Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Baghdad, Iraq, but I grew up in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. I’ve lived in the Dallas area all of my adult life.
How long have you been practicing Bikram Yoga and what prompted you to take your first Bikram Yoga class?
I took my first class in April 2001. I was trying to cure my shoulder pain. I’ve since learned that the “shoulder pain” was the beginning of my arthritis. I have Psoriatic and Osteoarthritis. Bikram Yoga keeps my joints working. My Rheumatologist tells me I’m a poster girl for the good effects yoga has on arthritis.
Why did you become an instructor and what aspects of Bikram Yoga have had the greatest effect on you?
Bikram Yoga improved my health and my life. I wanted to share. I wanted to create the community we have at BYR.
What do you like to do when you are not in the yoga room?
Spend time with my husband and family. Walk my dog. Read a book. A meal, a good time with friends. I enjoy the simple things.
What is your favorite pose in the Bikram series and why?
Any backbend that we do. Backbending makes me feel amazing.
What advice would you give to any new student?
To stick with it. You need to be willing to try. You need to be willing to learn. You will get more out of it than you think. The yoga will improve almost every aspect of your life.
