Achya Alfie, 28, from Jerusalem is a reservist combat engineer and also a yoga teacher. This combination seems impossible, but Alfie not only combines the two successfully, he even "took" yoga with him to Gaza, giving exercises to the soldiers with him. He wrote an emotional social media post about it - "the cooperation from everyone was above and beyond, everyone is so thirsty for a moment of silence," it said. Since then Alfie has returned from Gaza, transitioned back and is ready to return to Gaza.
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When did you decide that yoga "comes with you" into Gaza?
"It already happened when I enlisted, but the final decision was made on the bus the first time we entered Gaza, when I was trying to find within myself the answer to the question, 'how do I go into combat when my whole life is to practice love, peace and connecting.' I understood that yoga is connecting, and at that moment I decided that even though I have to fight now, I am completely at peace with that, I bring these energies and forces of love and peace wherever I am and everything I have to do."
When you brought it up for the first time to the soldiers, what were the reactions?
"Amazing reactions. Everyone is so thirsty for a moment of silence, for a moment of reflection, for a moment when someone tells them to just sit and breathe, there's no need to do anything now. And it's wonderful, everyone said: 'Sure, sounds fun, come on, let's practice.'"
How does this moment of silence feel, when all around the cannons are bellowing?
"Completely surreal. It's sitting inside a house in Gaza, explosions all around, noise and chaos and communications in the background. But precisely in this, the mind knows that this is what it needs now and it adjusts, and this is the ability to practice yoga and practice meditation. It doesn't matter where you are, it is to pay attention to yourself."
This is not the first time we hear about yoga in the context of war. Released hostages say that Carmel Gat, who also practices yoga, helped them during their captivity with exercises.
"I heard about it and it's amazing, just wonderful. Such inspiring energy. I can really connect to it, to this place where I'm a yoga teacher, I feel like I'm a messenger, wherever I am and to every person around me. I have to transmit this light, this silence, that's why we came into the world."
How does it feel to leave Gaza and return home?
"In the beginning it was very difficult. It's a different reality that you suddenly have to get used to. To make this switch, I chose to go to a week of Vipassana, literally a whole week without a phone, just meditation. Just to bring my awareness back to where I am and choose again. You have to know how to balance between your connection with the world and with yourself. It's a craft to be able to do that."
He concludes, saying, "one more thing in the context of this combination. I come from both the worlds of Judaism and yoga. They say that King David had two extremes. He knew when to wage war and to be a warrior and to do what was necessary in war as well as be very gentle and sensitive and write poetry and scripture."
"I draw a lot from his character, within the context we are in. Even when I have to go back to war, with God's help I will do that too."