Yoga for Healing: How to Use Yoga to Cope with Cancer, Loss, and Cultural Identity
Have you ever felt the pressure to conform to cultural stereotypes or expectations, whether from your family, society, or yourself? It's a complex and often challenging aspect of our lives that our guest today knows all too well.
In this episode, we're joined by a multi-talented individual, a yoga teacher, triathlete, and actor, Maison Leigh.
They run a yoga company with a unique name, "Death and Yoga." Their story is a journey through diverse identities, immigrant parents, and the struggles of navigating both the expectations of their heritage and the pressure to assimilate into American culture.
Episode Highlights:
Navigating Cultural Identity: Maison’s parents are immigrants from Korea, and they moved to the United States separately. In a candid conversation, we explore the challenges and complexities of growing up in an immigrant household. Maison shares the story of how her parents met and the amusing anecdotes surrounding conflicting stories about their initial encounter. It's a relatable tale of family dynamics and the desire to be a part of someone else's story.
Dealing with Health and Loss: Maison’s journey takes an emotional turn as they open up about her father's battle with cancer, a significant part of her life from her teenage years into adulthood. Her father's health struggles became a defining factor in their upbringing, and she shares the difficult experience of witnessing a loved one's suffering and eventual transition. It's a heartfelt exploration of the impact of illness on family dynamics and personal growth.
Challenging Stereotypes and Assumptions: Throughout the episode, Maison challenges stereotypes and assumptions about Asian Americans. We discuss her experiences growing up in a diverse high school and dispel the myth of the "Tiger Parent." We also share the complexities of being a first-generation Asian American and how societal expectations can influence one's career choices and identity. It's a thought-provoking conversation on the intersection of cultural heritage and personal aspirations.
“I think that tiger parent thing is, it's like that drive for success that lives in this particular way. It's like pushing pushing for perfection and perfection equates to success, which you know, is like just, it's a toxic way to think about it. And it's unhealthy.” - Maison Leigh, The Asian Detox Podcast, S2 E8
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