We often hear people complaining about all of the ills of social media, yet it was Instagram that inspired one young woman to start a yoga journey that propelled her toward a meaningful path in life. For one Dr. Sanaa Jaman, she was drawn to the Scorpion pose and was determined to master it. This isn’t a pose that beginners usually start with, as it’s an advanced and challenging asana, but Dr. Sanaa is not the kind of person who is deterred by challenges. She started a home practice and worked towards her goal. She promised herself that she would be able to get into the Scorpion by the end of that year and by ten months she could.

The physical aspect of yoga is what got Sanaa interested, and even though she was not focusing on any of the mental or emotional facets of the practice, she felt a substantial improvement in her overall well-being. Over the months she had become calmer, more responsive than reactive and generally more at peace with herself and life. The realization prompted her to enroll in a teacher training class. Until that point Sanaa had never taken a class, all of what she had already learned she had taught herself by going online and educating herself. While on a lunch break from work, she passed by a yoga studio, wondered to herself if they offer the program. She walked in, felt at home in the space after meeting the owner, liked the curriculum and signed up.

That is a running theme in Dr. Sanaa’s life. She just does things when they feel right for her, and she follows her heart. “You make time for the things you want to do” Dr. Sanaa said. She made time for yoga in her busy schedule, in between work, writing a PHD dissertation in Environmental Engineering and life. She also started documenting her yoga journey as @ladydork on Instagram. She shared her ups and downs with her followers and was always transparent about the bad before the good.

As she was finishing her PHD, Dr. Sanaa began to feel that academia was becoming a toxic environment for her. The academics and science were not her biggest challenge, but the system was. She constantly needed to prove her worth as a scientist because she was a woman instead of being judged for the quality of her work. Pursuing yoga as a full-time career felt that it made more sense to her and her well-being.

So she launched the #DorkTour and wrote her first ebook. At the time the tours were an alternative to becoming a visiting teacher to a studio and gave her more control over how and where she could teach her students. The first tour sold out and Dr. Sanaa knew she was doing the right thing. By basing these tours on her personal journey, she created a relatable, safe, accessible environment for all attendees.

Recently she has been focusing on meditation, healing and a more therapeutic approach, and Dr. Sanaa ensure that she remains very open about her progress with her almost 100K followers on Instagram. Just as she was inspired by other yogis on the platform, she is also helping other people find their way into the world of yoga.

Once she was back in Kuwait she tried going to different yoga studio spaces, and didn’t find the sense of community she was looking for. During lunch with a friend one day, her friend suggested she open her own space. Dr. Sanaa had never entertained the possibility and brushed it off at first since she didn’t have the business experience. It was a serendipitous string of chance encounters with different people that made all the difference, however.

It began with her meeting the people at Cubical Services, a firm that helps entrepreneurs with their startups. Two years later, Tru3 Yoga was born. It is more than just a space where people can practice yoga in a class, it is a safe space where people can come and be their truest self. “As yoga teachers our job is to guide you to be your best self,” Dr. Sanaa explained. “The real work on yourself starts when you leave the mat,” she continued. Living in the present takes practice and work.

It is especially important for woman in the region, according to Dr. Sanaa we are not taught to express emotions in a manner that is healthy. Instead we are conditioned to suppress them and keep going. Yoga helps release all of these pent- up feelings and offers a better way of dealing with anything you are going through.

Dr. Sanaa is on a mission to help as many people as she can to find their own way to their own inner peace and more balanced lives, whether by taking them on #DorkTours, retreats around the world or inviting them to Tru3 Yoga.We don’t know about you, but we are definitely ready to step onto the mat with her soon.

Follow Sanaa Jaman @ladydork and @tru3yoga on Instagram to stay up to date and learn more about yoga. Featured image courtesy of Dr Sanaa Jaman.