Blog: "It's easier to get up early in the mornings when I’m active"
The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website features a blog post every Friday through the year. In 2017, we'll be sharing the experiences of disabled people, and those who support disabled people, on their journey to being more active. This week, Tesfai Berhane, who is 62 and from Streatham in London, talks about his new love for yoga.
I regularly attend yoga sessions run by the national disability charity Sense at the Pancras Square Leisure Centre in London. The sessions have been made accessible for people who have sight and hearing impairments, so it’s perfect for me as a blind person. I attend the sessions on my own but I have become friends with the other people in the group.
A friend of mine was going to the Sense yoga sessions and she told me how good they were. I thought it was too good an opportunity to miss so decided to give it a go myself and haven’t looked back.
Yoga allows me to relieve my stresses, both physical and mental, which can build up when you’re blind. The sessions also provide me with an opportunity to meet new people, many of whom have turned into friends, which makes it really enjoyable.
I find it easier to get up early in the mornings when I’m active. Being active also ensures I stay mobile which helps me to care for myself and my guide dog. For example, bending down when I need to feed and give him water and ensuring I’m active enough to take him for walks.
It helps me to relax and de-stress. During exercise, I feel happy to be part of a lovely group of people doing something that is good for me, and afterwards I am pleased with myself for having the motivation to go and learn new things. I love that the sessions are inclusive and people have lots of different abilities. There are blind people and deaf people, and those who need more support. I enjoy doing the sessions as part of a group with lots of different people; I know we are all learning and benefitting together. It’s lovely.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found too many activities available that are accessible to me, but I’m hoping Sense will put on further activities as part of its ‘Sporting Sense’ project. They are working hard to increase opportunities for disabled people to take part in sport. I’m looking forward to finding out what they do next!
I hope more disabled people can be encouraged through my good experiences to take up a sporting activity. It has fantastic physical, mental and emotional benefits. If the sessions are made accessible, anyone can take part regardless of how they need support. There are some fantastic programmes out there that work to break down the barriers to sport for people with sensory impairments. I’m lucky enough to have found a programme that suits me well. If you don’t try it, you’ll never know!
