How my journey started ...

Yoga, like life, is a never-ending journey. Below is how my journey started and where it has led me so far. There is always more to explore and learn!

My name is Yuliya, and I'm glad to see you here!

Make yourself at home and take in all the great things on this site!

My journey started back in 2007, and I can still remember exactly what it was that prompted me to develop a curiosity about yoga. I started to feel exhausted from studying at University, preparing for debate and dance competitions, an unhealthy diet, parties, a part-time job, staying up late, and all the bad things that it brings in the end. I couldn’t get out of this seemingly never-ending cycle, and it was driving me crazy.

I wanted to stop and have a little break from this busy lifestyle, and somehow I ended up sitting on a towel and trying to breathe properly, as much as I can, it was that I first learned about yoga - breathing.  Afterward, I asked myself, if I like what I  felt, I decided I definitely should learn more about it, and slowly I started researching more information about yoga. But I didn't go so deep into it at that time (back then yoga wasn't as popular and there were only a few studios in the next city over, which made it difficult for me to get there. I tried to find any information I could and it was really slow, "I had been focused on running and trying to eat properly at that time. Well, at least it was something!" :)

Well, when I graduated from my University, I was immediately hired and dived into my work routine. A few years later moved to South Korea and got busy learning Korean, got a job and totally was into Korean busy life. The endless rushing in physical and mental aspects made itself known with exhaustion, the anxiety of running out of time, physical tiredness, and stiffness. I took a break after several years, but after a while, I had this overwhelming sense that something was missing and if I do not change my habits and not start to create some time for myself by doing exercises and feeling myself up it'll bring a lot of consequences! I started waking up early, running, eating properly as much as I could, do my yoga exercises just by reading yoga books and watching a few videos. Slowly life began to change and I realized that there is something more, that I can find out with yoga, and without a master or teacher I'll float and not move forward and stuck. I thought I need a teacher who can show me the right path and help to understand how to practice physically and mentally.  I started looking for yoga teacher training, and it was pretty hard, cause I didn't know anyone who already had experience with it. One day, it was September or October open mic I think, can't remember exactly, but it was after the summer holidays. A beautiful, openhearted and amazingly interesting girl Kate, who was an English teacher in my town was there that time and told me about her yoga teacher training trip to India... Bingo, I found where I should go! I was so excited!

My mom and friends said that it might be dangerous to go there by myself, but I knew that was what I needed and that everything will be OK!

• I hit the road in December 2018 to travel around New Zealand first. I had a great experience in New Zealand before I dive into learning yoga in the famous and holy place where all people around the world come to learn yoga - Rishikesh city. The city in India's northern state of Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River. My school, better say the Ashram was on the top of the mountain, with a beautiful waterfall on the button. there were about 25 students in my group, who lived for one or two people in wooden small houses. Fortunately, my roommate was a gorgeous and adorable person, her name was Jacqueline. We got a close friend from the first day, she had more yoga experience and taught us a lot about it. All our group mates were extraordinary and interesting peeps.

Here I met my first guru and teacher Anoop, who was a knowledgeable, strict, and kind person.  I studied with Anoop and tried to catch as much as I can. I was like a small child who start to learn new exciting things with an open mouth! The training itself was Hatha and Ashtanga based and covered all the aspects of pranayama (breathing), asana (postures), and meditation. Physically it was hard but it was the mental and emotional stuff that almost made me give up. It was an intensely overwhelming experience but I made it through, as did all the other amazing teacher trainees who completed the course with me. During my training, Anoop installed a lot of knowledge in me that I would come to understand as the weeks went by. He also introduced me to a more physical form of yoga called Ashtanga. From Anoop, I learned all the things I was doing wrong (in typical yoga fashion) but this only compelled me to learn more.

I had more knowledge than before so self-practice came a bit easier. I practiced where I could; in a burnt-out building,  cottage, on balconies, on the grass outside my tent, on the beach..... The ground was not always even but like life, these are the battles we must face and I just adjusted my balance accordingly. Sometimes successfully, other times not. But the practice comes in the practice itself, what we learn on the mat and what we take into life is what is important. Not the fact that we can or cannot sit in lotus or get our legs behind our heads. I only had one formal teacher on this part of my journey.

• In the same year at the end of the summer I headed to Thailand to learn more about yoga, because I fall in love with Yoga completely. My second teachers in Thailand were Hari and beautiful Shiwali from India. Hari gave a lot of interesting facts and tips about Ashtanga yoga and Shiwali professional in Hatha yoga. She had a serious knowledgeable side about the theory of Yoga that I also gained a lot from. 'Just take your own path and do it your own way' were the words she spoke that changed me the most. This time my group included just 4 students, and we became pretty close, especially with Pat, her smile is magnificent and heart wide as an ocean. I  had a wonderful time there studding, meditations, hiking, swimming, dancing, and all those beautiful people!

When I back to Korea I started to teach Yoga and share my knowledge with others at several places,  and it was fantastic, I felt awesome when my students gain benefits from yoga practice and how yoga affected their lives. I have grown my teaching skills with every class and enjoyed it.  Also, I met an incredibly talented Korean yoga teacher and started to work at her studio as well. Much to my surprise, she asked me to teach kids and teen yoga classes. I was both flattered and nervous, but it opened new sides of thousand possibilities in the yoga path that you can open for yourself.

• After 4 years of teaching, I was led back to Anoop in June 2022 to complete an intensive five-week training course to evaluate my skills and explore more about small details of proper teaching yoga.  After over a decade of self-practice, I finally felt ready to take the final leap. Anoop had taught for over a number of years and his broad range of experience was what drew me to the course. Anoop's aggressive style taught me many important lessons, ones that I am not likely to forget in a hurry.

CONCLUSION

So here I am today on my own once again, trying to incorporate everything I have learned from every one of my teachers when I jump on the mat. The voice I hear and the guidance I receive change each day.

I have been blessed with so much knowledge that it is hard to blend it all together, a harmony of voices from a bunch of inspiring human beings. If there is one thing I have learned from all of my teachers (both directly and indirectly) it is that it is essential to listen to my own body, to myself... always!

So it is with you, as much as you can be told and shown certain things only you know what is right for you. You can be guided, you can be led, but in the end, it is up to you, try your best, and don't give up.

I wish you blessings and joy in your journey and would be honored if I can help you along the way.

Namaste ...