Hello everyone,
My name is Thyna, and I am from Cambodia. I was born in the countryside of Prey Veng province. In 2014, I received a full scholarship to study for a bachelor’s degree in Khmer literature, and I received accommodation for four years.
While I was studying at university, I also became interested in yoga practice after hearing about it from a foreign yoga instructor who offered a couple of free classes at my university. What intrigued me about yoga at that time were the tree and meditation postures used in yoga advertising. When I saw those large photos, I felt calm and peaceful just from the images. I also learned more about the benefits of yoga, such as its positive effects on the body and the good feelings that follow a yoga session. I immediately registered for three yoga classes.
Later, while I was studying at university, I volunteered and participated in a Leadership Program with a non-profit organization in Phnom Penh called Youth For Peace (NGO) for one year in 2015. Youth For Peace has collaborated with AZAHAR Cambodia to improve the lives of youth. I became acquainted with AZAHAR Cambodia through Youth For Peace.
My first program with AZAHAR was the Peace Program, which included various subjects such as leadership, women’s empowerment, theater, yoga classes, psychology, and nonviolent communication. This program took eight months to complete, and I spent an additional two months sharing peace activities with students in the countryside of Battambang province.
After finishing the Peace Program, I had a desire to continue learning yoga and wanted to become a yoga teacher, as yoga had brought me many benefits during the program. I sensed that AZAHAR Cambodia would brighten my life through learning and sharing yoga. I decided to join AZAHAR in 2015 and I started teaching in 2017.
In 2023, I wanted to work for the elderly, survivors of the Khmer Rouge. I noticed that while support for the youth of Cambodia exists, the elderly are often neglected. I wanted to show them love and demonstrate that our community can support them by helping them move and exercise safely with light yoga movements. I noticed that they enjoyed coming together and practicing with me, and they thanked me many times for wanting to do something like this for them. I hope I have inspired others to do the same.
In 2024, I was lucky enough to receive a full scholarship from AZAHAR Cambodia and Jivamukti Global to study the 300-hour Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training in India at Govardhan Eco Village. Students and teachers came from around the world to learn, share, and practice yoga together. I again felt like I was part of a loving and caring family, and we were in the perfect environment for real growth and development of the mind, spirit, and body.
AZAHAR has allowed me to learn and feel safe, to have a family, and to help others improve their lives too. They have provided us with continuous self development courses and yoga qualifications to improve our whole lives, for example emotion control, management and understanding through yoga. Also, Azahar has given us endless opportunities to improve our English and communication skills, especially public speaking. The family at AZAHAR is a special one that loves, shares, and supports each other. This space seems to attract like-minded students and guests. The vibe at AZAHAR is peaceful, located in a traditional Khmer house but with modern interior design.
Before joining AZAHAR Cambodia, my personality was quiet and shy. My body language lacked confidence, and I struggled with presentations because I was nervous and didn’t know how to use my voice and breathing effectively to calm myself. I hesitated to share my opinions because I thought they might not be good enough. I was bullied about my weight and skin color, as I was underweight and had a slightly darker skin tone. My English was not very good at that time because I didn’t have anyone to practice with, and I found it hard to focus on studying for long periods, which made me exhausted and sleepy.
I had no idea how much the physical body could relate to the mind and soul in a beneficial way. I didn’t know how to trust people at times, nor did I know about the existence of vegetarianism and veganism. I struggled to respond well when people treated me poorly; I often got hurt because I remained quiet, which harmed me. I didn’t understand how to create a beautiful lifestyle. I thought it would be a great life if I had a good job as a Khmer language teacher in state or international public schools, got married, had kids, and helped take care of my family, especially my mother, who deserves it. She is a wonderful single mother who supports my education.
AZAHAR works extremely hard to ensure that we as teachers and future teachers, have access to the best teacher training and community. We have a safe space to develop our yoga practice, which helps us all, including ourselves. Without AZAHAR, I might still have a fixed or limited mindset, low confidence, and other undesirable attributes. With AZAHAR, I have been able to transform and continue to do so, enabling me to be the best version of myself, which ultimately benefits us all.
