Locals get a yoga experience
Ntshingila encourages residents to use yoga and meditation to help cope with mental health related issues.
Holistic health and wellness practitioner, Lungile Ntshingila aims to use the practise of yoga and meditation as a tool for emotional, physical, mental, psychological and spiritual growth.
The University of Witswaterstand psychology graduate, yoga and meditation teacher holds intimate and affordable meditation classes at the Zodwa Khoza Foundation on Saturdays.
From her own experience, Ntshingila found solace in yoga and meditation after experiencing mental health related challenges.
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“I saw and experienced the benefits of yoga and meditation in my own holistic well-being emotionally, mentally, physically, psychologically and spiritually. Since the practices are also white-dominated, westernised and inaccessible to the black community, I felt motivated to share the experience and benefits of the practice in order to help, heal and empower more people in my community,” Ntshimgila said.
Yoga is a form of exercise that uses specific body postures to achieve physical and mental health benefits, while meditation is a practice that can be done with or without movement in order to focus and calm the mind.
“These are conscious practices that bring harmony to the mind, body and soul. They lead to holistic awareness of the self and can be beneficial in all aspects of our health.
“Every parts of our being are connected, if you are not well physically, you will not be well emotionally/mentally and vice versa. So, it is essential to create balance in all parts of our being in order to be completely healthy.”
She added that some of the historically disadvantaged black communities which face challenges that range from political and socioeconomic, to familial and personal issues can also find refuge in yoga and meditation.
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“Benefits of these practices are also needed more by our black communities. This kind of initiative helps to also break the stigma against mental health within the black community and creates a space where people can learn about and understand mental health in a different way.”
For more information, residents can contact Ntshingila on 060 698 0704.
