- 7/7/2025
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00What's good, Detroiters? 105.1 The Bounce is Leisha B. from The Morning Rollout.
00:04And I've been on a journey of, like, figuring out what I want to be doing this summer.
00:09I'm newly in Detroit, and I still want to be able to move my body a little bit.
00:13And I think we got an expert in the building.
00:16She goes by the name of Ramani. Hi, girl.
00:18Hi, Leisha. Thank you for having me.
00:20I am a pro—thank you for having me, first of all,
00:24because you've been doing the things when it comes to yoga, Miss Ma'am.
00:27So let's start from the beginning of your journey.
00:30What made you take on yoga?
00:33Like, what made yoga something personal to you?
00:37I started doing yoga actually in Detroit, Michigan in 2017.
00:42One of my friends asked me if I wanted to go to a hot yoga class,
00:46and I said yes, and I've been doing yoga literally ever since.
00:50So what about yoga makes you—like, what do you use yoga for?
00:54Because obviously, not only are you an instructor, but I assume that you use yoga in your daily practice of life.
00:59Yeah.
00:59So what about yoga is special to you?
01:02I like that you are able to let out all of your emotions in a better way.
01:09So, like, if I am having a bad day, I can do yoga.
01:12It'll help me breathe.
01:14It'll help me think about things.
01:15It'll help me meditate rather than cussing somebody out or yelling or, you know, just being angry inside.
01:20That makes sense.
01:22I mean, it seems very soothing, at least when I be going to yoga.
01:26Yeah, it's really relaxing.
01:27But I like that you do a little bit of a spin to it because it's not the typical—how do I say?
01:33The soothing just music that, you know, you kind of zone out and just zen out.
01:38You have, like, different genres that we—
01:41So not only do you have, obviously, the yoga practices and using those to meditate, but also you get to meditate to the music that you actually love.
01:50So why did you choose that lane for your own business?
01:54It honestly just made sense.
01:55A lot of people ask me, like, you know, what was the thought process?
01:58There was no thought process.
01:59I just listened to a specific kind of music.
02:02So I've always liked 90s and, like, early 2000s hip-hop and R&B, so that's what I'm always playing.
02:09So quite naturally, when I do yoga, that's what I'm doing yoga to.
02:13And I initially started teaching at a yoga studio.
02:17And when I would play my playlist, the students were like, oh, my God, I've never heard a playlist this good in yoga.
02:22And I'm like, what are y'all teachers playing?
02:25And they're playing, you know, waterfalls and instrumentals.
02:28And that's just not me.
02:29I want to listen to everything that we grew up on.
02:32I want to listen to Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin.
02:35And so it just really made sense for me to put that, like, use that as an aspect in my yoga practice.
02:42And then when I saw how it made people feel, like, people were like, oh, my God, I haven't heard that song since the 80s.
02:47Or I was in high school when that came out, and it made people feel good.
02:51I was like, okay, this is something.
02:53Like, I'm thinking it's, you know, regular.
02:55People haven't even heard these songs in so long.
02:58I love that people come to you and didn't even realize what they were going to get out of it from the end of it.
03:04So I've always wondered when it comes to yoga instructors, do you have to take a class in order to become a yoga instructor?
03:11Like, what's the process that you had to go to?
03:13Because I want people to, like, really understand that this is serious.
03:15Like, you have to go through work to become a licensed yoga instructor.
03:19Yes.
03:20So you have a few options.
03:21I took my 200-hour certification.
03:25So it's, like, a classroom setting, but it's in a yoga studio.
03:30And it was three times a week for a few months, and it was night classes.
03:35So it was from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
03:37And, like, you just learn everything.
03:41You learn the basics about, like, anatomy.
03:44You learn how to teach a class, how to teach to different body types.
03:49Like, it's a lot that goes into it.
03:50I know people just think, like, yoga is stretching, but it really does take some learning.
03:56I'm not going to lie to you.
03:57When you just dropped anatomy, I'm like, oh, okay, so you have to go through an anatomy and physiology, essentially course.
04:04Well, that makes sense, though, because you're targeting different parts of the body, so you should know it.
04:09I don't know why I didn't ever think.
04:11Yes, girl, anatomy and then, like, philosophy.
04:16It's just a lot that goes into it and, like, just learning about different yoga instructors that, you know, came out with, like, different techniques about certain things.
04:25You just learn a lot of that in your teacher training.
04:28But there are yoga instructors who do, like, 500-hour teacher trainings, and there are people who fly to Bali to learn yoga.
04:36Like, you can take a lot of different avenues.
04:38There are even people who do online when they're not able to go into a yoga studio.
04:42And it does cost a pretty penny, so I was fortunate enough to get a full scholarship to do my yoga teacher training.
04:49Come on now.
04:50Yeah.
04:51Now, how did that happen?
04:52Was there, like, a competition, or did you have to do a scholarship, like, whole?
04:57You had to apply to it.
04:58Okay.
04:59And it was through Core Power Yoga.
05:01And so I got the – I had only went to one Core Power class, and after that I was on their e-mail list.
05:06And one day I was sitting on the couch, and I got an e-mail, and it said, you know, if you want – since you are black, you know, it was a BIPOC scholarship.
05:13Since you are black, you can apply for this scholarship.
05:15And I applied immediately, and I just started telling people I got it.
05:19I was like, yeah, I got this scholarship.
05:21I ain't had no scholarship.
05:22But then, like, in a few weeks they told me that I was, you know, I was a person that got it.
05:26And it was only maybe, like, four other black people in my teacher training, and it was about 30 of us.
05:31So everybody else was white.
05:33Wow.
05:33And back to, like, what you talked about, the music, that's also why it was important for me to use black music because a lot of people have white instructors.
05:42Right.
05:42I didn't have a black instructor up until maybe, like, 2023, which is when I started Yoga with Ramani.
05:50So, yeah.
05:51Wow.
05:52Just the fact that in a class of 30, only four people.
05:55But that's also not surprising at the same time because, like you said, most generally it is not people of color that you see.
06:03So it's exciting to have you in the industry now, girl.
06:07But I want to know, so take me back to the first class that you ever did.
06:11Was there anxiety that you had, or did you feel like you were ready at that point to take the next step?
06:16Girl, so I told you it was a hot yoga class.
06:18So hot yoga is 105 degrees.
06:20Uh-huh.
06:20I had just eaten.
06:22Are you from Detroit?
06:23I'm from D.C., but.
06:25Do you know what a corned beef sandwich is?
06:26Yes.
06:26Okay, so I just had a corned beef sandwich, and I ate it right before class.
06:30So I didn't even finish that whole class.
06:32I literally ran out of there.
06:33I ended up, like, having to throw up, and then I left.
06:35Oh, no.
06:36I liked it.
06:38You know, it wasn't the teacher's fault that that was happening to me.
06:41So that was my first experience.
06:43So compared to your first experience in yoga ever to your first experience teaching yoga,
06:47what was, did we have a better experience then?
06:50Yes.
06:50Okay, so what did you?
06:52But it definitely made me more attuned to what students may be going through.
06:56Right.
06:56So, like, if you are feeling heat exhaustion, if you did eat a really big meal beforehand,
07:01I'm always able to tell people just go at your own pace.
07:04So, like, don't feel like you have to go above and beyond if that's not something that's
07:08in your body today.
07:09Right.
07:10So that's why I wanted to know, because I feel like being a student and obviously having
07:14such an unfortunate situation, you can kind of parallel to them a lot easier than just,
07:20you know, not having been a student at all and not having that experience.
07:23You don't know what they're going through.
07:25Yes, and even to take it further, like, what we go through is, like, black people when
07:30it comes to wellness.
07:32I feel like since I was a student for nine to ten years, it is, it's just human nature
07:39for me to, like, know what my students need as far as, like, being black or brown women
07:44in a yoga class.
07:45Because I didn't even want to be a yoga instructor.
07:49When I was doing yoga, I was always like, no, I'm not going to be an instructor because
07:53I'm originally a personal trainer, and I was just cool with being a personal trainer.
07:58But I had an experience in L.A. where I live where I was the only black woman in a yoga
08:04class, and when I came in, the instructor was Ru, and then she looked me up and down
08:09and she said, do you even do yoga?
08:11And I was like, yes.
08:12And by the end of class, obviously, she was like, oh, my God, Ramani, like, you're amazing.
08:16And I'm like, I know I'm amazing.
08:18I do yoga every single day.
08:20But then she was like, you know, you should definitely come back.
08:21I'm like, I'm not coming back.
08:23But after that, I was like, okay, even though I personally don't want to be a yoga instructor,
08:27I feel like, of course, that changed.
08:30But I ended up seeing there's a need for me to be a yoga instructor.
08:34I'm like, you know how to work with people, you know what people need, and you know how
08:38to guide people in a professional manner to where they don't feel discriminated against
08:43when they come into your studio.
08:45So that was the catalyst for me becoming a yoga instructor.
08:48I was like, okay, if I'm having this experience, I know that other black women are also having
08:53this experience, and I'm going to keep coming back to different yoga classes because I do
08:57yoga.
08:57But a person, if it's their first time doing yoga, and you do something like that, like,
09:01you know, have you ever even done yoga, and you make them feel small, they're not going
09:04to come back.
09:05Exactly.
09:05And so I was like, I need to be an instructor, and that was what pushed me into doing this.
09:10Wow, come on now, from just an egregious discriminatory moment to that, channeling that into being
09:17like, you know what, I want to be better for others, and that's what you did.
09:22Congratulations to you, girl.
09:23Your heart is pure.
09:24It's definitely the Detroit in me.
09:25It's just like, you're never going to try to play me.
09:27You're not about to play me at a yoga class.
09:29That's one thing that I've learned about Detroiters.
09:31The pride is real, and also, you're not going to mess with me or say anything bad about
09:36me, and I'm going to one-up you every time.
09:38Every single time.
09:39I'm going to be the best that I can be, so yeah, shout out to Detroit.
09:42Come on now.
09:43So you mentioned that you live in L.A. now.
09:44Mm-hmm.
09:45What was the transition?
09:46Why did you move to L.A.?
09:48Was it because of yoga?
09:49No, so I've only been a yoga instructor for the past two years.
09:54I moved to L.A. four years ago, but prior to that, I was living in Tennessee for college,
09:59and I just kind of felt like I had outgrown the space because I went to college there.
10:05So I just kind of feel like I grew up there, and there wasn't a lot for me as an adult.
10:12Like, I just wanted to see more and be more.
10:14I wanted to charge more.
10:16I wanted to, you know, get paid more, and I felt like L.A. was the space to do that in,
10:21but I was a personal trainer at the time, so in my mind, I was like, you know, I'm going
10:24to be a celebrity personal trainer, and I'm going to move to L.A., and, you know, that
10:29kind of happened, but then I was able to transition into what I was really meant to do, which was
10:34yoga.
10:35And I know that you also do virtual sessions as well, and that's been very popular for
10:41what I'm seeing.
10:42Yes, the girls love virtual.
10:43What started that?
10:44What was the catalyst?
10:45Did someone that you instruct ask you for this, or was just the next step when it came
10:50to what you were thinking strategically?
10:52People have been asking me to do virtual classes since I started.
10:55So, like, my best friend, my mom, everybody was like, you need to do virtual, and I had
11:00imposter syndrome, and I was like, I'm not going to do virtual.
11:03I don't know what I'm doing.
11:04Nobody's going to sign up.
11:06You know, just, like, all of the negative things that you tell yourself.
11:09And then this year, I don't know what, I just ended up getting a DM from a girl, and
11:14she was like, oh, like, I just wish you did virtual classes.
11:17And I'm not going to lie, I was in a space where I'm like, I need some money.
11:21I, like, let me just try to do these virtual classes.
11:24And I did the virtual class, and I think, like, 50 women had signed up just from me promoting
11:30it in two days.
11:32And they were from everywhere.
11:33So they weren't even just from Michigan or L.A.
11:36They were from the Bahamas.
11:38They were, you know, like, Australia.
11:40Like, you have people from everywhere.
11:41And I guess when you're the one posting on social media, you don't realize there are people
11:46everywhere watching you.
11:47You just think, okay, I'm just posting.
11:49Ain't nobody looking at this.
11:50The reach is crazy.
11:51It's crazy.
11:52And even if you do see, like, oh, a thousand people like this, you don't really register.
11:56Like, these are living human beings that are following you.
11:59Right.
11:59And so I was like, ain't nobody going to sign up.
12:01But they did sign up.
12:02And everybody was like, okay, so are we doing this again next week, same time?
12:05And I was like, I guess so.
12:07So, and I, you know, just started doing virtual literally in February of this year.
12:13Literally, one of my friends was the person who sent me your Instagram being like, girl,
12:18you need to go ahead and sign up for this virtual class.
12:20I took it and it's great.
12:22And I'm like, okay, the fact that she's got people from my home.
12:26Yeah.
12:27Talking about this.
12:28Yes.
12:28The girls in D.C. love the virtual classes.
12:31My friend, my, okay, one of the things about my best friend is she don't recommend things
12:36unless it's actually like she's tried it a few times and she can recommend it to like
12:40anybody on the street.
12:41The, the passion behind it, this text message that I got made it so that I was like, okay,
12:46no, let me just reach out to her and see if she can kiki real quick.
12:49Cause clearly she's doing something incredible for her to be all the way in LA, making an impact
12:54to my people in D.C.
12:55Yeah.
12:56So how does it feel to, I mean, you've already kind of explained it.
12:59You've, you feel like success at this point, or are you still dreaming of bigger and better
13:05things for yourself?
13:06I'm always dreaming of bigger and better.
13:08Um, I am just now starting to realize I do have to kind of sit in my accomplishments because
13:15I'll accomplish something and then I just go to the next thing and it won't hit me until
13:20like my best friend or my parents are like, oh my God, you did this thing.
13:23And I'm just like, okay, it's the next thing.
13:25So I'm even with this interview, I'm really trying to be like, okay, like I have an interview.
13:31This is good.
13:31But like, in my mind, I'm like, okay, the next thing that I have to do.
13:35So I think that's when I just also have to practice what I preach and be present and like
13:40sit in the moment and really say like, Ramani, you know, you accomplish these things.
13:44But to answer your question, people, um, like recommending my class and things like that,
13:50it's still kind of like a surreal feeling.
13:53I was at an event last week and this girl was like, you the girl who be teaching R&B
13:56yoga?
13:57And I was like, yeah.
13:58She's like, oh, I took your class a few times.
13:59I'm like, oh my God.
14:00Hi.
14:01So I don't think I'll ever be used to that because like I said, I just see myself as
14:06like Ramani.
14:08And even when I'm like, I'm always working.
14:10So I'm always like posting something.
14:12I spend most of my time alone working or like thinking about what I need to be doing.
14:16So I'm never feeling like I'm bigger than a program.
14:21You know what I mean?
14:21Like, I'm just always feeling like Ramani who who's working.
14:24So when I do go in public and people be knowing me or they're recommending me, I'm like, oh
14:28my, like, you know, I appreciate it, but I don't think I'll ever like be used to it for
14:32real.
14:33Right.
14:33Do you see that as your proudest moment?
14:35And if not, what would be your proudest moment in this journey so far?
14:39My proudest moment is helping people through real life problems.
14:42I have students who have lost children, who have lost parents, who are going through divorces.
14:48And when they tell me, and these, I'm only 26.
14:51And so when like women who are 50 plus are telling me your class helped me get through
14:56this divorce, your class helped me get through losing my child.
14:59I'm coming every week.
15:01And, you know, this has helped me not, this has helped me not act on things that I wanted
15:07to act on as far as like depression.
15:09I think that those are my proudest moments.
15:11I was just talking to somebody last week and they were like, you don't know how many lives
15:16you change just by being you.
15:18Just because I just be teaching my class.
15:20I just be being me.
15:21And it's like, people be needing that.
15:23People be needing kindness.
15:24People be needing a listening ear.
15:26People need to breathe and relax.
15:27People need to stretch and move their body.
15:29And even though it might be regular to me, most people are working.
15:34They going home.
15:35They paying bills.
15:35Like they're not in a relaxed state of mind.
15:38They're in survival mode.
15:39So I think that my biggest accomplishment is helping people get out of survival mode and
15:43see that they too enjoy, like they too should enjoy life.
15:48Like they get the chance to enjoy life as well.
15:50You don't just have to pay bills and die.
15:52Like there's so much life out here to live.
15:55And even if something negative happened to you, even if you had a not so pleasant experience,
16:00you went through a breakup, you can always go to yoga and everything's going to be okay.
16:04I love that you're always, first of all, the passion that you have while you're talking.
16:09I know.
16:10I feel myself being like, no, because it shows how much you actually care about the people
16:14who take your class.
16:15Because I mean, you have thousands of followers.
16:17You just talked about the fact that you have multiple people reaching out to you from multiple
16:21different areas of the world.
16:23And the fact that the reason why you're even in this is because of someone's rudeness towards
16:28you.
16:29Just the passion that you have for people in general, using that in your business is going
16:34to take you far, girl.
16:35That's great.
16:36Like I can just see it.
16:37I'm like, it'd be something as small as like if a student comes to my class one time,
16:42typically I try to remember their name.
16:43I try to remember everybody's name.
16:44So if somebody comes again and I'm like, oh, hey, Tiffany.
16:47And she's like, you remember me?
16:49I'm like, clearly we met two weeks ago.
16:52And they're like, you know, no other teacher has ever remembered my name.
16:55It'd just be small things like that.
16:57Like stop looking at your students as just like, you know, just numbers.
17:01These are human beings with real lives and I enjoy connecting with them.
17:05So I do feel very passionate about my students.
17:08I love that girl.
17:09So obviously I feel like people are probably like, okay, so where can I sign up as soon as possible?
17:14So can you tell people how they can either be in person with you in Detroit or maybe LA or how they can get into the virtual class?
17:23So this Sunday, I don't know when this is going to air, but this Sunday on July 6th at 2 p.m.
17:28I am teaching a hip-hop and R&B yoga class in Livonia, Michigan at BYOC Fit.
17:34But if you are ever in LA, I'll be having to move studios a bit.
17:39But yeah, you can just sign up on www.glowwithro.com.
17:47And you can follow me on all platforms at Yoga With Ramani.
17:51And Ramani is spelled R-A-M-O-N-I.
17:54And I'm working towards 100K on all platforms.
17:56So if you could follow me right now, I would really appreciate it.
17:59I love it.
18:00Come on, plug yourself, girl.
18:01Yeah, like follow me.
18:02Follow me.
18:03And then final question that I have for you.
18:06I want to know as you've walked into this journey, as you visualize the next steps for yourself,
18:12where do you see Ramani as you, Ramani as a businesswoman, or just Ramani in all facets?
18:19Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
18:22I don't know if you've ever seen this meme on Instagram.
18:23It's like, don't ask me if I have a five-year plan because my life changes every two years.
18:28I honestly, I don't know.
18:30Last year, I was literally living in Costa Rica teaching yoga, and I thought I was going to be there forever.
18:35And now I'm like, I'm in Detroit, and I'm teaching yoga.
18:37I have no clue.
18:38I really just try to take it day by day.
18:40All I can say is I'm going to keep helping people.
18:44I'm going to keep making people feel good.
18:46I'm going to keep helping people relax, and that is really the goal.
18:50However that manifests, I don't know because I didn't even know I would be doing virtual classes.
18:55Last week, I started creating YouTube videos, and that took off.
18:59Never knew I was going to be teaching yoga on YouTube.
19:01So I cannot tell you what I'll be doing in five years, but as of today and probably tomorrow,
19:06I'm just going to keep helping people and keep making people feel good in their bodies.
19:09See, I knew asking that question.
19:11I felt like you was going to bring up that meme, and I was ready.
19:14I don't know.
19:14I don't know.
19:15It changes every single day.
19:16I've lived like 15 lives, seriously.
19:18Real.
19:19I feel it.
19:19I feel it.
19:20This is why we're kin.
19:21I feel this.
19:21Yeah, I'm like, I done lived a couple lives.
19:24And then just, I said last question, but this is the real last question.
19:27For anyone who is looking now and is still sitting here being like, okay, let me, I don't know if yoga's for me.
19:33What do you have to say for them?
19:35You got to take it at your own pace.
19:37It may not be for you.
19:39Everything is not for everybody, but I do think that movement is for everybody.
19:42So whether that manifests into you walking or you like to run, you like to swim, you like to dance, move your body.
19:49Maybe yoga is just not your thing.
19:52And that's okay.
19:53But figure out what is your thing because you can't just be sitting down on the couch for the rest of your life feeling negative emotions and not knowing how to get them out of your body.
20:01So however you want to move, move your body.
20:04You don't have to come to yoga class, even though you should come to my classes, whether it's online or in person, figure out what works for you because everything is not for everybody.
20:13Well, I appreciate you for being here, Ramani.
20:15Thank you so much.
20:17Plug yourself one more time.
20:18Yoga with Ramani on all platforms.
20:20Yoga, Y-O-G-A with Ramani, R-A-M-O-N-I.
20:25And you can sign up for class on www.glowwithro.com.
20:31Thank you for having me.
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