My Offerings
Whether you want to focus on the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual aspects of Yoga or would like to book a healing session (Reiki // Thai Yoga massage), below you will find some of my offerings.
The power of Chanting and Devotion
Sing with me!
“Chanting just hits you and you want to be a part of it. That’s what cuts through all the stuff and you get lit up. You don’t have to understand what it means.” – Krishna Das
Bhakti Yoga is yet another path up the mountain – the path of devotion and surrender.
Even though the chanting of Om and other sanskrit mantras might be a little alienating at first for people brought up and socialized in the West, in the end it is often what makes people come back, what somehow gets them. Being a practice of the Heart, it instantly gets us out of our head and opens us up to Universal Love.
The collective repetition and chanting of the Divine Names, the ancient sanskrit terms and mantras allows for very powerful, energizing and at the same time soothing and calming experiences.
Mantra translates to “cutting through” and Kirtan to “cross over” the thoughts or fluctuations of the mind. Similar to the practice of meditation, chanting allows us to move to a place beyond the mind’s afflictions.
Uncovering the Love of who we truly are, coming home.
Picture taken at The Looking Glass Studio.
Meditation
Meditation – a technique for extricating the awareness from identification with thought.
In our utterly fast-paced lives, taking the time to sit and practising being present and at peace with whatever arises may offer deep and powerful insights on many levels.
A very common misconception regarding meditation is that the goal is to blank our minds, to stop all thinking. But our minds are designed to think, it is their job. Therefore, there is no way to completely shut down the flow of thoughts.
What the various approaches and techniques of meditation offer, is a way to stop identifying with our thinking minds and thus not being thrown around by them or finding ourselves running after thoughts and clinging to a certain outcome. Realizing that the observer and the object being observed cannot be the same, meditation practice allows us to work on creating a space between what can be called the ‘witness perspective’ and our thinking minds. A space where we become merely witnesses to the fluctuations of the mind, observing the coming and going of thoughts, without being attached to or overly identified with them.
And, from that space, consciously responding instead of impulsively reacting.
Leading to a sense of peacefulness and calmth, slowing down the rushing of our minds.
And, realising their temporary nature, reducing the power our thoughts have over us.
Or, summed up in one sentence: Even though we have a body mind, we are not only our body and mind.
I am currently part of the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP), led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Āsana
Āsana refers to the physical aspect of the practice, which in the West is mostly associated with Yoga. Yet, it offers so much more than just an opportunity to gain more strength and flexibility.
Matching breath to movement in a vinyasa flow allows us to move past preferences and aversions, finding a place of equanimous focus and embodiment in a sacred dance of shape-shifting and form-finding.
The Jivamukti Method is grounded in the original meaning of the sanskrit word āsana as “seat, connection” – relationship to the Earth, with ‘Earth’ implying all of Life. The practice of the postures thus becoming a way to improve one’s relationship to oneselve and all others. Deepening the unterstanding and compassion for other beings, as we flow through the seats named after them – embodying mountains, dogs, lizards, happy babies, bows, wheels, pigeons and many more.
Regarding the Chakra Theory and the storing of past karma, emotions, fears and trauma in certain parts of the body, āsana practice further provides us with the opportunity to resolve and let go of whatever may be stirred and come up to the surface during the practice, allowing us to release deeply burried emotions, memories or fears.
Spiritual Guidance
The various practices, methods and traditions of Yoga offer so much more than just becoming fit and flexible, and even āsana practice as such goes a lot deeper than that.
Yoga being a holistic approach to a spiritual way of life and offering many an ethical perspective or guideline as for how to walk through life, it can provide us with many a tool and practice to enrich our lives and relationships.
Allowing for us to deepen the knowledge about ourselves, answering some of the big questions regarding our existence and gently directing us towards a kinder, more compassionate and more mindful way of acting and interacting with ourselves and all other beings. Still being in the world, fully embracing this life’s journey with all that comes with it, yet not being so very attached and identified with the outcome of things, with our feelings, emotions and thoughts. Creating spaciousness, so that we can tackle whatever is being thrown at us from a place of groundedness, calmth and equanimity.
In many aspects, the teachings of old and their contemporary interpretation and application to our modern lives might offer a different perspective on individual problems and how to approach the inner work and outer obstacles we’re all faced with.
In Class Privates (ICP)
The Magic Touch: hands-on assist make up for an important part in the Jivamukti āsana classes. Not understood as a correction, adjustment, or judgement of ability in any way, the assisting part of a class can be beautifully described as a dance between teacher and student. Offering gentle guidance into and out of a posture, so that everyone is met where they are at and can get the most out of an āsana class.
Assists hold the possibility of deep insights into the physical and energetic alignment of āsanas, and thus can be very helpful in revealing the full potential of the practice.
When booking an ICP, the teacher will accompany the student to another teacher’s class and offer hands-on assist, as well as help with props and appropriate modifications throughout the whole class, and – of course – a full śavasana massage at the end.
Private Classes
If you wish…
…some deeper insight into yogic philosophy and the ancient scriptures,
…to work on specific āsanas, alignment and/or modifications,
…to start and get to know Yoga and its various practices in a sheltered way adapted to your needs and wishes,
…to deepen or start a regular meditation practice,
…to learn to chant your favourite mantra, but don’t feel comfortable in a bigger group,
…to simply have someone supporting you in a one-to-one setting in whatever aspects you are currently working on,
then a Private Class may be just what you are looking for!
Reiki Healing
Reiki (Rei = Universal, Ki = Life Force Energy, equal to Chi in Chinese, Prana in Sanskrit, Mana in Hawaiian) can roughly be translated to Universal Life Force Energy and is a vital force that permeates all living beings.
In the tradition of the Usui System it referres to a Natural Healing method, where various vibrational energy techniques are used to balance, harmonize and restore our energy systems.
It is a non-invasive and grounding healing method, where the hands are placed gently and passively in different positions on or slightly over the body.
Just as when we feel any discomfort or pain, most people intuitively place their hands on the affected area for relief.
Reiki is a holistic therapy that adresses all of our Koshas (Bodies) – physical, mental, emotional, energetic and spiritual – and is aimed at treating the root cause of any dis-ease, thus going deeper than relieving only the symptoms.
You can book an appointment here.
Thai Yoga Massage
Thai Yoga Massage is a therapeutic treatment, which the client receives in comfortable clothing on a mat on the floor.
By techniques of so called palming and pressing along the body’s energy lines, as well as passive stretching, the fascia tissue is stimulated and accumulations or knots are loosened.
Blockages, physical and emotional imbalances, ailment as well as pain, are being removed through this support. The treatment helps to re-establish balance between the different energies and bodies (gross, subtle, emotional, mental) and the potential of self healing power is released.
Unlike in traditional Thai Massage, the pressing techniques being used in Thai Yoga Massage are softer. The idea is more the one of ‘sinking’ into the body – working with it and not against its resistance. Therefore, this form of massage is experienced as very relaxing and the treated person is able to let go completely.
You can book an appointment here.
“Magic is a shift in perception.”
– Sharon Gannon