Yoga should be for everyone. The aim is to connect body and mind. You don’t need to be able to wrap your legs around your neck to achieve this. On the contrary.”
“Each person functions in their own way. What works for you may not work for someone else. And when I give (group) sessions, I don’t want anyone to feel excluded. Yoga is for everyone, you shouldn’t be put off by it. This is why I have a very targeted approach. The idea is to find tranquillity, and in order to do this, you should use the methods which work for you.
The aim of yoga is to leave your mind and enter your body. Your head becomes peaceful, and your body tells you where the tensions lie. Tensions in the body are often explained by mental tensions that are bothering you. No matter how seriously they weigh on you, the correct positions release those tensions.
And for me, it’s not only about the yoga positions. ‘Yoga’ is an abbreviation for ‘connection’. Connection between mind and body. You don’t always need yoga for that. Some days, we don’t do any exercises, we just engage in conversations.
Finding mental tranquillity and dealing with areas of pain has to do with being aware of your body. Nature helps with this too.
“I give a lot of outdoor lessons. Regardless of the weather. People often find this strange, but that’s part of stepping out of your comfort zone. We are conditioned to live in a comfort zone where everything is the same, whereas we should dare to embrace change. That’s why I find nature so important. It reminds us that it’s normal to feel and experience change. Because nature is constantly changing, just like us. Except we often forget the latter. Nature allows you to forget what’s going on around you, and focus on yourself and the change within. To turn the switch off. To sit still and absorb.”
But you don’t have to go outside to experience nature.
“That’s right. I see nature as always present everywhere. You experience it with all of your senses. Even in a concrete city, nature is still there. Scents, sounds, a slight breeze, it is all nature, and you can use all of it. Nature is always with you.