Connecting Passion With Action: Skyler Myers

Skyler Myers is an everyday woman living in North San Juan, CA .  She is striving to provide a healing space for women who have suffered sexual assault or domestic violence in her community.  Having overcome her own personal challenges including being raped when she was 14 years old Skyler finally said, enough is enough. 

Upon moving to the San Juan Ridge in 2008 she realized that her rural community lacked  the resources and support for women (there are roughly 10 domestic violence calls per day in Nevada County).  As a certified Hatha Yoga instructor (she opened the first green yoga studio in San Diego) and student of Ayurveda, Skyler had a vision of coupling the two healing modalities to help women. 

For many years her dream was on hold but everything changed after she attended the See Jane Do Passion Into Action Conference last April.  Skyler was so inspired and moved by the event that she decided to put her passion into action and launch Women Savy (Serving Abuse Victims through Yoga).  

She is also co-organizing a fundraiser to support the San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center this Saturday May 28th.  She says "our hope is that this fundraiser will plant the seeds to start a network which will provide continued women’s support services on the Ridge."

Skyler contacted See Jane Do following the conference and encouraged us to share her story with you.   

Dear Elisa and Jesse,

My name is Skyler Myers.  I was in attendance at the Passion into Action conference in Grass Valley and have been riding the waves since.   I have been so inspired by the conference, as well as by Moonrise and Urgent Message from Mother that I decided now is the time to begin the project I have been dreaming of for years. 

I just launched a project (womensavy.com) to bring yoga and Ayurveda (natural diet, liefstyle, and herbal sister science to yoga) to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through DVSAC, Women of Worth and the San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center as a way to help them get comfortable back in their bodies after violence, as a doorway to self confidence and love, as a doorway for all of us women to create a culture of peace collectively.  We all, male and female, will be loved and respected in proportion to the love and respect we have for ourselves.  We cannot respect or love ourselves if we are disconnected from our bodies.  I feel in my bones that embodiment precedes empowerment, and necessitates inclusion of all women.  When all women, not just women with privilege, become stronger and reclaim our bodies and spirits, there is hope for peace. 

Yoga is a somatic therapy.  Practiced in a supportive way, it has a unique ability to help people tune in to their breath, which is what connects our mind to our bodies.  It might seem overly simple, but just like your Mom may have said to you, “take a deep breath,” and you feel your body relax.  As sensitivity returns, healing begins.  When held in a supportive space to breathe and feel safe, emotions are experienced with compassion, and anything seen to not serve our highest truth falls away.  When grounded in gentleness, yoga can be learned and practiced anywhere to cultivate awareness, savvy, balance, and peace. 

I have been helping organize an event on Memorial Weekend, Saturday, May 28 at Willow Springs for a fundraiser for the San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center, for being a place where people can come to do laundry or get online, as a safe place, a place to have fun and connect, to reduce isolation. I will offer a gentle yoga class at 10am for a minimum $5 donation.  Then at 11, you can enjoy homemade soup and the first 50 people can take home your handmade bowl for a minimum $5 donation.  Two local massage therapists will be offering short chair massages 11am- 2pm for $1/minute.  We’ll have a raffle & silent auction.  All proceeds will provide support for ongoing programs and services at the Family Resource Center.  Our hope is that this fundraiser will plant the seeds to start a network which will provide continued women’s support services on the Ridge.  And I can bring awareness to the work I am beginning through Women SAVY (Serving Abuse Victims through Yoga).

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.  Blessings to you in all the work you do. 

Skyler Myers

Founder, Women Serving Abuse Victims through Yoga

Comments

[Marsha Lanier, MSW]

Skyler is a great yoga teacher. I've personally benefitted from her wonderful skills. What a great idea! Thanks for letting us know, Elisa and Jesse.