THE STORY OF BEIT MARIAM

---

In March of 2015, a dream took root as Beit Mariam began its journey. Crafted from the ground up by the loving hands of our founder, Mariam Sobhy, and a dedicated team, our sanctuary was born out of a vision of unity and growth. Here, we welcome not just teachers rich in knowledge and authenticity, but also the hearts of seekers yearning for enlightenment and transformation.

“Yoga & Meditation are not just classes, they are life, they are transformational practices that can be a life changer, and it was for me a life changer” said the founder of Beit Mariam.

With the placement of the very first stone, the soul of Beit Mariam was embedded—a commitment to being a community centered on learning, love, and transformation. Our teachers are devoted to creating a safe, loving space filled with kindness and care for everyone who steps through our doors, regardless of their origin, social status, background, nationality, religion, or age. From the outset, Beit Mariam was built on a foundation of inclusivity and accessibility, committed to making yoga accessible to all, ensuring our classes are inclusive and free of financial or social barriers, welcoming anyone eager to embark on this transformative journey.

This commitment means that financial constraints should never be an obstacle for anyone genuinely interested in exploring yoga and that’s why contributions for classes are made in a discreet box outside, allowing those who may not afford the standard cost to contribute what they can, in privacy and without judgment.

Our aim is to spread the practice and sow seeds of compassion and love in everyone who visits our space.

We believe deeply in the potential for change—both within ourselves and in the world around us. We cherish the beauty of nature and strive to cultivate a sense of gratitude and love for the blessings of life. Inspired by the wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world," we invite you to join us.

*BEIT MARIAM *is excited to share a meaningful transformation in our journey—a new logo that mirrors our evolution and deepens our commitment to your holistic well-being.

Watch as our founder Mariam shares the inspiring journey of our rebranding, reflecting years of growth, learning, and transformation. 

Our previous logo, with its black circle and vibrant yellow center, served us well as we began our path. As we've grown together, embracing the profound principles of yoga and wellness, our brand has evolved too. The new logo features a serene green hue, symbolizing growth, harmony, and balance, and maintains the circle, reflecting the endless journey of personal and spiritual growth that yoga represents.

This change isn't just aesthetic. It's a renewal of our promise to support and guide you through your journey of self-discovery in a nurturing and peaceful environment. As we unfold this new chapter, we invite you to continue this journey with us, exploring the depths of yoga and its transformative power beyond the mat.

Some people are fortunate to discover their passion and purposes early in life, while others may spend their entire lives searching without ever truly finding them. I was among those who found my purpose later in life, after following a conventional path of education and employment that society and my family expected of me.

My journey began with a business degree and a job at Vodafone Egypt, chosen not because of a personal dream but due to societal expectations. Despite learning much, I realized I was merely following a path laid out for me without questioning it.

Life's challenges, including leaving my job, marriage, becoming a mother, and then divorce, led me to a state of confusion and loss, compounded by significant weight gain and a lack of self-confidence.

Returning to work, I found no passion in my tasks and struggled with balancing motherhood and career aspirations, I was confronted with the reality of younger colleagues advancing past me and my professional tasks sparked no joy. This period of despair led me to seek comfort in food adding further to my unhappiness.

Despite the ‘semblance’ of a complete life—a respectable job, financial security, a wonderful son, and a supportive family—I was engulfed by an inexplicable emptiness. The daily weight gain, the pressures of work, and the inability to be the mother I aspired to be weighed heavily on my soul.

I remained like this for a while until a health scare at the age of 28!!
My cholesterol reached alarmingly high ranges! That hit me hard. It was the first time to stand on a scale in four years,only to find out that I was 20 KG overweight! It was the first time to look at myself in the mirror in four years.

Only then did I decide that this was it, this was not the life I wanted to live, this was not how I wanted to look, & definitely not how I wanted my son to see me. That was my wakeup call! I knew I had to save myself and I was determined to get started!

I started by focusing on my health, exercising & eating healthy and finally lost 18 KG in less than 6 months. Besides working full time, I started studying life coaching and through my coaching sessions, I came to realize a hard truth... I never really had passion for anything- I never had a dream or a true direction in my life - I didn’t even know who my true self was.....these harsh realities only pushed me to learn more about myself, find out what my values, my preferences, my qualities and my priorities were.

At some point I also started practicing yoga and learning more about its philosophy. The more I practiced the clearer my life got to be.

It was a transformative period for me during which unfortunately my mom got diagnosed with stage four cancer. My mother's cancer diagnosis prompted me to reevaluate my life's direction, her illness was like a message, a reminder that I shouldn't take life or people for granted, I shouldn’t waste my life on a job I was not passionate about, or someone I was not in love with. It taught me that crises & hard time were not meant to break us, they were experiences meant to show us how strong we were and how deep our faith was and for some maybe create stronger bonds with god.

In 2013, I received my yoga teaching certificate, and I started by passing on what I have learnt to my friends.I fell in love with the idea of teaching and I noticed that time flies while I was practicing or teaching. It was a very different feeling, something I never experienced before that captured my heart & soul.I decided to take teaching to the next level by studying more & leading classes in different places finding joy and fulfillment in connecting with students & supporting them on their spiritual and healing journeys.

However, the concept of conducting classes designed to help practitioners on their healing and spiritual paths as a commercial venture conflicted with my understanding of the practice's true nature. In my view, the pursuit of profit and the financial were incompatible with the ethos of such a spiritual discipline.

I decided to build my studio the way I always dreamt, an open space for souls seeking support to find their own way through yoga & meditation practice. Those who wanted to practice from the heart and not just physically. My vision for this place was to build a community of people who had the same aim in life, to transform with the intention of Love.

Through my journey, I learned the importance of following one's heart and passions, understanding that challenges and failures are temporary and part of our growth process. My story helped me appreciate the value of self-discovery, resilience, and the pursuit of one's true purpose, regardless of societal expectations.

Today I am still studying yoga every day; I am still & will always be a student trying to learn more about myself & about this beautiful practice.

I studied with great teachers from all over the world starting with Mira Shehada in Egypt, John Scott, Bernie Clark, Prem & Radha founder of Bali Ashtanga Yoga Research center, Ellen Johannesen (founder of Ashtanga Nepal school).

In 2015, I studied yoga philosophy and history in The Hindu center - Oxford university and in 2016 I attended yin yoga TTC with Bernie Clark in Canada and it was a transformational experience .

I learnt mindfulness meditation directly from Buddhist monks during my stay in Vietnam’s & Nepal’s Buddhist monastery.
In 2023 I became a certified Breathworks practitioner from Breathworks UK, using mindfulness meditation in living with pain and stress

Beit Mariam, our studio, was fortunate to have an amazing community that is full of love & purity.

Today I feel I am in the right place; I am the mom I wanted to be. I feel content & happy with what I have. If I have to say something out of my story, it would be simply:

“You will always face failure and it’s always temporary, there will always be challenges, but you will surprise yourself with the strength and qualities you have that enable you to face those challenges.
Take advice & learn from other people experiences, but never feel obliged to follow what other people think.
No one is in your shoes, no one will bear the consequences of your actions and decisions except you, so at least bear the consequences of your own dreams.

Follow your heart & have passion for everything you do. Without passion we will only be machines!!”