Daily Inspiration: Meet Diala Hamed

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diala Hamed.

Hi Diala, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
When I was in college studying to become a Dietitian I was being pulled in many directions. My friend invited me to a yoga class at her college, UNCW. I snuck in because I wasn’t a student there. It was a free class (a seed of inspiration for Nova Yoga today).

After leaving each class the sounds of crickets and the touch of the breeze on my neck became more apparent where previously my awareness was drowned out by my own mental busyness. I was becoming mindful. These classes inspired curiosity which drove me to sign up for a yoga teacher training program in Costa Rica. My first teacher training impacted me in ways that I couldn’t have imagined and over the next few years, I lived and studied yoga across the globe, even spending months in Bali and India to teach and learn intensively and immersively.

When I started Nova Yoga the intention was to share the healing and transformative power of yoga that I experienced through travel with my community in Raleigh. I was teaching in several yoga studios across the city, but when COVID hit and everything shut down I needed a new way to stay connected. I put out an open invite for anyone who wished to join me in Moore Square, downtown Raleigh for a free yoga class.

That first class only four people showed up, but in the next couple of weeks, it doubled and tripled. We quickly hit the COVID capacity for 25 students. Once restrictions were lifted, classes grew to regularly 30-45 people. I invested in a high-end microphone system to allow students to socially distance themselves with comfort. To support me I brought on teaching staff to offer more classes as people clearly needed and benefited from this space to be in community and simultaneously with themselves during this tumultuous time.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have been surprised and awed by how much of what we do today has fallen into place with ease because of the support of our community. We are truly a grassroots organization. I find a constant supply of strength to show up when I see how our classes and retreats impact and uplift our students.

If I had to choose something though, the weather is definitely not our best friend. We don’t currently have an indoor space, and it can be hard to get the message across when class is canceled due to rain since people come to us from many different platforms and word of mouth.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I offer outdoor yoga classes, all-inclusive yoga retreats, and most recently a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program intended for all levels of practitioners. What sets us apart is that we are committed to inclusivity, and offer pay-what-you-can and volunteer options.

My first class was free – had it not been, I may never have tried yoga in that pivotal time in my life which allowed me to go deeper into exploring the practice through training and travel. I believe the de-stressing and immune-boosting effects of the practice should be accessible to all people.

Personally, I value the ancient wisdom of yoga and include its timeless applications in my public classes and throughout my retreats and training programs. I am most proud that our yoga community reflects a vast diversity in gender, age, race, and physical capabilities. All are welcome, and we all have something to learn from each other.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
As a first-generation American with Palestinian roots, my family came from nothing and so I’ve been raised to not fear what I don’t have or what I can lose but rather shown that with hard work I can rebuild anything that I’ve lost.

For this reason, I feel a defining quality of my success is that I haven’t been afraid to take risks or lose things. Both not being afraid of failure, and being innovative when problems arise to find solutions are some characteristics that keep me going and wanting to build community and ensure that everyone feels and knows they belong, are cared for, and have a place both on their yoga mat and in the world.

Contact Info:

• Email: support@novaretreats.com
• Website: www.novaretreats.com
• Instagram: novaretreats, yogadiala
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/novaretreats

Image Credits:
Amy & Juan Benito (WUV studios.)