MOSES BARAZA, 23, is a yoga instructor who got into the trade by chance. He spoke to ROSE KWAMBOKA
What is yoga all about?
Yoga is a form of exercise that takes place on and outside your mat. The poses and positions one takes on the mat reflect their life outside the mat. For instance, I can tell if one is resigned just by the way they do their poses.
How do you link the events happening on and outside the mat?
There are a series of steps that allows one to link their life from yoga. The first step is awakening the body to the present moment. At this stage, I talk to the client to bring their mind to the class. This step also serves as a warm up to the rest of the journey.
What do you mean by journey?
We consider yoga a flowing journey to power. This is because one feels different after the first session and wants to do it again. It is not unusual for clients to cry while taking the class as they reconnect with whom they really are.
So how did you end up being a yoga instructor?
I was an acrobat. We used to share a practice room with a group of people who frequented the room in Kangemi to be trained as yoga instructors. I got interested in what they were doing and asked if I could be trained. But that came to be after I attended several classes. Two years down the training, I was an instructor.
What was your experience of your first yoga class like?
The first class instantly built my confidence. Something came over me and I felt like sharing — something I had never done before, given that I am reserved. However, all the stretching got me some joint pains, but I wanted to do it all over again the next day.
How long does a yoga class take?
A class of power yoga takes around an hour. For those unable to perform full power yoga poses due to flexibility issues, there are alternative modified poses, which serve the same purpose and produce same results. But they catch up with time.
How much do you charge per class?
That will be Sh1,000 for individual private sessions. There are community classes, which are free. The more the people, the less the fee.
Why do most yoga instructors wear tight clothes?
(Laughs) Not necessarily tight, but fitting. Most instructors wear fitting clothes for demonstration purposes. If I am engaging my muscles, the student needs to see that. Of course, that cannot be seen through baggy clothes. There are also poses like inversion, where you stand on your head, that you would not want your clothes ridding up and down your body.
What are the benefits of yoga?
Other than relaxing, it increases flexibility, builds the mind and builds one’s confidence. One could lose or gain weight depending on its effects. It is also highly recommended for stress relieving purposes.
What challenges do you face as an instructor?
I would love to take as many community classes as possible but I do not have the time.
What would you tell anyone who has not tried out yoga?
Yoga is magic. You get to discover yourself and unveil the mask we all hide under. You become your real self.
