What were you like as a Yoga-beginner and any advice for a new Student?
I started with yoga during my dance education in 2006. As a dance student I was very disciplined and hard on myself, used to push myself to the limit and never be satisfied. So during the first years yoga was purely physical for me, a way to strenghten and stretch my body and to improve my dancing. It took a few years until I got into the philosophy of yoga.
What inspires you to teach?
The reactions of my students! It's so beautiful to see people feeling light or relaxed or just satisfied after a class. It's like a mirror shining back to yourself and so I often feel like I've also been practicing after teaching - just because of those feelings bouncing back to me. And of course it is because I know what yoga is doing for me so I want to share that with other people. The more peaceful, happy people in the world, the less problems. 😉
What are you known for in your Yoga classes?
Haha I don't know. Maybe that I make people sweat... And maybe that I'm quite light in my teaching, in kind of a happy mood. It just always makes me happy to arrive at the studio. But it's a difficult question, you have to ask the students!
How do you clear out stress?
Different things. I take a walk with my dog, I meditate, or I sit down with my guitar - then time always seems to disappear. If I have time I go to the mountains, they have the ability to chase all stress away in a second.
What would you do if you had super-powers?
I would make all humans feel compassion towards every living being. Really being able to see and understand every living beings needs and feelings. It of course sounds a little kitschy but it would definitely solve all the problems in the world. Maybe it would be a bit complicated first because we would have to change a lot of life patterns, but we are quite clever so we would find solutions. 😊
What does ‘Living Yoga’ mean to you?
The complete goal of Living Yoga to me means to be living completely connected with your inner self and also with the whole world. Actually what I meant with my wish about the super powers in the question before, to feel connection and understanding towards every living being. I think that this goes hand in hand with - and only possible - when you feel inner peace and are connected with your own center.
For me in my personal life, Living Yoga means that I try to connect more to my inner self. I try to work on peeling away some of the layers of thoughts and emotions created by my ego.
Shortly explained it means that I try to make space for just being. By creating breaks where I can listen to myself and what my mind and body really needs. The simple things. To realize that I don't need much to be happy. Sometimes just breathing and acknowledging that, might be enough. There are different ways of finding those breaks. For me it's mainly meditation, yoga or being in the nature.