By Charo R. Walker
BlackFood News Reporter
Atlanta resident Nakeesha Seneb recently held a free Kemetic Yoga class for an intimate group of Nassuvian women while vacationing in The Bahamas.
The class was empowering for the busy women who were able to learn techniques that will allow them to de-stress, relax, and center themselves in face of the constant demands of womanhood.
So, how does Kemetic Yoga differ from “regular” Yoga?
Nakeesha – who is certified in Kemetic Yoga and has a first degree black sash in internal arts – told BlackFood that in the past all cultures practiced yoga.
In Egyptian Yoga: The Philosophy of Enlightenment, Muata Ashby writes: “Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years in many cultures throughout the world. It is most commonly associated with the culture of India. A fact that is coming more into the common knowledge is that Africans in Kemet (Ancient Egypt) practiced Yoga many years before the evolution of the culture of India.”
Nakeesha isn’t overly concerned about where yoga began though. “I realized [through practice] all ancient folk talked to each other; sharing went on,” she stated.
Yoga, in all of its forms, is a way to reconnect body, mind, and spirit; a way to calm the mind and move the body. It is all about movement and meditation.
It is also about unblocking energy that gets stuck in parts of our body.
Kemetic Yoga, then, is the way that yoga was interpreted by our African ancestors.
More specifically, Kemetic Yoga draws on the artwork and spiritual writings found in the ancient tombs and temples of Egypt.
As a result, there are some poses in Kemetic Yoga that are specific to Africans. For Nakeesha, this is grounding because it allows a connection with our ancestors that helps us with our life today; the past, present and future become one.
One pose, in particular, that is unique to Kemetic Yoga is Maat Ka. It helps to balance the heart by opening one’s chest. It also helps with decision making.
Nakeesha feels that we often get stuck in our hearts; so opening our hearts is something that she is keen on.
In spite of her 10 years of experience and innate ability to teach, Nakeesha told BlackFood that she does not see herself as a teacher. Instead, she is more concerned with sharing what she considers to be her passion, her love.
“This is healing. Take it,” she said.♦bf