Rebekah is a medical physician, yoga instructor, wellness entrepreneur and a board member of the Yoga for Healthcare Alliance. She is the founding father of Pana, a platform that intersects wellbeing and tradition sharing yoga, music and meals from the African diaspora and past. After going through her personal challenges with psychological well being, she learnt the worth of slowing down and interesting with mind-body practices. By means of courses, supper golf equipment and workshops, she creates inclusive areas for individuals to nourish their wellbeing and reconnect with themselves and people round them.
Inform us about your yoga journey
Since my teenage years, I had gone by way of a whole lot of cycles of burnout and psychological well being difficulties. I’ve all the time labored arduous and put a whole lot of strain on myself (like many individuals do), and I received to a degree after 3 years of medical faculty the place I wanted a break. I used to be fully exhausted, so I managed to rearrange to take a yr out of med faculty. I had a lot of medical analysis to do off the again of a challenge and determined to go and do that within the Caribbean.
I ended up on an island off the coast of Panama volunteering in a seashore hostel and residing with yoga lecturers for 2 months. I began practising yoga every single day – I assumed, ‘that is wonderful, I really feel nice!’. By residing with these lecturers, I used to be listening to about components of yoga for the primary time corresponding to chakras and the eight limbs. Earlier than then, I’d thought yoga was simply poses and stretches however I began to be uncovered to the historical past, the philosophy, breathwork, and completely different kinds of yoga. By the top of two months, it grew to become an integral a part of my each day routine and I realised that that is one thing that retains me nicely, I wanted to verify this stayed in my routine going ahead.
How did you make the choice to grow to be a instructor?
I had a whole lot of time for self-reflection in Panama. I knew that the minute I received again to London this factor would fly out of my routine and different issues would really feel extra pressing and necessary. So I felt I wanted to work on this area. I used to be going again to medical faculty in September, after which I wouldn’t have a lot time and so, I considered instructor coaching. I assumed perhaps I used to be doing instructor coaching a bit early however I do know everybody’s journey is completely different – I used to be lucky to have the time and funds then I knew I wouldn’t within the subsequent few months. I discovered one which began in three days, booked it and went! I ended up in Spain at a yoga faculty; I assumed, even when I don’t find yourself instructing in the long run what a good way to deepen my expertise and understanding. I used to be there for a month, got here again and began instructing within the park. Family and friends got here to my courses and I used to be instructing with reggae music within the background. Two years later I’m instructing in studios, have completed medical faculty and am plodding alongside.
What sort of yoga instructor would you say you’re?
I’d say I prefer to be inventive; I like to know and be taught traditions and current them in my very own approach. I like bringing new individuals into yoga and serving to them to discover new issues, and love creating an area the place they really feel calm and relaxed. It doesn’t essentially imply being nonetheless and quiet, however realizing which you could simply breathe and be your self, giggle, be a bit foolish and take a look at new issues.
Inform us in regards to the concept behind your platform – Pana
My mum is Jamaican and my dad is English. We moved to Devon after I was 8 years previous, I spent ten years rising up within the countryside. Rising up as a bi-racial baby brings its personal id questions. Transferring again to London was about exploring my black heritage.
Pana brings collectively my pursuits – it’s all about celebrating black tradition, exploring wholesome Caribbean meals, and serving to individuals from numerous communities discover yoga, drugs and the instruments to maintain nicely! I would like all of it to return collectively and hope others wish to come and be part of me, however you need to carve your personal path to try this and take into consideration creating areas that don’t essentially exist presently.
You’ve additionally not too long ago began working as a junior physician. At this early stage, how do you see your profession panning out?
I’m not somebody who will get mounted on the long run or develops 10-year plans saying I’m going to finish up right here… that’s evident from me reserving issues a couple of days earlier than I depart! I believe from the time I took a yr out I used to be having emotions of being serious about life-style drugs. I’ve all the time loved train and been serious about diet, and a part of my disconnect with drugs was that there was not any actual concentrate on that. Way of life drugs didn’t exist so far as I used to be conscious. I didn’t hear anybody within the medical area speaking about yoga or mindfulness or breathwork 5 – 10 years in the past. In the previous couple of years, I really feel it’s grow to be extra mainstream. Which specialty? I’m fairly positive I’ll be group targeted – very probably common follow. An surroundings the place I can discuss to individuals extra about life-style, their each day well being and psychological well being is necessary to me. Probably sooner or later making a bodily area that integrates drugs, yoga, tradition and meals.
How are you navigating all of the belongings you wish to do while additionally working as a busy junior physician?
I work half time. Most individuals don’t know you are able to do part-time as a junior physician – it’s not promoted and you need to apply – I particularly sought it out as I knew it was proper for me. It has been extra potential for docs to go half time now. Why not enable this if it signifies that workers are happier, more healthy and never burning out and having to go away drugs fully (which some individuals don’t wish to do however don’t essentially have a alternative)? I discover amongst my cohort and folks I’ve spoken to, it’s very a lot being on a set path that you need to hold bulldozing by way of. Should you don’t have the time to consider an alternative choice, then you definately simply hold going. The commonest factor I get advised from everyone seems to be – ‘simply get by way of this bit, energy by way of, then you’ll be able to loosen up’. However after I get by way of this bit, there’ll all the time be one thing else to do. What if I can simply benefit from the journey? Everybody has completely different visions and targets for his or her life; my precedence is ensuring I don’t have a breakdown alongside the way in which, can navigate my schedule and do different issues I get pleasure from.
Is there extra within the medical faculty curriculum nowadays about wellness and life-style?
It’s creeping in. I can see an enormous distinction from after I began in 2014 to 2021. I used to be first uncovered to mindfulness by way of medical faculty – it was an optionally available module and there was nothing within the core curriculum, however in the event you had been on the lookout for it you would discover it. Coming to the top of medical faculty I’ve seen issues like Nutritank – medical college students selling the significance of diet and bringing it to their friends. I came upon by way of working with the Yoga in Healthcare Alliance that in Boston a gaggle of medical college students had been practising yoga for eight weeks whereas additionally wanting by way of yoga analysis papers – we had been hoping to convey one thing just like King’s Faculty London however then the pandemic hit. One thing like that may be a approach for people who find themselves within the early phases of their medical profession to know yoga and for it to grow to be a traditional a part of healthcare going ahead. We’re getting there slowly.
Do you see any difficulties with bridging that hole between yoga and healthcare?
I’ve all the time discovered the 2 to be actually complimentary, but it surely comes with a sure mindset – to be open-minded to say, ‘my final purpose is to be nicely and wholesome and let me open my eyes to all of the avenues to get there’. If you’re tunnel-visioned and say that is what I do know to be proper and I do know that science is the one factor I ought to belief, after which somebody comes ahead with historic philosophy, it might be simple to say that’s nonsense. My avenue for beginning a dialog could be, ‘what have you ever heard about yoga, have you ever ever tried it, what’s your impression?’. Solely from there are you able to gauge what individuals’s concepts and preconceptions are, earlier than you can begin recommending or speaking about this textual content or that – which might make individuals shut down.
I don’t essentially see conflicts; I see issues coming from completely different angles and you’ll take all of that data collectively to assist obtain a purpose for you or your affected person’s well being.
How do you go about recommending yoga to sufferers?
I are inclined to ask, ‘have you ever heard of it and what do you suppose?’ first. There’s a giant spectrum however I like to recommend relying on what they’re coming in with. The fantastic thing about yoga is that there’s something for everybody whether or not it’s stress aid/leisure, your mobility wants enhancing, you’re getting again ache or your lung perform isn’t good. I open that dialogue with them and level them within the course of ‘have a look at this place, strive exploring this’. So they’re listening to somebody speak about it in a constructive approach however not being too slim.
I additionally say each instructor will educate in another way and in the event you don’t suppose it’s for you that’s OK – strive one thing completely different. Yoga doesn’t even essentially contain motion. There’s breathwork. Slightly than say ‘it is best to do yoga’, it’s about opening the dialog of what yoga can appear to be and the way it is likely to be useful for you.
It’s great to be that one who will get to introduce yoga to somebody. How do you go about getting new individuals to strive it?
When instructing in a studio, my expertise has been that always there is likely to be just one individual of color within the class, which is tough to disregard if you find yourself additionally an individual of color. By means of my very own instructing and enterprise, I assumed, ‘how can I attain communities the place they really feel prefer it’s not for them?’. I grew up listening to reggae so it felt very pure to include this in my follow – it’s one thing that makes me really feel calm. I run an exquisite occasion referred to as Dub Backyard Yoga & Picnic the place we do yoga to reggae and we have now well being Caribbean meals afterwards. I educate it within the park which makes it extra accessible and inexpensive, in addition to permitting us to get pleasure from nature. I’ve attendees of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicity and skill – for many individuals it’s their first-ever yoga class. They really feel comfy coming as they resonate with the meals and music, and the yoga is one thing they suppose ’OK, let me strive that too’. It’s relaxed, enjoyable and there’s no seriousness about it.
What does a day within the lifetime of Rebekah appear to be?
I get pleasure from having range throughout my week so a lot of my days look fairly completely different. On a hospital day, I’m in work at 8am for handover in A&E then seeing quite a lot of sufferers throughout the day coming in with completely different situations. Hospital days are all the time busy however attention-grabbing. Within the evenings I’m engaged on the enterprise or practising self-care. A few of my favorite routine days are spent at my yoga studio (Levelsix) doing laptop computer work, ingesting tea and having fun with a lunchtime yoga class.
Has your personal follow modified because of your instructor coaching?
Once I began it was all very vinyasa targeted which is similar for many individuals. In London, everybody’s doing HIT courses, dynamic vinyasa and has an angle of ‘I simply have to train!’. The instructor coaching was the place I found all of the completely different kinds of yoga (yin, ashtanga, restorative). It took me about two weeks earlier than I actually began to really feel my physique and thoughts loosen up – I began crying in a restorative class as I forgot how relaxed I may very well be. I reached a brand new set level of calm in my physique and it was fairly overwhelming. However I knew then – that is the place I do know I can attain and wish to be. From that time I understood the worth of slower practices like yin and restorative and the way important that was for me. I began instructing restorative yoga which is such an exquisite expertise – creating an area for individuals the place they will loosen up too.
If there was one thing that you’d suggest for wellbeing past practising yoga, what wouldn’t it be?
Sleep – good high quality sleep makes such a distinction, and unhealthy high quality sleep impacts every part. I attempt to do a meditation each night time earlier than mattress and that’s actually helped.
What are your favorite piece of kit/prop to make use of throughout your follow and why?
My favorite prop is unquestionably a bolster! I like doing restorative poses supported by a bolster together with below the knees in savasana. Even in vinyasa courses I typically have one helpful in case fancy a supported baby’s pose. I discover a bolster actually elevates the relief and calm I can really feel in a category.
What’s arising for you and Pana?
I’m actually enthusiastic about a couple of issues on the horizon. I’ve began working with some nice organisations to share yoga, forest bating and wellbeing workshops for younger creatives and folks of color in London which has been actually rewarding. I’m additionally planning my first overseas retreat! We’re heading to The Gambia in 2023 for a fusion of yoga and tradition to rejuvenate and uncover extra about Africa.
Discover Dr Rebekah
Web site – https://wearepana.com/
Instagram – @weare.pana
Private – @zeena.ldn
