The Inside of Yoga Instructing
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Profile by Nalani Adedapo
Some people don’t know how much yoga does for you. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. It’s super simple to get into— just grab a mat and stretch!
Naima Adedapo, a yoga instructor, trainer, and sound practitioner, and most importantly a mother, talks about her influence, journey, and personal benefit from the yoga realm. The following has been edited and condensed.
Tell me about yourself, what are your talents?
I am 41 years old, I am a mother, a singer, a dancer, a yoga instructor, a sound practitioner and a lover of nature and fun.
What do you work as?
I work as a yoga instructor, trainer, and a sound practitioner.
How do you incorporate your talent in what you do?
I incorporate my talent by using my voice to guide people into spaces of relaxation, self-study, and healing.
What do you feel is your purpose in the work field? What did you work as before you found what you considered your purpose to be?
I feel like my purpose is to hold space for people to do work that they need to do on themselves in order to live a more joyous life. I worked as a performer (singer and dancer), a songwriter and an Uber/Lyft driver before I found my purpose in the yoga realm.
Would you consider helping people as a part of your purpose and how would you help not only others but yourself?
I very much feel like supporting people is a part of my purpose. Helping people see past limitations that they put on themselves, strengthening their minds and bodies, and finding alignment between their mind, body and spirit. I help myself by allowing myself to be authentic, honest and by staying true to who I am through yogic philosophies.
When was the moment you realized helping people was something you wanted to include in your everyday routine?
I’ve always loved helping people whether it was through positive messages in the songs that I sang and wrote or teaching dance and watching people’s confidence grow. I truly knew that being a yoga instructor was something that would allow me to make an impact on people every time I finished a class.
What are some challenges or difficulties you face being a yoga teacher?
Some of the challenges I face as a yoga instructor are making sure that I keep students safe as they practice, creating different flows and fresh playlists regularly, promoting myself as a small business and dealing with the physical toll it can take on my body sometimes.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years or so?
In five years, I see myself beginning to work on building a yoga retreat center in Costa Rica, leading retreats internationally, having achieved my 500-hour yoga training and led my own yoga teacher training outside of the studio that I work at currently.
What motivates you to keep doing what you’re doing, and do you plan on changing anything up?
The things that motivate me to keep doing what I’m doing are my children and my passion for holding space for people as I witness them grow!
Who was the greatest influence to you to start your yoga journey and creating it to be a lifestyle?
Some of the biggest influences of me be becoming a yoga teacher were, Cindy Lunsford, Nikki Taddei, Chrissy Harts and Chloe Oliver but the biggest influencer was the yoga practice itself and how much it helped me heal and grow as a person.
If you were speaking with someone who wanted to start yoga or start yoga training what would you recommend? Why do you think what you recommended would be best for them? I would encourage them to release any judgment that they have about themselves, any preconceived notions about what yoga is and try their best to just listen to their body and honor how they feel in each present moment.
What’s your favorite part about practicing yoga? And what are some poses? How can they benefit the body? My favorite part about practicing yoga is having the opportunity to be present, to pay attention to my breath and learn how to treat myself with compassion and unconditional love in order to heal and show up authentically. There are too many poses to name and each pose has several different benefits. However, I’ll tell you one of my favorite poses is Savasana which typically occurs after every class for at least three minutes. In Savasana you lie down and surrender to stillness which creates a sense of calm and peace in your mind, body and spirit. It’s the best.
