Heidi R Yoga

Heidi R Yoga Ashtanga yoga with Heidi Ruokoniemi (KPJAYI/SYC Level 2). Traditional Mysore style classes, worksho Ashtanga Yoga with Heidi Ruokoniemi (SYC Level 2).

Traditional Mysore style classes, workshops and online classes.

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFEMeet Anneli. 🌿Life in Seinäjoki is full of things she enjoys. She has worked in public administ...
30/09/2026

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE

Meet Anneli. 🌿

Life in Seinäjoki is full of things she enjoys. She has worked in public administration for more than 30 years, developing information management throughout her career and currently working on an interesting project.

Alongside her day job, she teaches Ashtanga, Yin and restorative yoga, works as a work supervisor, and plays singing bowls. She also enjoys other forms of exercise, time at her cottage, and — most importantly — being with her family.

And somewhere in the middle of all this, there is her practice.

Anneli first discovered Ashtanga in 2002. At first, she practised mainly to take care of her body alongside her running. After moving to Seinäjoki, where there were no regular Ashtanga classes, the practice became more occasional.

Then, after a serious illness in 2014, something changed.

She decided to do everything she could for the wellbeing of her body and mind. Since then, she has practised around six times a week — sometimes for a long practice, sometimes for only a short one.

Today, her mat has a regular place in her home.

It is more than just a spot to practise. It has become a little sanctuary — a place where she can close the curtains, shut the outside world out for a while, and turn her attention inward.

During practice, she listens and explores. She notices the different sensations in her body and pays attention to what is happening beneath the surface.

The practice has become such a natural part of her life that she compares it to brushing her teeth in the morning.

“My body and mind long for the feeling I have after practising. Without it, I feel a little lost.”

Online practice adds another layer to this.

Even from home, Anneli feels connected to the energy of the group. She can ask questions when something comes up in her practice, and the shared online class gives her motivation — especially on those mornings when she wonders why she is getting up early to practise.

She was also surprised by how similar online classes can feel to practising in person.

The teacher cannot offer physical adjustments through a screen, but for Anneli, clear verbal guidance is enough.

Sometimes it simply needs a place to return to.

Her three words:

Community · Ease · Closeness

Kiitos, Anneli ❤️

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE Meet Anu.Anu is a 44-year-old Ashtanga practitioner and teacher, an occupational therapy stude...
24/09/2026

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE

Meet Anu.

Anu is a 44-year-old Ashtanga practitioner and teacher, an occupational therapy student and a mother living in Turku.

She says there isn’t really a life “outside yoga and practice” anymore.

Practice doesn’t simply begin when she steps onto the mat and end in samasthiti. It continues through the day — while studying occupational therapy, negotiating with her strong-willed child about what to wear in the morning, or simply noticing what is happening within herself.

She started practising Ashtanga in 2009, and it was love at first sight. Over the years, her practice has taken her to Mysore and Goa, to studying asana, chanting and sutras, and to long-lasting friendships.

Home practice has been part of her life for more than a decade. It doesn’t always mean that she feels like practising or has to consciously convince herself to get on the mat.

The practice simply happens.

And sometimes real life happens right in the middle of it.

“A small child may hang from my Virabhadrasana just to test whether Mum’s asana is stable enough”.

If she can’t practise asana for some reason, yoga is still there — through chanting, sitting, and the way she meets the day.

For Anu, practising alone can be challenging. Our own tendencies and stories can easily take over. At the same time, she feels that home practice helps her hear herself more clearly.

And when she opens the practice to someone else — virtually or in the shala — a new perspective becomes possible.

This is one of the things she values in our online group: the practice remains her own, but she doesn’t have to be alone with it.

There is support, connection and space to return — even after a break or when the practice feels difficult.

Her three words for the online group?

Tuki. Aitous. Kirkkaus.
Support. Authenticity. Clarity.

This is The Practice in Real Life — stories from the women who practise with me online, and the many ways yoga finds its way into ordinary, complicated, beautiful life.

Thank you, Anu 🧡

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE 💛Meet Erja & Marko.They live in the countryside, where there is always something to do around ...
17/09/2026

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE 💛

Meet Erja & Marko.

They live in the countryside, where there is always something to do around the house and yard. Erja is an osteopath and physiotherapist and runs her own business.

She walks a lot, enjoys strength training and spends time with her pets. Marko is an osteopath, massage therapist and entrepreneur, and likes running and lifting weights.

They also practise Ashtanga together — two mats side by side in their living room.

Erja first came across Ashtanga about fifteen years ago, out of curiosity. Over the years, she started and stopped many times. When she found her way to my teaching in 2022, she decided to continue practising online after I moved away from Lappeenranta.

For her, the weekly morning practice has become an important anchor.

A time that is agreed upon, a teacher and a group — and then you simply show up.

For Erja and Marko, online practice is also simply practical. Living far from the city and in-person classes, they can roll out their mats at home, practise together and fit the practice around their working lives.

And something else has changed for Erja: she has realised that Ashtanga doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing affair.

She used to experience the practice as somewhat too strict, and that was part of why she kept stopping. Now she has found that practising roughly once a week can be just as valuable for her as someone else’s daily practice.

The practice can serve the person practising it.

Some days it may be about loosening the back. Sometimes it is more about noticing what is happening inside. Marko, meanwhile, approaches the practice more as body maintenance — and sometimes, quite simply, as a workout.

Different reasons. Different practices. Same group.

As Erja puts it, they can be “tavallisia ihmisiä astangassa” — ordinary people in Ashtanga.

You don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to practise every day. You don’t have to make Ashtanga your whole life.

You can do what supports your body and your life.

And in our group, people who have practised for many years and people who practise less often can share the same space — each quietly doing their own practice, in their own way, at their own level.

That, too, is practice in real life.

Erja & Marko’s three words:
Oikeasti yksilöllistä. Sopivaa.

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFEMeet Minna.Outside yoga, Minna’s life is full. She works with legislation, runs an art school a...
10/09/2026

THE PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE

Meet Minna.

Outside yoga, Minna’s life is full. She works with legislation, runs an art school as a volunteer, paints and makes things, travels, and shares her home with four cats and an aquarium. Art, animals and travel are at the heart of her free time.

And in the middle of all that, there is the mat.
For Minna, practice is a moment to pause in the middle of everyday life — to simply be with her body, breathe and listen.

She has also found that online practice has taught her something unexpected: to stay very much on her own mat.

There is no need to compare what happens on someone else’s mat, and without a teacher physically beside her, she has learned to listen to her own body even more closely.

At the same time, having a teacher and a group helps her keep moving forward.

Left completely to herself, the practice can easily get lost among everything else life brings.

And perhaps what has surprised her most is how much connection is possible through a screen.

Even though many of us have never met face to face, Minna describes a strong sense of togetherness and support in the group — an atmosphere of acceptance and kindness that she rarely encounters elsewhere.

Her three words for practising with us?

Ryhmähenki. Yhteinen asia. Sallivuus.

Community. A shared purpose. Acceptance.

This is The Practice in Real Life — stories from the people who practise with me online, and the many different ways a practice can find its place in an ordinary life.

Thank you, Minna Minna 💜

Before yoga, I studied fine arts for seven years.I spent countless hours drawing and painting the human figure — learnin...
08/09/2026

Before yoga, I studied fine arts for seven years.

I spent countless hours drawing and painting the human figure — learning to measure, to notice movement, proportions, light and shadow.

It was not only about learning to draw or even less, to “copy”, but learning to look.

Later, yoga turned that looking inward.

Looking in in order to notice patterns.
To see what’s actually there.
To distinguish what is real from what is just a story.

I think the two practices have more in common than I realised.

The outer world is so fascinating.
And so is the inner one.

And there is always more to see!

On Saturday, September 26, we’ll explore Viveka — the art of discernment in our next online Saturday session.

8:45 Silent Sitting
9:00 Led Primary Series
10:35 to 22:00 Cultivating Discernment

€40 / €30 early bird until Sept 16
Led class only €20

Email me at [email protected] to join.

In the photo: a painting of mine from 1998(?), tempera and beeswax on mdf, 100cm x100 cm.

PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE — HANNELE ❤️Meet Hannele.She’s a mum, a grandmother, and someone whose life is very much full of t...
03/09/2026

PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE — HANNELE ❤️

Meet Hannele.

She’s a mum, a grandmother, and someone whose life is very much full of things happening.

Work, studies, hobbies, family, exercise… she’s actually trying to do less these days.

And yet somehow, the calendar always seems to have plenty going on. 😊

Hannele started practising Ashtanga in 2011.

It wasn’t love at first sight, but she kept going.

And eventually, she says, she simply didn’t know how to stop.

These days, her practice looks very different from trying to fit everything in.

She practises with our online group 2–3 times a week.

And she has stopped trying to do more.

This amount keeps her connected to the practice while leaving plenty of room for all the other things that make up her life.

I love this.

Because sometimes sustainability isn’t about finding a way to fit more practice into our lives.

It’s about finding the amount of practice that allows us to stay with it.

For Hannele, practising online also means that a practice that would otherwise require a 25 km journey can happen at home, in her own yoga space.

No driving. No public transport. No negotiating over the family car.

And, importantly, morning practice is possible.

Perhaps the biggest lesson she has learned through online practice is a very simple one:

Even a little time on the mat is good for you.

You don’t have to have time for the perfect practice.

You can simply step onto the mat for the time you have.

And then there is the thing she didn’t expect.

She used to think that physical adjustments were essential to Ashtanga practice.

Now she has discovered how much can happen through verbal guidance — and how close and connected a community can feel even when everyone is practising from their own home.

When I asked Hannele to describe our practice together in three words, she chose:

Accessible. Allowing. Deep.

And when I asked what she would especially like people to know about practising online, she said:

“Ryhmä antaa harjoitteluun ryhtiä ja hyvää energiaa myös ruudun välityksellä.”

The group gives the practice structure and good energy — even through the screen.

I think that’s something worth remembering.

Sometimes the thing that helps us keep practising isn't more discipline.

It's simply making it easier to show up.

❤️

Practice in Real Life is a series where I introduce some of the women who practise with me — and the many different ways yoga can find its place in a real, busy, imperfect life.

Meet Laddu, my little big teacher on attention and commitment. 🐕Anyone who has a dog — or a family — probably knows how ...
01/09/2026

Meet Laddu, my little big teacher on attention and commitment. 🐕

Anyone who has a dog — or a family — probably knows how much attending to someone else resembles the yoga practice.

The routines, the dedication and the gradual realisation that life is not about you only.

There are things you do because they need to be done.

The morning walk.
The evening walk.
The pee-and-poop walk when it’s cold and raining and you really, really don’t feel like going outside.

And sometimes, the asana practice is a little like that too.

You show up.
Not because you’re always inspired. Not because you feel like it. And certainly not because every practice tastes sweet.

You show up because this is something you’ve chosen to return to. And then, more often than not, you’re very happy that you did.

Even Laddu knows this.
She doesn’t want to go out in the rain either.
But somehow, once we’re back home, she seems quite pleased with herself.

Commitment isn’t about wanting to do something every day.
Maybe it’s simply knowing what matters enough to return to.

Even when it rains. 🌧️

Practice in Real Life: AngiAngi lives in a village near the Alps in Switzerland, works full-time as an IT Application Ma...
31/08/2026

Practice in Real Life: Angi

Angi lives in a village near the Alps in Switzerland, works full-time as an IT Application Manager, loves photography, and spends time with family and friends.

Yoga has become part of her working week — three evenings and one weekend morning, most weeks.

Her Monday practice is the full Primary Series with us. On the other days, she practises modern Vinyasa at a nearby studio.
And I really love the way she has found a practice that fits into her actual life.

When I asked her what makes her return to the mat when life is full, she said:
“There will always be something that can interfere with practice, so I decided to make yoga a high priority.”

I love this.

She also told me that she used to clean her apartment before practising. Now?

“It is as it is, and I can ignore it much better.” 😄

This, to me, is practice in real life.
Learning that you don’t need the perfect time, the perfect space, or even to feel your best.

Sometimes you practise tired.

Sometimes with a headache.

Sometimes you only have time for a shorter practice.

And sometimes the living room is simply… as it is.

What matters is that you return.

Angi first discovered Mysore at a retreat and immediately fell in love with the freedom and focus of the practice. But with her nearest shala an hour’s drive away, regular in-person practice wasn’t realistic.

Online Mysore became the bridge.

And what surprised her most?

How connected and present people can feel, even when they are physically far apart.

Her three words for practising with us?
Kind. Humble. Devoted.

Thank you for practicing with us, Angi. 🤍

Not practising despite your life.
Practising within your life.
And finding a way to keep returning.

PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE — VIIVI ❤️Meet Viivi.She’s a former orchestra musician, a healthcare professional and a yoga teach...
27/08/2026

PRACTICE IN REAL LIFE — VIIVI ❤️

Meet Viivi.

She’s a former orchestra musician, a healthcare professional and a yoga teacher. She is also a partner and a mum to two lively boys, aged 4 and 8.

In other words: life is full. Very full. 😂

Viivi started practising Ashtanga about six years ago and was immediately drawn to the depth of the practice. These days, her practice looks a little different from those early years.

She used to practise six days a week and wake up at five to get on the mat.

Now, her practice has learned to move with her life.

She practises at home in her little yoga room, joins our online Mysore class once a week, and aims for at least three practices a week — adjusting the length and intensity according to what she needs.

And perhaps most beautifully, she says:
“Olen oppinut lepäämään harjoitusta tehden.”
I’ve learned to rest by practising.

This is something I think about a lot.
A sustainable practice isn’t necessarily the practice we manage to squeeze into our lives by trying harder.

Sometimes it’s the practice that teaches us to listen, adjust, soften — and recognise what we actually need.

For Viivi, online practice also creates something that would otherwise be difficult to find: the experience of practising together.

She says she has been surprised by how strongly the presence of other people can be felt even through a screen.

And I know exactly what she means. ❤️

There is something special about entering the room, rolling out your mat, and knowing that other people are doing the same — even when we are all in our own homes.

When I asked Viivi to describe our practice together in three words, she chose:
Present. Inspiring. Full of joy.

I couldn’t ask for a better beginning to this series.

Thank you, Viivi. ❤️

Practice in Real Life is a series where I introduce some of the women who practise with me — and the many different ways yoga can find its place in a real, busy, imperfect life.

Where do you go when you practice? 👀Into the breath?Into your head?Into “why is this pose suddenly impossible today?” 😅Y...
19/05/2026

Where do you go when you practice? 👀

Into the breath?
Into your head?
Into “why is this pose suddenly impossible today?” 😅

Yoga has this sneaky way of showing us how we relate to ourselves.

The inner coach.
The critic.
The one trying very hard to be “good.”
The one who just wants a nap in savasana.

And often… we don’t even notice the conversation happening.

This Saturday, we’ll explore all of it together — through practice, reflection, and a little curiosity.

✨ Led Primary Series + Talk
🗓 Saturday, May 23
🧘‍♀️ Online

We’ll move, sit, breathe, snack ☕️ and explore:

Yoga, the Self & Learning to Be Free from Self-Judgement

Come as you are.

To join:
Email [email protected] with
“I’m in for Saturday, May 23rd!” 💌

Osoite

Lappeenranta
00270

Verkkosivusto

,

Ilmoitukset

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