Vini Yoga
I teach yoga using the Viniyoga approach. Viniyoga is not a specific style of yoga, but rather the art of guiding yoga practices in a way that is individually tailored, competent, and creative. Yoga is adapted to the needs and abilities of each individual and is accessible to everyone.
At Viniyoga, the focus is on bringing the three aspects of the human being—body, breath, and mind—closer together. My classes offer sequences of physical, breathing, and meditation exercises. Each sequence addresses all three aspects simultaneously. The structure is designed to be step-by-step, so you can practice easily and comfortably, regardless of how you’re feeling that day.
The goal is to practice in a state of meditative concentration while maintaining a sense of lightness and stability in the body. Each quarter is dedicated to a specific theme, which may also be of a philosophical nature.
The Viniyoga approach was developed and practiced particularly within the yoga tradition of T. Krishnamacharya, T.K.V. Desikachar, I. Dalman, and M. Soder, on whom I base my understanding of yoga. This tradition fascinates me, among other things, because it allows us to practice yoga regardless of our physical condition, adapts yoga to the individual, prioritizes quality over form, and is thus accessible to everyone. This yoga is understood as a mental and physical practice in which breath and movement are coordinated, the breath is refined, and we align ourselves purposefully.
It pursues the original goal of yoga: to avoid and reduce suffering, and to be able to live freely.
For more information on this approach to yoga, visit: http://viniyoga.de/yoga-verständnis-vini
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a form of deep relaxation that works on both the physical and mental levels. Tension in the body and subconscious mind can be released, helping you to use your mind optimally and purposefully—for example, to break old patterns. The main part of a Yoga Nidra class is practiced while lying down. Guided by my voice, you’ll journey through your body. With a few physical exercises (asanas) and a short relaxation session, you’ll prepare your body and mind for the practice.
After practicing Yoga Nidra, you'll feel physically relaxed and mentally alert.
Yoga Nidra requires no prior experience. Anyone can practice it.
Yoga Therapy
Yoga can complement and support other therapies because it addresses the human system
as a whole.
Learn more: http://viniyoga.de/yogatherapie-kurz
Background information on yoga
How does yoga work?
An in-depth article on the effects of yoga from the journal *Viveka* by Dr. Imogen Dalmann and Martin Soder.
Quote from the authors:
“ Anyone who asks about how yoga works still often encounters mechanistic, pseudoscientific ideas rooted in medieval thinking—ideas that in no way reflect our current understanding of the complexity, individuality, and adaptability of the human body and mind.”
- We still read that the headstand stimulates blood flow to the brain and that a heart attack is a problem of the heart chakra.
- People still practice the headstand because they’ve been told it can affect their thyroid.
- People are still led to believe that there are credible studies proving the healing power of a single Āsana.
"What is needed instead is an open, honest, and transparent approach to describing the effects of yoga. That is what this article is about."
Where do the positive emotions associated with yoga come from?
“… being positive and striving to become positive isn’t easy. It requires us to view others with kindness, something we’re not usually accustomed to. Why do we read so much in the newspapers about scandals, who cheated on whom, and so on? People tend to focus on the negative in others. The trap we often fall into is this: We don’t realize that we can only develop positive feelings within ourselves if we also see the positive in others. …”
Quote from TKV Desikachar (1938–2016) from an interview with Imogen Dalmann and Martin Soder, published in 1999 in *Viveka*, issue 16.