#60 Tami Hafzalla: Yoga & Ayurveda through Bhakti, a devotional life

Neuroveda Podcast for Complex Health

Tami Hafzalla hails originally from Cairo, Egypt, and found her spirit grounded & home-grown through her explorations of Yoga and Ayurveda. In this podcast, she brings us along on her journey originating in a curious & contemplative childhood, through psychology studies in college that triggered her introduction to Yoga, breath work, meditation and self-discipline. "Yoga is here to liberate me." Her drive to be of service to humanity drove progressively deeper through experiences all over the world with Vedic sciences: music, chanting, ancient texts, Jyotish (Ayurvedic astrology), and bhatki, which means devotion. Bhakti is the style of practice that spoke most to Tami across the decades of her journey and has sustained her through years of parenting, working, breathing and living. "The truth of being a householder in the world is that we can't spend all the hours in the day in spiritual awareness, but we can be in devotion." She quotes Jack Kornfield's book, "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry." She shares with us one of her personal favorite mantras, 'begin again' because the nature of being human is honoring recurrent imperfection. We then discuss Tami's brilliant approach to attending to your Ayurvedic constitution during a group Yoga practice. Tami's grasp and application of the science to the daily life is palpable, regardless of wrestling toddlers into pants or on retreat abroad at a spiritual retreat. "This is my practice. My body is changing and this is my practice." Hearing her story is inspiring. Listening through her humility is an honor.