The Arab Yoga Foundation (AYF) has celebrated Tuesday the graduation of a new batch of yoga masters in a ceremony held at the Consulate General of India in Jeddah. Eight new students were certified as Masters of Yoga during the event. The ceremony was patronized by Consul General Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh, Dr. Nouf Marwaai, president and founder of Arab Yoga Foundation, Manoj Koshy, director of AYF; and senior consulate officials as well as families and friends of graduates. Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh expressed his happiness to see the growth of yoga amongst the youth of Saudi Arabia and the positive impact of the practice on their health and wellbeing. "I have been practicing yoga for the past 25 years and nothing makes me happier than to see a young generation of teachers and instructors take on the challenge of spreading the sport and its undisputed health benefits," he said. The consul general praised the role of Arab Yoga Foundation in supporting the sport and creating awareness about it in the Kingdom and the Arab world through their various educational activities and events, such as the International Yoga Day. Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Marwaai, congratulated the new graduates and called upon them to uphold the highest practice ethics and to be the ambassadors of the sport in its purest form and clear all misconceptions that associate yoga with myth and mysticism. She pointed out that AYF understands the significance of all the factors and areas that encompass safe and efficient yoga practice, and provides teachers with a good understanding of all relevant subjects and fields. "We define yoga as a lifestyle, as well as a means of healing and therapy, and accordingly prepare our teachers to develop an in-depth understanding about the importance of yoga for ensuring good health and overall wellbeing," Marwaai said. Marwaai taught yoga to more than 8,000 people since 2005, and has certified and continues to certify numerous yoga teachers from 2009 onward. Speaking on behalf of the new graduates, Fatima Mekhlafi highlighted how spending months with group immersed in intense yoga science and practice was the ultimate transformational experience. "It is a life altering experience," she said, adding, "We expanded emotionally, physically and intellectually during this course. However, we are more humbled by what we learned and understand now that learning never stops and it is an experience of a lifetime." Reem Jamjoom, new graduate, summed up the studying experience with a short poem that comically recalled certain events that took place during the four-month course. Heidi Shaat, new graduate, stressed the role yoga played in her healing during her recent breast cancer fight. "I had medical attention, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and now I have yoga. Yoga has transformed my life and made me a healthier and more positive person," she remarked. The new batch of Yoga Masters are Aisha Khoja, Amani Alandejani, Fatima Mekhlafi, Amani Altayeb, Reem Jamjoom, Badia Ishan, Amani Baobaid, Yasmine Alsaggaf and Heidi Shaat. AYF has also recognized Reem Fayez, a Saudi yoga instructor, for her role in ethically teaching yoga and creating awareness of the sport among Saudi youth. Fayez was certified as a yoga teacher from India. "Being an honorary member of AYF is a manifestation of the true meaning of yoga, which is unity — unity between the body, the soul and the mind," she said. "The AYF was founded in 2005 as SA Yoga School and changed its name to Arab Yoga Foundation in 2010," said Manoj Koshy. The AYF director pointed out that the foundation is the first body in the Gulf that registers and recognizes yoga teachers and schools. AYF works in affiliation with various globally recognized yoga organizations. It offers progressive and internationally appreciated safe yoga practice and training techniques and methods. The foundation offers its services through a proficient team of yoga expert and professional instructors.
