Elisa Can Yoga

Some thoughts about being a yoga teacher nowadays

It’s time to normalize that first of all we, yoga teachers , are human beings with our emotions, feelings, good and bad sides. As persons we have our light and shadow. In my opinion many yoga teachers fail here. They freeze at this point, unable to share their truth further. I’ve been there too until recently. Memorizing and demonstrating certain yoga principles and rules in fact make them look stiff (not physically) and at the end fake. It’s one thing to know all the philosophical concepts in yoga and it’s another thing to live them truly. Maybe the ancient gurus in India lived like that. We are not them and live now here in Finland or Bulgaria or somewhere in Europe. Unfortunately, in many cases I feel many yoga teachers lose their voice and authenticity because they are afraid to show their humanity, fallibility and vulnerability.

I won’t forget the advice I was given at my yoga teacher training some years ago - you should live a yogic lifestyle in order to be a yoga teacher. Whatever this means! At this point of my life I am far from this statement. I prefer first to be a human, to feel and let my emotions and feelings define my actions. I prefer to make my small student steps. Along the way I may help somebody understand something about themselves they didn’t know before. That would be already a big achievement for me.

Yoga after becoming a mom is different than before. I feel myself more practical nowadays. Also, I practice yoga for practical reasons - to feel my body stretching and relaxing, to breathe deep so that I feel whole, to release stiffness through movement. Now everything is more real. Before I can say there was an element of pretence in my practice and teaching. As if I was doing yoga as some additional layer to the things I was doing in my everyday life. Maybe the word here is vanity. Now it feels more real. I practice when I have time and just the things which serve me for my situation. I am far from perfection. But I am real. On my way of growing with my own pace.

If you want to grow together far from perfection and unrealisric expectations from ourselves, welcome to practice yoga together. In our classes we can finally relax and be ourselves. Welcome!

Classes are every Thursday at 18-19 at Sarvastonkaari street in Laajasalo.

I offer individual yoga classes online. A 60-minute yoga class costs 60 euros. A package of 5 yoga classes costs 275 euros.

For more information, send me a message.

Lempeä jooga torstaisin Sarvastonkaari 3:nellä klo 18-19. Tervetuloa mukaan! Laita YV jos kiinnostaa.

In this yoga class we stretch, mobilize, strengthen and relax the body and mind. We do simple movements and poses to relieve stiffness and tension in the neck, shoulders and hips areas. We breathe deeply so that the breath reaches all the parts of our body and heals them on cellular level.

Last week I briefly mentioned the gross elements in yoga. This week maybe not by chance I found myself reading about the subtle elements. In his book “Yoga And The Sacred Fire” David Frawley writes about the “food” for the mind. Through our senses we directly affect or feed our mind with different impressions. He writes:
“According to yogic thought, sensory impressions are forms of the subtle elements.

- The ear brings us sound, which is the subtle ether element.
- The skin brings us touch, which is the subtle air element.
- The eyes bring us sight, which is the subtle fire element.
- The nose brings us fragrance, which is the subtle earth element.”

In his writings he goes on explaining how through nurturing the senses or starving them from unhealthy stimulation we can take care of our mental health and live in peace with ourselves.

The point I would like to make here is about the elements - gross or subtle. They are everywhere around us as well as in our body and mind.

Symbolically our chakras or energy centers in our bodies also relate to the five elements.

All the aromas, which we smell connect us to our root or the earth element. All the tastes we taste relate us to the water element or our sacral chakra. All the things we see are connected to the fire in us or our solar plexus. All the sensations we feel in our body are the air in us or our heart chakra. All the sounds we hear connect us to the ether or they represent our throat chakra.

Isn’t it fascinating?! Our senses make up our life and reality. And the way they relate to the elements makes perfect sense. At least to me.

What do you think?

Jooga rentoutumiseen ja hyvän olon tuntemukseen. Tervetuloa! ❤️

Motherhood teaches me to appreciate and to fall in love with the simple pleasures of life.

To feel and sense the textures at my home. To let myself be pampered by our new soft carpet while playing with my daughter. To just enjoy the warmth and the sensations while stepping on it.

My self-care time is usually in the evenings when my baby girl sleeps. A warm bath with candle light. Spraying Bulgarian rose water on my face. Applying my favorite face cream. All these things nourish my body and soul. I feel renewed and replenished at my own home.

Before I was searching for satisfaction and pleasure outside my home. Now I started creating it at home. For myself, because I need it. And it makes me feel good.

I realize that the more I care for my physical body, the more I relax, I accept myself and at the end my soul is nourished. I started to explore the connection between the material and the spiritual. And there’s a long way to go.

Do you have your own favorite self care routines at home? And what are they?

Hello! I’ve been quiet here, because I am on a maternity leave. For the time being I am taking a break of teaching yoga. Later on, when I am ready to offer you some new classes, I will let you know here on my page. Until then, take care of yourself!

Elisa

Yoga is like a breath of fresh air in your day.

When you say “yes” to yoga, you say “yes” to your health and wellbeing. You say “yes” to your personal transformation.

With the practice of yoga you immediately see and feel your personal reality through the body. Your body is the best barometer of your current situation on a physical and mental level. Ignoring the facts presenting to yourself there, is like sabotaging your life, your health and your personal evolution as a human being.

Of course, there’s no “quick fix” with the practice of yoga. It requires us to open up our heart and to just do it. Everything comes into its place eventually. Later. If you keep practicing.

If you want to experience more energy, clear mind and improved functioning of all the systems in your body, join me in my weekly classes.

We practice ashtanga yoga accessible for total beginners. Every Sunday at 10-11 at Mountain Pose yoga studio, Lumikintie 5, Helsinki.

The group is small and it’s perfect if you want to begin yoga in a relaxed and supported atmosphere.

To book your spot, send me a message.

You’re warmly welcome!

Elisa

Tarot card, 22.10.2024

We still have a lot to learn about the battles and obstacles in life. We think that we succeeded but it’s not really the case. Still a lot to come and see on our way. By using dishonest methods of power, we don’t contribute to anything meaningful in our and other people’s lives. We feed our ego, but at the end we may stay alone, misunderstood and isolated. Humility and deep acceptance of ourselves is needed to change.