Jackie Garbe is a yoga and meditation teacher based in Ridgewood. She specializes in trauma-informed and Meridian yoga techniques, based in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her teachings prioritize nervous system regulation, safe embodiment and awareness practices, and resourcing people to heal themselves and help one another.

Amongst the suffering we experience individually and collectively, she understands that there is deep healing potential that exists within each of us. She believes that liberation begins in the body of every individual person, and radiates outwards: by healing within, we can better support those around us. This healing occurs alongside the work we do within communities, in advocacy and mutual aid, to create conditions where every person can live well, as they each deserve.

She also offers free and donation-based NADA ear acupuncture for addiction recovery, which is a practice that was developed in the South Bronx in the 70s. As she studies Chinese Medicine, she prioritizes offering these healing practices to those who are least resourced to access care.

Jackie has been living in New York for eight years, and in Queens for two. She studied genocide and human rights at Columbia and worked in the nonprofit sector prior to moving into yoga full time. As a transplant, she prioritizes offering these practices to her community in free and donation-based classes and clinics across the city. (jackiegarbe.com; IG jackiegarbe; and scienceofselfYTT.com)

NB: Other than the amazing diversity, what do/did you love most about living in Queens? How has Queens changed over the years?

JG: I’ve been in New York for eight years and I still feel like I’m getting to know it. I’m definitely here for the people… And of course the biggest change I’ve witnessed is the gentrification. As a transplant, I’m a part of this, and I think it’s most important to recognize that and then do your best. So considering the way you exist within the community, and trying to get involved and participate and listen when it comes to organizing and building relationships with your neighbors.

NB: How does Queens inspire you? What are some of your favorite places to be inspired in Queens?

JG: Mostly I go to the cemeteries, some of them you get a really nice view of the city, and there is so much nature that exists in more subtle ways. It’s everywhere, in the pigeons, weeds growing in the sidewalk cracks, a tree root pushing through concrete… Living in the city we can feel disconnected from nature, but it’s actually all there and all around us, all the time. It’s an amazing practice in constantly tuning back in and noticing and appreciating.

NB: What advice do you have for readers who are hoping to develop their yoga, meditation, wellness, or healing practices? Is yoga a practice that anyone can learn? What is something you wish you knew before you became a yoga and meditation instructor? Can you tell us more about how you chose to move into yoga full time?

JG: Yes! Yoga is for everyone. You can do yoga lying in your bed without even really moving. Or just focus on getting in some really good belly breaths, since that’s one of the most important aspects of the physical practice anyway. It’s all more about the awareness and embodiment practice.

My advice would be to find what feels right in your body and try to stick with it. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate routine, but just being in your body a little bit every day, in a low pressure way, will do so much to help you. There’s a ton of guided stuff on YouTube you can do at home too.

I don’t consider myself to be in yoga full-time because I’ve always had other work, and try to approach yoga as a way to be of service. I personally believe healing work (and caretaking roles as well) should be government subsidized so way more people can teach and offer care full-time, in a sustainable way.

NB: How important is personal connection and communication (networking?) in your industry?

JG: So important… in the healing sphere we’re all on the same mission, so it’s not so much about networking, which I think reflects a level of individualism. It’s all more about doing our part within this greater web where we all try to support and uplift each other. We all learn from each other and inspire each other and it’s bigger than any individual effort. I love seeing the work that other people do, and the goal is really to get everyone, everywhere, to be united and empowered in their efforts to help one another. That’s where the real healing is.

NB: Who are some of your favorite yoga teachers, meditators, teachers, artists, writers, performers, entrepreneurs, healers, and other creatives with a Queens connection?

JG: I have two people that immediately come to mind. My friend, Zachary Lynn is a Queens-based teacher and community organizer who runs the Ridgewood Care Clinic, a pop-up based clinic that offers free and donation-based community ear acupuncture and bodywork. The clinics are open to everyone and anyone, and are a safe space to receive accessible healing. The next one is July 12 at Ridgewood Commons! My teacher, Dr. Rose Erin Vaughan, has been teaching yoga and acupressure in New York for years and is a foundational part of the community. She’s been running trainings through the Science of Self yoga school (online and in person) for over a decade, where she teaches people how to heal others through yoga, meditation, breathwork, and acupressure. Many yoga classes you’d go to in New York, you’re learning from students of hers. She is a foundational force of healing here in New York, and beyond.

NB: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? What is something you wish you knew a decade or two ago?

JG: Just to trust (in the universe, or God, or your own path). I’ve spent the last decade of my life focused on building a better relationship to my own pain and suffering, which has in turned helped me along a path that helps me help other people. That’s the greatest gift and privilege. And if I could impart any wisdom upon a past version of myself, it would be just have hope and trust that everything would eventually be for the greater good.

NB: What are your favorite yoga studios, restaurants, coffee shops, theaters, galleries, communities, and venues in Queens?

JG: There are some incredible community spaces that are doing good work, Ridgewood Commons is great and hosts a lot of different events, services, and workshops that are accessible and community-oriented. I love the Good Neighbors Market in Ridgewood. They’re so cute and nice there and they have a lot of specialty products which is great to source local. I go there the most. Just shopping local is important. And definitely of course love Nowadays. Music and dance are an important liberation and embodiment practices and Nowadays is really good about cultivating a genuine safe space that uplifts artists and really interesting and creative music.

Daya Yoga Ridgewood has a lot of teachers I love, I like going there. Two non-Queens shoutouts, if that’s cool, are Baby Cobra Yoga in Bushwick, which offers accessible donation-based yoga, that’s where I mostly teach and practice. And Common Good Acupuncture in Bushwick offers accessible sliding-scale acupuncture to the community, as well as monthly free ear acuclinics.

NB: What do you wish more people knew about wellness, discipline, and movement?

JG: There’s no right or wrong way to do it. You can test out whatever modalities work for you, it could be yoga, dancing, going on walks, sports, going to the gym, or really anything. But find something that gets you into your body, and makes you feel good, and try to stick to it.

So to stick with it, you can focus on forming a positive relationship about it. It’s more of an aspect of devotion rather than discipline; you’re doing this because you want to do something nice for yourself. And don’t be hard on yourself if you miss a day or fall off. The most important part is that you form a positive relationship with your practice and return to it when you can.

And it’s especially important to find something you enjoy!! Even if it’s challenging, maybe you enjoy the challenge. Or take it easy. Anything’s good.

NB: Do you have any events or projects coming up that you’d like to promote? Can you tell us more about them?

JG: Yes. The next Ridgewood Care Clinic is on Sunday, July 12, 10am-4pm at Ridgewood Commons. There will be free and donation-based ear acupuncture, cupping, and bodywork. It’s a very safe, welcoming, and trauma-informed space. And it’s for everyone. I will be there giving ear acupuncture!

The Science of Self yoga school with Dr. Rose Erin Vaughan runs trainings in New York City and upstate year- round. I highly encourage the trainings to anyone who is interested in deepening their yoga practice, learning acupressure, or teaching and helping others. You can reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more.

NB: What is a typical day like for you?

JG: This is a fun question because I’m very particular about my routines and I do the same thing almost every day. In the morning I go on a little walk and work/study at a coffee shop. And then I take a longer walk, and some time mid-day or evening I’ll teach and/or practice yoga. I cook a lot so afterwards I’ll probably get groceries and go home and cook. It’s simple and I love it….

NB: Can you tell us more about your passion for community building and accessibility?

JG: I mostly try my best to attend/support things that are already happening. There are so many people out there who are doing incredible organizing work and I think it’s best to support in any way we can. Because my particular skillset is in yoga, breathwork, acupressure, cupping, and ear acupuncture, I try to volunteer where those services could be helpful. And I only teach weekly yoga classes at Baby Cobra Yoga because it’s donation based and I align with that ethos. I also teach every now and then at various community centers; my interest is mostly in teaching accessible practices for people who wouldn’t typically do yoga.

NB: Can you tell us more about working with Chinese medicine and NADA ear acupuncture for addiction recovery?

JG: The foundation of Traditional Chinese Medicine is that our bodies already contain deep healing potential with the Meridian system, and the practices help us to balance the energy that already exists within. So it’s a really powerful and accessible practice because it doesn’t require anything other than what we already have access to, within our bodies. Yoga is similar in this way. My goal here is to help people learn about this system, and how they can heal just through movement, breathing, awareness, and pressing different points (acupressure). It’s knowledge that is innate within each of us, and everyone deserves to access it.

And NADA (5 point ear acupuncture) is great because it’s so rooted in our community. NADA has deep roots in New York, and was developed in the Bronx in the 70s to help support addiction recovery and withdrawal symptoms. So it feels really good to be able to offer it now. And there are so many incredible NADA practitioners and organizers around the city who are offering this practice to the community.

NB: How do you help people realize their healing potential?

JG: It’s one thing to heal ourselves and our individual traumas and feel better, and it’s a whole new thing when you help other people heal. It creates a ripple effect, and I believe the act of helping others is intrinsically healing. So my goal is to help resource people to heal themselves and the people around them. So that’s the foundation of my goal with what I teach, and the projects I work on, to teach people how to help others around them. And ultimately, I think it is most important that we try our best. If we’re all collectively focusing on helping one another, powerful change and healing can happen.

—Nicollette Barsamian

The Local-Express interview series was originated on July 3, 2013 by Nicollette Barsamian.