empowering others, or the transformative journeys they’ve experienced along the way.
Here to welcome us into our brand new series, Instructors Unplugged,
meet Sarah Joy Gaines, founder of joyflow.
Star Sign (yes, really): Virgo sun, Gemini moon, Scorpio rising
Hometown: Boca Raton, FL
Favorite Class Format: joyflow
Instagram Handle: @sarahjgaines
First things first, take us through your morning routine.
Wake up, take a few deep breaths before getting out of bed, brush my teeth & wash my face.
Get dressed, take 2-10 minutes to breathe/move/meditate/pray, depending on how much time I have, before leaving for my first early class of the day.
Use the time on the subway/walking to be in silence.
Teach a class or two, record & share a somatic snack (micro practice) in the joyflow digital portal, sit and have a hot beverage, take some time for me...maybe journal, doodle, meditate, check email/IG/joyflow, stare off into the distance, etc.
My current morning routine is somewhat new because I'm now teaching early morning classes, which I haven't done in years. I think it's important to remember that routines change as seasons change! That's something I've learned over time...not holding myself to an old way of doing things, or a way I think I "should" be doing something.
Tell us what you are passionate about.
Reshaping societal ideas of fitness, wellness, and beauty. Helping folks reclaim their innate power, wisdom and divine nature.
How do those passions inform what you do in the classroom?
Oof! It's at the heart of everything I do. It's the why behind joyflow.
When I teach, I aim to create space for folks to explore how their body wants to move. To give themselves permission to move freely and uniquely like them. To move slowly. In the slowness, we can start to notice and listen to the internal nudges, to the sensations that feel delicious, to the pain that needs to be tended to, to the wisdom on the other side. The more we listen, the more we can create space for emotional and creative expression, of every kind. I teach movement as a vehicle to understand your body as the most intelligent, awe-inspiring creation on this planet.
What does community mean to you?
I once heard the body described as "a community of some trillion cells working together."
Whether cells or people, community is gathering with a common intention. In the gathering is collective energy towards that intention, leading to support, learnings, wisdom, laughter, healing, and joy. Community is a space to know you are loved, supported, and celebrated; to love, support, and celebrate others. It's belonging, it's identity.
Tell us about your relationship with fitness and how it has evolved over time.
How much time do you have?!
I wrote about it briefly in the blog titled Shifted Your Relationship With Exercise but the spark notes is this: I went on my first diet at eight years old and exercise was linked to losing weight and changing my body. In high school, I started lifting weights and by my junior year of college I was training for my first (and only) bodybuilding competition. I reached peak states of disordered eating and exercise obsession. My relationship with fitness at that time was two-fold: I was feeling confident and strong, not to mention gaining knowledge about fitness, AND exercise was often associated with punishment, guilt, and shame, "making up" for a binge the night before.
Eventually, I started thinking about movement in terms of How do I want to feel? And started working out to match that. I.e: I want to feel strong so I'll lift heavy weights. I want to feel light and springy, so I'll do a lightweight bouncy circuit. I'd say that sentiment has only grown tenfold.
Now, I understand movement as a means to move energy.
Tell me about the first conception of joyflow.
joyflow started as a mindful fitness class.
I'd offer a "strength flow" like an inchworm to a squat, and give folks a few minutes to move through it with invitations to add on or scale back as best fit with their intention for class. I'd have one track towards the end where a song would come on that was a little more dance-y and I'd say "start to notice how your body responds to the music and just let your body move." Like a little surprise! Let's dance!! As my own journey evolved and I started deepening into somatic and energetic practices, naturally I started weaving them into the practice. The last few years have really solidified the sequence to be one that focuses on grounding, opening, releasing, expressing, and receiving, in that order.
What's your vision of it now?
joyflow is a practice and a philosophy! It's about connecting with your body, allowing your body to guide you, releasing judgment along the way. How often do we go through life thinking "Am I doing it right? What does this person/that person think of what I'm doing? Does this look good?" joyflow is a practice of breaking through that tension, and giving yourself permission to express freely. To move like you.
What makes the joyflow format special?
It can be done anywhere, in any setting. You don't need workout clothes, you don't need a yoga mat. You can do it right here, right now. You can do the whole thing from a chair. It's a practice of meeting your body where you're at. A group of people can all move through the same joyflow together, and it will look different for every single person. Just like life ;)
What do you look for in an instructor when you're taking class for yourself?
Somatic understanding and openness to explore what my body needs throughout the provided guidance. I look for folks who get that movement and the body is more than what meets the eye.
How has joyflow impacted your life?
I honestly don't know where I would be without joyflow! I'll share what I shared in a recent newsletter: "I am grateful for the practice of joyflow which has been an anchor every single day. It simultaneously acts as a balm for my nervous system, a walkie talkie to my body’s wisdom (intuition), and a portal for a plan far greater than mine to [joy]flow through me."
If you want to experience the magic of joyflow for yourself, get first dibs on events and access to daily somatic practices, join the community here.
Learn more about joyflow via her website: https://www.joyflownyc.com.
NYC-SOCIETY members receive their first joyflow class for FREE when you sign-up to be a member. Memberships for our platform are completely free of charge.
✨ Sign up and experience somatic bliss. ✨
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