Shazia Omar

Om Mani Padme Hum. Known as the Compassion Mantra, or the Jewel in the Lotus, this is a powerful Buddhist prayer. This mantra is a tool to train the mind to achieve ultimate peace and enjoyment. The mind dictates our experience of happiness and sadness, so we must learn to control our mind.

It is more than just a tireless muscle that governs our flow of blood to the rest of the body; the heart is also an energy centre that governs our ability to give and receive love, and our ability to heal from loss and grief.

Nau means boat (like nauka) and Li means cling, so in nauli kriya, the abdominal muscles cling to the abdominal wall while moving like a boat on the rolling waves of the ocean. It allows you to massage the organs in your abdominal region through the circular movement of the abdominal muscles.

Ashtanga is a vigorous and demanding physical practice. Maintaining a daily routine of the ‘primary series,’ as the sequence of asanas is called, requires discipline and dedication as well as an entire overhaul of one’s lifestyle.

The body is more than the sum of its parts. It is physical and energetic. Various parts of our body generate various frequencies and the body

Ujayi breath — breath of fire — helps us burn away toxins in our system. Prana is the life force, also known as chi, ki, and the Force in various cultures. We inhale ‘prana,’ and to expand our capacity to draw in more life force we practice ‘pranayama,’ or perform breathing techniques designed to increase the flow of prana.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Fish in Sri Lanka. His approach to yoga as a form of healing and therapy was gentle and inspiring. The following is a takeaway from that meeting.

If your new year’s resolution included health, happiness and positive lifestyle, then making time for a yoga retreat is the best gift you can give yourself.

I was always interested in spirituality and yoga felt like an extension of that. I grew up in Norway and I loved to dance. I loved to move.

Externally simple, the Brahma mudra allows you to access deeper channels of inner focus. Everyone can do it, but its potency grows as students go deeper into their practice.

I have always been interested in spirituality, and wanted to understand more about life and our existence here on earth.

How did you get interested in yoga?

When I moved to Dhaka and was invited to a yogilates’ class, I did not know what to expect, but after the very first class with Shazia Omar, I knew I had found something I needed.

Arguably Simhasana is the funniest looking yoga pose, but also, Lion’s Breath is a powerful way to release toxins and clear your mind!

Tim is one of the most amazing yoga teachers I have come across. Prior to yoga, he was a dancer, but a near-lethal fall left him unable to walk. Years of yoga helped him rehabilitate and heal. Today, we will venture into his amazing story.

I had the pleasure of meeting George, an inspiring yogi, on one of my yoga training getaways in Koh Samui. His dedication to the practice, his sincerity and his humour, his commitment to his students, caught my interest. After exchanging a few words, I asked him for an interview and here it is.

If the body is stiff and the mind is rigid, what life can one live? The practice of yoga is to remove weeds from the body so that a garden can grow. Yoga stretches and strengthens the mind, body and spirit. No wonder yoga is the top choice for people living healthy lifestyles.

I am my mother's biggest fan, and growing up, I did everything she did- I basically wanted to be her! She was really into yoga (and Jane Fonda)

Helena Rosenthal first encountered the Ashtanga Vinyasa method when she was just 19 years old. For the past 11 years, she has taught at her own shala Ashtanga Pitanga in São Paulo, among many other local studios.

One of my favourite books on yoga is 'Light on Life' by BKS Iyengar. Revisiting the text after a couple of years, I am once again inspired by the insight Iyengar offers yoga practitioners. Below, I have tried to highlight some of his recommendations for practicing yoga postures (asanas).