Elke's Story

How has the practice of yoga changed in my life? Yoga has become a way of life for me; something I turn to daily, whether through recalling one or the other Yoga Sutras (practical textbook that guides one’s spiritual journey of remembering who we really are), or other teachings from one of the foundational texts of yoga, or taking a few minutes to connect with my breath and body, to meditate or to practice asanas (postures). Yoga in all its rich aspects guides my life in that it connects me to a deep inner peace, a calm, joyful, and conscious state of being. Even when the outer face of my life is in turmoil, it is there to help me connect to that ever present – always and already there – sense of quiet, calm and peace. It is thanks to yoga that I have been able to live a more embodied existence where mind and body are increasingly one. For this I am eternally grateful.

Of all different practices I have experienced, yoga has offered me the greatest insight into myself, and life as whole. It not only practices the body and the mind, but more importantly, uses the body as a portal to the self. To live a life of increasingly greater inner balance has been the biggest of gifts. Said differently, it means to live my inner world, and my relationship with the larger world around me, in a way that reflects who I am truly within my inner most being; to reflect my true nature of love, spaciousness, lightness, connectedness with self and others. The learning is ongoing, ever more expanding my experience of what it means to be alive, right here and now.

At a physical level, yoga has kept my body younger, freer, allowing me to age with more grace than I could have otherwise. Thanks to the practice, I have healed from injury more quickly and have prevented many pathologies, such as low back and shoulder pain.

What are my motivations and the reasons for which I created Yoga Free | Genève?

The inspiration for Yoga Free | Genève comes from a dear friend, who wanted to make yoga accessible to everyone in Switzerland, regardless of financial means. He created the Yoga Free association, to which teachers could adhere. While the association no longer is, the idea continues to pay it forward.

I believe deeply that yoga should be accessible to everyone, no matter what. The cost of yoga classes in Geneva is phenomenal, and this often acts as a barrier. Having taught classes on a donation basis over the past six years and seeing how this has drawn in people who otherwise would not have been able to experience the countless gifts of yoga, I am dedicated to continuing teaching in this manner.

What style (s) of yoga do I teach, and which teachers or teachings have inspired you most? I teach a mix of Ashtanga, Hatha and vinyasa style yoga. Each practice is guided by the breath, as a doorway through which that part of us that is always at peace, calm and silence becomes accessible. I am inspired by Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S Iyengar, Shiva Rea and many others, including Anne Klopfenstein.

What training did I receive? I followed a four - year yoga teacher training programme at Yoga 7, sat for and passed the Yoga Suisse exam, leading to a professional designation by the European Union of Yoga & Yoga Suisse in 2012. Many years earlier, in the 1990s, in the 1990s, I graduated with a Bachelor degree in physiotherapy in the Netherlands. Since, I have followed numerous trainings and workshops in both subjects.