A Serene Standard of Living with The Yoga Room

Dubai’s busy residents can look forward to a serene lifestyle with the opening of the new Ashtanga yoga studio – The Yoga Room.

The studio is a place for all people seeking sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life in Dubai. It is a space that welcomes the new and the seasoned, the young and the old. It asks people from any walk of life to come in and experience Ashtanga Yoga in its truest and purest form, as originally taught by the Ashtanga method’s founder Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

Yoga is unanimously associated with exercise and weight loss; however, the Sanskrit word ‘Yoga’ means to "unite", and is a common term that describes a physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Ashtanga Yoga is a traditional system developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji) and taught by a lineage of teachers all over the world. The term Ashtanga literally breaks down to 8 (Ashtau) limbs (anga), and refers to the 8 steps that are practiced in this method.

Yoga asana, or the physical practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, involves the synchronization of breath with a progressive series of postures. This method produces internal heat that detoxifies, purifies and cleanses the muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation that helps the release of toxins from the body. Some of the many benefits of yoga asana are improved flexibility, increased strength and endurance, stress relief and physical pain relief.

The Yoga Room was established by Joumana Saber, who was first introduced to yoga while attending university in Montreal, Canada. Her first experience of yoga was an Ashtanga Vinyasa class at Sattva Yoga Shala. She studied with senior Ashtanga Yoga teacher Mark Darby, one of the very few people worldwide to have attained the highest level of yoga teaching accreditation. Joumana was initially attracted to the physical practice of Ashtanga yoga, but her curiosity about the philosophy of yoga grew with her fascination for this dynamic style.

Joumana’s dedication to the method helped her realize that yoga is more than just a physical exercise - it is in fact a lifestyle practiced on and off the mat. After moving back to Dubai, she completed her 200-hour teacher training with the Yoga Alliance and started teaching yoga at Fitness First and Core Direction. In 2012, she travelled to Mysore to practice at KPJAYI with R. Sharath Jois, grandson of late master Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Drawing from her travels, experiences and teachers, Joumana now wishes to share her knowledge and passion for the true and traditional Ashtanga practice at The Yoga Room.

The Yoga Room is open daily, and is conveniently located at the ground floor of the Swiss Tower in Cluster Y of the Jumeriah Lakes Towers. A weekly schedule is tailored to include students of all levels. The Yoga Room also holds regular workshops, courses and events for students to deepen their knowledge of yoga.