BY FARIHA ESHRAT
Meet Bethany AlHaidari, a popular yoga instructor who has been sharing her passion for yoga and teaching sessions for the past two years. This September, Bethany is opening her all new yoga studio in Kindy Plaza. In this interview, she discusses her inspirations, aspirations and experiences.
How did you discover yoga and why did you make it such a prominent part of your life?
I first came across yoga when I was diagnosed with postpartum depression, after the birth of my daughter Zaina. I was not interested at first because I thought that yoga was going to be slow and all about stretching. Once I discovered the diversity of styles in practising yoga, I began to discover my own flow. I learned that yoga can be intense and challenging or calm and restorative. I am a full-time mom to a toddler, a PhD candidate in human rights law, and running my own yoga studio! My personal yoga practice adds value and balance into my life as well as help me identify and accept where I am at.
How has your experience as an instructor been thus far?
It has been an honor to teach yoga, especially here in Saudi Arabia where it is still new and being explored and discovered. I’m honored to find my flow and inter.act with so many different individuals through such an authentic and incredible practice.
What do your students say about their yoga experience?
People are often surprised at how accessible it is, and how diverse the styles of yoga are. I have seen life transformations – physically, mentally and socially. People are attracted to yoga for various reasons, and it’s been special to experience that unity.
What makes Om Zaina’s Yoga Studio different from others?
We focus only on the practice of yoga at the studio, and we are very open to breaking stereotypes about yoga and showcasing the diversity of the practice. There is no “true yoga”, it can be different things to different people and we believe in celebrating that di.versity and authenticity.
How soon can students start to see results from practicing yoga?
Every individual is different, but breathing deep and moving the body in a mindful way generally creates instant feelings to relieve stress, or to make someone feel better overall.
What encouragement would you offer someone who is considering yoga?
There is so much freedom and diversity in yoga. You have the power to create your own experience and your own journey, and because of this, I trust that there is a yoga practice for everyone.
What made you decide to move from your home-based studio to a commercial facility
An initiative by SAGIA allowed foreign ownership of companies in the country, and yoga legally became recognized as a sport. With these new opportunities, there was no justification for me to have a home studio anymore. A couple of weeks before I planned to leave the country, I ran a week-long yoga training with some women in the community and felt moved and inspired by them. I partnered with an amazing client who became a great friend, and we decided to push through with our plans together. I never imagined how difficult it was going to be to start a company as a foreigner here, but we accomplished the impossible, and we will need all the support we can get! We have our grand opening in September, and we’ll start posting our class schedules online. We look forward to meeting all the people we will share this experience with.
OM YOGA RATES:
Om Zaina Yoga Studio
Door 67, 7320 Umro Adhamry Street
Kindy Plaza, Diplomatic Quarters
(Eggs & Flour and the Cultural Palace)
Instagram: @oz_yoga_studio
Email: Omzainayoga@gmail.com
Website: www.omzainayoga.com
Phone: +966555757987 (English)
+966559292929 (Arabic)
