Circle Yoga Cooperative Equity Book Club: American Detox

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Equity Book Club: American Detox

Circle Yoga’s Racial Equity Team is thrilled to host our second meeting of the Equity Book Club. We'll read American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal by Kerri Kelly.

Better, stronger, healthier, whole—the wellness industry promises us that with enough intention, investment, and positive thinking, we’ll unlock our best selves and find meaning and purpose in a chaotic and confusing world.

The problem? It’s a lie.

The industry soars upwards of $650 billion a year, but we’re still isolated, insecure, and inequitable. “Wellness” isn’t making us well; it’s making us worse. It diverts our attention and holds us back from asking the questions that do help us heal: Who gets to be well in America? Who’s harmed—and who’s left out? And what’s the real-life cost of our obsession with self-improvement? To be truly well, we don’t need juice fasts or yoga fads. We need to detox from a culture rooted in perfectionism, white supremacy, and individualism—and move toward a model that embodies mutual responsibility and extends beyond self-help to collective care.

This is the second in a series of book club events hosted by Circle Yoga's Racial Equity Team. The discussion will be hosted by Matthew Lyons and Caryn Sweeney, both members of the Circle Yoga Board of Directors and the studio's Racial Equity Team.

This is a hybrid event. Join us in person at Circle Yoga Cooperative in Washington, DC, or attend online. A limited number of copies of the book will be available in the shop at Circle Yoga. If you'd like to reserve a copy, contact us.

This is a donation-based event with a suggested donation amount of $10-$100. One hundred percent of your donation will support scholarships and community outreach programming through Circle Yoga Connects. Circle Yoga Connects is a partnership between Circle Yoga Cooperative and the Give Back Yoga Foundation. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible contribution, please follow these instructions to donate through the Give Back Yoga Foundation website. Questions about making a donation? Contact us.

Matthew Lyons

Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Matthew (he/him) has lived in the DC area for over 30 years. He began practicing yoga consistently in 2014. After several years of practicing Bikram Yoga, his interests shifted to vinyasa, Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, and restorative practices. Matthew completed his RYT-200 training as well as a 100-hour Yin Yoga teaching training in the spring of 2017, and has since continued to pursue training in Yoga Nidra, restorative yoga, and sound healing. He also holds a law degree from George Washington University Law School and spent nearly 26 years working on congressional affairs and federal public policy before deciding in 2018 to dedicate his time and energy to guiding gentle movement practices, meditation, and sound healing. Matthew, a teacher and board member at Circle Yoga, brings a calm, mellow vibe into his classes and workshops, with the intention of making subtle movement and stillness accessible and fulfilling to each student's body, mind, and spirit.

Caryn Sweeney

Caryn Sweeney is a longtime Circle Yoga student, former board member, and current Racial Equity team member and desker. A DC resident for 24 years now, Caryn’s career has included the development, management and evaluation of health, education, and livelihoods programs around the world from the Mississippi Delta to Tajikistan, India, China and Egypt. For the past decade, she has focused on U.S. financial security and economic justice, particularly for Black, brown, and/or disabled communities and has worked as a consultant and advisor to national and DC-area nonprofits and social enterprises. Caryn lives in Glover Park with two feline overlords and can be found riding her e-trike through Rock Creek Park, participating in writing groups, or refurbishing vintage furniture.