WHY YOGA?
YOGINI
YOGI
Yoga means different things to different people. For some it is a nice stretching, for others - spiritual path towards enlightenment. And, of course, there are many possible definitions ‘in-between’. I strongly believe you should have your own.
In fact, I can help you to find it!
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What is really important - yoga has a lot to offer: on the physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual level. It is entirely up to you which type of yoga you will practice - depending on what you need, what you want, how your body and mind feel at the moment, what you are ready for.
Each of us can find different styles beneficial or harmful, each of us can choose different techniques, different methods and different teachers. I think there is no ‘better’ or ‘worse’ yoga - it is just about what is right for you. Oh, and let’s remember that we can always change on the way - while I started my practice with a rigid method of Iyengar, today I specialise in gentle and totally opposite Yin.
20 years of my practice changed completely my body, my self-awareness, my needs and choices.
Training people from all over the world for the past 12 years, in every single person I have seen a potential for becoming a beautiful teacher - but each class would be always different, unique, special. Ingredients may be the same, sequences can be similar, but the narration, teaching voice, intention and energy of the class (yes, we yoga teachers speak a lot about energy) will always stay unique. And that’s what I love the most.
A good yoga session can be a powerful physical challenge that will strengthen your body, but it can be also a soft, meditative and deep inner journey.
It can be a sensual ritual with blankets, candles and music, and another time - a raw and disciplined silent sequence training just different aspects in us. The potential expands exponentially, the possibilities are limitless.
So, why yoga? Cause it has a power. Cause it is a very old and effective science. Of course, if we practice what is good for us, and not everything is good for everybody.
Whatever your definition is - yoga has many tools, techniques and practices that can help you in your own individual growth. If you need to work on your physical body, posture, or back pain - there are asanas that may improve that. If you want to work with the patterns of your mind or emotional balance - there are also techniques that help to work with them. If you want to improve your hormonal system - yes, there are types of yoga focused on supporting your physiology. And if you rather need a moving meditation - I can show you your options here either…The key is to find your needs, and then practices that respond to them. Maybe yoga cannot be an ultimate answer to all our questions, but it can improve our life. This I can promise.
Yogi - a male practitioner of Yoga
Yogini - a female practitioner of Yoga
MY
YO
GA
MY YOGA
I started practicing yoga for my physical body, but soon I realised body and mind are really not separable. My diagnosis of ‘incurable disease’ at the age of 15, followed by a mild depression inspired me to look for some kind of natural support for my dysfunctional physiology. I simply wanted to feel better.
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I think at that time I suffered a lot, I was full of fear, and I barely recognised my body. From a tiny little girl, due to the hormonal injections and pills, special diet and my new lifestyle, I became a bit overweight young woman that now needed to learn taking care of her sugar level, and perform a rigid medical protocol basically non-stop, 24 hours a day, everyday. Doctors like using the fear in their “motivational speeches”. Parties would be dangerous, intensive sport or work - could be dangerous, some studies and life choices were not allowed anymore. With “type one diabetes” you cannot just do what you want - diving, running, going for a date - it has to be planned, adjusted, monitored, controlled, permitted. Oh, and yes - eating is a regime too - a few grams of your mistake can cost you a lot - shorter life or some serious organ damages.
Later, I realised that I actually wanted, first and foremost, to accept the fact that I need to live with my disease ‘forever’. I came to yoga to accept the responsibility for keeping my life in those tight painful frames, and to find myself “beyond” or “underneath” disease. You are not your disease - I heard in one ashram - and today I love passing this truth to my students. We may have different problems, challenges or karma, but we are so much more than labels and false identifications!
Yoga has been my self-healing journey of forgiveness, self-compassion, self-care, living in the moment, and dealing with my ‘imperfect life’ and ‘imperfect myself’ the best I can. Yoga has always been my self-discovery process.
I have no doubt that I owe my life to this beautiful practice. Yoga allowed me to meet and recognise myself, and today I also support others in their processes. Thank you for your trust, and thank you for offering yoga to yourself. It is one of the best gifts ever!
You are not your disease
FIND YOUR YOGA STYLE
HATHA YOGA
HA
T
H
A
Every physical yoga practice can be called HATHA YOGA, but this term is specifically dedicated to the traditional and static practice that includes:
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pretty long holds of asanas (around 1-3 minutes/ pose)
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rather classical poses that can be found in the oldest yoga scriptures
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pranayama and meditation techniques.
Of course, today Hatha Yoga class can be creative and modern (you can also meet Hatha Flow), but its focus is on the solid and slow practice that includes a lot of muscular isometric contraction, deep yogic breath and the body awareness.
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The main aim of HATHA is the balance between 2 basic energies in our body & mind: the SUN and the MOON (‘PINGALA’/‘IDA’).
It means that in our practice there is an effort, but there is also relaxation, that there is an empowerment, but also “letting go”, that there is an active and a passive part.
Hatha is basically great for most of people - it is very balanced and available for many - even people who just start their adventure with yoga, or are not experienced with the bodywork in general. Some students prefer more dynamic styles, but on the defence of Hatha - it gives you a lot of time to learn your body, your reactions to asanas, both your limits and potential, and overall awareness. It gives us a time to stop and observe, to meet ourselves and ask what we need today, what challenges us, and how we can find an ease in whatever we experience. Hatha has different branches - Iyengar, Sivananda, Kundalini. My hatha classes are a mixture of different traditions and practices which I explored mostly in India. I love traditional hatha that I studied in ashrams with very ‘old fashioned’ masters, but I also love modern themes, or even anatomical sequences.
VINYASA FLOW
Vinyasa Flow is today one of the most popular yoga styles in the world. Vinyasa is a relatively young form of yoga - the style has developed just in the 20th century, however its roots we can find even in a traditional ancient HATHA YOGA - commonly known “Sun Salutation” is the best example of a proper vinyasa flow sequence.
In Vinyasa we combine the breath and the movement, so that we synchronise inhales and exhales with asanas and their transitions (especially during coming in and out of the pose) in the logical and the most efficient for our bodies way. Breath is our main guide which gives us the constant sense of presence, focus and unity, and transitions are smooth, so that the whole class feels like a moving meditation.
Vinyasa yoga teaches us to cultivate an awareness that links each action to the next - on the mat and in our lives.
Original Sanskrit word “Vinyasa” can be translated as “that which is progressive in a special way” - from “nyasamu” which means “progressive”, and “vi” which means “a special way.”
Vinyasa has different branches and aspects: from traditional and rigid “Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga” to the contemporary creative mix of dance and asanas, martial arts and asanas, or more fitness oriented “Power Yoga”.
Vinyasa Flow gives freedom, self-expression, strength, creativity, flexibility, awareness, and even fun!
Vinyasa can be practiced by all level students, but requires special modifications and proper understanding of precautions. Usually it is recommended to start practicing yoga slower at the beginning to be able to understand your body, proper alignment and your limitations. Too complex sequences applied too early can lead to an injury.
Vinyasa - that which is progressive in a special way
YIN YOGA
YIN YOGA
My biggest discovery in life, and today definitely my favourite style to practice.
Yin yoga still doesn’t have a solid and established definition, but as this practice grows and attracts more and more yoga practitioners from all over the world - yin yoga research and methodology evolve every year. Today, after around 40 years of YIN being explored and taught in different ways we have for sure amazing and inspiring practices, beautiful case studies, and several great teachers who can give us a “proper” direction.
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Yin yoga is a “style” or maybe rather a “method”/ “approach” that focuses on the YIN side of traditional practices in contrary to YANG approach observed in Ashtanga, Vinyasa or other dynamic and active Sun-oriented styles. Yin yoga nourishes our YIN energy, and supports YIN aspects of our body-mind complex.
Technically speaking it is a gentle application of “stress” or “stimulation” in the form of tension and compression which induces a healthy phase change in the tissue. Yin yoga targets primarily connective tissue, (and more precisely ‘fascia’) in contrary to Yang Yoga that targets muscles as the primary tissue. Yin yoga practice is characterised by long, static “holds” (we actually don’t want to “hold” anything, but that’s the best term expressing the stay in the pose), using mostly floor-based asanas for muscle relaxation and myofascial release (MFR), allowing for a meditative focus, self-reflection or at least allowing to “let go” of stored emotions and thoughts, eventually to “surrender” and to find the stillness. Because we store a lot of “things” in the body - emotions, memories, scars, tension etc. Yin yoga helps us to remove them, and therefore is a healing practice.
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Yin yoga is connected to Traditional Chinese Medicine - my huge passion and paradigm I use a lot in my daily life.
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Yin gives me space to heal my wounds, feel myself on the deepest level, and teaches me to accept and to meditate. Yin is not for everyone though, and in certain health conditions (both physical and mental) should be consulted with an experienced yoga teacher, doctor or psychologist.
THERAPEUTIC YOGA
While yoga cannot replace a proper medical treatment - it also has a strong therapeutic power beyond any doubt. I still cannot live without insulin, and I need to be monitored by doctors (for which I am forever grateful, cause science is just amazing), but I we need to recognise how supportive yoga can be in our therapy.
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Working with a few hundred people with different health issues I can assure you that Yoga may help a lot. Sometimes, all we need to do is just to add a few proper yoga elements to our treatment - conscious breath, mindfulness, myofascial release, relaxation, meditation, a few asanas for our organs, maybe a nice philosophical text or a thought. The way we think and see the reality and ourselves is a very important component too - both Yoga and the Western science agree on that.
Yoga is a part of holistic health care - it sees a person as a multi-layer, multi-dimensional being, with all complex connections of the body, mind and spirit. The sister science of yoga - Ayurveda - comes with a deep understanding of our nature and composition. Mixing yoga, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and contemporary Western medical research - can bring much more effective ways of taking care of ourselves.
Yoga is a part of holistic health care
OTHER YOGA STYLES
The list of yoga styles can be super long - I didn’t specifically mention Ashtanga, Aerial, Sivananda, Hot Yoga, Anusara, Iyengar, Kundalini… but I definitely use parts of those different schools of thoughts in my own practice and teaching, staying always open and beyond the systems.
The styles I focus on are basically the main branches and approaches to a yoga practice today:
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static yang & yin (hatha & similar)
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dynamic yang & yin (all kinds of flow with cooling ending)
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pure yin and restorative (for parasympathetic nervous system, relaxation and connective tissue)
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and customised multi-style practice adjusted to your own needs.
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The beautify of contemporary yoga is that we have an access to a wise, individualised and rich practice, if we only stay open and willing to learn and to help ourselves.
INDIVIDUAL SESSION
INDIVIDUAL SESSION WITH KARO
If you want to find and compose a proper yoga practice for yourself you are welcome to book an individual session with me. You will get the questionnaire which will allow me to understand you and your needs a bit better (perhaps I will also have to ask you a few additional question in person/ on the phone), and I will compose a class or - if you want - a full yoga program for you.
If you choose to practice the sequence that I will prepare for you by yourself at home - you will simply get yoga class templates or recordings.
If you prefer - I will teach them for you LIVE / on ZOOM;
I would like to invite for individual meetings especially those of you who have some particular health issues - perhaps a regular group yoga class don’t give you enough space and attention, so we will have a look a bit deeper into your individual case, challenges and preferences.
WHY?
Because you deserve the best treatment and care. Self care is not selfish!
It is a fundamental tool that will allow you to feel better, get healthier, calmer and more energised, and thanks to this - you will take better care of others too!
Book 1, 3 or 5 individual sessions here:
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1 session (1,5 hour/each) 70 €
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3 sessions 180 €
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5 sessions 250 €
Special offer:
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Individual session + 5 templates for your personal yoga practice = 120 €
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Individual session + 3 templates for your personal practice = 100 €
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Individual session + 3 recordings = 140 €
YOGA CLASSES ONLINE
Group classes at the moment are available online on ZOOM. If you miss the class you can also get the access to it after, for 1 week.
Every Thursday at 7 pm I teach a gentle yoga class with elements of yin, Qi Gong and meditative flow. The class is suitable for all-level students.
You can join one class, book 5 classes in advance, or buy a one-month ticket:
1 class (1,5 hour) 15 €
5 classes 50 € - any 5 classes within 6 months
10 classes 90 € - any 10 classes within 6 months
