For Bahraini yoga therapist Fatima Almansoori, the ancient Indian practice is not just her career, it is the backbone of her life.
And earlier this year, after she suffered a sports injury that broke three of the vertebrae in her backbone, yoga helped her recover and get back on her feet.
“When I injured myself in February, I was told that it will take six months or more before I will be able to practise... if I am lucky,” the Mangalore University human consciousness and yogic sciences adjunct professor told the GDN.
“By God’s grace, I could practise and do a headstand three months after the fracture, although when I was injured, it was so painful and limiting, I never thought I would be able to do it.”
Ms Almansoori went on to highlight her recovery last month at an event conducted by the Health Ministry.
She began practising yoga after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, shortly after a car accident.
When she went to India to learn yoga, she learned about different techniques to help her balance herself and recover from the symptoms. Since then, she has been using it as part of an integrated therapy programme for the last decade in several government and private hospitals.
“The effectiveness of yoga is now well-documented by research and in medical journals, so all we have to do is remind and motivate people,” she added.
“As usual, this year, yoga day activities started in the month counting down to June 21, however it’s important to be dedicated to spreading awareness throughout the year, not just these few days or weeks!
“It’s not just a day, it’s a lifestyle.”
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