“It’s all about energy” shouts King Theo, leaping high of the floor, thrusting his arms and legs in the air, powering through an early morning body charge. Theo, originator of OHa Living, a comprehensive lifestyle philosophy that promotes wellbeing urges his students on. “Move it around, create momentummm, and throw it out to the world! With intention!”
The alkaline diet promotes blood alkalinity by utilizing only fruits, vegetables and some grains, and aids in protecting the body against inflammation, resisting disease such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. In Theo’s version, organic food is consumed as much as possible.
“We’re looking for dedication and commitment, because we (as a society) have been socialized to not adhere to these concepts; people are mostly committed to eating drinking and watching sports,” Theo says with a laugh.
His vegetarianism led him to want to share his health regime with family and friends who typically ate “over sauced, over cooked, over sugared “ food lacking crucial nutrition. Building on a dedicated core of dancers who Theo introduced elements of OHa Living.
He particularly wishes to reach out to people of color who are often less interested and have limited access to healthier lifestyles, such as a vegetarianism, mindfulness and positive thinking.
“Having grown up in a Pentecostal family and coming from a line of ministers”, Theo said, “I realized I could power a similar element with Samba class, add intentionality, high energy, and use it to work on things personal, and self improvement.”
Drawing on many life experiences and skills, the energetic and outgoing Theo has formulated an integrated well-rounded and all-embracing system for creating a healthy body, mind and spirit.
“You can retrain your mind,” he says, sounding every bit a preacher as the family of Pentecostal ministers from which he comes. He added, “As you think, you are. Thoughts and words are very important to chart out your life,” coaching persons to use positivity and visualization techniques to improve their life and reach elevated goals.
Applying 20 years of experience as a dancer in the Bay Area, including 10 years as Artistic Director with his Oakland based troop Samba Funk, Theo noticed the lifted spirits from students as they left the dance studio. Classes had a transformative effect.
“Your mind is like a snow field, you go down the hill a few times and create a track, a rut. But then a snowstorm comes along, the track is covered up, and a whole new path is open.” It’s a personal transformation Theo seeks to share, both his own, and in others.
Drawing on his own experiences, he wanted to teach students to “ focus on the power of the drum—the talking drum—a messaging tool,” to create “ a cathartic experience, like church. I realized I could power a similar element with Samba class, add intentionality, and focus and use it to move energy towards self improvement.”
The inclusion of cultural arts, is a specific requirement of OHa Living. This incorporates one point that Theo feels gets left out of most if not all lifestyle philosophies. “Once you have a good balance among the other components, you need drums to really ignite the energy. The energy of the drum, you have to have it, “ he said emphatically.
Comments and feedback confirmed his thought, with people coming out of class feeling in a better mental state, more relaxed, confident.
OHa living is a unique comprehensive lifestyle regimen that incorporates the whole mind, body and spirit to release negativity and promote a wide range of healthy outcomes, powered by drums, music, physical activity and community.
Theo’s own evolution, traces from his own Pentecostal family, through stints as presidents of various students’ organizations during his college years at San Diego State and Clark Atlanta. His leadership and community values were evident at an early age.
Mindfulness, intentional breathing, and nutrition complete the practice to allow the practitioner to prosper and reach the ultimate goal of a free lifestyle. It’s about positivity, sustainability, connection and mindfulness.
After eating a relatively healthy diet for “for a good little minute” Theo began to reach for more. “I had been leaning toward being a vegetarian, not eating beef and pork for years, but then decided to go all the way.”
Employing a plant based alkaline diet, yoga style breath work, dance, regular exercise, daily affirmations, community service and drums, OHa living aims to heal, motivate, raise energy and inspire its practitioners to achieve a higher self.
Not sure he could take the final plunge into a meatless, dairy-less diet, he found inspiration and confidence in the all plant, alkaline diet espoused by the late Dr. Sebi, an herbalist from Honduras who practiced African holistic health methods.
“People would say, ‘I just came looking to learn Samba, and now I’m married and going to have a baby,” he said about the joyful communal nature of the classes.