info@newheavendiveschool.com +66 77 457 045 48 Moo 3, Koh Tao, Suratthani, Thailand

Devrim Zahir – People Of New Heaven

Photo by: Huw Penson Photography
Today’s episode of “People of New Heaven” is not about anyone but the one and only “Devrim Zahir”, as known as Teacher Dev, Uncle Dev, Papa Dev, Brother Dev, Etc. Devrim has been the owner of New Heaven Dive School since 1995.
Devrim is most people’s favourite teacher. He’s not just an ordinary Freediving instructor but in Freediving, he can teach all levels from basic to instructor training. For New Heaven Freediving and Yoga, Devrim has merged another field of his specialties, Pranayama Yoga. He is also able to teach yoga up to yoga teacher training level as well. Obviously, we have a teacher minded business owner here, because it is not very common to find a dive instructor who is also the owner of the dive school, making the courses at New Heaven very dedicated, honest and safe.
With the philosophy of doing business for social, sustainability, and happiness, it brings us a friendly & cozy atmosphere to our dive school. Let’s have a look at the reasons why Devrim is passionate about teaching as well as diving.
Photo by: Huw Penson Photography
How did you start Freediving?
 
When I was a kid during the school summer holidays, I used to travel to Cyprus to visit family there. Long hot summer days and nights with my cousins everyday in the sea. The Mediterranean Sea still holds a special place in my heart, and it was there that I took my first steps into the depths. Like most kids in our village we would go out, with our spearguns, looking for some delicious sea food that granddad could cook up for us that night. The depths around my village are over 100 meters, and although we never dived that deep, we still tested the deep blue waters there to depths we shouldn’t have been going. Spending time by and in the sea has always been in my blood, the connection is strong and my ancestral roots were the start of this love affair.
What is Freediving for you?
 
Freediving is an amazing activity you can enjoy with friends, take some great pictures, see beautiful marine life and enjoy nature, but for me above everything else it is the feeling that freediving gives me that makes me love it so much. The feeling of having that cool water touching your skin, the feeling of weightlessness, free falling into the inviting embrace of the ocean. The feeling of your lungs expanded and energised as you surface from depth. The focus and concentration that it brings, allowing you to set your mind and the thinking processes, freeing yourself in the moment of a single breath.
 
Freediving gives us an opportunity to feel all of this and more, you can easily miss it, but as we become more comfortable we relax more and then slowly we can develop our awareness, to the physical body and to the mind. Freediving can give you the keys to unlock the doors that are holding on to your self limiting beliefs and it can transform your relationship with nature.
This is what I have found with over 30 years of being next to the ocean, this is what I try to share when I am teaching Freediving.
 
Tell us about your Freediving School?
 
We have had a dive school here on Koh Tao since 1995, as many of you know Koh Tao is famous for its diverse marine ecosystem. We have been teaching scuba diving as well as Marine Conservation for many years, but Freediving was a much more recent addition to the different activities we do at New Heaven dive school.
I started the Freediving School with some wonderful people who now have their own dive schools now in Turkey and Australia, and over the years we have become one of the lead RAID freediving schools in Thailand. We can now teach all levels up to instructor levels. But for me much more important than that, is to teach people how to love the ocean, how to feel the connectivity to nature and realise what that can do for them.
We have classes at any time as long as the weather permits we are always out diving. These days my son ,Turan and Pookie (the ice woman) are also instructors at our dive school, it’s a small but great team that can help you get over your fears and guide you to experience this amazing sport.
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👇🏼 Dive with us 👇🏼
👨‍🚀 New Heaven Dive School
☎️: (+66)77-457-045
📨: info@newheavendiveschool.com
🏝: Chalok Baan Kao, Koh Tao, Thailand
📸: Huw Penson Photography Koh Tao Underwater
| Scuba Diving | Freediving | Conservation Program | Resort | Yoga

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