My Yoga journey

It all started simply with searching for a stretching lesson, or maybe already a bit more.

Turning 29 and daily sitting long hours in an office, my body started whispering to me… a pain here, tension there. Seemingly, my weekly Pilates session wasn’t sufficient anymore, my body wanted more and so YOGA popped into my mind. Searching for the perfect place, I did one trial lesson here, another there but it all didn’t feel right. I was searching for more than just a stretching session, a workout. I wanted the whole… the whole big picture of Yoga and finally I found a place, I immediately felt at home, a small, warm-hearted, uncomplicated, family-run studio with a lot of soul.

My very first time on the mat, my first Surya Namaskara… being carried away by the calming but at the same time powerful Ujjayi-sound in the room. The studio, the lessons, the meditations, the mantras in Savasana… became my home, a place where I found my stillness, my quietness, my power and my strength.

I wanted to know everything, every detail about the magic; magic happening during those lessons in and around me… everything about Yoga. So after a year practising once a week, I signed up for the teachers training. 9 weekends… those should easily fit into my schedule, 9 weekends… giving me so much, but also bringing me to my limits on all levels… 2,5 years of transformation. My teacher’s words: „Nothing will be the same anymore afterwards, if you really dive into it“… and she was right. I did dive into it, with all my heart. My body… still stiff… God, it was a hard work! A broken toe after the first headstand, moments of frustration, upcoming fears, many emotions to face… but I loved it. Whenever I left the studio, I felt this deep inner peace, happiness. With all the „tools“ of Yoga I deepened my way, my connection to this tender soft voice in my heart, which more and more started speaking to me or better said, I suddenly could hear it more often, understand it. Then my first teaching class… sitting in front of 15 students, singing OM. Feeling crazy nervous and excited but somehow fulfilled, knowing that I don’t do the journey just for me. I loved assisting classes and I loved every single class I taught afterwards, especially the joyful calm sparkle in my students’ eyes after Savasana.

My body was fine at that time, but suddenly my heart started complaining. My life didn’t feel right anymore… my job in the financial world, my marriage… everything. My heart longed for freedom, it wanted more. My world was turned upside down during the last year! My head, my reason, so many fears, all those loud voices around me fought against my soft, but so clear voice. I took all my physical and mental strength I had at that time and I did it… I left the golden cage. How can I tell my students to listen to their heart, if I ignore mine.

Now I am here, here in Singapore! My new life… a life full of love, surprise, adventure, new fears but colorful and free. Finding my way back to my physical strength, getting the English words and many many other impulses at Tririsula to travel further… on a Yoga journey, that hopefully never ends.

(Angelika)