US Yoga icon trains Kenyans

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July 23, 2010 – One of America’s most-celebrated yoga teachers and authors, Baron Baptiste is visiting Kenya on a mission to train young Kenyans on his unique yoga style.

With more than 20 years experience, Baptiste has fused different styles to produce his own vigorous and challenging heat-based vinyasa flow.

Apart from being on TV and radio, Baptiste also runs regular columns in the Women’s Health Magazine, Yoga Journal and Men’s Health.

While in Kenya, he will facilitate training for youth and adults to highlight the transformational aspect of yoga and how he applied his skills to hundreds of thousands of westerners’ including the Philadelphia Eagles, a professional American football team, to propel them to their next level of health in life.

The training sessions are being organised courtesy of the Africa Yoga Project, Sarakasi Trust and the Open Society of East Africa.

Baptiste describes yoga as an easy way for an individual to seek freedom of the spirit for sustainable peace as well as maintain a healthy body.

His parents are also seasoned Yoga teachers.

“I am so inspired by the work being done by Africa Yoga Project to empower young Kenyans. I am happy to be in Kenya to share my knowledge with, among others, the underprivileged communities in Nairobi’s populous slums. The training is just part of my commitment to share possibility, opportunity and action communities like Kibera and Mathare slums,” Baptiste said.

Paige Elenson, the founder of Africa Yoga Project said the project has made critical milestones that include promoting careers such as the case of the acrobats at Sarakasi as well as in promoting healthy living and peaceful coexistence in the informal settlements of Nairobi.

“We have also impacted on rural communities by opening up new economic opportunities and expanding markets overseas. We have also used such forums to reign on repugnant practices such as FGM as well as discouraging politically-instigated violence,” Paige said.

Asked about his motivation to do yoga, Baptiste admitted that although he was initially reluctant to follow in his parents footsteps, he is gratified that he has built a distinguished career in yoga teaching, which not only earns him respect but also provides a dependable source of livelihood.

Baptiste is renowned for training high-profile figures in America, including politicians, professional athletes and celebrities such as, Helen Hunt, Elizabeth Shue, and Raquel Welch. He is also known to regularly train business executives and owners. Baptiste also runs week-long boot camps which attract high-level clientele and conducts speaking engagements where he shares his knowledge and skills.

 

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