Our Yogi in the Community this week is my dear friend and teacher. I have learned so much about strength and compassion through this sister and I am truly grateful that our paths intersected. Luz radiates light and her commitment to community is endless.
Location: Newark New Jersey but really I’m a citizen of the world. I am gypsy hearted and can’t stay in one place for very long…too many beautiful people in the world to heal and be healed by.
How long have you practiced yoga? I began my yoga practice in 2003 around the same time I discovered my Sufi Tariqa (Path) and Capoeira Angola. I discovered each one of them about a month apart. They hit me, all at once, like an epiphany. They all have parallel truths that complement and feed each other. When I grow in one, I grow in the others. I was so moved and healed by Kundalini Yoga, that I soon after got certified at Golden Bridge in Los Angeles. I have been immersed in study and practice of these healing modalities ever since. For those that do not know Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam based on the healing power of Love and Capoeira Angola is a Afro-Brazilian martial art with origins in central Africa.
Why do you practice yoga? I practice yoga because it is a necessity. For me it is like medicine. If I don’t take it, I end up sick. The same can be said for the other modalities, if I don’t pray, or I don’t play Capoeira, I am not well in my heart, my body or my mind. These modalities help me feel grounded, integrated and complete….union…the meaning of yoga!
How do you notice yoga in your daily routine? Everything is Yoga! Just like I see everything as God, Allah, or Capoeira. It is a universal creative energy that will either illuminate you and give you life; or, the energy will inflate your ego and essentially kill you. Any healing modality should bring you closer to living your Truth and being self-actualized in this lifetime, not take you further away from it.
What do you do? I am a healer…everything I do is because of my deep Love for God and Humanity. As I learn to heal self, it is my responsibility to show the way to others whether it is my children, my students or my clients.
What are your contributions? I have worked with recording artists, models, actors, children with difficult behaviors, and psychotic adults. I have written and self-published two books, one of Sufi Poetry and another on how to heal children with emotional difficulties with the Creative Arts. I have also done lectures at Columbia University, Harlem Hospital and for American Airlines on the body-mind interface. Currently, I am working primarily with private clients in NYC. I go to their homes for weekly private sessions. Whatever ails them, or whatever their personal goals are, I am there to make them feel better than they did before. So I use Pilates, Kundalini Yoga and Meditation, Capoeira, relaxation through guided imagery and hypnosis, assisted stretching, or energy work to heal their body, mind or heart depending on the need. I am also in the process of manifesting my own space to create a healing center where I can do everything under one roof. But lack of space hasn’t stopped me! I created a donation-based on-line meditation group in which we focus on different themes. The instructional videos for the meditations are on YouTube. We meditate every day for 40 days for the purposes of healing our selves and we process our experience in a group on Facebook. I also have a blog that describes the meditations and has information on mysticism, Kundalini Yoga and healing. I make and sell jewelry to fund my healing project. I believe healing is a necessity in communities of color and not a privilege. I try to make my self accessible to whoever needs me, not letting distance or finance be an issue. The internet has made that possible.
You can learn more about Luz by visiting the following links:
Blog: http://www.rhythmandbreath.org/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/luzemma?blend=8&ob=5
Books: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1191932
