Rebekah is a clinical physician, Nike yoga trainer, wellness entrepreneur and a board member of the Yoga for Healthcare Alliance. She is the founding father of Pana, a platform and group that intersects wellbeing and tradition centring the African diaspora. After going through her personal demanding situations with psychological well being, she discovered the price of slowing down and tasty with mind-body practices. Via yoga categories, retreats and occasions, she creates inclusive areas for folks to nourish their wellbeing and reconnect with themselves and the ones round them.   

Let us know about your yoga adventure

Via my teenagers and early twenties, I went via many cycles of burnout and deficient psychological well being. I’ve at all times labored onerous, and I were given to some extent after 4 years of clinical college the place I wanted a spoil. 

I stopped up on an island off the coast of Panama volunteering in a seashore hostel and dwelling with yoga lecturers for 2 months. I began practicing yoga each day and diving deeper into sides akin to chakras and the 8 limbs. Slowly however definitely, yoga changed into an integral a part of my regimen and wellbeing, and I determined to take the soar to do my trainer coaching. I’ve been instructing for roughly 5 years now and feature at all times cherished it.

What sort of yoga trainer would you assert you might be?

I love to grasp and be told the standard sides of yoga whilst bringing in an inventive part to offer them in my very own manner. I really like welcoming new folks into yoga and growing an area the place they may be able to really feel calm. That doesn’t at all times imply being nonetheless and quiet, however understanding that you’ll simply breathe and be your self, chuckle, and check out new issues.

Has your individual observe modified because of your trainer coaching?

After I began practicing yoga, it was once very vinyasa-focused. I feel that’s very similar to many of us in London as there’s a sense of at all times being in need of time and wanting to slot in workout the place you’ll. The instructor coaching was once the place I came upon a love for slower types of yoga akin to yin and restorative. After a few weeks of standard yin observe, I came upon a brand new set level of calm in my physique and intellect which I forgot existed. It confirmed me the transformational energy of incorporating those slower types into my observe.   

Have you ever enhanced your instructing with any particular coaching or classes?

After taking into consideration doing a 300-hour coaching for a very long time, I determined to head within the course of doing shorter trainings and workshops which might be eager about my specific spaces of passion. This has integrated a path with The Excellent Lifestyles Yoga College exploring the facility of song in yoga, easy methods to easiest utilise it to make stronger a yoga observe and convey a combination for optimum breath regulate. I’ve additionally enhanced talent units akin to bodily changes with quick coaching periods at Undertaking E1. Around the 12 months, I’ve been to workshops that dive deeper into pranayama and yin yoga to deepen my figuring out of those spaces. 

Additional coaching is essential to keep growing as a trainer, on the other hand, it could incessantly be pricey. One of the most key tactics to expand your studying as a trainer is to steadily attend yoga categories as a pupil. There’s such a lot you’ll be told from different lecturers throughout a category, and having robust common observe as a trainer is one thing I at all times suggest. 

What has been your largest problem as a yoga trainer?

I certified as a trainer in a while ahead of the pandemic began. This intended during the last 4 years, an enormous portion of that was once throughout COVID the place we weren’t ready to be bodily with reference to folks or incessantly go away the home in any respect. One among my largest demanding situations was once re-adjusting to instructing in studios and protecting an area in individual, after being conditioned to instructing on-line for goodbye. 

It’s glorious to be that one who will get to introduce yoga to any individual. How do you pass about getting new folks to check out it?

Via my very own instructing and platform, I believed, ‘How can I achieve communities who would possibly really feel yoga isn’t for them?’. I grew up paying attention to reggae so it felt very herbal to include this in my observe – it’s one thing that is helping me really feel calm. I created an tournament referred to as Dub Lawn Yoga & Picnic the place we do yoga to reggae and feature wholesome Caribbean meals after magnificence. I educate it within the park which makes it extra available and reasonably priced, in addition to permitting us to experience nature. We have now attendees of every age, backgrounds, ethnicities and talents – for many of us it’s their first-ever yoga magnificence. Many really feel relaxed coming as they resonate with the meals and song, and yoga is an extra facet they may be able to check out. It’s comfortable and amusing, which I feel is so essential for serving to folks come again once more.

What does an afternoon within the lifetime of Rebekah appear to be?

I experience having variety throughout my week such a lot of of my days glance somewhat other. On a medical institution day, I’m at paintings for an 8 am handover from the evening staff, then see a lot of sufferers around the day presenting with other prerequisites. On different days I may well be doing a shoot or having conferences. A few of my favorite days are spent doing pc paintings in a restaurant, consuming tea and playing a lunchtime yoga magnificence.

What’s your favorite quote or lifestyles motto?

“Really feel the worry and do it anyway”

What’s arising for you and Pana?

I’m in point of fact fascinated with a couple of issues at the horizon. We’re heading to The Gambia in April 2024 for a retreat – exploring Africa and the Caribbean via retreats has turn out to be a fantastic providing for the group. We even have a web-based studio opening in Autumn 2023 so you’ll observe from house.

To find Dr Rebekah  

Private – @rebekahzeenajade

Website online – https://wearepana.com/ 

Instagram – @weare.pana