An Interview ​

"From Beirut, Zena Takieddine teaches the art of healing through movement..."

click here for the original publication, in Spanish, by Christiane Waked for The Political Room, May 2020. 

C.W: You have been a writer, cultural researcher and yoga teacher in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon. How did these environments transform you?

Z.T: Growing up in Saudi Arabia meant living with good service but isolated, with the expectation that everything should be done for you instead of doing it for yourself. There was no natural interaction with the city or a sense of belonging. On the other hand, there was good family bonding and luckily my family was a lot of fun.

We always went to Damascus during summers, so Syria for me was about visiting aunts, uncles and cousins. Jasmine trees at the entrance of my grandmother's apartment, apricot jam and white halloumi cheese for breakfast. When I was in Damascus, I realized that there were many nuances in Islam and that there was a more beautiful Sufi form. I also discovered that there were many religions besides Islam that were deeply rooted and revered. I learned that faithfulness and piety were a shared understanding and that people didn't really care what faith you had so long as you were a good neighbor. Damascus resembled Spain in the coexistence between cultures that it experienced before the Reconquest. In fact, many of Andalusia's cities remind me of Damascus.

Lebanon has another character, especially Ras Beirut. Much more hustle and bustle, street-side cafes, theaters, fashion, newspapers, social activism of all colors and a nightlife recognized on a global level. Beirut has a kind of charm that cannot be described, it makes me fall in love with it every day. I have had to strengthen my voice, to thicken my skin and be braver, because here everyone makes themselves heard and creativity and frustration are pouring from the cracks in the wall.​

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C.W: In your academic years, you went from studying history to studying art. You have a BA in History from the American University of Beirut and a Diploma in Arts Connoisseurship from the Sotheby’s Institute and an MA in Islamic Art and Archaeology from SOAS. This allowed you to become a lecturer at various universities and to participate in many interesting intercultural projects. Could you tell us about them?
 
Z.T: I studied history because I knew that the knowledge I grew up with had a very limited scope and did not help me understand why we were in the place we were. I was surprised to learn that our contribution to global civilization had been far greater than the mainstream US media and news channels led us to believe where, in some way, Arabs and Muslims were always "the bad guys." Still, I discovered that written history tended to focus on wars and battles. I was hungry for something that showed the beauty of life. That is what led me to art.

One of the favorite initiatives I participated in is Museum With No Frontiers, or MWNF, a virtual museum that brings together the Islamic and European heritage of the Mediterranean. I loved working on this project because it attempted to show a continuity of history while allowing it to be represented from different perspectives, side by side. It also insisted on presenting the information in Arabic, English and Spanish (for starters; since then, it has expanded to include many more languages) and on entrusting the academics who belonged to the land, instead of "foreign experts", as primary authors. Art history specialists from all over Europe, North Africa and the Levant participated in the creation of this multicultural platform. It has become an educational resource worldwide. I imagine now even more so with the travel lockdown produced by COVID-19.

​C.W: You have also been a yoga teacher since 2009. How does that fit with arts and culture teaching?

Z.T: You have to be sensitive to appreciate what art is about. Yoga opens your senses. It seems to me that people have trouble relating to art because they think of it as a separate object and not as a trace of human existence.
 
C.W: You have a tendency to teach yoga in some unusual places, refugee camps and conflict zones, rather than boutique studios and nature retreats.

Z.T: I always believed that yoga was for everybody. I started teaching in 2009 in my hometown, Damascus. Not a lot of people knew about yoga then. I taught in small groups, mostly women. It has since become a trendy thing, but I am not concerned with teaching those among us who are already healthy and fitness-oriented. I want to reach the ones who go unnoticed in their daily struggles; women who carry the heavy burden of their families, the ones who never knew any form of self-care. Those are the ones I wanted to reach. 

When I arrived in Lebanon, I was fortunate to meet like-minded people who set up projects to teach yoga in remote and disadvantaged communities. Together we were able to cater to a broader population, teaching in both English and Arabic.

Yoga is not a competitive sport; it is a care and a service to our inner being and our community. It is not elitist; it is for everyone and especially for the most vulnerable and exhausted among us. Yoga is about transforming weakness and fear into inner strength and kindness.

I remember one time, a woman stayed after class because she wanted to talk to me. She informed me that she was from Iraq and that she had two children, one who had been killed in Baghdad and the other who had been kidnapped and she did not know if he were dead or alive. This was back in my early days of teaching, and I was not mentally prepared to receive any of this information, but she clung to me with her gaze that was crying out for someone to listen to her and, thanks to my yoga training, I could stay grounded and listen. She told me that she had grown numb, that she had forgotten how to breathe, that she had been holding her breath for many years. On that day, as she felt compelled to speak, I could see her heavy shoulders and dense body visibly soften into a confused mix of gratitude and pain. She could feel again, breathe again. Yoga can do that. And no complicated poses are required. Just a constant return of consciousness to breath. ​​

​C.W: Today, among other things, you are also a practitioner of Somatic Experiencing and you did the training in Spain. How was it?

Z.T: The approach was developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine, who explains that trauma is not about the events that happen to us, but about the traces of energy and impulses from the body's defensive responses: fight, flight and freeze. Releasing trauma is then a matter of allowing these protective impulses to complete themselves and be expressed, rather than remain in the body.

But because traumatic events are often frightening, painful, and confusing, if not absolutely horrifying, there is a part of us that avoids going there or simply doesn't know where to start. All these layers are taken into account with great delicacy and care in the Somatic Experiencing method. The practice is beautiful because it respects the journey of each individual and recognizes trauma as a normal part of life.
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Many personal stories come up during these types of training and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to study Somatic Experiencing in Spain, where social engagement and warmth are at the heart of culture. It is a 3-year training that takes place in the south of Andalusia in a quiet coastal city called Huelva. The friendships I made there are friendships for lifetime and we still have our monthly Skype calls to stay in touch.

​​C.W: I have seen that you also started a QiGong practice out on the street in your Hamra neighborhood during the lockdown. What inspired you to do that?

Z.T: Under normal circumstances, Beirut would be too noisy for such a practice to take place, but with the current lockdown, the streets are empty like never before! Instead of letting restlessness and anxiety prevail, it seemed an opportunity was calling to rejuvenate the space with good vibes. I asked myself, what could be done that could bring a sense of community and connection in a way that supports our wellness, and at the same time respect social distancing and hygiene? QiGong seemed like the perfect answer.
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The beauty of QiGong is that it does not involve complicated steps or props. It is mainly upper body movements and the legs are stable. The sequence I chose to was 15 minutes long, so it doesn’t interrupt anyone’s day or ask too much time commitment. The trick was to make it happen on daily; regularity. QiGong creates an experience of deep stability and balance and that’s exactly what felt needed as our region totters on collapse. The movements are slow and smooth, accessible for anyone to follow, even elder neighbors from their balconies. We could all come together, every day, enjoy the practice in open space while keeping the necessary distance.  It was truly a collective initiative that grew out of the neighborhood’s need to connect with something calming and it has been beautiful.

C.W: You also recently graduated from NeuroAffective Touch. How did you manage to do a touch training in the middle of the COVID 19 pandemic when making physical contact is exactly what we should not do?

Z.T: It was complicated! An adaptation process. I do not believe that we are destined to continue life without human contact, and in any case, it is possible to offer therapeutic touch that is not physical, but empathetic and energetic.

Many things can happen in trauma therapy by drawing attention to tensions in the body and offering them support in mindful ways that allow trauma to unravel. The most important thing, with or without physical contact, is to feel safe and that is a trust that can only be gained through experience.

​C.W: You are also editor of the international dance magazine "A Dance Mag", where dance is explored as a human phenomenon in its various physical and emotional forms. Tell us more about it.

Z.T: It's about telling stories from the experience of the body. We are born to dance. We feel alive when we dance. It is a universal phenomenon. My friend and colleague Jana al-Obeidyine is the dynamo behind this magazine, she is the founder. Together with our editorial team, we have managed to collect and publish stories from all around the world. We look for stories and interviews and poems that show the body alive, empowered and creative beyond limits.
There is a human truth in every gesture, but often, the body is supressed or ignored. Instead, we are bombarded with "talking heads" on every media platform, so much noise! We wanted a magazine that offers a place where the body can be recognized and given a voice.

C.W: Is there a bridge between your experience in history, arts and culture, on the one hand, and your practice in therapeutic bodywork and yoga on the other?

Z.T: The two seem like separate worlds! I like to say that history and culture are on a horizontal axis; Yoga and Qigong are on a vertical axis, and the relationship between the two is art.

​​C.W: Do you have any vision of what the world could be like once we get out of these uncertain times?
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Z.T: I hope that people appreciate what is most valuable in life and realize that it is possible to live in a much simpler, kinder and more creative way than we thought we could.

Certifications

2018    Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for Trauma Healing.
2009   Certified 200hr Yoga Teacher Training, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram.​
2004   MA Islamic Art & Archaeology, with Distinction, School or Oriental & African Studies, London.

Masterclasses & Trainings

2020    Foundation year in Neuro-Affective Touch for developmental trauma by Dr. Aline La Pierre, Oslo, Norway.
2020    "Contemplative-Based Resilience (CBR) for Humanitarian Aid Workers," Trainer of Trainers, Garrison Institute International, Switzerland.  ​
2019     Foundation year in  of Bodynamics International by Lisbeth, Ditte & Hadi Marcher, Madrid, Spain.
2019     “Healing Sexual Trauma”, Online Course, Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute (SETI), Online.
2018     “Autoimmune Disease & other Trauma-related Syndromes,” SE Master Class with Dr. Peter Levine, Switzerland.
​2018     “Interplay of Shock & Developmental Trauma,” SE Master Class with Dr. Peter Levine, Switzerland.
2017     Clown Me In “Catch” for social therapy, art therapy  in disadvantaged communities, Lebanon.
2016     “Metamorphosis: Evolving Pathways in Somatics” Body-Mind Centering Association (BMCA) Conference, Canada.
2013     "Art of Hosting" for participatory leadership and co-creation, Turkey.
2011      “Voice of Shamanism" & "Healing the Family” & “Inner Sound & Voice” with Voice Healer Jill Purce, UK
2008     Apprenticeship with yoga teacher, musician and resonant kiniseiology practitioner Deborah Felmeth, Syria.
2007    “Basic Neurocellular Patterns,” with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, Somatic Movement Education, Germany.

Testimonials

الصف مع زينة مريح جدا و كان بالنسبة لي محطة لخفض التوتر و تجديد الطاقة و الإحساس بالذات. كنت إطلع منه بحيوية و إندفاع للحياة
ع.ط. , صحفي و إعلامي - طرابلس ~

بعمل كل جهدي إحضر جلسات الحركة و التنفس مع زينة خاصة لما بتكون نفسيتي تعبانة وأفكاري عم تخوفني و محتاجة للسلام

غ.ل. - بيروت 


عندي خبرة بالرياضة من زمان و كانت مفاجأة لما اكتشفت إنه اليوغا صعبة و فيها تحدي و مو بس تأمل.  اتعلمت إنه في أنواع كتيرة من القوة و مو بس بالعضالات.  
ل. ف. - دمشق

​"It is said that yoga postures should be practices with equal amounts of strength and flexibility. That perfect balance of trust-inspiring steadiness and light-hearted ease is what Zena brings to her teaching. Her presence made the last two trainings we attended and gave together a real pleasure. I believe anyone who joins an endeavour that she's a part of will feel the same way." 
- C. K., yoga teacher, Broummana.

"Zena is one of the most wonderful women I’ve known.  She is as beautiful inside as outside. Her presence is loving and healing; her hands and her listening are full of respect and tender attentive care. These are, for me, the most important aspects of a good therapeutic practitioner. As a yoga teacher she is creative and attentive to the needs of the group that particular day.  People in Madrid love when she comes, since she always surprises us with her spontaneity and leaves us renewed. She is a master in every way.  Thanks, Zena, for existing."
 - C.G.T., Pilates trainer, Alexander Technique practitioner, Madrid, Spain 

​ “Zena’s yoga classes are exceptional! I’ve been taking her classes for more than 8 years and it has impacted my life in so many ways. Her approach is subtle and empowering. Most importantly, she teaches us how to listen to and respect our bodies. Zena’s beautiful spirit makes anyone love yoga.”
G. L., designer, Damascus & Beirut

Zena is a pioneer in undertakings that promote social recovery and individual healing through yoga, movement and body-based therapies. I have worked with Zena in the context of running a series of trainings in kids’ yoga techniques for social workers, school teachers and others working with children in need. The techniques we teach help kids experience wellbeing, as well as enhancing self-regulation and concentration. As part of these trainings we also give the participants tools for self-care and managing their own health and wellbeing. I have found Zena a wonderfully creative and versatile partner. With her sensitivity and compassion, she is able to navigate and hold the emotions that come up in the group as a result of the practices. She also possesses a beautiful sense of humor and capacity for joy that puts participants at ease and opens up space for exploration."
M. J., senior yoga teacher & founder of ‘Tools for Inner Peace’
  
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“When it comes to yoga, Zena is the real deal. I walk from her class feeling refreshed, energized and, most importantly, present.
Her technical understanding of yoga and anatomy makes her classes scientifically interesting and beneficial at the same time. It is a pleasure to take her class.”
A. H., entrepreneur, Beirut

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“Zena is a very, very good teacher. I’ve been following her Sunday morning yoga classes more-or-less regularly while working on my PhD thesis here in Beirut. She has a unique style, very calming. She is not trying to follow any “template”, instead I feel that she is letting each session’s mood lead the way, so it is always different and new, in the moment, yet in a relaxed manner.
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I have always been a bit daunted by the idea of joining a yoga class. Social media usually makes you think that you need to have a perfect body before you can go and do yoga, but Zena makes you understand that this has nothing to do with yoga: you are here to appreciate your own body and respect its limitations and possibilities that day. If you want to try a calming yoga session, I can only recommend you try the Sunday sessions!”
L.N.G., PhD candidate AUB

"Goodbye and thank you! It was so special being part of the group during our last few days in Beirut."  - S.S. Expat wife

​“Zena’s approach to yoga and bodyworks allows anyone to participate. She gives us space to listen and observe to our body and to challenge or simply feel what is happening to it. Her verbal directions are gentle but effective at keeping us focused on what we are doing or feeling. I always leave her sessions feeling a little taller, better balanced and more forgiving of my body.”
S. H., community supporter, Beirut

​“Zena’ is a gentle, mindful and flowing class with always new and sometimes surprising sequences that are at times elaborate and other times perfectly simple. I really appreciate the unique narrative style she uses to guide us – sometimes in multiple languages! – using both anatomical precision and creative visualizations to stimulate both body and mind.
Thank you for sharing your practice with us Zena!”
S. K., anthropologist, Beirut