Yoga

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I like movement. I believe in movement. I'm actually always on the move. Since always. As a child and a young woman, I practiced and taught artistic gymnastics and classical ballet following the Waganova method. Since 2005 I am learning about South (East) Asian cultures and their movement philosophies, in particular the classical teachings of Ashtanga yoga and Indian Ghoomar dance. Then I got to know Iyengar® Yoga and have been learning and studying the method with Maria-Jesus Lorrio-Castro in Cologne, Germany since 2013. The intensive mentoring also gave me the opportunity and freedom to receive teacher training in the Iyengar method by Rita Keller. I am teaching Iyengar® Yoga since 2020. 

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My teaching

Although I try to integrate the eight limbs of yoga in my personal practice, in my teaching I focus on understanding the yoga asanas (postures) and pranayama (breath observation), which are only two aspects of yoga. I still lack some experience and practice to teach the other paths, but I try to integrate them into the classes here and there. I like to use and teach with props (wall, belts, bricks, ropes, a.o.) to learn consciously and with different supports.

My personal goal is to teach yoga inclusively, without prejudice and without pressure. My classes are often mixed, with people having lots of yoga experience, but also people having no experience at all, people with physical complications, but also people with no obvious complications. We all have different approaches to practice. We all practice together and everyone practices in their own way.

As a yoga teacher, I'm not allowed to ignore or exclude anyone in my classes. The same applies to language. I try to not instruct in a gender-specific, physically discriminatory manner or the like and I try to use my words simply, clearly, gently and carefully. I teach in German, English and Spanish - as needed in the moment. 

Yoga was born in India, but it is for everyone. And as a yoga teacher, it is my responsibility to stay connected to the practice. I don't think I need to read Sanskrit or give a Dharma talk every class, but I try to provide respectful information when needed and to show that the yoga I teach comes from a cultural tradition that is not mine .