What were your honest and sincere reasons to embark on the yoga journey and what have you learned along the way personally?
My father, an inspiring Ashtanga yogi, first introduced me to yoga as a child. Years later I developed my own practice seeking for a sense of calm and a way to balance my hectic lifestyle while living in New York City. What I received in return was so much more than I could have ever imagined: community, a sense of purpose and belonging, confidence and the most precious gift of all; tools to help me become more present and feel deeply connected to myself.
What’s your background up until now and how would you describe your classes?
I was born in Miami, Florida, raised in Northern Germany and have lived and worked all over the world, including Argentina, China, NYC and Los Angeles. I have a background in photography, and was working for a high-end fashion photographer in New York City for many years. When the stress of the job became too much, I decided to pivot 180 degrees in my carreer and do a yoga teacher training in Colorado. In 2011 I completed my fist 200 hour TT (RYT) and have since done several trainings in LA with teachers including Schuyler Grant, Annie Carpenter and Matt Phippen.
I would describe my classes as mindful and invigorating, yet calming at the same time. My teaching focuses on alignment and I’m a bit of an anatomy geek, using detailed physical cues to help my students remain present in their bodies. To me stepping onto my mat is a feeling of coming home, a sense of relief while not taking it all too seriously.
When it comes to yoga, what’s been your biggest discovery? What about your biggest illusion?
My biggest discovery has been that life and yoga are interconnected. It doesn’t matter if you can stand on your hands, balance on one leg or touch your toes. This is not the goal. Really, there is no goal in yoga. It merely exists to help you create space where you feel stuck, to unveil the layers of protection you’ve built around your heart, to appreciate your body and become aware of the mind and the constant noise it creates. It’s here for you to make peace with who you are in this moment and to love yourself.
My biggest illusion would be setting goals and expectations for my own practice. Yoga is all about accepting your present state, regardless of what or where you wish you were. To be hard on yourself for not practicing more, or not achieving any goal really, is the antithesis of the basic tenets of yoga.
(c) yvonne schmedemann
juliette
(c) yvonne schmedemann
What were your honest and sincere reasons to embark on the yoga journey and what have you learned along the way personally?
My father, an inspiring Ashtanga yogi, first introduced me to yoga as a child. Years later I developed my own practice seeking for a sense of calm and a way to balance my hectic lifestyle while living in New York City. What I received in return was so much more than I could have ever imagined: community, a sense of purpose and belonging, confidence and the most precious gift of all; tools to help me become more present and feel deeply connected to myself.
What’s your background up until now and how would you describe your classes?
I was born in Miami, Florida, raised in Northern Germany and have lived and worked all over the world, including Argentina, China, NYC and Los Angeles. I have a background in photography, and was working for a high-end fashion photographer in New York City for many years. When the stress of the job became too much, I decided to pivot 180 degrees in my carreer and do a yoga teacher training in Colorado. In 2011 I completed my fist 200 hour TT (RYT) and have since done several trainings in LA with teachers including Schuyler Grant, Annie Carpenter and Matt Phippen.
I would describe my classes as mindful and invigorating, yet calming at the same time. My teaching focuses on alignment and I’m a bit of an anatomy geek, using detailed physical cues to help my students remain present in their bodies. To me stepping onto my mat is a feeling of coming home, a sense of relief while not taking it all too seriously.
When it comes to yoga, what’s been your biggest discovery? What about your biggest illusion?
My biggest discovery has been that life and yoga are interconnected. It doesn’t matter if you can stand on your hands, balance on one leg or touch your toes. This is not the goal. Really, there is no goal in yoga. It merely exists to help you create space where you feel stuck, to unveil the layers of protection you’ve built around your heart, to appreciate your body and become aware of the mind and the constant noise it creates. It’s here for you to make peace with who you are in this moment and to love yourself.
My biggest illusion would be setting goals and expectations for my own practice. Yoga is all about accepting your present state, regardless of what or where you wish you were. To be hard on yourself for not practicing more, or not achieving any goal really, is the antithesis of the basic tenets of yoga.