Some Christians believe yoga is full of spiritual seduction and danger. Some Christians do not believe that yoga contradicts the teachings of Christianity. There are of course those that take the middle road and say it depends on your views and the type of yoga, and without the spiritual component, yoga is simply a type of exercise.
Enter Salwa Najmeddine. A 51-year-old woman who was born and raised a Lebanese Muslim. We met in our 200 hour teacher training program in 2015/16 and I wondered if as a yoga practitioner and yoga teacher herself, she felt conflicted.
“No, said Najmeddine, from her St. Albert home, when we first were studying philosophy I wondered is this religion based? But yoga is older than religion. You can be any faith, religion…you can still practice yoga. Yoga has evolved.”
She started wearing hijab towards the end of 2022. Hijab is another level of modesty which is a Muslim value. Najmeddine says it took courage and thought, “I’m going to be judged. How am I going to wear it when I teach? Will I get hot? Am I going to be able to go upside down in headstand? I made excuses for two years.”
She dresses modestly in other ways while teaching too and takes her audience into consideration such as an all female class versus co-ed.
“I instantly felt strong mentally. Why didn’t I do it before? I was so comfortable. I taught that first day and it did not fall off.”
She received positive feedback and welcomed questions such as “did you convert?”
“I went to the mall and I was smiling, I was proud of myself.”
What’s more important says Najmeddine is how you wear it. “I’m confident, I’m smiling. They see my face; they see me for who I am. I don’t feel deprived, I do my hair and I get my hair done.”
She follows the 5 pillars of Islam; these are the core beliefs and practices of Islam: 1. Profession of faith – 1 god only (Allah) 2. Prayer (five times a day): facing Mecca (dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and after dark, 3. Alms (charity), 4. Fasting during the daylight hours of Ramadan the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink (begins at puberty, elderly don’t because of medications, time of year). Through this temporary deprivation, they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their lives. During Ramadan they share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious duty to help those less fortunate, 5. Pilgrimage: Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it, must take at least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, in present day Saudi Arabia. (1x in life, Medina 4-5 days walk, Saudi Arabia, pray, stand in).
“Faith grounds me.” Some pray positions even resemble yoga poses; such as child’s pose, standing half forward fold, and thunderbolt pose but with toes curled under.
Najmeddine has been practicing for 22 years and she has a strong practice which started at a gym. No one else in her family practices despite her encouragement all the time.
“Yoga and fitness has always been an outlet for me. We all want to work on ourselves.”
I couldn’t agree more when Najmeddine describes herself as a happy person. “Everything else is an extension of me.”
Najmeddine has four children: a daughter who is now married and has a young son; and three sons at home, one adult and two 15 and 17-years-olds. Her husband passed away 2 years ago from COVID at 56-years-old, living in Jordan at the time.
Her parents also live with her, as her family cares for her father who has advanced dementia. Her mother has worn a hijab for over 20 years, as does Najmeddine’s younger sister, sister-in-law and extended family.