I met Dani during my yoga teacher training and we’ve been friends ever since. Having worked in upper management positions for quite a while, she decided to take a new career path so that she could inspire and empower other women. As feminism and the role of women is a highly discussed topic nowaday, I’ve talked to her about it. Read what she has to say about her own experiences, her work and how yoga influences her.
Dear Dani, feminism is a highly topical issue and an important pillar of your work. Why is this topic more important than ever today?
Despite the progress made in recent decades, there are still many areas in which women are disadvantaged. For example, women earn less than men across all sectors. This is known as the gender pay gap. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the difference is 18%. In my view, this is absolutely out of date.
The consequence is, of course, that women are affected by poverty in old age much more often than men. The technical term for this is “gender age gap”.
For me personally, the fact that the proportion of women across all sectors decreases in proportion to the career level is very frightening. This is called the “leaking pipeline”. I find this unbelievable, especially in today’s world, which is characterized by a shortage of skilled workers and enormous entrepreneurial challenges.
The attribution of stereotypical role models or the glass ceiling are also common phenomena in the business world. Unfortunately, I can think of many more examples at this point.
According to the Gender Gap Report, in which the World Economic Forum analyzes the global development of gender equality, it is clear that it will be another 170 years before women and men have the same opportunities if we continue at the current rate.
But we are no longer living in the Middle Ages. In my view, it is therefore more important than ever to actively campaign for equality between men and women now.
It is particularly important for me to say again at this point that feminism is not just about women’s rights. Men also benefit enormously from the movement, for example by breaking down gender-specific role models. Men can free themselves from traditional expectations and lead a more relaxed life. How nice it would be if men were also allowed to talk openly about their feelings and challenges and if that didn’t represent a weakness in society!
In your business, you specialize in coaching women. How did you come up with this idea?
I had been working as an upper management executive since 2009. As a woman, I have had many “unpleasant” experiences in the course of my career. As a student, I was told in the run-up to an important meeting what clothes I should wear to improve the outcome of the negotiation. As I often felt excluded in meetings, which were important for the advancement of my career, I even memorized soccer scores. From today’s perspective, this is completely inauthentic, but at the time it seemed necessary in order to somehow find a place in the group. All too often, I had to suppress my feminine side and be so tough and masculine in order to get ahead. From today’s perspective, with the experience and knowledge I have gained, I would do a lot of things differently.
That is why it is a matter close to my heart to support working women and managers in particular in shaping their career path authentically and more easily. My aim is to empower women in the company.
Who can turn to you?
I coach women who are facing professional challenges. For example, women are experiencing career stagnation or are planning a job change or re-entry. I support clients who want more recognition and visibility at work, are interested in resolving conflicts or need an improved work-life balance and structure in their everyday lives. In my everyday life, I also encounter many working women with fears or self-doubt, which we work through together.
How do you approach a particular issue with a new client?
As women’s needs are very individual, this question is not so easy to answer. I have a free initial consultation with each client, in which we look at the challenges in her job together and identify common goals. I then create an individual coaching plan for each client, which is regularly reviewed and revised. This includes sub-goals and various coaching tools that are used. I draw on a large toolbox for this and use a variety of instruments, e.g: Exercises for a change of perspective, visualization exercises, goal setting techniques or questioning techniques.
You are also a certified yoga teacher. To what extent do the findings from your training and your own practice flow into your coaching sessions?
During my yoga teacher training, I learned many methods that I can use in coaching. In particular, I integrate exercises to reduce stress and strengthen inner balance. Many coaching tools are also about changing your perspective. Here, instructions on visualization and empathy in certain situations, which also play an important role in yoga, are important. I can also incorporate breathing exercises and strategies to strengthen self-confidence or self-love into my coaching sessions.
For me personally and for my concept of my work, however, the holistic approach is the most important unifying element. Yoga is about unity on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. And coaching is also about a holistic approach. For example, for a woman with professional conflicts, her past experiences, her inner attitude, her personal beliefs, her abilities, her knowledge and her relationship with herself also play a role.
As a teacher and practitioner, how do you see the issue of feminism in the yoga world?
As a yoga teacher, I know that the yoga world was historically an exclusive men’s club for a long time. That’s why I’m delighted that millions of women are now practicing yoga.
Men are less likely to be found on yoga teacher training courses or in yoga studios. This is certainly also due to the social stereotype I mentioned earlier. A real man is more likely to play football, right? The feminism movement is committed to breaking down such generalizations and will hopefully open the door to the world of yoga for more men in the future.
However, I find the general image of a yogini questionable. You only have to take a quick look at the world of social media to get a relatively quick impression of what a “woman’s body” should look like. Slim, young, flexible – in any case, the body must be constantly beautified and optimized. Unfortunately, there are also many – very many – yoga teachers who convey this image.
Yoga should help us as women – and also me as a practitioner – to accept ourselves as we are. In yoga, we want to accept where we are and how we feel. I would like the yoga world to be much more about this than about an optimized and well-trained body.
A very important final word. Thank you for the interview, Dani!
Today’s guest on the blog is the lovely Cherylyn. She is a real Ruhrpott child, but has Filipino roots. Photography is her way of discovering the world, life and also her own facets. With the long-term project “Buen Vivir! In search of the good life‘, she and her partner Markus traveled to Peru in 2021 to visit the Q’eros, the last Inca descendants, for a photo reportage. She was advised to use her third eye when taking photos in their sacred sites and that an “initiation” could support her in this. She was then drawn to Guatemala, where she discovered the magic of cocoa. We talked about this exciting topic.
Dear Cherylyn, let’s start with the basics: what is a cacao ceremony? A cacao ceremony is originally a sacred ritual of the Mayan & Inca culture and serves to connect to one’s own heart and to Mother Earth. In a protected setting, a physical and energetic connection to the spirit of the cacao plant – IxCacao – the Mayan cacao goddess – is created through a potion made from pure raw cacao. Through its special power of opening the heart, it helps to harmonize, to connect with the heart and to bring the body back into harmony with nature.
Primitive peoples and indigenous cultures, such as the Maya and Inca, know about the wisdom of “healing and teaching plants”. These plants, like cocoa, have special ingredients and active substances that have an influence on the body and mind. Indigenous peoples see the effect of plant medicine as the spirit of the plant, which comes into contact with people through its individual mode of action in order to support them on their path with wisdom and healing.
Through cocoa it is possible to bring the energies in the body back into flow in order to give space to hidden feelings and stuck emotions. In this way, insights from the issues stored in the heart can be brought to consciousness. Surrendering to feelings and perceptions in this cacao ceremony is like a healing balm that is applied to the wounds in the heart. It releases blockages and helps you to feel reconnected with yourself in your body and with nature as a whole.
On what occasions is such a ceremony performed? In particular, the reason for this ceremony is to harmonize the imbalance between human beings and Mother Earth, which begins in the heart and manifests itself through the interaction on the outside. The performance and, above all, the passing on of the knowledge of the original sacred cacao ceremony of the ancient cultures were previously reserved for only a few guardians in secret and were kept under lock and key. Due to the prevailing discord and at the same time the gradual awakening of consciousness in the Western world, the cultures of the ancient world are increasingly willing to open up to other cultures in order to gradually share their hidden and long-guarded knowledge for posterity.
The heart-opening cacao ceremony, which we are encountering more and more in the West these days, is combined in and with various contexts. Its form of expression is now as diverse as the facets of the practising celebrant and is a door opener for the collective consciousness. It thus also serves to raise awareness of the desire to reconnect with oneself, with Mother Earth and her creatures and to call back into consciousness both the wisdom of ancient cultures and the wisdom that is inherent in every heart.
How does a cocoa ceremony work? For me, the cocoa ceremony begins with the attentive and loving attention to the preparation of the cocoa and the preparation of the ceremony. For example, the raw cocoa block is processed by hand while chanting and gently grated with devotion. Before a cacao ceremony begins, the participants are freed from everyday energy with purification through one of the elements, such as fire with incense. A sacred space is opened, which serves as an appreciation and acknowledgment in gratitude of the forces and is a very important aspect of shamanic ceremonies and rituals. This creates protection for all those involved, so that with the help of the supporting forces, not only can the energies flow freely, but they can also flow freely.
Before connecting with the cocoa potion, meditation, for example, is used to attune oneself to it. The connection with the cocoa potion begins with the intention from the heart. By asking for permission to connect with the wisdom of the cocoa spirit, through appreciative gratitude and through the clear intention of why the connection was requested, a loving and healing self-awareness is possible.
This request and intention can be breathed into the potion as an expression of thanks, for example, while the cup is held to the heart. By taking the cocoa potion, a direct connection can be felt physically in the heart space. Here it is important to always listen to your body, without pressure and without judgment, in order to allow and accept all sensations and feelings that arise, with the certainty that IxCacao will bring out exactly what is ready to express itself with its loving energy. The body also decides how much to take. Surrendering to it with humility and gratitude is the key to the connection. By opening the heart, for example, feelings can flow freely through emotions, images can arise before the inner eye, answers to certain questions can reveal themselves or the body’s perception can be sharpened. There may be a need to rest, to lie down to listen or to move gently with dance to feel the flow of the body.
The creative power of creation can also show itself in that the need arises to express oneself through the voice, art, painting or writing/journaling. Here the healing connection can express itself individually and be accompanied and supported by sounds, music or singing, always with the heartfelt intention of coming back into harmony with oneself in order to be in connection with Mother Earth and all her creatures. The cacao ceremony can be performed in a group, in an individual session or alone.
You also conduct cocoa ceremonies yourself. How did that come about? In 2022, I accompanied a transformation & initiation journey of female power with my camera, which was initiated by initiated Mayan priests who originally came from Germany. Together with 40 women from German-speaking countries and the Mayan elders, we went to the Mayan places of power from central Guatemala to the north to perform their rituals. I told them beforehand of my intention to learn more about strengthening feminine power and my heartfelt desire to connect with the wisdom of cacao in depth, and I was told that this trip would also take me to the jungle of Guatemala for the first time to the most original cacao, that my request was no coincidence and that I would get all my questions answered there.
After receiving my further initiation in 2023 when I was given the Quechua name “Kahuacñawi” (The Recognizing Eye), I shared my request with them and asked for a coca leaf reading to see if my need & feeling to unite the forces was right here. A Q’ero shaman connected with the spirit of the coca plant and used the coca leaves to give me the answers to the questions that he was able to read in detail from the reading. Despite great fear and doubt that my feeling was wrong or even deceptive, I was blessed with incredible news. My feeling in my heart was confirmed that I was allowed to perform their sacred Pachamama ritual with the power of IxCacao in the spirit of the Q’eros.
Why cocoa in particular? What makes cocoa so special? It was in Guatemala that I first heard about the prophecy of IxCacao, the Mayan cocoa goddess. In Mayan culture, the cacao plant is sacred. Despite capitalism and industrial processing and mass production of chocolate, there are still a few cacao farmers who have protected the original cacao plant according to the original Mayan tradition, without plantation, without pesticides. These cacao plants grow under the protection of the copal tree in the middle of the jungle and are allowed to grow freely and wildly alongside woodpeckers and molds. They harvest the pods by hand, let the beans ferment and dry under the sun. The Mayan women roast the beans by hand on a fire bowl and sing about them with their Mayan songs. There, the Maya are said to have kept the power of IxCacao alive by honoring her holiness. According to them, she is the goddess of food, fertility, mercy & love and is a primordial feminine power that was available to all people in times of harmony with nature. According to tradition, she is also said to be the blood of Mother Earth.
When its special preciousness was recognized by great powers, its strength was abused by their power, so that it was used as a barter good, for example, and ultimately only a fraction of society had access to it and this was denied to the wider population. Instead, it became a “potion of the gods”. According to her prophecy, the power of IxCacao withdrew completely into the jungle to wait for the moment of greatest separation, in order to reveal itself to people so that they can reunite with their hearts, with each other and with Mother Nature, so that the world’s grievances can be brought back into balance through her.
Have you ever had a special experience during a cocoa ceremony that you would like to share? Every cacao ceremony is a profound experience for me. However, I particularly treasure the Wachuma healing ceremony of my dear friend Alicia. She initiated her healing ceremony in a special circle of feminine power. Her cacao ceremony with the shamanic drum journey serves as an important aspect of integrating the connection and as a healing conclusion to her San Pedro retreat. When she learned of my heart’s desire to combine the Pachamama ritual in an IxCacao ceremony, she invited me to perform it at her home. This special appreciation to be part of her healing ceremony in this female circle and the trust in my path touched me deeply. When I was allowed to perform this powerful ceremony with the Pachamama ritual in her protected space with the very special powers for the very first time in this form, I was overwhelmed by a deep reverence, humility and pure gratitude. My tears welled up and dripped over the gift to Mother Earth that I was trying to wrap. In the center of my heart I felt a deep pain, sadness and sorrow while the song “Akaal” by Ajeet played in the background of the ceremony. At the same time I felt the appreciation, love & trust of my friend, the gratitude of this special circle in the feminine energy as well as the interacting power of IxCacao and Pachamama replenishing me and my cells. It was indescribably overwhelming, magical and above all healing. I was able to feel that this path of the heart was undoubtedly the right one. It was a profound and meaningful experience for which I am so eternally grateful.
What role does music play in cocoa ceremonies? In my opinion, music plays a very important role. It not only connects a group, but also transmits more than just audible sounds and frequencies. In the sounds/words, feelings as well as intentions, which can be felt on a certain level, can be transmitted and can contribute to opening up even more to the healing power of cocoa and the power of music. I therefore consider cacao ceremonies in combination with, for example, singing & sound circles of mantras or heart songs to be very powerful, as they can bundle and potentiate the energies in the collective and prove to be very effective in the intentions. Healing frequencies can be sent out as a force field and received at the same time. The mantra “Akaal of Ajeet”, for example, is a very powerful mantra that touches my heart deeply. In honor of IxCacao and Pachamama, I have rewritten this song, which now always accompanies me on my path. I want to share it with everyone so that this intention and the healing power of this mantra can spread in this German-language IxCacao version in oneself and in very individual cocoa ceremonies.
If you are now interested – how and where could you take part in a ceremony? Is there anything to bear in mind? In spiritual circles there are now a large number of special people who feel called to offer heart-opening cacao ceremonies in various contexts. Be it women’s/men’s circles, singing/sound/music circles, healing retreats with natural medicine, empowerment & process support, ecstatic dance and much more. You may also come across cacao ceremonies at spiritual festivals and yoga studios. But perhaps the connection in the group seems strange at first, so that a cacao ceremony may initially take place in a very intimate or perhaps even completely alone in silence. It is important to listen to your heart and your very own needs.
As with any ceremony in which connections with energies are created, the intention of both oneself and the practicing celebrant is of great importance and is decisive for the power of the ceremony. Without truthfulness or deep appreciation of the powers and guardians of the wisdom of ancient cultures, ceremonies and rituals have little or no healing power. Here too, it is important to always listen to your heart in order to feel comfortable in the respective set and setting and to be able to engage with the power. Above all, the origin and quality of the pure raw cacao is the most important aspect when using and combining it in the ceremony. When selecting the cacao, it should vibrate as high as possible energetically, i.e. come from a loving and appreciative cultivation.
As a cocoa ceremony is an intake of a high-dose raw cocoa potion with special ingredients on an empty stomach, the health condition and tolerance of individual active substances and ingredients should always be checked before participation and additional and sufficient fluid intake should be taken into account. There are also contraindications to high doses, e.g. cardiovascular diseases, pregnancy, breastfeeding mothers, etc., which should be clarified in advance before deciding on a cocoa ceremony. Even though cacao in its raw form stimulates biochemical & psychoactive processes, it is one of the best researched medicinal plants, which is very loving and gentle in its power, so that no fears and doubts need arise before a connection, if all health concerns are excluded. From childhood we feel the deep connection to cacao and as most of us know, we love cacao and for good reason. =)
Human design and its different types – we have already heard about this in the course of self-optimization & Co. But what is it all about? I talked to Sandra about it. She discovered Human Design for herself, trained further and now coaches other people to help them live their best life.
Dear Sandra, let’s start with a question that I’m sure many people have in mind: What actually is human design? Human design is also known as the science of differentiation. Even though we are all the same, we are still unique.
The Human Design System, a synthesis of four ancient wisdom teachings – astrology, I Ching, chakra teachings and Jewish Kabbalah – helps us to understand our uniqueness. It is a kind of instruction manual for ourselves that helps us to understand ourselves better and also to better understand our loved ones.
We also talk about the neutrino theory. It states that neutrinos are emitted by the sun and give us individual abilities and characteristics that can be decoded by experienced human design analysts.
Human Design works with so-called charts. How are these created and what do they tell us? A Human Design chart consists of a body graphic in the middle and rows of numbers with small planetary images on either side.
The series of numbers are based on the exact dates of birth and reflect the positions of the planets at that time.
As soon as these numbers are entered into the body diagram, centers and channels are created in the chart. They are created by connecting individual gates.
In the end, we see defined (colored) centers that are connected by channels and undefined (white) centers. Both give us insights into a person’s personality, special abilities and characteristics.
The charts are like individual instruction manuals that help us to understand how we function, make decisions and generate energy.
Human Design Chart example of racecar driver Ayrton Senna
What are the benefits of this “instruction manual”? The Human Design System is particularly helpful for recognizing your own conditioning patterns and understanding yourself better. It acts as a kind of user manual that encourages you to rediscover suppressed strengths.
Among other things, living with an open G-center (white square in the middle of the chart) and longing for love and direction throughout your life can bring peace. In this way, you can experience that love and direction for these people arise along the way and are not fixed. It can strengthen your self-confidence to trust and follow your own intuition again.
Knowing your own chart provides a wide range of insights, for example about how life unfolds most easily for you, how best to enter into relationships and which decision-making process best suits your individual design.
Craving valuable insights about yourself? Sandra and the Human Design concept might be able to help you with that.
What types are there in human design? There are four basic types in human design: generators and manifesting generators (approx. 70 %), manifestors (approx. 8 %), projectors (approx. 21 %) and reflectors (approx. 1 %).
However, this distinction is not intended to pigeonhole people. It is rather the case that each of these types has a specific aura, and this is accompanied by different behavioral recommendations – in human design, we speak of strategies. Generators, for example, are encouraged to react to life and follow their joy, while projectors should wait for invitations and recognition in order to feel successful.
Knowing your own type is an important building block for living in harmony with your own nature.
Now that I know what type I am, what should I look out for next? After understanding your own type, the strategy is important. It shows how good decisions can be made. There are a total of seven different authorities that provide further insights.
Knowing your own type, strategy and authority is usually enough to be able to live and fully develop your own potential. This does not mean that there are no more challenges. They do exist and may continue to exist. But we then also know how to deal with them.
What else can I do with this knowledge? Apart from type, strategy and authority, the Human Design System offers a variety of other aspects such as profiles, centers, a possible split definition, the life task (also known as the incarnation cross), nutritional recommendations, relationship dynamics and life cycle analyses.
It gives us deeper insights into relationship and family dynamics, but can also provide information about how we move in the business world according to our design.
There is simply a lot about personal development opportunities. Everyone can decide individually how deeply they want to delve into the diversity of the system. Type, strategy and authority are the basis that I would recommend to anyone interested.
In which areas of life can Human Design “help” me? Human Design can be helpful in almost all areas of life by providing inspiration to recognize one’s own path and make course corrections. However, it is not a panacea; especially in health matters, you should always consult with experts. Ultimately, we should always follow our own intuition.
In this context, I find the story of a mother with experience in human design, for example, whose baby always got stomach ache when she gave him a bottle. She spoke to the doctor and he said that this was the case with some children. In the depths of the Human Design variables, she then found the information that her child could only digest food well when it was cold. So she tested pumping her milk and then feeding it later with a bottle. It worked. The stomach pains were gone. I would never go so far as to say that this always works. But it can be an option and if it doesn’t harm anyone, it can be tested carefully.
How did you come to work with Human Design? I spent a long time looking for a system that would help me to express what I perceive in others and what I feel about myself. The Human Design System provided me with the right words and a visual representation. This is how exchange can take place.
After I received a reading myself, I began to live by my design and test it out for myself. Shortly afterwards, I attended the “Living your Design” course and practiced it for a whole year just for myself. Once I was convinced, I deepened my knowledge of the basics and the analyst training.
The versatility, accuracy and practical applicability of the system fascinated me more than any other system. Most other systems are based on what we have learned in the course of our lives. There’s nothing wrong with that. But I really like the fact that it’s about characteristics and abilities that we have inherited by nature. From my perspective, living the way we were meant to can make us happier than living the way others thought was good for us.
To what extent do you advise people on the basis of human design? My coaching sessions focus on working with one’s own chart, developing and strengthening self-love and clarifying relationship and family issues.
My main aim is to understand the dynamics themselves, to be able to explain them and to help my clients strengthen the building blocks of ME, YOU and WE.
I also support mothers in understanding their children better and accompanying them with care.
Overall, I help with self-love, partnership, parenting and finding solutions to current challenges in family life together.
My guest today is the lovely Tina: a source of inspiration, facilitator, mentor for consciousness and ThetaHealing® teacher. She has completed numerous classical and spiritual training courses along the way, such as social psychology, alternative practitioner psychotherapy, energy work, systemic coaching, NLP, spiritual coaching, breathing training, bodywork, and meditation. Now the ThetaHealing® technique is at the heart of her work. In addition to individual sessions, she also offers training courses and seminars.
Dear Tina, welcome! We have an exciting topic today, namely ThetaHealing®. Before we go into more detail about what it is and what it can do, why don’t you tell us how you came to it?
For a long time, my life felt like a struggle, and I was constantly searching. Why am I here? What voice is speaking inside me? What is really for me?
When I started working with ThetaHealing®, I discovered elements I was already familiar with from meditation, hypnosis, brain research, NLP, prayer, quantum healing and also shamanic treatment methods. When I booked my first basic seminar, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it would be a meditation seminar that would enrich my training as a meditation teacher. But it was much more!
My very first contact with ThetaHealing with the wonderful Ana Meier gave me a deep feeling of “I have finally arrived home”. I am currently focusing on individual trainings and sessions and am accompanying the mentoring program “changinglifes”, which extends over 12 weeks.
Safe Space: Where the magic happens.
What does ThetaHealing® mean to you today?
For me, ThetaHealing® is the fastest and most direct way to show other people how they can actively influence their lives.
That sounds really nice. Let’s take a look at the basics: What is the ThetaHealing® technique and how does it work?
ThetaHealing® is a gift to us, with which we can cleanse and heal our body, mind and soul and find our inner potential. This method works through a special meditation technique that is so powerful and profound that healing can take place.
This technique was developed in 1995 by the American Vianna Stibal. ThetaHealing® is a complement to conventional medicine and is taught and used in conjunction with it.
We use the theta waves in our brain to access information and emotions.
What does that mean exactly?
We all have 5 main frequencies in the brain, one of which is always more dominant depending on the situation. Theta waves are active during hypnosis, the transition to sleep or very deep meditation.
Scientists have found that this frequency reduces stress and promotes relaxation. It can alleviate anxiety and supports mental clarity and creative thinking. It also inhibits pain and promotes euphoria.
And this is the frequency that the brain switches to during ThetaHealing®?
Exactly. In this way you can connect with what others call the “Higher Self”, God, the Field, the Universe or the Creator – as your heart believes it feels. We promote your inner healing by identifying your limiting beliefs and convictions together, deleting and dissolving them and replacing them with new, empowering, powerful and positive beliefs.
For which issues can this method be helpful?
ThetaHealing® can help with all life issues that limit or hinder you.
These can be fears and stress, relationship issues, trauma, realization, finding your life’s purpose, but also pregnancy and other family topics.
Family first! Tina is also a loving mom.
How does a session with you work?
First, we discuss your concerns and your desire for change together. Through an intuitive reading of your energy body and holistic observation, I am able to guide you to the core of your issue. I will ask you various questions about your issue.
We create a common vibrational field through which deep-seated blockages and belief patterns can be dissolved, body and soul harmonized, and hidden potentials can unfold.
The theta state, which corresponds to our dream consciousness, allows us to directly access the areas of your unconscious that make up 95% of our identity and behavior.
If we pursue the intention of intuitively receiving an image in this brainwave frequency that contains all the information to solve a certain psychodynamic, a real treasure rises up. You are allowed to understand and recognize your situation and can now bring the experience home into your conscious existence, ready to change and integrate.
Who would you recommend ThetaHealing® to?
To all people who feel: there is more to my life. To anyone who wants to understand why their world is the way it is. To all those who are ready to immerse themselves in their story without drama and are ready to rewrite it. To all those who want to gain deep understanding in order to live from the heart.
What advice do you have for anyone who would like to delve deeper into the topic after your interview?
If you would also like to offer ThetaHealing® or integrate it into your work, you should look for a Theta teacher with whom you feel comfortable and complete the basic training, which lasts 8 days. If you book a theta seminar, it should consist of 80% practice. Because only by working on ourselves can we become masters. Since 2021, I have been offering the basic training as a theta teacher myself, as well as some advanced seminars.
Thank you for the interesting interview, dear Tina!
While researching about water yoga, I came across Christa’s Instagram profile. She’s been teaching water yoga to both students and yoga instructors for quite a while now and even wrote a book about it.
I’m honored to have her on the blog today! In the interview, we talked about her journey into water yoga, how it’s different compared to yoga on land and what her teacher trainings looked like. Let’s dive in!
Dear Christa, yoga is very popular nowadays. Yoga in the water, however, is new for many. How did you get into that specific type of yoga?
I actually was introduced to it by another yoga teacher from Florida. She had a client with a pool who started inviting her over for Friday Ladies’ nights with wine and yoga in the pool. When she told me this, it blew my mind. I was like “oh you can do yoga in the pool? Why has no one ever told me this?”
I met her at a teacher training for yoga for arthritis. Immediately afterwards, I googled it and went to a training the next month, because it sounded like the best thing ever. The training was a good introduction and yoga in the pool quickly became my passion.
Before, I also taught chair yoga and yoga for kids. Super athletic flows were never my thing, so this new path fit quite well.
Were you able to take learnings from the yoga you’ve taught before into the aqua yoga teaching?
Good question! In kids’ and chair yoga, there’s a community aspect to it that also can be found in aqua yoga. A pool isn’t your typical quiet, zen-like yoga studio where everyone talks in low voices. Going to the pool is way more social and it’s a dynamic environment. While I also enjoy the inward-facing energy of a studio, the social aspect is kind of what I lean towards when teaching aqua yoga.
In what way does the practice feel different in the water compared to practicing on a mat?
The element of quiet is different. Some people find it harder to concentrate in an environment like the pool, where it’s busier than at a yoga studio. But at the same time – that’s life as it is. If you practice in a busy environment like this, you might find it easier to recenter when your everyday life gets hectic. That’s what yoga is about!
And there’s also the physical aspect. Water is denser than air, we can use it in different ways. For example, it makes more sense to move your hands through the water to work with the resistance, even if that’s not how you would usually approach a posture. Also, you need to stabilize more through your torso and your legs. So, it provides different movement planes, and significantly different muscular usage.
Safety is also a point: In studios, we don’t really have many seniors. In the water, they usually feel more comfortable. Here, they don’t really have the risk of falling and less risk of injury.
Speaking of seniors: Are there specific target groups that you would recommend aqua yoga to?
I choose to work with people with arthritis and joint conditions. But from a more athletic point of view, it’s still a super valid way to practice. There’s a lot more muscular effort because you have to break the surface tension of the water. Other sports are using the benefits of water already, so if you’re an athletic person looking for a new challenge, you’re still going to get a lot out of aqua yoga.
Yoga is very beneficial for our health. Does practicing in the water support or even enhance these benefits?
We do have research in yoga and in aquatics, but we have zero research in aqua yoga, unfortunately. So, we can only speak of potential benefits here – yoga tells us one thing, and aquatics tells us one thing, so, in combination, what does that mean for aqua yoga? Can we expect the combined benefits? We don’t know.
What could we expect? For example, everyone knows that yoga increases your flexibility. In the pool, you’re even more flexible, due to the buoyancy of the water. It gives us more joint space, not that it makes them larger, it just restores them to their maximum potential, because gravity crushes them down. So, you increase your range of motion and get more flexible.
Today, you’re not only a practitioner of water yoga. Tell us more about your journey from water yoga enthusiast to water yoga teacher.
I was a new teacher in general when I went to aqua yoga teacher training. I live in Florida, where almost everyone has a pool, so it seemed natural to me. I started at the local YMCA, which was a great place to start. You never know who’s going to join you for class, so you teach a lot of different people and you become a really good teacher really fast.
How did it come about that you started training other teachers?
People were literally asking me! They saw my pictures, heard me talk about it and came up to me to ask how they could work with me.
It took me some time to develop all the content. Before Covid, I developed a course and delivered it in person first, and then the next year I created the online component. Then Covid hit, and I already had that in place, so that was really good timing.
Living in Florida, you have the ocean right around the corner. Could you also practice there instead of in a pool?
As long as you can safely do it, yes. With little waves and gentle slopes, there’s no problem. I have trained teachers from Mauritius who don’t have pools available, so they teach in the ocean. They have great weather, barely any waves.
The same applies to lakes. The bottom is often an issue, because it might be muddy and not firm enough.
So, technically, any body of water would work.
You’ve also written a book about water yoga. What came first – the book or training other teachers?
The training. I was training people, I had a manual for that, and again, people approached me and said “Christa, you need to write a book!”. That was my Corona project. Since I’ve published the book, I’ve gone on and done a lot more writing, for example poetry. Before I started the training, I also self-published a book on yoga philosophy for the pool. That was kind of my first step and helped get me started.
So, I guess yoga philosophy is also a big part of your training?
It’s a sizeable chunk. In the certifications, we spend more time on the movement, however, I include all eight limbs of yoga. I try to make the philosophy part as accessible as possible, because many come just for the movement, and might think the philosophy part is a little “woo woo”. I try to meet people where they’re at.
What else is part of the training?
It’s a blended program because I don’t only train yoga teachers who want to move their teaching from mat to water. I also teach aquatics professionals who would like to get into yoga.
Water science is a given. We talk a lot about that. The aquatics professionals might already know a lot about that, but the yoga teachers don’t. And the aquatics professionals know less about the yogic aspects.
As a yoga teacher, you might think “I’ve done yoga for years, I got this”, but then you get into the pool, and plank pose is just a disaster (laughs).
Also, we cover the topic of props. We have kickboards, and pool noodles, and aquatic dumbbells. So, implementing them into yoga sessions is an important part of the training.
You can probably guess the next question: How do I actually do plank pose in a pool?
Obviously, you can’t just bend down and use the bottom of the pool. So, we need some sort of support.
Option one is the pool wall, which is very stable. It’s similar to using a wall or a chair in a yoga studio.
More challenging is when we do a plank in the center of the pool. At that point, we would need a pool noodle or two to support you. The principles are the same: your arms are straight; your body is in an approximately 45-degree angle with your toes attached to the pool floor. The challenge: the support is not attached to anything and your body tends to roll in the water. To hold that pose, it’s important to not bend the elbows, keep the arms straight, and engage the glutes.
What would you recommend to someone who’s a total beginner and wants to get into water yoga?
If you’re a total beginner, you’re probably more comfortable with trying a class. If there is no water yoga class, try one in the studio. Try your best to remember like 3 moves and then try them in the pool for yourself.
Relax about the thoughts like “am I doing it wrong”. If your chair pose in the pool doesn’t look like the one on land, that’s fine! Work with your breath and your mindfulness while you’re practicing.
You don’t even need to know how to swim! Just make sure you stay close to the pool wall and that your pool has a lifeguard on duty. If the water is up to mid-chest height, that’s ideal. Belly button level is also fine – less buoyancy offload but still less gravity than on land.
What’s next for you? Any plans for 2024?
I always have things in the works. I’m releasing a new book, that will hopefully be published in April. I’m also putting together 2 courses for people who already teach aqua yoga, as further education for this field is very rare.
Is that also what the book is about?
No, the new book is more about yoga philosophy: the Yamas and Niyamas, the Sutras… it’s aimed at beginners. It’s distilling it down to the most important aspects, so that you can easily integrate them in everyday life.
Sounds very exciting. Thank you for the interview and the pictures and good luck with all your projects!
Sunita Ehlers focuses on a holistic view of the body. As a yoga teacher and mindfulness expert, she attaches great importance to individuality and adapts all postures to the respective body and life circumstances. She has been training prospective yoga teachers, mindfulness trainers and meditation leaders since 2015 and Mindful Movement Trainers since 2022. And it was precisely this topic – Mindful Movement – that I talked to her about.
Dear Sunita, we know mindfulness and we know movement. What exactly does “Mindful Movement” mean to you?
For me, Mindful Movement involves a lot. On the one hand, it’s about the uniqueness of my body, but also about the current circumstances I find myself in. I can draw energy from postures and movement sequences. I can recharge my batteries or let off steam. I can express myself and connect my body, mind and soul. In my eyes, integrating mindful movement into everyday life is the most valuable thing of all, because it allows me to get exactly what I need from short moments.
How does this concept go hand in hand with yoga?
Yoga is Mindful Movement, mindful movement is yoga, but also much more. While in yoga we find ourselves, reconnect with ourselves, stay on our own mat and start to feel, mindful movement goes one step further. For example, it is also about being aware of emotions. Getting the energy that I need on a daily basis. For example: I’m exhausted and lacking energy; then I can get the energy I need through the appropriate movements.
Does meditation also play a role?
Yes, meditation, yoga and mindfulness come together in Mindful Movement. They combine to form a whole and take a holistic view of the body, mind and soul.
What is so special about this method?
The really wonderful thing is to make the decision: how do I feel… and how do I want to feel. And then to integrate exactly that from the movements. When I’m angry, it’s okay to be angry sometimes. On my mat, so that I can deal with anger better in everyday life. Or perhaps not perceive it quite so strongly in everyday life because I have already acted it out on the mat. Of course, this can also be applied to other emotions.
Why is practicing mindful movement so good for us?
Because it is holistic. And because it is wonderfully easy to transfer to everyday life. Ultimately, it’s about learning that how I move has an effect and how I feel has an effect on my body. Emotions and the body have a reciprocal effect on each other – in both a positive and ‘negative’ sense.
Who in particular can benefit from this?
That’s very easy to answer: EVERYONE.
You also offer training as a “Mindful Movement Trainer”. How did that come about?
Hm, that’s a little more personal. I’ve been training yoga teachers for several years now. I love practicing yoga and yet, as an instructor, I also notice that I feel powerful on some days and not on others. Adapting postures and movements so that I can practice them every day was the logical consequence for me. This is how the concept for the Mindful Movement training came about. It combines my areas – yoga, mindfulness and meditation – and is therefore more holistic and mindful than the yoga training courses I had known until then.
Who is this training for?
For anyone who wants to get to know yoga and who wants to adapt the postures and movement sequences to suit the current state of the body.
What can I expect from the training?
Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, music, community, philosophy and, of course, anatomy. Plus, Ayurveda and much, much more. It’s always a wonderful group in which I can learn how to simply be.
Do you have a tip for anyone who has never tried yoga or mindful movement? How could they get started?
Yes, just try it out. My advice would be to look at different teachers and approaches and allow yourself to simply feel. And then, when it clicks – and it will! – just keep at it.
I first came across Lauren’s account when I started getting more into Ayurveda. I loved her informative content against the beautiful backdrop of her tropical home. When she started shifting her focus more towards online classes, I took part in one of her challenges. Surprisingly, I was lucky enough to win a spot in her program “Yogipreneur Academy”!
Meet Lauren – creator of the Yogipreneur Academy!
She started this program because she wanted to help others achieve what she’s built for herself: Making a passive income with online courses to have more time to travel, visit loved ones, and – yes! – teach in person.
In this interview, she shares her first steps, her learnings and all the perks of teaching online.
Dear Lauren, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview! First, let’s give the readers a little intro about yourself. You’re American, but you live in French Polynesia. Could you share a little about your journey?
Hi! Thanks for having me :)! Yes, I am American, from New Jersey, but I’ve been living in Tahiti since the end of 2018! I met my now husband while traveling in Portugal in 2017, and he is from Tahiti. We traveled together for a few months, then he came with me while I was working in Bali, and then we came to Tahiti and we’ve been here since then!
How did you get into teaching yoga online? Tell us about your first steps.
I first got into teaching yoga online because when I first arrived in Tahiti, I realized really quickly that it was going to be really hard for me to still share yoga and Ayurveda in English with the community here because the language spoken here is French! I also realized that I wouldn’t learn French overnight. So that’s when I had the idea to try to offer something online, in English, that people could sign up for from anywhere in the world.
Teaching online, you don’t even need to leave your couch to reach your students.
In what way does teaching online feel different to you than teaching in person?
The beauty of having online offerings is that you’re able to connect with students all over the world! That is one thing that I really love about online teaching. I still feel connected to my students online, because we have a private group for members, live Q&As, and we stay connected! I also still teach 2 yoga classes in person every week because I still enjoy teaching classes!
Why did you decide to get more into online courses?
I decided to go more into online courses because I realized how much I love my freedom! That includes being able to travel, work from anywhere, create my own schedule and still share what I love – yoga, wellness, Ayurveda – but in a more passive way. I also saw that it worked! I was able to bring in income every month thanks to online courses. There are many people who like to learn and study online from the comfort of their home.
Travel to beautiful places – while still making money!
What were your biggest learnings during the process?
I think getting all the tech set up was one of my biggest learnings in the process! Making sure students were able to sign up, gain access to the course, get a welcome email, upload all the course videos, edit the videos, etc. 🙂
Your focus went from sharing mostly ayurvedic tips to sharing advice about creating a passive income as a yoga teacher. How did that come about?
This came about because I already had some online programs at this point. I had a prenatal yoga course and an Ayurveda course. Then, other yoga teachers started to ask me how I was able to travel for 6 months last year. They wanted to know how I created online offerings, how I was able to stop teaching so many in person classes, etc. That’s how it all started!
What does your life look like now, compared to before teaching online?
Before teaching online, I was either working full time as an elementary teacher and teaching yoga on the side, or teaching yoga full time. That meant meaning 14+ classes every week. I was tired and constantly felt like I had to prove myself, never feeling like I was earning enough money. Now, I teach 2 classes per week in person because I like to. The rest of my work is online! I love being able to go to the US and visit my family, go to Bali, create my own schedule and work for myself. I’m still working, but it’s less physically demanding and I’m able to do it on my own terms.
How did your work focus shift since teaching less in person?
Now that I’m only teaching 2 classes per week, I feel like it’s made me a better teacher both in person and online. When I was teaching full time, by the end of the week I always felt like a broken record, not always remembering what I had already said to which class, if we had already done the right side, etc. Now that I’m teaching less, I’m more present and happy to show up and teach, instead of feeling tired and burnt out. The same goes for online.
Why would you recommend teaching online as a yoga teacher?
I would recommend having an online component as a yoga teacher. It allows you to still share yoga, but without having to physically teach tons of yoga classes every week. I know a lot of yoga teachers experience burnout from having to teach many classes in order to earn enough money each month. By having an online component you can eliminate some of that! Sometimes people think that it has to only be one or the other- ONLY online or ONLY in person classes. But personally, I love a combination of the two. I love to see my students in person, and I love to have online offerings and have that more passive style of income coming in.
Lauren still loves teaching in person – but on her own terms.
Tell us more about how your program “Yogipreneur Academy” came to life.
Yogipreneur Academy is a program that I created to teach other yoga teachers how they can create, launch and sell their own online courses. It came to life because other yoga teachers started to ask me how I was able to travel, how I was offering things online, etc. so I decided to put together a program to show them how they could do the same thing. I love helping other yoga teachers and wellness professionals create their own online programs so they too can have a more freedom-based lifestyle!
This could be you, making money with an online course.
What’s your favorite part about teaching that program?
My favorite part of Yogipreneur Academy is seeing my students selling their first online courses!! It’s so fun to see and be a part of.
What’s the most important tip you would like to share with yoga teachers who are thinking about creating a passive income with online courses?
Getting something done and ready to share with the world is better than it being “perfect”! Just start!
It’s an honor for me to have Maryia as a guest on my blog today. Not only is she an avid yogini and my teacher trainer, but she’s also an experienced practitioner of Vipassana meditation. Having heard about it a lot, I was curious what she had to tell from her own experience. Read on and learn more about this interesting topic.
Dear Maryia, let’s start with the basics. What does Vipassana actually mean, what is behind this term?
The term is in Pali, which is kind of a daughter language of Sanskrit. Historically, it is somewhat younger. Pali was actually even a spoken language at the time of Buddha. So it is the language that Buddha spoke. I am referring to the last historical Buddha, the prince Siddhartha Gautama, who was later given the title Buddha.
In Pali, “Vi” means clear, and “Passana” means to see. Put together, this term therefore means “to see clearly”. It is also translated as “insight meditation”.
So the aim of the meditation is already somewhat hidden in the name?
Yes, the name is basically a kind of description.
We are supposed to gain insight. Insight into what exactly?
Ultimately, it’s about seeing yourself clearly, as you really are and not as you would like to see yourself. Sometimes we think we are ideal, but then realize that we are not always at our best.
In everyday life, we like to say “yes, but that’s only because of external influences”. For example, you’re only scared because a dog has barked; or you’re only angry because it’s someone else’s fault.
During meditation, however, you realize that these so-called obstacles are on the inside – and you learn to overcome them.
Later, when the dog barks, you are less afraid, and even later perhaps you’re not afraid at all.
However, this is not behavioral therapy, but a natural result of inner insight. Something changes inside through the mindfulness that is practiced during meditation.
And the insight goes beyond yourself. You also gain a deeper understanding of the nature of all things.
Meditation as a path to more insight and deeper understanding
This insight sounds very desirable. How does meditation try to achieve it?
Vipassana is an umbrella term for several techniques. So we are not talking about “the” Vipassana – you can find different techniques, traditions and lineages under the term.
The foundation, however, is the Buddha’s teaching, which is based on mindfulness. You achieve introspection through mindfulness. This word is used excessively nowadays – but what I mean by it, in the sense of the Buddhist teachings, is the original Pali term “Sati”. This means something like “remembering”. It means to be aware of what is happening.
In one of the Buddha’s teachings, the Satipatthana Sutta, he mentions four areas in which this “remembering” can be developed:
Mind – inner activity, for example thinking, planning, analyzing.
Objects of the mind, for example states of dislike or resistance, fear, anxiety.
The inner obstacles that I just mentioned belong to the group of mental objects that you can describe in more complex terms than just pleasant or unpleasant. You can develop mindfulness for them.
Develop mindfulness – not only for the breath
What does that mean exactly?
When I am sitting, I know – I remember – I am sitting. Or if I have an unpleasant feeling in my leg, I know – this is an unpleasant feeling. Or I think about what the weather will be like – that’s thinking at first, but then I might worry that it might rain and I might fall ill.
The transition from thinking to worrying is already a transition from mind to mental object.
Then there is a second very well-known discourse, the Anapanasati Sutta. Anapana is practically breathing in and breathing out, i.e. developing mindfulness in relation to the breath. This is why observing the breath plays a role in most Vipassana traditions, because we always have the breath “with us”. The body too, but the breath has a certain rhythmic change.
If there is a feeling in the leg, we could lose ourselves in speculation about where it comes from and thus no longer be present. Anapanasati therefore means training mindfulness of the breath.
Can you say a bit more about the different traditions?
There are some teachers from the East and the West alike, some ordained monks, some lay people, so many teachers who call their practice Vipassana and others who perhaps don’t have much to do with the traditions of Theravada Buddhism. This is the oldest Buddhist current, also known as Southern Buddhism.
Nowadays we find it in Thailand and Burma, for example, while Mahayana is present in China and Japan. This is a different direction, but is also based on the teachings of the Buddha. And then there is Tibetan Buddhism, which originated from Mahayana and is linked to the Tibetan tradition.
Regardless of where you studied or what background you have, someone may call their practice Vipassana – this is not a protected term. It is therefore always a good idea to find out what is behind it.
There are techniques that do not have precise instructions on how to practice. This is then quite open, such as “observe your breath and everything you can perceive” or “walk slowly and observe your steps” and there are techniques that define everything relatively precisely.
I personally have been practicing in the tradition of the Most Venerable Phra Ajahn Tong Sirimangalo since 2006. He was a very highly respected monk in Thailand who left this world in 2019. His teacher, when he was young, was a well-known Burmese master in Burma.
He defined this original idea more precisely and developed it into his technique and Ajahn Tong modified it even further. His technique is quite precisely defined. There are three exercises that are always performed one after the other and naming is also used, which is not the case with every Vipassana exercise. In this case, it is a tool for developing mindfulness.
Listening inside, defining what you feel
Is this usually guided or rather silent meditation?
These three exercises are explained to you in detail at the beginning and then you practice for yourself and, depending on the setting in which the whole thing takes place – just one evening or a whole course – you also have regular discussions with the teacher who is present on site.
This practice has the advantage that you are always accompanied and can always consult and check in with a person who is present.
How did you discover Vipassana?
A very good friend of mine did a course and told me about it. Then another friend said, “that’s interesting, I’ll do it too” and then I thought I’d give it a try as well.
And then you realized that it was something for you?
Yes, it’s been 17 years now and I have to say I’ve done it very consistently over the years. At least when I was still childless, I did three intensive courses a year, and even now I try to keep at it. The great thing is that you can also practice the technique in everyday life, not just on retreats – you can also talk to the teachers on the phone. This is a relief for many situations in life, for example when you have a small child (laughs).
Before that, I had actually imagined meditation differently. I thought it was just mental calm, that everything was beautiful and peaceful, and of course that’s something special. But I realized that Vipassana is different. You see things in yourself that you might not want to see – so not everything is beautiful and peaceful – but I felt the effect.
Situations that used to challenge me a lot in everyday life have naturally improved without me having to tweak anything.
You come back after a retreat and bosses, partners, landlords are the same, everything has stayed the same – but I feel better, I can cope better. That was the incentive for me to keep going and do more courses.
You are then with yourself and simply want to get better, and not just superficially, but from the ground up. That’s hard work. It’s tempting to say “one wipe with a feather duster is enough”, but one “full wash with detergent” is of course much cleaner (laughs).
A retreat is probably like a “full wash”. Can you tell us about how it works?
A retreat is indeed recommended for the “full wash”, even if you can also try out Vipassana in an evening.
In the tradition of Venerable Ajahn Tong, the first basic course lasts 15 days and the subsequent ones 10 days, in a meditation center, because there is on-site guidance and the whole process is designed to allow you to concentrate on the matter at hand.
It’s basically a vacation, but very different. At the beginning, everything is explained to you in detail, then you start with the exercises for yourself, and there are always discussions. There are two meals a day, there are always breaks between the meditation sessions. You don’t do much else, you don’t use your cell phone, you don’t read books, you just fully immerse yourself in the experience.
Retreat – a time just for you
So you shouldn’t plan it in such a way that you explore the place in the meantime?
No, I would do that before or after. It’s really important for the effect to get fully involved. Of course, it’s unfamiliar, especially the first time, so it can be good to do a short introduction beforehand.
To what extent does the type of meditation you practice differ from the meditations that readers may have already tried?
In yoga we tend to think of it as concentration and focus, in some traditions, meditation can also be dynamic, connected to nature or sound; there is such a wide range of what we call meditation.
I would say that if meditating with mindfulness appeals to you, then follow your intuition and try it out, but come with an open mind. Forget everything you’ve ever heard or done, because every method and tradition is somewhat different. Get fully involved for the chosen period of time and then you’ll see if it’s for you.
Ready for some contemplation?
If you’ve now got the desire to try it out, what would be your tip for someone who has never come into contact with Vipassana before but has been inspired by your words?
Of course I would be very happy about that!
We are very fortunate in Germany. The main monastery of the tradition is in Thailand, but we don’t have to fly there because we have two meditation centers in Germany that belong to this tradition.
On November 26, the director of one of these centers will give an introduction at our Yoga Vidya Center Frankfurt. She has been connected to our center for a long time and was with us for the first time in 2007.
This is an evening where you can get an introduction from her, ask her questions and have your own first experience. The event is on a donation basis, as is customary in all Vipassana traditions.
On December 12, there will also be a Vipassana evening at our yoga center with Venerable Phra Ajahn Ofer Adi, a Buddhist monk and meditation teacher who has been practicing Vipassana since 1989.
Who would you recommend Vipassana to?
Everyone! (laughs) I think everyone can benefit from it, but you shouldn’t do it with the idea that everything is just nice. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to gain insight for themselves.
Are there people you would not recommend it to or even contraindications?
Not exactly, but in the case of psychological problems or addiction, it would be important to clarify this with the teacher beforehand and to be completely open about it. If it really wasn’t suitable for you, you would get an appropriate answer.
Is there a guideline on how often you should practice?
Not officially, but like any other practice, it works best when it is part of everyday life. Ideally, if you manage to do it every day – maybe even just 10 minutes – you start to feel the benefits. But once a month is still better than nothing at all. Just make the most of the free time you have.
When was the last time you just let yourself be a child again? Bringing a sense of ease and playfulness into your life is the purpose of Danilo’s very own concept “Playfight – Flowcatcher”, connecting you with your inner child and warrior.
Danilo has always been enthusiastic about physical movement, practicing yoga, dance and different types of martial arts. Today, he leads workshops to make you feel more free, grounded and light.
I sat down with Danilo by the Rhine River in my old hometown Bonn to talk to him about what he aims at with “Playfight – Flowcatcher”. It was very informative, and also a lot of fun!
Dear Danilo, in our exchange so far I could already tell: Playfight is your absolute passion. Why don’t you explain what’s behind this term?
Playfight is a word that’s coming out in a big way right now. You can define it as playing and brawling. It started in earlier times, as something mystical, a game with the spirits, a meditative activity. In the Middle Ages, the fun factor was added – for example, parents playfully scuffled with their children.
So has the fun factor always been there?
That’s difficult to say, you can only work with estimates. Nowadays, with games and scuffles, people are looking for a connection with others.
Forming a connection is a crucial part of Danilo’s concept
So not only among children?
Exactly. We know how it often is: I don’t know strangers, I don’t need to get close to them. But if you approach it playfully, it’s actually quite easy to reconnect and not be such strangers to each other. You often forget that, but we’re all the same when we play.
Playfighting also requires a lot of physical effort. Many people are no longer used to that.
Of course it’s physically demanding, but the good news is that it’s a game – a fun fight. While you’re playing, you don’t really notice how strenuous it is. Afterwards, you come out happily exhausted. If you then extend that – as I do – you integrate other parts of the body, strengthen them, relieve them. And that in connection with play… there can be so much for mind and body. Perhaps one has regained a piece of childhood.
I still remember myself how much I liked to simply scuffle as a child. Is that simply the basis of your workshops? You encourage your participants to be children again?
Being children again – Danilo and his participants
Yes, the thing is that I have often heard “I’m too old, I can’t play anymore”. Then I always have to answer “You didn’t stop playing because you’re old. You got old because you stopped playing.”
What is particularly nice is that in this context a protected space has been created where one can simply play quite freely. No one can see me making an ass of myself, so to speak, or playing like a child. You often feel ashamed, but when you have the opportunity to do that in a protected space, you often wonder why you ever stopped.
Do you also know cases where an aggressive energy came out rather than a playful one?
I’ve experienced both, but not really aggressive. You make it very clear at the beginning that you’re playing, that it’s not serious. You realize that relatively quickly, and respect also develops very quickly. You don’t want to show who’s better – which is not the point at all – but it’s just about playing and letting go. You can also agree on the intensity of the scuffle beforehand, for example, if you want to test boundaries.
One game I like to incorporate: I put on a sock, you put on a sock, and we try to take each other’s socks. And then pretty quickly you’re in a little playful wrestling match. You grab each other’s shoulders, push each other to the ground, but we start at the knees, there’s not much that can happen. That alone creates so much fun!
You just said it’s not about being better than the other one. But is there still a winner, or how does such a fight end?
In the game with the sock, for example, you can say that it starts over when a sock is taken off. You can also try to get out of a position, for example, if someone is sitting on top of you, or you can try to push your partner to the ground for three seconds.
Fighting in good fun: A break is always possible
If I am in a situation where I feel uncomfortable, how could I stop?
My workshops are not just called Playfight, but Playfight – Flowcatcher. That means I show a lot of different flowing movements and different types of playfight. When we fight playfully, I also like to show movements from self-defense. For the warm-up, I also show how to free yourself. Of course, you can always say “Stop” and take a break at any time you like.
What other influences affect your concept? You’ve already mentioned martial arts – what else are there?
A lot from dance sports, I like to dance very much myself, and have incorporated many movements. Flowing movements with the whole body are a great warm-up, Ecstatic Dance, Capoeira, Contact Dance can be mentioned here. This can be designed and varied in a very free and playful way. For example, with a blindfold you get even more into the feeling.
Playfulness is key – move as you feel!
Do people come to your workshops with friends or alone?
Most come alone; those who come in pairs are usually couples. Mostly people want to reconnect with others, because that has become really difficult nowadays.
Right now is actually an ideal time for that, because many have had a lack of physical contact due to the pandemic.
Absolutely. There are always those who have completely withdrawn due to Corona, but those are only a few. Most of them are looking for that connection right now and throwing themselves into it, and that’s really nice to see. I am very happy that I can experience this time now after this low – like a Phoenix from the ashes.
It gives me a lot to hold this space, to pass on my knowledge and experience and to see what happens when you let go a little bit.
Again, back to the dance and martial influences – you mentioned earlier that you incorporate them into your warmup. Do you also encourage participants to weave them into their fighting?
I also like to weave in animal moves, for example monkey walks, where you walk on all fours. You’re not used to that kind of movement anymore, especially if you’re doing a sedentary job. It’s incredibly good for you, because your spine is often under tension. Moving around in all kinds of ways strengthens and relieves the back. In between, I also always invite you to linger in the Yogi Squat, or just let yourself hang out if you find a pole in a playground.
Can I take part in such a workshop even if I am absolutely unathletic?
Of course! You don’t need to be athletic at all, it’s all about the playing and brawling, and everyone can do that.The beauty is that you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. There are always movements that are easier, but the main thing is to have fun and connect – also with yourself. That you rediscover or remember things, movements that used to bring you joy. As soon as you behave like a child again, you become more open – to other things and people. You repress a lot and no longer dare to act out this playfulness. I always see the heart open in the eyes of the participants.
Keyword “finding a connection with yourself” – that’s a parallel to yoga and meditation.
As soon as you focus on one thing and block out everything else, which happens every time at these workshops, you are automatically in a kind of meditation.
Then maybe that’s even more accessible to those who say they can’t sit still?
Right. Of course, traditional meditation also has great qualities and I like to use it at the end of workshops.
It’s probably easier then after letting off steam.
Exactly, especially for people who never really move their body otherwise.
As for the yoga, after the warm-up, we mobilize and do a dynamic stretching session. Of course, yoga is also part of that.
Describe how a workshop like this works for you.
Danilo leading a workshop
First, we all get together in a circle and introduce ourselves so that we get to know each other a bit. Everyone shares a word, a sentence or an intention as to who they are and why they’re here. Sometimes I also include a trust game at the beginning, which can always look different. Then we continue with a warm-up to prepare the body. Here, too, I always vary. Then we mobilize and stretch to get in the right mood for the following movements. And then comes the playful part with animal moves – we imitate a few animals (laughs). This warms us up further and strengthens the whole body, without us even noticing. Then there’s a smooth transition to a contact dance.
Do you let people choose their own partners?
First of all yes, then I announce a change, so that people who brought someone with them also get in contact with someone else. With a new person you have to adjust all over again. This new adjustment challenges our “inner warrior” by testing boundaries – something we hardly dare to do otherwise. The inner warrior also stands for determination, assertiveness, qualities that we can always put to good use.
So the participants are in contact dance. After that, there is then fighting?
After that, I show a few more flowing movements, such as from capoeira. So then it comes to using dance moves to dodge attack maneuvers like kicks. Animal moves also come into play here, mixed with the martial – you become a Kung Fu Panda, so to speak. (At this point we had to take a break due to laughter).
You just realize, “I now have a large repertoire of movements and can move out of situations in many ways” – whether that’s kicking movements, monkey walk, or dog looking down.
And then from there it flows into playing and roughhousing. And since there are so many flowing movements involved, I call it flowcatching.
Always fighting with respect – and fun 🙂
Do everyone fight in pairs at the same time, or do only two fight at first and the others watch?
There are both. Someone can be in the middle and choose another participant as a partner. The others watch the playfight, then the one who was chosen picks someone new. But everyone can also choose someone and it is fought in parallel in the room.
It is also very important to me that the participants can always withdraw if they don’t feel comfortable with something, without justification. Of course, before the fight I also explain that the partner should be treated with respect, that you don’t want to hurt anything. In consultation with the partner, the tussle can be as gentle or as dynamic as you like. All in all, such a workshop lasts between two and three hours.
What does the conclusion look like?
First of all, we lie down on our backs, similar to Savasana, to calm down, relax and let everything take effect. Especially in the summer, when the workshops take place in the forest, this is very nice. Indoors you don’t always have mats, but often I take some with me. Sometimes I also recommend knee and elbow pads to the participants.
We also often do a circle where we share how we’re feeling. And then the class ends differently, maybe with an Om, maybe with a breathing exercise, a group hug – I do that spontaneously.
Speaking of hugs, you read over and over again how good hugs do you. So we’re bound to take something positive away from the physical contact at Playfight, right?
Absolutely, if only because we let ourselves get involved with another person and thus open up. For many, that’s an overcoming. The playful side also brings out not only the Inner Warrior, but also the Inner Child. In the times we live in, our childlike side is often no longer active at all, and many long to reawaken it – even to communicate just that, and to re-establish that connection with others.
And that’s your drive, too?
Definitely. Both verbally and physically, in a playful way. It’s just so inside me, I’ve always felt that, and then at some point I was able to give the first workshop and flourish doing it – not only doing it myself, but also passing it on. People are getting more and more infected now.
How do your participants leave such workshops?
It’s really magic, what happens there. One is happily exhausted and has noticed that one has become more open. For some it has a bit of an after-effect, others know immediately “that’s what I’ve always been looking for”. Many gain more courage from it and then want to pass it on – either in everyday life or in such a way that it fits their own activity. You also experience your body in completely different movements. On a physical as well as on a mental level, a lot of things come loose.
Feeling free: Danilo loves passing on his passion
If I want to continue after a workshop, how would you go about finding someone privately to do it?
If I want to continue, I actually just have to take the initiative by getting myself to do movements from my childhood again, without fear of looking ridiculous. Playfight can be done anytime and anywhere, with friends, family members….
Sometimes, of course, you meet people who don’t really want to open up anymore. You can’t force anything, all you can do is share what you’ve experienced that’s beautiful, and maybe that sets an impulse. For me personally it was like that, that I heard about a workshop, took part and realized “this is it, finally!”.
We’ve talked a lot now about the benefits. Who can particularly benefit from it, who would you particularly recommend your workshops to?
Both young people and adults. Very many young people don’t do any sport at all, and I think the body simply has to be used. Often they simply haven’t discovered what they like to do yet. Especially these young people should be shown as wide a range as possible of what you can do with your body. Through all the movements that flow into my workshops, you can easily find out what you like and what you don’t like. And the prevention of physical ailments at a young age should not be underestimated.
Physically demanding but still playful: Playfighting is for everyone!
Do you differentiate between age groups in your workshops?
No, not at all, only the benefits are different, everyone takes away something different for themselves.
That’s nice when generations meet, isn’t it?
In any case, it’s a very interesting experience to do this playful exercise with someone who belongs to a different age group. In this atmosphere, age is quickly forgotten.
What would you like to pass on to people who have now developed an interest in the subject as a result of this interview?
Through word of mouth and social media groups, you can find information and dates for workshops. I think everyone should have tried that to see what happens to you. What can I discover or rediscover? What can my body do? In general, it’s a great way to connect with others and foster openness. In this day and age, we especially need that!
What do you say to those who would like to, but don’t dare?
My message would be: since we have a body, it should be respected, savored and used to the fullest. It would be much too bad not to discover it.
Beautiful conclusion, thank you so much for this interview!
Connect with Danilo and stay up to date about his workshops via Instagram or Facebook!
“Mantra” – we have all heard this word before, even if it is only through the phrase “repeating something like a mantra”. But there is much more behind this term. Many yoga novices perceive the chanting of mantras at first as rather alienating (yes, me too!), but then discover their love for the mystical sounds. But what are mantras and how do they affect us?
I talked about this topic with Suryadevi and Devadas.
Suryadevi has been an enthusiastic yogini for about eight years and has already experienced various yoga styles on her way. Music has accompanied her since her early childhood: she was passionate about playing the flute and singing in the choir.
Since 2022, she has been learning to play mantras on the harmonium and has recently begun practicing the ukulele. When she is not performing music, she makes beautiful jewelry for which she also uses the power of mantras: she energetically charges her handmade gemstone malas and bracelets with her own special healing mantra.
You can get your own handmade Mala on request.
Devadas has been interested in spirituality since childhood. After graduating from high school, he came in contact with the Bhaktiyoga movement, where he was deeply inspired by chanting and reciting the mantras. As a result, he devoted himself completely to the spiritual path, traveled to India several times and also began to play the harmonium there.
Back in Germany, he began to play it in downtown Munich. Today he lives his vocation as a mantra musician, but also as a yoga teacher, health advisor and director of an Ayurveda correspondence course.
Dreamteam: Devadas and his Harmonium
One of Devadas’ seminars brought the two together – fittingly, it was one called “Mantra Singing from the Heart.” Today, they share their lives together, as well as their passion for mantras – not only with each other, but with the world. As a couple, they give numerous seminars on mantra singing, learning to play the harmonium, or mantra meditation; Devadas has also released several mantra and yoga CDs of their own.
Dear Suryadevi and Devadas, first of all thank you very much for taking the time for this interview! With your experience in the field of mantras, you are the absolutely ideal interlocutors for this topic. How did you come into contact with the healing power of mantras?
Devadas: I read the Bhagavad Gita during my high school graduation in 2001-2003. After graduating from high school, I twice attended a Sunday festival of the Hare Krishna movement, an international society for Krishna consciousness, in my hometown of Stuttgart, where kirtan was sung intensively and also very interesting and moving things were said about the transformative effect of spiritual mantra practice.
This motivated me to visit a spiritual festival of the Hare Krishna movement. The impressions I experienced there and the intense energy of the mantras did not let me go from then on. I then spent two years in the temples of the Hare Krishna movement and traveled to India five times in the following years. It also made me decide not to study medicine but Ayurveda and yoga, which I still think is the better way for me.
Suryadevi: I first came in contact with mantras during my yoga teacher training in the desert of California. While chanting the Gayatri Mantra, which is one of the oldest mantras, my heart immediately opened wide. Since then, singing mantras with others has given me immense joy and become my great passion.
A beautiful passion! For those of the readers who don’t know anything about mantras, what is a mantra?
Suryadevi: Mantras are primal sounds that help us to detach our consciousness from excessive identification with material sense objects and reconnect with the spiritual source of consciousness. Mantra is a Sanskrit word and literally means “that which liberates the mind.”
Devadas, you mentioned the term “kirtan” earlier. What does it mean?
Devadas: Kirtan translates as “praising the holy names of God.” It refers to the chanting of mantras and spiritual songs. Kirtan and mantra singing are interchangeable terms. Mantras and kirtan songs are traditionally chanted in alternation, with one person singing before and the group chanting after.
This alternation of active singing along and passive listening can be a very meditative and joyful experience, if one is willing to engage in it. Typically, kirtan is accompanied by harmonium and possibly drums and cymbals.
The phrase “repeating something like a mantra” probably originated from this alternate chanting – what does this repetition do for us when chanting mantras?
Suryadevi: The mind can come to rest through it, if one gets involved in it, and an expanded spiritual state of consciousness arises.
Through which then the meditative experience just described comes about?
Suryadevi: Exactly.
Repetition aside, how do mantras and kirtan affect us in general?
Devadas: Mantras and kirtan bring us into connection with our true Self, the original source of all sound and energy. We enter an expanded spiritual state of consciousness that is experienced as very sublime and pleasant.
The heart opens, so to speak – the access to our Spiritual Self becomes very easy to experience. Thus, the qualities of the True Self, such as pure divine joy and love, can show themselves unhindered.
Guiding a kirtan evening together
That sounds very similar to the spiritual effects of yoga practice. Is that why mantras and asanas complement each other so well?
Suryadevi: In short, our energy body consists of chakras, the energy centers, and nadis, the energy pathways, and the Sanskrit word nadi comes from nada, which means sound. So the word nadi already contains the hint that we can have a healing effect on the energy body through mantras and sound. Asanas do the same, they affect both the gross and the subtle body.
Also, each asana is associated with one or more chakras and life themes, which we can support through the action of mantras, which also each act on specific chakras and their life themes.
Devadas: The soothing sound of the mantras helps yoga practitioners to better unwind during the yoga class and easily go deeper into the asanas.
Serenity and stability in asanas thanks to mantras
Do you also personally use the power of the mantras in this way?
Suryadevi: For us, too, we regularly sing kirtan and use mantras daily for blessings, for example before meals, for protection and energetic purification, and for healing. From time to time we also do a Homa – a fire ritual intense fire ritual with mantra recitation to effectively enhance the effect of the mantra.
Devadas: When we practice with mantras with participants of our seminars, yoga classes and concerts, it is a wonderful uplifting sadhana (spiritual practice) for ourselves. Sharing the dimension of mantras with our fellow human beings is also the greatest joy for us, for which we are very grateful.
This sharing takes place in the form of seminars. What is the purpose of these seminars and how do you want the participants to feel afterwards?
Devadas: In our seminars we focus on healing and transformation. We are aware of the healing power of sounds and silence. But also we always connect with nature.
Suryadevi: Our seminars are inspired by our own lifestyle and healing path. Therefore, we want to share our knowledge with others and inspire them to also joyfully walk the path of healing and spiritual transformation themselves. The main qualities we teach are relaxation, joy of life, self-love, and playful lightness.
In front of a beautiful backdrop while teaching a seminar in Westerwald
Where do the ideas for your topics come from?
Suryadevi: The topics and content for our seminars come directly from our personal experience with mantras, healing and spiritual transformation. Our whole life is deeply connected with mantras and these topics – so you could also say that the topics for our seminars are taken from our everyday life and experience itself.
Do you also choose the mantras for your yoga classes according to these aspects?
Devadas: Yes, each mantra yoga class is named after a particular life theme, such as “BHAKTI – God Love & Self Love”. The mantras, sutras and sometimes self-penned poems are each chosen thematically to fit this theme and the respective yoga exercises.
To what extent is a mantra yoga class even more profound than a yoga class without mantra accompaniment?
Devadas, you have even recorded several CDs. How did that come about?
Devadas: In 2007, a passerby encouraged me to record my own kirtan CD while I was singing kirtan in the pedestrian zone in Munich. That was actually the trigger that this passerby repeatedly encouraged me to do so – even downright challenged me 🙂
From 2006 – 2013 I sang regularly about 3 times a week for a few hours mantras in the center of Munich as a “Transcendental Street Musician”. This resulted in my first three CDs “Mantra Rasa – Transcendental Street Music 1 – 3”. In later years, starting in 2015, another Kirtan CD, a meditation and deep relaxation CD and two Mantrayoga lesson CDs were created.
In the meantime, you have started your joint heart project “Surya Spirit”. Tell us something about it to top off this interview.
Suryadevi: “Surya” stands for the sun and “Spirit” for the immortal soul. Translated, it means something like “the radiant self.” With our project we want to remind people to find the access to their true self in a simple and understandable way. We inspire them on their transformative healing path of spiritual awakening.
Thank you so much, you two!
Are you curious about what Suryadevi and Devadas have to offer? Then check out their seminars!
Follow the path of their heart project “Surya Spirit” on Instagram, on Facebook or their website.
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