Melita's moments of mindfulness
Melita Kabashi is an advocacy expert but in her little, minimalist studio in Prishtina, she also creates atmosphere of empowerment, healing, and self-discovery. TenTen with Prishtina's yoga teacher.
I only know the state of Montana from Yellowstone TV show, but that’s enough to make me want to experience that vast, quiet serenity, stretching as far as the eye can see, embracing the soul with a sense of peace.
I know western France a bit better from personal experience, having travelled extensively, always enjoying serenity of lush gardens and endless vineyards by the small medieval cities dotting the landscape as you’re driving from Paris to Angers, Nantes or Bordeaux.
Serenity connects Montana and Angers, but these are also the three points that connect Melita Kabashi, one of Kosovo’s best known yoga teachers. Melita has actually studied in both US, traversing it academically and professionally from Georgia, to Montana to California, and Europe, with academic experiences in England and France. She has worked for both big international missions in Kosovo and was a co-founder of a small boutique events company. She’s an expert campaigner, especially in children’s rights, covering advocacy issues from North Arica to Middle East and East Europe.
But all of that is balanced with real passion for mindful movement and holistic well-being, where Melita brings years of yoga experience to the mat, offering a transformative blend of the different yoga practices. Her sun-drenched apartment studio in the middle of the noisy Prishtina city center, is a real oasis of peace and my favourite place for early Sunday exercise. I love being there. Whether leading an invigorating Vinyasa flow, grounding her guest students in the foundational principles of Hatha, or creating space for stillness in Yin and Restorative practices, Melita cultivates an atmosphere of empowerment, healing, and self-discovery. This is why Melita Kabashi is a great guest for our small TenTen interview.
What’s one yoga principle that everyone in leadership and teamwork should practice?
The only thing you can really control is your breath. So, Pranayama or breath control, is something I recommend to everyone. It is not that leaders and managers have less problems, but rather it is how they use their breathing, hence their mind to better allow them to find balance and focus on what they can control and how to handle challenges differently.
You’ve lived in so many places— from Montana and Georgia to England and France. Which city felt most like home and why?
Each has a unique place in my heart, but I loved most Angers, France. It sounds simple, but I think that is where I first felt in love with just a bit cheese and bread. Small things make great cities…
What’s a hidden gem in Prishtina that visitors always overlook?
Parku i qytetit (City Park), because it feels like you are in a different world, in the midst of the building chaos surrounding it.
Imagine you have to explain your yoga teaching to a ten-year-old—how would you do it?
As a yoga teacher that is easy – supporting and helping people to live a better life, to move more freely and jump, to be more calm, to breathe, to connect with emotions, to dream, to grow, to let go and simply to be YOU.
What’s your go-to routine for staying mentally and physically balanced in high-stress situations?
Most importantly is having a routine. For me, it is the early mornings, my time to recharge and align body and mind through tea, journaling, breath work, meditation, and physical activity - mostly yoga (as a way to release a lot of that fire inside me)
What are you reading right now?
The Oxygen Advantage, by Patrick McKeown. It’s a great exploration of the science of functional breathing. I recommend it to all.
You’re also a comms expert in your ‘other’ job. If you could design a “meditation for better communication” session, what would it include?
MY MOTTO is ‘If you can see it your head, you can hold it in your hand.’ Therefore, this meditation would include breath work, visualised guidance and music.
Why can’t it just be magic all the time?
It all depends on your perception… Just the fact that you were born as YOU, and that there has never been anyone in this earth with the same, exact DNA as yours, and that there will never be anyone in the future with the same DNA as yours, that is pretty magical.
If you had to describe your personality as a yoga pose, which one would it be?
Headstand. (Strong, fiery, grounded, determined, patient)
Do you get eight hours of sleep a night?
Yes (7-8)… I go to bed by 10, 10:30 latest. Sufficient and quality sleep is a cornerstone of overall well-being.
