08/31/2026
Author unknown -
I just came across this photo of Dolly Parton doing yoga with her teacher, Larry Payne.
After a sweet little moment of reflection, my immediate thought was…
Of course Dolly was a yogi.
And I don’t mean simply because of how she looks, her flexibility, or whether she ever rolled out a yoga mat.
I mean the way she has lived her life.
There is something deeply yogic about staying rooted in who you are while living in a world that constantly tries to tell you who to be.
About knowing your worth without needing to diminish yourself or someone else.
About finding joy, sharing what you have, lifting others up, laughing at yourself, working hard, loving deeply, giving generously, and continuing to show up as you through every season of life.
Yoga, to me, has never just been about putting your body into a shape.
It is a practice of coming home to yourself.
Of learning how to hold both strength and softness.
Of staying connected to your center when life gets loud.
Of recognizing that we are all connected and allowing that awareness to shape how we move through the world.
And somehow, when I think about Dolly Parton, I think…
Yep. Of course she was a yogi. 🧘🏼♀️✨💗
Maybe some of the most beautiful expressions of yoga aren’t always found in a studio.
Maybe sometimes they look like a woman with big hair, rhinestones, an enormous heart, and a lifetime spent reminding people that there is plenty of room in this world for us all to shine.✨
Photo from Larry Payne
