Course makes them yoga teachers

Muscat, March 25 -

For Israa Farhadi, a physiotherapy specialist at Al Masarah Hospital, it was her first experience doing yoga. “It helps me treat patients since yoga helps relax the mind and the body.”

Israa was part of the just-concluded 21-day residential programme conducted by the Sri Sri School of Yoga at Al Nahda Spa & Resort, Barka.

Sri Sri School of Yoga, which is recognized by Yoga Alliance, USA and the QCI-Ministry of Ayush, government of India, is headquartered in the Indian city of Bangalore. It offers different levels of yoga teacher training.

According to Israa, yoga is a must “not only for patients, but also for those seeking a healthy lifestyle”. She offers physiotherapy to the patients and feels yoga is the best activity for them.

Yoga Master Mayur Karthik, one of the instructors, said more than 30 people from various countries participated in the programme. It saw participants from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, UAE and India.

After completion of the course, participants will become certified trainers for teaching yoga.

“Yoga is about learning about yourself, and managing situations/ people around you. It helps people control their feelings,” says Karthik.

According to Yoga Master Kamlesh Barwal, yoga techniques, including breathing exercises, lifestyle changes and physical postures “help people control emotions, mind and behaviour”.

Ibrahim al Ghusaini, a health nurse, was all praise for the programme. “It helped me understand the importance of doing yoga and taking a deep breath. During the course, I could release all my negative thoughts.”

Khalid al Maktoumi, a trainee from the Ministry of Sports Affairs who had done the yoga course twice before, felt “this course was more intensive and beneficial”.

Saif al Hindasi, a psychotherapist at Shrouq Al Amal Centre, says he learned how to keep smiling and keep negative thoughts at bay.

“I think yoga is the best therapy for depression. “I enjoyed learning new things and I want to put that into action, especially by helping drug addicts kick the habit.”