Spring 2019 Cover Story: Naseem Gulamhusein

Ten years ago, yoga program coordinator Naseem Gulamhusein came to Langara for a job interview; she left with the beginnings of what would be Langara’s yoga teacher training program.

“It was a dream come true bringing higher education into the practice of yoga,” says Naseem.

In 2008, there were just a handful of yoga studios and teacher training programs in the lower mainland. The Vancouver yoga community has changed immensely since then – with an explosion of new yoga styles, studios, and clothing – but Langara’s program still stands out from the crowd.

“We train yoga teachers in the classical, therapeutic, and holistic practices of yoga,” says Naseem. “I present yoga as a multidisciplinary approach from India, where the traditional teachings are honoured.”

Her own journey with yoga began in her teenage years when she discovered that yoga was in her family lineage from India. When she was diagnosed with an inflammatory disease 20 years ago, she found yoga helped her manage her condition.

“Yoga keeps my mind and body flexible and reduces pain and stress,” she says. “It allows me to reflect and heal, and has brought positive change and vitality into my life.”

This summer, Naseem completed her Master’s in Education at Simon Fraser University. Yoga not only helped her cope with the stress of balancing her studies with work and motherhood, but it related to her academic research on the impact of stress.

“Yoga is a tool that can help us respond to stress in healthier ways,” she says. “I feel more equipped to guide people because of this experience.”

In 2019, Naseem will be applying her learning to a new program that will train professional yoga instructors and healthcare professionals in the emerging field of yoga therapy. Unlike traditional yoga programs, yoga therapists typically work with clients one-on-one to address chronic and acute health conditions.

“Medicine and yoga can work together to improve our overall health and well-being,” says Naseem. “By recognizing where yoga began, we can better see its future.”

Naseem Gulamhusein recently presented on yoga therapy at the Canada India Networking Initiative (CINI) conference. Last June she was an instructor at the the United Nations International Day of Yoga.