Yoga Grandmaster Champions Holistic Health in Belize

In today’s fast-paced world, yoga is emerging as powerful tool for both mental and physical well-being. Rooted in ancient traditions, yoga combines movement, breath, and mindfulness to strengthen the body while calming the mind. Research shows this practice can boost flexibility, balance, and heart health, and it’s also proven to ease stress, anxiety, and even depression. On tonight’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, we sit down with Dr. Orlando Pelayo, who has spent his life teaching Belizeans how this holistic approach can help them find real inner peace. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

This is the Himalaya Mantis pose. To accomplish it, one must be flexible, focused and healthy. Dr. Orlando Pelayo, who has been practicing yoga for over sixty years, can hold this pose for up to fifteen hours. It’s one of his strengths as a yoga grandmaster, a highly experienced and certified teacher. He’s one of Belize’s yoga pioneers, starting his practice locally in 1957.

 

Dr. Orlando Pelayo, Yoga Grandmaster

“It was a divine intervention from my father, God. He had a plan for me, and this is the way my life supposed to have started with fitness, good health, highly educated, one of the best on the planet. Basically, I’m a grandmaster of the ancient art of yoga, and I’m the only one in Belize. And in order to qualify to be a grandmaster, number one, you have to have military training. You have to have been in an elite force, which would be a commander or special forces. Secondly, you have to have three black belt and they have to be recognized internationally and you also have to have your university degree. And adding a person be difficult to reach to a grandmaster. So I brought yoga into Belize. I’m still going strong and I hope to go as far as the father want me to go.”

 

Dr. Pelayo runs a local orthopedic clinic, and the Himalayan Institute of Yoga, offering both medical and holistic services. He encourages students to practice wellness of mind and body, blending the two into a well-rounded approach to self-care.

 

Dr. Orlando Pelayo

“I believe that the only love exists in this world is God. There’s no other love. Secondly, you gotta love yourself. Now, what people don’t understand. I met a friend of mine, he said, I love myself. I said, true. I said, what you do? He said every day I look in the mirror and I smile, no. That’s not loving yourself. Loving yourself is to be healthy, to be educated, to be viable, to be a good person, to love humanity and love all races.”

 

If you’re new to yoga, it’s important to check in on your health before jumping into classes. It helps you and your instructor create a safe, comfortable space where you can fully commit to the journey.

 

Dr. Orlando Pelayo

“You are drinking alcohol, you smoke weed, you de pon crack, you eat canned food. You this, you that. You’re a disaster. You got to put your act together. Now if you’re a person, when no drink, smoke, you try to eat the right food. You try to be spiritual, try to be a good person. You could make a start from there. But again, you got to look at your health status. Maybe you have hypertension, maybe you’ve got high blood pressure, maybe you have overweight. It could be anything, but if you’re basically healthy, that’s the best way to start.”

 

When Dr. Pelayo first brought his yoga practice to Belize, he says people were skeptical, but he’s happy to see interest growing today. He encourages every student to do their research to ensure that they are being trained by a professional to ensure that they respect the practice and their body.

 

Dr. Orlando Pelayo

“Confucius says that you cannot learn from a fool. So a fool cannot teach a fool. So if you go to a yoga teacher that claim he or she’s qualified. And from the institution, they themselves are not qualified. Then you would be learning from a fake yoga teacher. So it’s gonna be water under the bridge again.”

 

As more Belizeans take interest in yoga, Dr. Pelayo hopes that those who are practicing take the time to examine their health choices and embark on journeys that are sustainable and fulfilling.

 

Dr. Orlando Pelayo

“My purpose is to stay on the planet, stand up. Stand up and fight, don’t give up. Namaste.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

 

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