Using Yoga to Heal with Adrian Molina

August 10, 2020

When Adrian Molina moved to Miami, yoga changed his life. Now, he has found his passion — using yoga to have the same impact on others. In this episode of Lift U Up: Inspiring Health Stories, Adrian shares his story of becoming a yoga teacher, and how it led him towards the opportunity to make a change in his community. As the founder of Warrior Flow Foundation, Adrian provides access to yoga in underserved communities across South Florida. He is committed to making yoga accessible to more people and educating them on the benefits yoga has.

When Adrian moved to Miami from Argentina, he had never heard of yoga. But soon after he tried it, the 21-year-old’s life was never the same. Adrian quickly pursued a career teaching yoga and has done so ever since. After a move to New York and spending almost a decade “on the go”, Adrian decided to move back to Miami to enjoy the slower pace of life, and reflect on where he wanted to see his life go.

Adrian slowly came to realize just how privileged someone usually has to be to enjoy yoga. Yoga studios pop up often in white, rich neighborhoods and on busy city streets, but rarely in lower income or minority neighborhoods.

Upon moving back to Miami, Adrian had it in his heart that he wanted to open a nonprofit. It wasn’t until he spent a year taking care of his ill mother that he truly saw all of the pieces of his dream come together. There were so many communities – the sick, homeless, imprisoned, essential workers, and more – who did not have access to yoga, and they deserve it.

In November of 2019, the Warrior Flow Foundation was created to bring trauma-informed yoga, mindfulness, sound therapy, and stress-reduction practices into places where they are most needed. Their mission is to ignite change through their programs, working with doctors, nurses, the homeless, schools, and more.

Even amongst a pandemic, Adrian and Warrior Flow Foundation continue to bring a sense of hope and comfort to people who deserve to know they are not forgotten.

What else can you expect in this episode?

Why the homeless community became so near to Adrian, and why it is important not to cast judgement.
How purpose and second chances are what a society needs to thrive.
The touching moment Adrian experienced with an inmate after teaching a yoga class at the local jail.
What trauma-informed yoga is and what it tries to accomplish.
How COVID-19 impacted his classes and programs, and why his impact was needed more than ever.