DUBAI // Yoga instructor Ajith Shankara entered his third Ramadan in the UAE with the hope it would be a busy one.
Business was slow over the first two holy months for Mr Shankara, 33, a native of India who lived in Canada before moving to the UAE.
“Usually summer time is kind of slow and in the past two years many people were already away for holiday,” he said.
As the owner of the newly opened Lotus Holistic Yoga Centre in Motor City, Mr Shankara has no choice but to be optimistic about business in the holy month and beyond.
“People have shorter work hours and have more time to practise and I expect they will come for classes,” he said.
Yet, with his studio only months old, he will have to wait and see how the summer pans out. “I do not know how it is going to work out.”
Mr Shankara has practised yoga since he was six years old and is a great fan of the benefits it provides in building flexibility and strength – not just for the body, but also the mind.
That, he said, is what makes it a perfect accompaniment for fasting.
“It is calming and relaxing,” he said, which is useful to help control mood and appetite during Ramadan. It helps fasters avoid emotional overeating and the more gentle aspects of the discipline help to rejuvenate a body tired from the day-long fast.
“Yoga is altogether a wise choice for people to practise during Ramadan,” he said.
“People who fast have to eat and rest more consciously and wisely. Usually, our schedule at night is to sleep, so heavy food might be difficult to digest.”
The father of one is appreciative of the effort involved in fasting, especially this year when days will be among the longest.
“We have a lot of Muslim friends and I can see they are very dedicated,” Mr Shankara said. “I have a lot of respect for those who strictly follow their principles.”
vtodorova@thenational.ae
