Angelique Shofar, Radio Talk Show Host, Yoga Instructor & Entrepreneur Extraordinaire Shares the Benefits of Yoga & Why You Should Try It!
 SisterSpeak Editor Lisa Peyton-Caire sat down recently with Angelique Shofar, professional Yoga instructor, entrepreneur, and radio host, to discuss the physical & spiritual benefits of yoga and why we should all consider adding this ancient healing art to our daily health & fitness regimen.
Angelique, originally from Liberia, West Africa, is the founder of The Spirit of Wellness where she serves as a Wellness Coach, Integrative Holistic Practitioner and Certified Yoga Teacher. She is also the Executive Producer and Host of Africa-Meets-Africa, a weekly radio show aired on Pacifica Radio (WPFW) in Washington, DC.
Here is what Angelique shared with us in our exclusive interview about her yoga practice, and why she advocates that everyone consider this art for maintaining good health.
SS: Greetings Angelique & Welcome to SisterSpeak! It is so hard to introduce you to our readers, as you are a woman of so many hats and talents. But for now we’ll focus on yoga, perhaps one of your greatest passions.
AS: Yes, I am a woman of many hats. My spirit is like a kaleidescope, reflecting a spectrum of the rainbow colors. I am blessed with an abundance of creativity and thankfully, Yoga is the primary element that keeps my energy flowing and the areas of my life balanced. Yoga helps me unify all my activities.
SS: Angelique, please tell us first of all how your love affair with yoga began. I understand that it sprang from a very personal experience.
AS: My love affair with yoga began about 10 years ago when I was faced with a health challenge that blocked my ability to conceive. After the depression of losing a pregnancy it was the “art of yoga” that brought me back and out of the dark hole and successfully into motherhood. The practice continues to shape and mold my life.
(LISA, I want to say to your readers: For clarity purposes, the use of Divine spirit, higher power, divine nature, etc throughout this interview are alternative descriptions for GOD.
SS: So I am assuming this lead you to found The Spirit of Wellness Center. Tell us about this…
AS: The Spirit of Wellness was created after the birth of my son. I was taken into a whole new level of awareness and wellness after the birth of my son. Motherhood is an empowering experience that forces me to be more mindful of my and my family's wellbeing. There were certain things that I would have done differently had I known at the time. For example, I would have chosen a home birth, with a midwife and a Douala, out of the sterile and artificial hospital environment.
SS: So the birth of your son was a transformational experience for you?
AS: Yes. Amazingly, after giving birth to my son, many of the old practices and teachings from my upbringing began to surface. I craved a return to nature, a more natural life and environment more than ever. Being a product of a home birth myself, I needed a certain kind of supportive and loving environment that is missing in America. It became evident, that I was missing my birth place. Birthing a child returns you to your very own birthing experience. Pregnancy and motherhood heightened my sensitivity and intuition. I needed to share these incredible experiences with other women and families. The need to be genuinely liberated mentally, emotionally and spiritually is the driving force behind my life and work. It is a blend of the African spirit of community and the creativity, wisdom and experiences of living in Africa and in American that I share through the Spirit of Wellness.
SS: In my rudimentary research of yoga I learned that there are several different styles of yoga being taught. Your practice in particular incorporates African dance and music for a more cultural experience, reflective of your Liberian/West African heritage. What can you tell us about this? What style of yoga do you teach at The Spirit of Wellness?
AS: Yes, Soulfull Yoga does incorporate dance and music for a more natural and energizing experience. And I do blend other styles of yoga. The truth is I am a dancer at heart. Performances were a part of my childhood life. Over the years, I have secretly utilized yoga as a bridge back to dance. Now I am dancing more and teaching dance after a long time. The stretching, deep breathing and postures help to realign me and poises me to be a more graceful dancer. I needed to combine both of these personal power paths because they are entryways to my inner wisdom and strength.
SS: I am sure all of our readers have heard of yoga, and know what it is at a basic level. Can you take us further and help us understand the origins of yoga and its underlying principles?
AS: Before yoga permeated the subcontinent of India, it was a spiritual philosophy of Egyptian mystics. On the walls of Egyptian tombs are pictographs of the ancient yoga poses such as the headstand, the spinal twist, the lotus position and the backward stretch. Research will reveal lots of history written about ancient Egyptians practicing yoga. Clearly, yoga's origins reach beyond Asia and the Orient.
Yoga can be described as a system, a philosophy, an art, a series of exercises, a ritual or a lifestyle. There are many levels and branches to this ancient practice. The most popular style in the west is 'Hatha' – physical based. There is 'Pranayama' – breathing yoga. Another is 'Karma' yoga which focuses on service to others. Yoga means to join – to unify and integrate the mind, body and the spirit. To bring all aspects of self in harmony and balance with each other. It brings the mind and spirit back into the body since we spend most of our time, in fact, living outside of ourselves. With all the external distractions and demands, yoga returns you to the seat of your power. Yoga breeds confidence, deeper wisdom and sharper intuition. Those who practice regularly experience dramatically improved health and a sense of well being, greater clarity and a deeper connection with a higher power. No doubt the origins of Yoga stems from Africa and this is the spirit I bring to my Soulfull Yoga™.
SS: What do your clients say about its benefits to them? What starts them on this path?
AS: So many people are in pain. They are living in pain – whether it is in the body, mind or heart. Pain has become a routine, a norm for many and they helplessly live in their pain. The most common feedback I get is expressions of the pain relief they experience when they take my class. Once they begin the rhythm of coming to class, they begin to see improvement in their range of motion, many report sleeping better, others a greater since of self-awareness, mindfulness of their thoughts, actions, self-defeating patterns, and reactions to life issues. Life becomes more tangible for them as they begin to see more value in their body and all their relations. Like I explained earlier, more and more people have this growing curiosity to try this thing called yoga. They are influenced, once again, by the media images, the social circles, workplace talks and the influence of their friends. If you take yoga on a whim and do not keep it up, then you will not discover the treasures of this art. But once you are committed to the practice then it is sooner than later that you begin to acquire a new body, mind, heart and life. You enjoy and reap the astounding, life transforming benefits. (Of course, select your teach discerningly.)
SS: I imagine it may be easy for some to get caught up in the physical nature of yoga with all of the poses and the emphasis on stretching and flexibility. But what are the deeper spiritual lessons of yoga? I know that your practice really emphasizes the spiritual as an entry point to physical and mental balance. Help us understand this.
AS: The spiritual lessons are that of divine truth, universal love and oneness. The pathway to that involves an intimate connection with one's authentic self. The stretching, breathing, poses, movement and meditation melts away the fog and density of our spirit bodies while softening and extending our physical bodies for greater flow. It is about the flow of energy in the form of fluids in the body, negative thoughts in the minds; blockages in the heart center. When the stagnation and dogma begins to clear one begins to see a deeper connection with everything around them. You begin to see that the point of creation starts from within and that there is no difference between the inside and the outside. Instead they are reflections of each other. You begin to learn that you create your pain and imbalances based on the deep beliefs you store inside of you. You learn that the body is an intelligence in itself containing the vibrations of all your experiences and choices. That clearing and realization is the point of a deep spiritual awakening.
Here's a favorite quote for your readers.....
“A person should resort to Yoga, which is like the fruit of the Wish-Granting Tree. The Yogi destroys diseases by the postures, Karmas by breath control, and mental disturbances by the withdrawal of the senses from the external world. A Yogi in the highest state of Samadhi is not affected by time or any other action.” Gorakshashatakam
SS: As you know at SisterSpeak one of our greatest messages to women, and to everyone for that matter, is to guard our health as our greatest asset. I like to say that “our health is our wealth”. Without it we have very little and can do very little. This includes our mental and spiritual health as well as our physical health. What role can yoga play in helping women of color live more healthy and balanced lives mentally, physically, and spiritually?
AS: I see yoga as a unifying force for women of color. I enjoy teaching a class filled with women of color. There is something special about it. I feel a greater connection and stronger presence. I feel more fulfilled in my role. It brings a sense of compassion because when a woman of color comes to yoga there is a desire to make some improvement in her life. Given the demands of our roles, I know that--sacrifice is involved -- so I am definitely for that!
SS: Pushing the issue a bit further Angelique, you know as I do that as women of color we are particularly at higher risk for so many ailments. How can yoga be beneficial to those of us who suffer from or who are at risk of say heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and other medical disorders? Or who suffer from depression or anxiety, or something like chronic muscle, joint, or back pain?
AS: The road to health, peace, and wellness requires desire, commitment, discipline and will power. And it requires body education, the history of food. We receive little or no holistic education about our bodies and people ignorantly stuff and cover their bodies with processed, artificial substances and expect to be healthy. It is not enough to hand your life over to a doctor who hands you over to a pill for a quick fix. Being well involves and requires more. It requires knowing and understanding your own body, the human body. Being healthy and free of high risk diseases like the ones you named requires lifestyle changes, a return to nature and to being natural. The practice of yoga carves a space for a woman to reach into her power. There she will find the wisdom to move mountains and the courage to change her self-defeating habits and rebuild her family. She will find the strength to let go of those people, places, substances and things that keep her sick and at a lower vibration.
Yoga is the doorway to greater self-awareness and divine truth. With those tools you make the choices that reflect self-love and respect for your body and for life. You develop a relationship with your divine nature and are able to hear it tell you what is good and what is harmful. A woman begins to slow down the pace, and allow her body to restabilize blood pressure and balance hormones on its own without chemical substances. She begins to hear the body's many calls for more water and fresh, wholesome, authentic foods.
In my Soulfull Yoga™ sessions, I insert my knowledge, experience and background as a wellness coach, bodyworker, and energy therapist. I aim to nourish my student's mind, body and spirit. The body education aspect of my practice allows women to see and understand the co-relation between the emotional and mental state of being and their physical symptoms. The body corresponds and follows the mind. So it is not sufficient to say that one is depressed, then pop a pill to mask the depression. One must go to the source and meaning of their depression, the message it is trying to deliver. In the world of yoga, the masters say “Just get on the mat.” Enlightenment ..... the rest will follow!
SS: So we’re hearing that yoga offers countless benefits to us no matter what our particular health profile. For those of us who do have specific health concerns or diagnoses, particularly physical ones, should we consult our doctor before getting started?
AS: In keeping with standards, I would advise them to inform their doctor of the interest and intent to explore yoga if there was a health issue. A doctor that is well rounded and takes into account the mental, emotional and spiritual aspect of his/her patients is the ideal doctor. However, if you have a doctor that is pro-pharmaceutical and opposed to alternative medicine then you're in trouble. They may discourage you and actually shatter your opportunity to heal. Truth is, anyone in any condition can practice yoga. My Soulful Yoga offers therapeutic and rehabilitative benefits. Since yoga is more than just physical, many that are physically in pain with limited range of motion will benefit from the breathing, the stretching and the meditative state that it evokes. In my class you meet and embrace your body just where it is while you watch it transform before your very own eyes!
SS: Angelique, one can’t look at you without noticing that you are in great shape, and that, you are always energetic, positive, and so inspiring to others. To what extent has yoga contributed to your overall health and fitness and your positive disposition?
AS: Thank you Lisa! I am always happy to know that my physical appearance and disposition may have inspired someone to pursue yoga. And I do give a great deal of credit to my yoga practice. Yoga helps strengthen and tone my muscles. When I practice regularly, I am in a better frame of mind, feel happier and more alive. When I am away from my practice, I suffer the gap and begin to become stagnant. Some credit goes to my son who for quite some time was my weights for arm strength; nursing him and carrying him frequently. Yet in my yoga classes, I honor and respect every woman regardless of her shape, weight or size. In fact, I encourage my students to accept their body as it is before attempting to make any changes. Yoga helps build inner confidence, self-esteem and self-acceptance. As we say back home, “Beauty is skin deep but ugliness is to the bone.” Change begins within.
SS: Finally Angelique, for persons who are reading this but who may still be skeptical about starting yoga, or who need more convincing, what would you say to them?
AS: Perhaps you've already done yoga and just didn't know it. You can drive and do yoga, you can wash dishes and do yoga, you can sit at your desk at work and do yoga, you can do yoga while standing in line or riding an elevator. It's not complicated. When you are fully in the moment, breathing and present with what you are doing – it's a yoga moment. Remember, yoga means union. And you can become “one” through moments of stretching, poses, deep, mindful breathing, taking a bath, sitting still in meditation. I also encourage you to study, research and read yoga books. When you begin to understand and connect with the deeper meaning of yoga then all misconceptions and fears fade away.
SS: Well, it’s been great spending this time with you Angelique as usual, and we hope you’ll visit us again soon. There is so much more for us to talk about! And to our readers who would like to learn more about Angelique’s enterprises, including The Spirit of Wellness, or the Africa-Meets-Africa radio show, please visit the following web sites: http://www.spiritofwellness.org/, http://www.africameetsafrica.com/ .
Thank you Angelique!
AS: It's been a pleasure Lisa! Thank you for inviting me.
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