User:JulieCopple/sandbox

undefinedNadia Toraman
Born May 8, 1969, Nadia Toraman was raised in Eastern Turkey on her family’s Kurdish farm. Her humble upbringing instilled in her traditional family values such as the importance of working hard in order to achieve one’s goals. Nadia always dreamed of traveling the world and helping others along the way (Toraman).

At the young age of nine, Nadia moved from Turkey to Germany (Toraman 14) where she attended elementary and high school. Upon graduating, she spent the next three years discovering how to bring her dreams into fruition. She desired to live a life of service, which meant giving back like the people she admired most, such as Gandhi or Mother Teresa.

When Nadia was twenty years old, she left her home and family in search of herself and traveled to North America. In 1990, she moved to Santa Cruz, California. It was at this time, she attended her first Hatha Yoga class. “I had discovered a sacred space- one that would bring me peace of mind and conditioning of the body to realize optimal health.” (Toraman) Her first class changed her life; she knew this was something she wanted to integrate into her everyday life.

In 1992, Nadia moved to Maui. Upon arriving, she developed keener surf skills. She felt an instant oneness with the ocean. She had already incorporated healthy eating into her life, by becoming a vegetarian at the age of fifteen and now she made a conscious decision to have a more active lifestyle. She continued to practice yoga and surf.

In 1994, Ms. Toraman returned to Santa Cruz, California to begin seriously studying yoga. She embarked upon her spiritual journey. Nadia attended several different styles of yoga classes. For one year, she absorbed as much information as she could obtain on yoga. She studied Iyengar yoga with Kofi Busia in Santa Cruz. She also studied with Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty at YogaWorks- Los Angeles, and with Yoga Master Sri K Pattabhi Jois.

In 1996, Maui, Hawaii, was calling Nadia back. She knew she needed and wanted to continue yoga. She opened her first yoga studio in Kuau on the Northshore of the island. She began offering Maui Aloha Yoga- a combination of Ashtanga and Iyenger yoga (“Best of Maui” 43). As her clientele grew, she wanted to expand. In 2010, she moved her studio, Maui Yoga and Dance Shala, into the Old Train Depot in Paia, Maui.

As a business woman, Nadia made strategic efforts to grow her studio in order to spread the joy of yoga. She began offering yoga teacher trainings (YTT). She wanted to bring people together in the spirit of service. Nadia wanted to help lead others to healthier lifestyles. By offering teacher trainings, she felt this was a wonderful way to do just that.

In 2014, Maui Yoga Shala expanded, opening its second location located in Wailea, Hawaii. It was the first yoga and dance studio on the Southside of Maui. As for future endeavors, Nadia Toraman plans to continue a life of service, helping others find their own harmony through yoga.

"Yoga has been life-changing for me. Since the first day, I have always kept with it. And what better place to practice then on the island where the spirit of yoga and the soul of Hawaii have so much in common. The raw, organic feel of nature, the connection between prana and mana, namaste and aloha, all contribute to finding the true self while healing and rejuvenating, and guiding us to deeper levels of awareness." - Nadia Toraman (Maui Yoga Shala)

Works Cited

1.	Maui Yoga Shala. 2015. n.p. Web. 13 March 2015. http://maui-yoga.com/maui-hawaii-yoga-teacher-training-program-guide.php

2.	Maui Time Weekly: Best of Maui. Vol. 13, Issue 3, July 09, 2009. Page 43.

3.	Toraman, Nadia. Personal interview. 27 Feb 2015.

4.	Toraman, Nadia. “The Miracle of Yoga: Healing From Within.” Maui Vision: Your Guide to Natural Living. Dec./Jan. 2013-2014 ed. 14. Volume 13, No. 5. Print.