Have you ever heard of kemetic yoga? Stemming from the Egyptian tradition, formerly known as “Kemet”, Kemetic yoga is both a philosophy and a practice focused on personal development, mind-body healing and self-discovery. Rooted in an African tradition, kemetic yoga offers members of the diaspora a revolutionary vision of traditional yoga, characterized by a very slow series of geometrically progressive postures that create alignment of the body. But the real power of this practice is found in the movement of energy and the manifestation of life force through the energy channels of the body, with the intention of creating conditions for healing the body and the mind.
To truly understand Kemetic Yoga, one must understand Kemetic philosophy and its roots in Ancient Kemetic cosmology. Historians have estimated that the practice of yoga originated in the Indus Valley around 3300 BCE, but research by Asar Hapi and Yirser Ra Hotep in the 1970s showed images of yoga poses and meditation found in Egypt that precede this period. From this research, the practice of kemitic yoga emerged.
Kemetic philosophy
Kemetic philosophy and yoga have grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to international healers and teachers determined to spread the kemetic philosophy. After completing her shamanic-kemetic yoga training in Luxor, Sarah Wes alongside Tony Khepera-Heru developed Return to Kehmet, a wellness collective based in Egypt and committed to connecting members of the diaspora with African spirituality and ancient practices, such as kemetic yoga.
Co-founder of Retour au Kemet, Sarah Wes, practices kemetic yoga in the Sahara Desert @sarahwesWellness researchers participating in the retreat can benefit from a number of activities aligned with Kemetic philosophy such as: African sound healing, education in plant medicine or the practice of New Moon manifestations. Kemetic yoga has also largely contributed to wellness tourism in Egypt, so much that the country's Ministry of Tourism has promoted it internationally.
Other advocates of the practice include Queen Afua, a health practitioner and author of the bestseller “Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind, and Spirit”.
Author: Basia Diagne
A global nomad with roots in Senegal, Basia is a writer, yogi and translator based in Paris.
