Yoga gives direction and purpose to my life
It has helped me to define myself – not just as a personality or profession but who I really am and what I want to be at my core. At the beginning I was only drawn by the physical elements of the yoga practice but as I became more and more in touch with the philosophy, lifestyle and teachings it slowly became a guide for my entire life. And now means so much more to me than „just a workout“. Looking back on when I started practicing yoga I can say that it changed my life and still does. It has an overreaching influence on who I am. Yoga helps me to be present, aware, accepting myself, other people and seeing value in all things.
Yoga is the intentional connection between body and mind
It is not about forcing the body into postures or achieving things with hard work – but learning and experiencing awareness, patience and mind body coordination. I try to feel encouraged (rather than frustrated) when I work towards achieving a posture that is currently out of my reach. Practicing asanas has helped me the responsibility towards myself in how I set goals, establish routines and listen to my body. Through asana practice I feel more grounded which helps me to dive deeper into my pranayama and meditation practices as well. Yoga practice evokes peace and connection that reflects on all elements of y life. I also started to fugues more on the spiritual maybe religious path of yoga. While yoga does not have all the answers but I found that it does honor the questions. Yogic philosophies such as practicing yamas and niyamas have been a guide for me in self discovery, which leads to appreciate, aware and care of others and my surroundings. As in instructor, I want students to come away from yoga practice with confidence, feeling strong, challenged and aware both mentally and physically. I want them to be okay with whatever comes up in their yoga experience. OK with frustrations, proud of progress and encouraged to keep learning. In addition to confidence, I want students to find peace. Peace that comes from breath work, meditation and taking care of oneself. I want them to explore that it may seem „peaceful“ but it can be challenging both mentally and physically, bringing up things that have been buried or we may not even have known about ourselves. I want my students to experience that those challenging times can be part of a journey to greater peace. That physical and mental discomfort is not necessarily a bad thing that one should judge.
I believe yoga can be for everyone
– the person only must be willing to take the step. The root of yoga can be defined as „union“ – something that we all desire at our core – to be connected to ourselves and in turn, connected with other surroundings, including other people. Yoga is not a single linear path. It is not one size fits all. The beautiful thing of yoga is that you can adapt it to your own body. There is a basic outline and alignment for each posture, but it is also about listening to your own body and moving from within. It isn’t about competition it’s about honor what you feeling.
Yoga is fun
It lets you channel your inner child. You get upside down, roar like a lion, take all sorts of fun shapes and you even can take a sort of a nap at the end of the practice. You can just let go and be free!
Yoga has changed my life and I believe it will change yours as well!
Some personal facts about me
Daniela Jensch, born 30.06.1980
Who am I ‚off the mat‘
A creative life lover, good listener and positivity with caring attitude – a seeker of knowledge, love intelligence in all forms, interested in spirituality and deeper meaning of life.
I believe on intuition, love to think outside the box have a high self discipline and I really love to motivate and inspire people.
Chameleon-like and fluid is what best describes my personality – a mix of childish, introvert, sensitive, honest, compassionate, passionate, sarcastic and sometimes sharp tongued.
Who is perfect? Even I am not an I love my imperfections too.
My personal believe
Everything is temporary. Emotions, Thoughts, People and Scenery. Do not become attached. Just flow with it.
Why I came to yoga and why I like practicing yoga
I started yoga about 19 years ago because I had to deal with several health issues and an anxiety disorder. Yoga helps me quiet my mind and ease my anxiety when I’m stressed about the future. It gives me strength for the day when all I want to do is lie in bed for days. It helps me tap into a new sense of self and appreciate my own body in a way I have never felt before. Practicing yoga brings me back to inner security and inner knowingness.
Why I teach yoga
I teach yoga because it makes people feel good about their bodies they feel strong, powerful, graceful, skilled and alive. I want to hold a space for my students to experience an honest, authentic, and pure version of themselves. My hope is that in my classes they have an experience that help them learn something about themselves. Whether big or small, my aspiration is that there may be one thing the student can take away and work on in their own practice, or better in their life.
Influences in my life
It’s not primary other people or activities that inspire me the most. It’s silence and stillness because all insights and truth comes from that space and cannot be found in any books or teachings, nor can they be manufactured or created by mind. For me taking some time alone and with no external stimulation is key to a healthy mind and key to more self-awareness. I can see where my mind goes and hone in on how I truly feel. This space to think is so important to be more creative and come up with ideas. I find that spending time alone, in stillness, with nobody else around, and simply ‚being‘, can be enough to stimulate self-discovery and true inspiration.
References
200hr Multi-Style YTT at Yoga Samadhi in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2019
300hr Multi-Style YTT at Yoga Vidya Mandiram in Tapovan, India in 2020
Yoga Styles I love to practice and teach
Ashtanga and Vinyasa are my favorites because they are sweaty and physically demanding practices. I love how I can test my physical limits and get my blood flowing and my mind going.
Hatha Yoga is great because its all about doing basic postures in a gentle way, it leaves me feeling longer, looser and more relaxed.
Yin Yoga especially at evenings is a delicious way for relax and soothing. By using props in these passive style of yoga you allow the body to experience the benefits of a pose without having to exert any effort. When done correctly it is more rejuvenating than a nap.
Where you can find me when I’m not on my mat
You can find me outdoors walking through nature, paddling on a SUP board, hugging animals or simply meditating or reading a good book.
