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Abhyasa and Vairagya
Practise and non-attachment can seem to be very contradictory terms as we usually associate practise with the expectation of some sort of results. Yet together these two form the principles that the whole yoga system as we know it today rests. You might have heard your yoga teacher to say the words ”just let everything go that does not serve you”. Maybe you even liked that phrase because it almost felt like a permission to let go and relax in a world that seems to be full of demands. Yet when we hear those words in a yoga class most of us do not think that they mean we are going to let our asana practise fall apart. If anything, in this context “letting go” can easily be understood as an invitation to focus only on the practise taking place and give it all our attention.
Check out the focus on this Bhujapidasana…
And that is the moment when the meaning of abhyasa and vairagya – practise and non-commitment – reveals its logic to us.
To describe things as concisely as possible, abhyasa, as Patanjali explained them in his Yoga Sutras (Sutras 1.12 to 1.16), means to make consistent effort (i.e. practise), over time and even when do not feel like it (especially when we do not feel like it, some might say) to observe and follow thoughts, actions and general lifestyle choices that lead us towards a state of tranquillity. Why? Because this practise and the stilling of the mind it brings with it will help to reveal our true, “original” self, free from fears, stress, upsets and pain, all those things we so often feel our lives are filled with.
By using the word ”effort”, this sutra reminds us that Yoga is not for the lazy. Nothing great was ever achieved without effort.
– Reverend Jaganath Carrera
Vairagya on the other hand can be understood as study or process of actively recognising, exploring and letting go of everything that stands in the way of finding inner peace and tranquillity. Put in other words, vairagya encourages us not to attach any significance on material wealth (clothes, cars, our latest phone…), non-material issues (situations that makes us agitated or angry, certain exam or career results, fancy yoga poses to be posted on Instagram) or anything else that may think of as important to us. Whilst we may fool ourselves to believe that obtaining more of wealth, recognition or whatever it is we crave for, it really just diverts us from finding inner peace and at the end is more likely to contribute to further unhappiness.
Non-attachment is the cultivation of realistic, healthy relationships with objects and attainments based on understanding what the world can and cannot offer.
– Reverend Jaganath Carrera
It is of course hard to be conscious of the fact that we should not grow too attached of the outcome of our results, as after all this is very human. We might do well at work or with other projects, extremely well even and our efforts may even bring us material wealth or acknowledgement and we think we have the right to be proud of our hard work. And of course there is nothing wrong in those feelings. What we must be vary though is how we allow those attachments we have on desired results affect our mind and how we view ourselves in relation to our surroundings. Because equally, our efforts may not bring the success we wished for. How do we feel then? Do we get upset, do we feel our self-worth evaporating, do we feel we should have achieved more tangible results, feel more proud of our efforts?
…which, regardless of the focus, can end up like this. 10 times in a row.
In summary, abhyasa and vairagya remind us of the importance of consistent, daily and joyful practise, with a lifestyle and environment that support this, and how we must remain aware of our underlying motivations and expectations of this practise and aim to use it as a tool to experience peace that transcends external circumstance.
And that requires constant, conscious effort. That’s why we call our yoga practise a practise in a first place.
The blockquotes are from the sourcebook for Yoga Sutras I use – you can read more about the book here.
Visibly a happy moment in practise.

Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
April 29, 2017
About Bullet Journaling
Back in December I wrote about bullet journaling and how I was giving it a go. Four months later I am loving the method as it really helps to bring structure to my life. Several of my friends have taken up BuJo-ing as well so I thought I do a little update about the whys and hows.

If you are new to the concept, bullet journal is simply a notebook of your choice that works as a calendar, a notebook (or replacing a whole bunch of post-its and random pieces paper lying around) and a journal between the same covers. How you want to it to look like is pretty much up to you!
There are certain guidelines you can follow to get you started but after that can get as creative as you want: how you want to lay down your weekly and daily planning, what things you want to to track and how much you want spend on the esthetics of the thing.
I like to have a weekly spread, with a to-do list for the week and I fill in the days usually the night before. Sometimes I take more than a spread if I have a meeting where I want to take notes on one of the days. Monthly goals is my BuJo staple, as is monthly reflextions: For these I take an hour or three to go through past entries, evaluate what worked and what did not, modify what needs to be modified and in general to plan ahead, a little bit wiser about my habits and motivations. For lists I do a separate entry, such as packing for weekend/week trips, as proper planning usually allows for a hand luggage only travel in Europe. Some people like to have a text only calendar, personally I find that decorating my BuJo also often fills in the creatively meditative void between doodling, colouring books and full blown drawing/painting session.
Here are some pictures to illustrate my planning goals. For more details and inspirations, you can check out my Pinterest Bullet Journal board.
Having an index is the genious part of Bullet Journals – no more going through the pages trying to find that list of books/films/documentaries you have been recommended and you now would have time to look into! For extra clarity I divide the months too.
Bullet Journalin alkuun tehdään sisällysluettelo joka helpottaa listojen ja muiden hakemista. Sivut pitää tietenkin siis numeroida mutta se on pienempi vaiva kuin jatkuva plärääminen sen yhden asian löytämiseksi. Erotan kuukaudet nykyään myös toisistaan jotta asioiden löytäminen on vielä helpompaa.
Different headers.
Otsikointia.
Different types of spreads from two different BuJos.
Aukeamat kahdesta eri BuJosta.
Who else loves stationary? My current Bullet Journal is Moleskin A5 softskin dotted grid, the next one will be Leuchttrum1917 (don’t know how to pronounce that either) A5 dotted grid that has the pages already numbered and blank table of content pages at the beginning.
Kuka muu rakastaa kyniä ja muita paperitarvikkeita? Tämän hetken Bullet Jouranlini on Moleskinin pehmeäkantinen A5 kokoinen, pisteytetyllä ruudukolla. Seuraavaksi käyttööm tulee samankokoinen Leuchttrum1917 jossa sivunumerot on jo valmiina. Kumpaakin oli tarjolla ainakin Akateemisessa Kirjakaupassa.
Sometimes there is competition for the best journaling spot in the house.
Parhaalle miettimis- ja kirjoittamispaikalle talossa on välillä kilpailua.
I would love to hear from your best bullet journaling tips so don’t hesitate to drop a line in the comments section!
Bullet Journaling on konsepti joka yhdistaa kalenterin, muistikirjan ja miksei päiväkirjankin samojen kansien sisään. Itse olen ihastunut tähän koska itsetekeminen antaa kalenterille joustavuutta ja kirjan alussa oleva sisällysluottelo (tälle on hyvä varata useampi sivu) helpottaa kalenterimerkintöjen ja listojen löytämisen myöhemminkin. Huomattavasti helpompaa kun kuittien ja muiden papereiden takapuolelle kirjoitettujen asioiden etsiminen.
Ylläolevista kuvista idea toivottavasti idea aukeaa hieman enemmän. Löysin myös tämän blogitekstin suomeksi jossa valoitetaan asiaa enemmän.

Tallenna
April 20, 2017
Spring Clean
In the last post I wrote about moving away from things that just do not feel right, even if reason can tell us otherwise. Needless to say, the topic of recognising when it is time to change the course and refocus energies has been in my mind a lot lately.
Sharp focus like these chicken in an orderly formation.
Not that I have gone for some radical overhaul of my life (yet), rather I have tweaked certain things and re-evaluated others. In no particular other I…
….decided that pursuing the pregnancy yoga teacher certificate is not for me, not right now. I have learned a lot and it has also been a genuine joy to teach the ladies here in my home city. I am very grateful for the experience but also have to let go what does not feel 100% true to me.
…stopped teaching regular public classes for now. Instead I focus on my Skype Clients and face-to-face privates and small groups. I will also do pop up yoga classes outside by the water as the weather is getting warmer. To catch the times and places of these classes remember to follow my Facebook yoga page!
… will widen the scope of this blog from yoga to other wellbeing & lifestyle topics that I find interesting. With this you can expect the updates to come a bit more regular too!
…am sharpening my focus regards finding a job. I love teaching yoga but at this point I cannot solely rely on the revenue it generates. So, if you have or know of a (part-time) role in your organisation and wonder what else I can do in addition to writing, researching, teaching yoga and doing graphs on Canva, check out my LinkedIn profile here. I am also interested in any freelancing gig, project work or similar so do not hesitate to get in touch with me to talk further!
On this note, here’s a link to an article that resonated and motivated with me. I am not a fan of any type of fatalism along the lines “everything happens for a reason”, and citing the Law of attraction alone (“aim high”) seems a bit too vague on its own. Therefore I was pleased to see a piece with personal responsibility and forgiving oneself (and moving on!) included. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Onwards and upwards it is. Have a good Easter break everyone and stay tuned!
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
April 13, 2017
Luovuttaminenkin on vaihtoehto
Elämänneuvojen ja iskulauseiden jatkuvaa virtaa seuratessa tulee helposti olo, että luovuttaminen jonkun asian suhteen on pahinta mitä elämässä voi tehdä. Oli kyseessä sitten dieetti, uusi liikuntaharrastus, deittailu tai yksityisyrittäminen meitä kehotetaan uskomaan itseemme, sisällämme löytyvään loputtomaan potentiaaliin ja voimaan. Kaikki haasteet kehotetaan ottamaan vastaan sillä elämä on mahdollisuus, kaikki mikä ei tapa, vahvistaa ja ikinä ei tiedä mitä kulman takana odottaa. Tähän päälle kun muistutetaan että voittajat eivät luovuta ja kuinka lopussa seisoo se kuuluisa kiitos ei ole ihme jos omien projektien mielekkyyden epäileminen luo vähintäänkin syyllisen olon.
Kun yritämme tehdä parhaamme jonkun hankkeen onnistumisen eteen mutta odottamamme tulokset eivät ole tullakseen, kustannus-hyötyanalyysin tekeminen voi tuntua hankalalta. Mikä on oikea määrä sinnikkyyttä? Miten määrittää oikea aika yrittämiselle? Hankkeiden taloudelliset tekijät ovat tietenkin tärkeitä mutta yhtä tärkeää on kiinnittää huomiota asioiden tunnepuoleen. Mitkä seikat kehottavat meitä jatkamaan asioita jotka rehellisesti sanottuna tuntuvat jatkuvalta taistelulta? Onko taustalla läheisten tuki ja luottamus jota emme halua pettää? Vai onko luovuttamisen esteenä oma ego ja ylpeys joka ei anna meidän kohdata tosiasioita ja vapauttaa itsemme projektista joka ottaa enemmän kuin antaa.
Niin hankalaa kun se voi olla myöntää itselleen, kukaan ei kuitenkaan kiellä meitä lopettamasta aloittamiamme projekteja. Maailma on täynnä mahdollisuuksia ja luovuttaminen on vaihtoehto muiden joukossa. Asioiden päätökseen saattaminen ja uusia tuulia kohti suuntaaminen voi ottaa itsetunnon päälle useista eri syistä mutta tätä ei tarvitse pitää epäonnistumisena.
Jokainen projekti opettaa meille uusia taitoja ja oivalluksia. Ne voivat olla konkreettisia tai henkisempiä eivätkä ne välttämättä aukea meille heti. Analysoidakseen tilannetta tarkemmin voi olla hyödyllistä yrittää tarkastella tapahtunutta ulkopuolisen silmin. Luomalla etäisyyttä tapahtuneeseen auttaa keskittymään opittuihin asioihin ja erottamaan ne omista, mahdollisesti negatiivisista, tunteista.
On myös terveellistä muistaa että mieli voi muuttua ja se on ihan normaalia. Asiat voi aloittaa innostuneena ja motivaatiota pursuavana mutta matkan varrella voi paljastua asioita joita olisi ollut mahdotonta edes ennakoida. Ymmärrämme kaikki että maailma ympärillämme muuttuu jatkuvasti joten miksei sama pätisi omien projektien miellekkyyteenkin? Meillä voi olla usein tapana ajatella että ”lopetan minkä aloitin vaikka mikä tulisi” mutta kukaan on sanonut että tämä on se ainoa totuus?
Asioista luopuminen tietoisesti vaatii myös rohkeutta eikä se ole itsestäänselvyys. Usein tuntuisi helpommalta vain antaa asioiden olla ja hiipua pois omalla painollaan. Tästä seuraa helposti kuitenkin stressiä ja unettomia öitä, ja se voi estää myös uusien suunnitelmien toteutusta. Odotuksemme omasta itsestämme ovat usein isommat kuin mitkään ulkoiset toiveet ja paineet mutta kenen etua ne edistävät?
Rohkeus olla itselleen rehellinen, aloittaa jotain uutta, mutta myös asioista luopuminen ovat kaikki asioita jotka eivät ole helppoja eikä niitä pidä pitää itsestään selvyytenä. Tunnista rohkeutesi, tee tilannearvio, oikealta tuntuva päätös ja jatka matkaa. Ja muista, oli kyseessä sitten iso tai pieni asia, tämän hetkinen tilanne tuskin tulee määrittämään edessä olevaa elämäämme ratkaisevalla tavalla.
More of this!
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
April 12, 2017
Giving Up is an Option too
When it comes to life advice, open any website, app or TV programme and we are quickly fooled into thinking that giving up is the biggest sin we could commit. From fitness routines, diets, and dating to self-entrepreneurship, there seems to be an entire industry geared towards reminding us of the hidden powers and untapped potential that live within us. We are advised how we should be pushing forward in the face of obstacles because of course, nothing good comes easy, and that we should somehow make magic happen outside of our comfort zones. I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “you have come this far, don’t give up” and “fake it until you make it”, guilting us to believe that doubting our endeavours is the worse possible thing we could do.
When we are really trying to make something work, and it takes much longer than we expected – despite our best efforts -, doing a cost-benefit analysis on all the levels can be very tricky. What is the right amount of persistence? What is the right length of time to keep on trying? There may be financial implications at stake but even more importantly, our emotions should be counted in too. What is it that keeps us going on with what seems to have become an uphill battle? Is it a person or a wider support network we do not want to let down, although our hearts are no longer in the venture at hand? Or is it our ego, our sense of pride that does not allow us to face the truth and liberate ourselves from what has now become a draining burden?
It can be difficult to admit, but we are allowed to quit the journey we started. In a world that gives us so many options, giving up is an option too, and a perfectly acceptable one. But whilst wrapping things up and moving on might be a hit on the ego for many reasons, there is no need to consider it as such.
More of this!
First, remember that there are numerous skills and lessons we have picked up during our journey. It is important to acknowledge the many lessons we learned through the process, and how we can use this experience to benefit our self-growth in the long-term. Giving up on something doesn’t mean time was wasted. It means we’ve experienced another great life lesson that nobody can take away from us.
And here’s an important tip: Always attempt to evaluate the situation as an outsider. Creating mental distance to the narrative of our personal situation allows us to see beyond our emotions and frees us to view the facts as they are.
Second, remember that it is perfectly fine and only normal to change our minds. Before a given journey began, we might have thought this endeavour could be a life passion. However it is extremely rare for things to stay constantly stay static, as it is impossible to know how our life will unfold in advance. We find it normal that situations change around us, so why not accept the same regarding our personal opinions and passions?
Third, the biggest lesson of all is to acknowledge and take time to honour the courage we had by beginning this journey and maintaining this courage to walk away from it. By taking the leap to go for something we believe in, working for it, and taking the time to evaluate the progress to bravely come to a conclusion that rings the most true to us, says a lot about our integrity as a person. Honour this courage, accept it, and move forward.
Lets not allow our own expectations of what “should be” to define us and hold us back. Remember that accepting and taking gratitude of our present reality is a liberating experience. There is a lot to celebrate in taking responsibility and wisely giving up on what no longer serves us anymore.
After all, no matter how big it all seems right now, our present reality does not need to define the story of our future.
Tallenna
Tallenna
April 12, 2017
Mitä hyötyä on Iyengarjoogasta?
Iyengarjooga on yksi maailman laajimmalle levinneistä joogamuodoista mutta ei kuitenkaan ehkä yhtä tunnettu kuin hatha- tai astangajooga. Sain ensikosketuksen Iyengarjoogaan kolme vuotta sitten Portugalissa jonne olin matkustanut jooga- ja surffileirille. Päivää ennen leirin alkua onnistuin saamaan olkapääni sijoiltaan enkä ollut varma tulisiko joogaamisesta yhtään mitään. Ensimmäisen aamun joogaopettaja ei kuitenkaan hämmentynyt vammastani yhtään vaan päinvastoin sanoi ettei se ole mikään este. Kyseessä oli siis nimenomaan Iyengarjoogan opettaja ja siitä lähtien olen ollut vakuuttunut tämän tyylisuunnan eduista.
Iyengarjoogan kehitti Intialainen BKS Iyengar (1918-2014.) Tämä tyylisuunta painottaa asanoiden erittäin tarkkaa linjausta, kehon hyvää asentoa ja nivelten tuomista suotuisaan asentoon suhteessa toisiinsa. Iyengarissa käytetään myös paljon erilaisia apuvälineitä kuten hihnoja, blokkeja ja joogavilttejä. Nämä auttavat kaikentasoisia- ja kuntoisia ihmisia pääsemään asanoihin oikeassa linjauksessa ja siten minimoivat mahdolliset loukkaantumiset tai rasitusvammat.
Osallistuin viime viikolla Iyengar workshoppiin täällä Kyproksella. Päätin kysellä Iyengarista tarkemmin workshopin vetäjältä Vula Boloulta (sertifioitu Iyegarjooga opettaja tasolla Junior Intermediate Level 3) joka on ollut itse BKS Iyengarin oppilas. Tälläisiä vastauksia sain:
Liike-elämässä termi hissipuhe tarkoittaa lyhyttä, iskevää ja positiivisen mielikuvan herättävää esitystä tuotteesta, palvelusta tai organisaatiosta ja sen eduista. Millaisen hissipuheen pitäisi Iyengar-joogasta henkilölle joka tietää hyvin vähän joogasta ylipäätänsäkään?
Jooga on maailman vanhin itsensä kehittämisen muoto. Iyengar-joogan on erityinen joogan tyylisuunta jonka kehitti Intialainen BKS Iyengar. Hän käytti jooga-asanoita ja hengitysharjoituksia parantaakseen itseänsä henkisesti ja fyysisesti. Harjoittelemalla metodinsa mukaisesti BKS Iyengar saavutti henkisen tasapainon ja hyvän terveyden ja hän elikin 96-vuotiaaksi. Hän mahdollisesti myös saavutti korkeamman tietoisuuden tasoja ja eli kaikin puolin rikkaan elämän.
Mikä sinua viehätti Iyengar-joogassa, miksi valitsit tämän juuri tämän joogatyylin?
Aloitin joogan kun ystäväni pyysi minua mukaansa kuntosalille. Sanoin hänelle että en halua mennä aerobic-tunnille, mitä muuta salilla voi tehdä? Tarjolla oli hatha-joogaa ja vuoden sitä harrastettuani toinen ystäväni vei minut uuden opettajan tunnille. Tämä tunti oli Iyengar-joogaa ja aloin käymään tämän opettajan tunnilla. Olen kokeillut myös muita joogatyylejä mutta Iyengar on aina ollut minulle mieleisin ja löysin sen hyvin aikaisin joogaurallani. Usein ihmiset löytävät Iyengar-joogan loukkaantumisten tai kuntoutuksen kautta, mutta näin ei käynyt siis minulle.
Kuinka houkuttelisit ihmisiä jotka harjoittelevat voimakasta vinyasa flow-tyylistä joogaa Iyengar-joogatunnille?
En lähtisi “myymään” Iyengar-joogaa sillä jos pitää nopeatahtisemmista tunneista, Iyengar-tunti ei välttämättä tunnu yhtä mukavalta. Jokaisen pitää tuntea sisällään että he kaipaavat jotain muuta, jotain jota nopeampi tunti ei pysty tarjoamaan. Pitää olla avoin idealle että asana-harjoituksen voi ymmärtää paremmin jos sen tekee hitaampaan tahtiin: hitaampi harjoitus antaa enemmän aikaa kaikelle. Iyengar-tyyli voi selkeyttää ja syventää yksinkertaistenkin asanojen, kuten trikosanan, ymmärrystä. Iyengar-tunnilla hengitysharjoitukset ovat myös erilaisia kuin muissa tyyleissä ja näin siis avaavat uusia näkökulmia.
Tittelisi on Junior Intermediate Level 3 joka kuulostaa hieman monimutkaisemmalta kuin tavallinen “joogaopettaja.” Kertoisitko tästä hieman lisää?
BKS Iyengar halusi luoda tiettyjä sääntöjä ja hierarkioita metodinsa opetukseen. Iyengarjoogaopettajaksi haluavalla pitää olla taustalla ainakin kolmen vuoden säännöllinen harjoituttelu jo sertifioidun Iyengarjoogaopettajan alaisuudessa. Tämän jälkeen voi osallistua ensimmäiseen opettajankoulutukseen joka kestää kaksi vuotta. Tätä voisi ajatella ns. Iyengarjoogan kandin tutkintona. Seuraavaksi on mahdollisuus suorittaa vuoden kestävä Junior Intermediate Level 1-koulutus. Siihen voi hakea 18 kuukautta ensimmäisestä koulutuksesta valmistumisen jälkeen. Tätä seuraavat Intermediate level 2 ja 2 tutkinnot, jonka jälkeen tulevat Senior Intermediate 1, 2 ja 3. Korkeimmat koulutuksen muodot ovat Junior Advanced and Senior Advanced. Tutkintojen välissä tarvitaan tietenkin vuosien henkilökohtainen harjoittelu joka on tärkeintä jokaisessa joogamuodossa.
Kiitos juttutuokiosta Vula! Kerro vielä missä tunneillesi voi osallistua kotikaupunkisi Ateenan lisäksi?
Opetan säännöllisesti Kreikan saarilla. Olen myös pitänyt tunteja Itävallassa, Englannissa ja Intiassa. Tällä hetkellä keskustelen mahdollisuudesta tulla opettamaan Turkuun Suomessa sekä Kööpenhaminaan. Tuntiaikatauluni ja paikkani löytyvät sivuilta www.treeofyoga.org ja www.santorinilovesyoga.com.
The BKS Iyengar pictures are from the Internet, all others are mine.
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
March 23, 2017
About Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga is one of the most widespread yoga styles in the world, yet it is not as familiar to many as other yoga styles, such as hatha and asthanga. My first experience with Iyengar yoga was three years ago on a surf and yoga camp in Portugal, where I rocked up with a dislocated shoulder I had gotten the day before the camp started. Annoyed with myself, I was so impressed and relieved when morning yoga teacher did not bat an eyelid after hearing about my misfortune and instead said “it is ok for you to do yoga, we modify what we need to modify.” That lady was an Iyengar teacher and I was made a fan of the style there and then.
Iyengar Yoga, named after and developed by BKS Iyengar (1918 – 2014), has an emphasis on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of posture and breath control. Iyengar Yoga is known for making use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asana. The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, allowing them to stay longer, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible to both young and old, able and less able.
Last weekend I had the chance to participate in an Iyengar workshop. Rather than repeating second hand stories, I decided to interview our teacher Vula Bolou, a Junior Intermediate Level 3 teacher who has been a direct student of BKS Iyengar. Himself. Here is what she had to say.
In business world the concept of elevator pitch is used to describe a short sales speech, or a summary to quickly define a product, process, service or organisation and its value proposition. What would be your elevator pitch for Iyengar Yoga to somebody who has very limited knowledge of yoga all together?
Yoga is the oldest method of self-development. Iyengar yoga which is a special method developed by an Indian man called BKS Iyengar. He used asana (yoga postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises) to make himself better in every way possible. Using this method he achieved clarity of mind and good health, reaching the age of 96. He also possibly reached higher stages of consciousness and in general lived life to the full.
What attracted you to Iyengar over other styles of yoga?
I started yoga when a friend of mine asked me to go to the gym with her and I said that I am not going to do aerobics, what else is there at the gym to do. They had hatha yoga and after a year of hatha another friend took me to a new teacher. She was teaching Iyengar and I stayed with her. I have tried other yoga methods too but my heart is with Iyengar. So I happened to find the style very early on and not through an injury or similar, which is a common path for people to come to this method.
How would you promote Iyengar to people who prefer strong and dynamic vinyasa flow-type yoga classes?
You know, I would not “sell” Iyengar yoga in a sense that if somebody really enjoys a fast paced yoga classes, they will not enjoy Iyengar class the same way. It has to come from within the individual to find something that they need, something that a faster class cannot offer. One needs to be open to the idea that maybe the asana practise can be understood better if done in a slower pace: As the practise is slower, there is just more time for everything. Iyengar yoga can bring more clarity and depth to even the simple poses such as trikonasana. In Iyengar we also use pranayama a different way than in other styles and that offers a different perspective.
Your title, Junior Intermediate Level 3, sounds a bit complicated. Can you explain that to us?

BKS Iyengar wanted to create certain rules and hierarchy in his method to the way he was teaching yoga. To become an Iyengar yoga teacher you first of all need to have had a regular practise with an Iyengar certified teacher for 3 years. After that you can take the first training that lasts 2 years. You can think of this like as a BSc-level “degree.” After that you have Junior Intermediate Level 1 for which you can apply after 18 months after the completion of your first degree and that training takes one year, followed by Intermediate level 2 and level 3 trainings. Then you have Senior Intermediate 1, 2 and 3, followed by Junior Advanced. The highest level of certification is Senior Advanced. In between the certifications you of course need to have years of personal practise, as that is in the heart of yoga – all yoga.
Thank you so much for this talk Vula! Where can we catch you teaching in the future apart from your home base Athens?
I teach regularly in the Greek Islands. In the past I have been also in Austria, the UK and India now am in the talks to go and teach in Turku, Finland and in Copenhagen. You can check www.treeofyoga.org and santorinilovesyoga.com for details.

The BKS Iyengar pictures are from the Internet, all others are mine.
Tallenna
Tallenna
Tallenna
March 23, 2017
Some things worth mentioning…
…that I have been wanting to note down.
There is a lovely yoga boutique in Paris called Yoga Concept (123 Rue Turenne.) It was small but packed with brands hard to find in Europe in stores (like Teeki and Alo Yoga) and on their website they make a commitment to work with small quality brands, as well as local designers. In addition to clothes they also sell yoga mats (Manduka and Jade were on offer, I wrote more about these mats here), blocks, socks, DVDs… Admittedly the stuff they sell is not the cheapest but I had a quick chat with the lady who was working there on the day I visited and we both agreed that a good product is exactly that – something that is comfortable, functional, stylish and most importantly lasts.
I did not take a picture of the Yoga Concept store so have a picture of the sky on Rue Turenne instead.
From clothes to food, around the corner from Yoga Factory there is a small café called “Detox Delight” were I went for breakfast after my morning yoga class. Everything they sell is vegan and gluten free. I picked up things that I would never make/buy for home: green juice and mango-some-vegan-yogurt mix with its granola. I am yet to find a green juice that I would genuinely like but I trust they are good for me and the one I had was not the worst I’ve had. The yogurt thing was actually really nice. And coffee. Thankfully they had coffee too!
On a more personal note, I was once again bowled over with gratitude for the friends I have. I stayed with and met several people I had not seen for some time (read “in years”) and with every single one of them I felt so comfortable, catching the conversation like we had met yesterday. As friendships are always two-way streets, this aligned energy that you can have with some people felt so powerful and nourishing. No stress, no demands, just easy and loving.
I was also reminded that nice people usually have nice friends. A true virtual circle for good times and I am thankful for this.
It was not sunny in Paris but it was perfect nevertheless.
Coming back from a break this nice can always be a bit of an anti-climax so I have struggled a bit this week get back to the groove of things. I did feel bad about it, trying to force myself to perform as I would have wanted. At the end of it the best thing to reboot was to spend hours in front of Netflix, binging on series (anybody else seen The OA?!) and just going “f**k it.”
All is good, all is well.
Pariisin matkailijoille jotka ovat kiinnostuneet joogasta suosittelen putiikkia nimeltä Yoga Concept (123 Rue Turenne.) Kauppa on pienehkö mutta valikoima on huolella valittu ja heillä on myynnissä merkkejä joita on vaikea löytää Euroopasta kaupasta, kuten Teeki ja Alo Yoga. Myynnissä on myös joogamattoja (mm. Mandukaa ja Jade Yogaa joista kirjoitin aiemmin täällä), joogatiilejä (hah, korjausohjelma ehdotti joogasiiliä!), luistamattomia sukkia, DVDeitä… On pakko myöntää että myynnissä olevat merkit eivät ole sieltä halvimmasta päästä. Jutellessani kaupassa olleen myyjän kanssa olimme kuitenkin samaa mieltä että hyvät tuotteet ovat hintansa arvoisia: mukavia, tarkoituksenmukaisia (kuka haluaa jatkuvasti kiskoa vyötärönnauhaa ylöspäin joogatunnilla?), tyylikkäitä ja ennen kaikkea kestäviä.
Vaatteista ruokaan, kulman takana Yoga Factorysta (jossa kävin aamujoogassa) löytyi pieni kahvila nimeltä “Detox Delight.” Tarjolla oli vegaanista ja gluteenitonta aamiaista ja lounasta. Valitsin aamiaisen jota en ikinä kotona tekisi: vihreää mehua ja vegaani-mango-jugurttia granolan kanssa. Suoraan sanoen en ole vielä löytänyt vihreää mehua jota voisin sanoa hyvänmakuisesti mutta tämä ainakin meni kurkusta alas ilman suurempia irvistelyjä ja oli varmasti terveellistä. Jugurttiannos oli yllättävän hyvä ja täyttävä. Paikasta sai myös kahvia, onneksi. Tämän tosi tarkistin heti kun pääsin ovesta sisään. Ei aamiaista ilman kahvia!
~~Kahvia ja pullaa.~~ Mysliä ja mehua. Ja kahvia.
Asuin Pariisissa ystävien luona ja tapasin kavereita joita en ollut nähnyt muutamaan vuoteen. Oli ihana huomata jälleen kerran kuinka elämässäni on ihmisiä joiden kanssa olo on kotoisa, rauhallinen ja juttu jatkuu kuin viime tapaamisesta olisi ollut vain pieni hetki. Ystävyyden energia on aina kahden summa joka sekä antaa energiaa ja ideoita että luo turvallisuuden tunnetta ja luottamusta elämään. Sain myös muistutuksen siitä että ihanilla ihmisillä on yleensä ihania ystäviä joten Pariisin reissuni oli kaikin puolin kovin onnistunut.
La Seine!
Takaisin paluu kivalta matkalta (vaikka kotona on myös ihanaa) voi olla aikamoinen antikliimaksi ja menneellä viikolla inspiraatio olikin sitten kadoksissa (vaikka ideoita sainkin matkalla, en tiedä minne hibernaatioon ne vetäytyivät.) Koitin pakottaa itseäni tehokkaaksi mutta loppujen lopuiksi paras tapa päästä takaisin koti-rytmiin oli viettää useampi tunti sohvalla Netflixin parissa sarjoja katsellen. Onko kukaan muu katsonut sarjan “The OA”? Olen tykännyt Brit Marlingin tuotoksista tosi paljon ja tämäkään sarja ei pettänyt. Olokin on nyt täysin rebootattu.
Kaikki on hyvin.
Tallenna
March 5, 2017
Yoga Tourist in Paris Part 2
Originally I had planned to go to an advanced level vinyasa class on my last full day in Paris. With all the walking done over the days (and long dinner on Tuesday on Tuesday evening) I however started feeling like something mellower would be a better fit for the day. As mentioned I had really like the energy at Studio Keller the day before and I quick look at their schedule showed there was an afternoon all levels vinyasa class (vinyasa tout niveau.) I was really curious to see an all-levels class by another teacher as it is common for most teachers to have a class with people of different abilities and it can be challenging to keep it interesting and challenging enough for everybody. The afternoon class was also Studio Keller’s weekly community class so it was priced only at 10 euros. What’s not to like!?
At the start of the class the teacher greeted returning students by their names, went through all the new people to get their names and introducing herself. She also checked who was new to yoga and maybe most importantly, if anybody had any injuries or restrictions on the day she should be aware of. Unfortunately this is not a question you often hear at classes although especially in the case of people new to asana-practise it allows the teacher to modify the poses based on whatever issue a practitioner might have. I get that in a big class giving individual attention to everybody is simply not do-able but if you have to choose who you are going to give it, this is probably the best way to find out.
The actual yoga was great although personally it was not the best practise I have had. Variations for the vinyasas were given (one being staying in child’s pose) and all the instructions were clear to follow for everybody (which did not stop me from getting confused between right and left but that happens to me everywhere, in every language) and there was a lot of humour. There was a really warm atmosphere in the room that goes to tell a lot about the quality of the teaching. Highly recommended!
There are numerous other yoga studios left to visit so do let me know what are your favourites in the comments as I hope to go and visit the City of Lights again later this year!
Tallenna
February 28, 2017
Yoga Tourist in Paris
There is a real yoga scene in Paris and as I was due to visit my old hometown over few days I naturally wanted to check out what is on offer. Cue a message to the “Finnish people in Paris” Facebook page (note to self, 1am on a Saturday morning is probably not the best time for any question) and googling along the lines “best yoga classes in Paris.”
First impressions? The prices! Apparently you can charge 35€ for a class (and not a workshop, a 60 to 90 minute class)! Average seemed to be around 15€ to 20€ a class but as there is a lot on offer it was worthwhile digging a bit deeper. Most places offer the first visit at a reduced rate and there are several more moderately priced options.
Second impression? Booking in advance online was required for most places. I had sort of forgotten that this is the norm in most big places (Cyprus, as a country, has 1 million people compared to almost 10 in Paris) as a class can easily be 40 people. On the Island we call that a festival! But I suppose booking things before hand can help you get organised with your life so I can definitely see the benefits of it too.
Just a random happy cat on the streets of Paris.
I was determined to start as I meant to go along so for my first class I booked a 8 am “Rise” session at The Yoga Factory (Metro Oberkampf). The name had popped up on most of my searches, the morning classes were prices very reasonably at 7 euros and you did not have to book. I found the place without too much trouble (but did walk past it once before turning back), filled in the form at the reception and was directed to the changing room. The place had a cool industrial vibe to it (hence the “factory”) and was busy even at the early morning.
Now two things happened that I take full responsibility of. Firstly, I somehow managed to omit the fact that The Yoga Factory is all about hot yoga, and in every class the room is heated to +28C. I was a bit surprised by the temperature in the room when I first walked in but hey, I was after new experiences and to be completely honest, I would have probably never entered the place had I known it was about hot yoga (yes, I am that open minded.)
Yes it says “Hot Yoga” on that thing on the door. I noticed it too when I left.
The other thing was that for some reason I had thought the class would be some kind of Hatha variation, nothing too crazy. Obviously I had not bothered to read the class descriptions either. Well, hatha it was not. “Rise” at The Yoga Factory was a full-on 60 minute vinyasa flow like I had not experienced it in several years. To give you an idea how fast paced it was, the 60 minutes included a generous pranayama practise at the start, at least 6 (I lost count) rounds of full Sun Salutation variations, 5 different warrior poses, half moon pose, a whole bunch of the most common standing poses, bakasana (crow pose) as arm balance, tripod headstand for inversion, full bow pose and savasana. All tied together to form a continuous flow that did not stop for a second.
I had said I was after new and different experiences so I was truly served with this one. It could not have been further away from my regular practise! Whilst I did find the class a little bit too fast and “full” for my taste it was also fun and surprisingly energising. With no booking and the 7 euro price tag for the morning and a 17:15 “Happy Hour” class I happily go back to the Yoga Factory when in Paris next time. I will also take my towel with me.
I decided however to pay a bit more attention to the next class I was booking. I figured that with all the walking around the city I could do with something more restorative so I booked a Meditation and Yin yoga class for the next day at the Studio Keller (Metro Voltaire). I had heard great things about this place and they offer an introductory class for 13 euros. After the booking they send me an email with the codes to the building (another thing I had forgotten, the door codes in Paris) and at the door naturally I tried them in the wrong order, the last one letting me in through the first door. Good thing I was on time.
Studio Keller is another beautiful place if a complete opposite to Yoga Factory. This one had a more traditional yoga-shala-meets-old-Parisian-apartment vibe to it with wooden floors and light colours, mix and match props and a lot of light. The class was divine, also pretty busy for a Tuesday morning but very relaxing and calming. After the 15 minutes or so (?) meditation at the start the teacher was very hands on with the asana practise, offering adjustments, helping with the props and to get deeper into the poses in an effective way. Just wonderful!
I liked the feeling of Studio Keller so much I decided to go back for more the next day but about that in the next post.
February 21, 2017