Tag: yoga

Stillness

KathrinLeave a comment

Is there a difference between stillness and meditation? Is it the same? Is it finickiness? Honestly, I don’t care, for me, there’s a difference, as I don’t have the same expectations when talking about stillness vs meditation. A different approach.

This is how I start my practice, and even if I don’t practice, I rarely miss this moment, my moment of stillness, my moment of deep connection, my moment of emptiness. It’s a readjustment for me, kinnda back to neutral.

This is how I practice stillness:

On my mat, going into childs pose, with my knees mat distance, big toes together. Allowing my hips to open, my ribcage to settle between my legs, my chest sinking down onto the mat. Couple of deep breaths, slow down, opening, letting go. Feeling pureness, just me, nothing else. All that comes to my mind is an animalistic sound, „ahhhhhhhhhh“….. a moment where it’s easy to eliminate any thoughts. It’s also a moment of honesty, I can just be myself and experience what’s going on with me. No matter what.

A perfect preparation to teach a class. A perfect way to start my practice, it feels neutralizing, I easily forget about the day, don’t care what’s on the schedule, just this moment, my practice. It’s magic.

When students become teachers

KathrinLeave a comment

We rise by lifting others!

Three of my students decided to do a teacher training and the first one will be on her way soon. Honestly, I couldn’t be more proud! It’s fantastic to observe their paths, their interest beyond the physical practice and their openness for the yoga way of life.

A friend asked me recently, if I won’t be rather offended as they will be competitor teachers? Not at all! Yoga isn’t a competition. We serve each other, we lift each other, we spread the love. This might sound a bit like phrases from the sixties, but we’re quite aware about the business behind. Teaching yoga is business, but it works slightly different. Yoga teaches us about oneness, a quite unusual approach when it comes to business – read more about this in one of my previous posts.

Teachers are students, students are teachers. I strongly believe, that we don’t meet by default. We have to learn from each other, no matter which role. We are mirrors for each other or to put it another way: “recognize, the other person is you”. Give and receive, teach and learn, recognize and change, release and grow.

When my student becomes a teacher, I also see my journey. I see the excitement, the fear and the believes, particularly the limiting ones. I see me. I know there are a couple of things I can help with, but there are others that everyone has to experience and go through themselves, it’s part of the game. Finally being a teacher all of a sudden is a milestone itself. Standing in front of a class, developing one’s unique style…. Hesitating, struggling, and same time enjoying…. It’s beautiful, touching and yes, I’m damn proud! You so rock!

Om Mani Padme Hum

The booking is open!

KathrinLeave a comment

Yogis!

Get your plans sorted for May 2018 and join me for a magical week in Bali! We will flow and sweat, stretch and relax, talk and laugh, relax and enjoy…. pampered by the beautiful Kura Kura family 🙂

Secure yourself a place on our retreat by booking now! Let’s get in contact, the ball’s in your court now! Find the details here or at the Kura Kura webpage.

 

  

What does yoga mean to you?

KathrinLeave a comment

This is what I asked my students in yesterdays’ classes to think about. The answer doesn’t matter, just think about what yoga mean to YOU. There’s no right or wrong, good or bad, it’s about being aware of what it is for you. I like the idea on a day like this – international yoga day – to visualize millions of people all over the world practicing, same time, same day. It makes me feel connected. Connected to a community that is real, but same time not tangible, as the wider relation is rather mind based.

“But how many people know exactly what yoga is?” asks Dr Manmath Gharote, director of the Lonavla Yoga Institute, located south-east of Mumbai. “Integration of personality is the prime aim of yoga.” The five aspects of “personality” which “should work harmoniously,” he told BBC Radio 4, are physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual. The physical aspects of yoga – which improve flexibility of the spine, joints and muscles – are important, he adds, but the function of “asanas” (postures) are ultimately to benefit the mind. (Quote from BBC World News)

What does yoga mean to you? Take a moment and think about it, without judging. If yoga is your fitness tool, excellent. If yoga is your entry point to your spiritual practice, great. Anything in between, wonderful. Yoga has a plenty of variety to offer and it’s up to you how you want to benefit. For me yoga is about discovering Svatma, my true nature. Connect to myself, immerse into myself sometimes feels like the world stops. It’s just me, sometimes not even that, while my light starts shining.

TUNEin:YOGA goes facebook!

KathrinLeave a comment

Next step, TUNEin:YOGA has its own facebook page! Woop woop…..

Is this really needed? YES, it is! All events will be set up there, so you can directly sign in, it’s much easier to get in contact and/or comment, and so much more.

So why don’t you have a look?  Of course I would love to see you liking my page 🙂

Let’s get go for the next step together – TUNEin:YOGA

Ashtanga yoga and Yin yoga are the same

KathrinLeave a comment

Ups. What? Ashtanga yoga and Yin yoga are the same.

Let this melt in your mouth, and even more, swallow it. Don’t reply darling, read first:

What we do in Yin yoga: we hold a posture, we connect, we tune in, we feel what we’re doing. We breathe intense, we relax. We meditate.

What we do in Ashtanga, a Yang yoga practice: the same. Really? Well, we don’t relax, but it’s about finding ease. We make our practice a meditation. Yes, when practicing Ashtanga, we move a lot, we sweat. And best case we find ourselves in a moving meditation.

If you look at the Yin/Yang symbol, you can see there’s a black dot in the white and a white dot in the black. There’s always both, there’s a little Yin in every Yang, there’s a little Yang in every Yin. It’s all about balance. Obviously not just in yoga, it’s everywhere, literally.

So, where exactly is the Yin in Ashtanga? Think about it. It might be different for you, but for me it’s this: when holding a posture for 5 counts (or more in the closing sequence). We connect, we aim for stillness, we are in deep ujjay breath, looking for steadiness as well as ease. That’s Yin! Even if we don’t relax, we get kind of soft in all our stability. We don’t close our eyes like we do in Yin yoga, but we practice drishti. A focus point that supports us to go internal. We tune in, we feel our body, we feel what we’re doing. Same as we do in Yin, right.

I like the idea of balancing. Doing some Yin to balance my Ashtanga practice, but also being aware of where there’s Yang in my Yin practice and of course the other way around, where I find Yin in Ashtanga.

Same objectives, same tools. Just such a different implementation!

WE go Bali!!!

KathrinLeave a comment

WE? Yes darling, join me! Let’s spend next years’ spring in paradise:

Let’s TUNEin:BALI!

Let’s dive into the power of the yoga frequency! Let’s have fun, chill, work, play, strengthen, lengthen, laugh, release, let go, connect…. Let’s breathe the ocean, let the sun kiss your skin, let the salty water soften your senses, immerse yourself fully into the healing energy of Bali.

Join my yoga retreat 26th May – 1st June 2018

I know, it’s quite an early announcement, buuuuut, you might like to plan in advance and as soon as the airlines open for that time, we will be able to get a good deal 😉

So, want to know the details? Here you go: TUNEin:BALI!

I’m sooooo excited! It will be amazing yogis, join me!

Yoga and business

Kathrin1 Comment

How can this go together? When looking at my objectives as a yoga teacher, it’s pretty smooth. I want to give. Meaning guide my students and help them to tune in through the physical practice. Help them to maybe discover more, maybe learn about themselves, maybe start their transformation, whatever this means to them.

When people ask me, why are you teaching, even next to your full time job, that’s a huge effort? My answer is easy: I watch my students arriving to class and seeing their faces when they leave – I can see they changed. For the better. They look happier, calmer, there’s something in their eyes, that warms up my heart. And I leave class similar: shining.

And yes, in this world we’re living in, it’s absolutely ok to get money for this. It’s not about having fun, it’s work. Preparing classes, go there, doing them, investing my time and not to mention all the education and training, which isn’t just a one off, but ongoing.

But yoga is so much more. Not just a job, not just exercise. It’s a transformational process, an attitude towards life. Sadly, for some teachers and business owners, teaching yoga and living yoga is not always the same. That’s what I’m experiencing again and again. The business seem to overrule the yogi. In other words: the ego has still got the leadership role. Maybe we also need this, the other side of the coin? We are different, we have different approaches and as always, there’s no right or wrong. I strongly believe, the yoga business is no show-face to the students and when turning around a different face shows up. For me yoga is about integration and authenticity. I know, this isn’t always easy, but hey, we’re human beings and just imperfect perfect!

Each teacher is also a student, we’re all practitioners, so let’s use our yoga practice to move into stillness in order to experience the truth of who we are. As a student, as a teacher, as an individual, as a soul. And this is not an end point, this is the beginning of the journey, the beginning of our transformation. Teachers out there, love what you do, be you, aim true!

 

No rush

KathrinLeave a comment

Yogi, take the necessary time to observe and understand what is going on in your body when practicing. It’s not just your body doing asanas, your mind has a job too. Yep, understanding what’s going on in your mind is crucial too. You just can’t separate it, body and mind go together. We should always practice mindful, feeling, observing, understanding.

I sometimes recognize, that my practice is just one asana after the other, while my mind is somewhere else. Time to connect. Time to go internal. I usually close my eyes for a moment, just listening to my breath, before restarting my practice. Activate my bandhas, deepen my breath, establish a strong drishti.

Take your time, rushing around and not paying attention will just get you tired, and make you more exposed to injure yourself, and also create mental madness. Your practice is a journey and so is each pose. You have to learn from it. Mastering a posture doesn’t mean anything if you haven’t learned from it. The physical level is quite obvious, but you might also be confronted with your weaknesses on a mental and emotional level.

Practicing yoga means digging into yourself, facing your true self and work on that changing process. Develop your body and mind, work on your flexibility on all levels. Create prana, learn about yourself. Don’t be afraid to change. It’s crucial to develop on each level. Enjoy the beautiful journey and take your time yogi!

 

Photos by Dee Gandhi, www.AlokaCreative.com

Good things are on its way!

Kathrin4 Comments

I’m back from the island of gods – a most beautiful time to slow down, relax, release and reconnect. Finally fully back to my own practice, which was so easy and playful over there. The first days back home were made of extreme ups and downs, but that’s the chili of life isn’t it? We don’t want it being just smooth and boring 😉

Yogis, I’ve got some news for you! Please check this website, it’s full of new pictures, done by the wonderful Dee Gandhi! The photoshoot was such an awesome experience, which leaves me in pure gratitude. No make-up, no perfectionism, just the pure me.

So, what’s in for you? This summer will be a workshop summer! I worked on some ideas and think I’ve got some really nice topics for you. Will figure out the details soon, stay tuned!

Last but not least, tatatataaaaaa: I will host a yoga retreat in Bali next year! Boom! A stunning beautiful place is waiting for you and I can’t wait to work on the details. Dates and all information to come soon. I’m sooooo excited!

 

Photos by Dee Gandhi, www.AlokaCreative.com