Asia Jokiel Yoga

13/09/2026

Our head is so heavy (about 5 kg, I think) that when the body is slightly out of balance, it might start giving in to gravity and slowly pull in one direction. It is a constant, gentle, subtle force that we don't notice until neck pain or a headache appears.

A little myofascial release can give the neck and head more freedom to move and make it easier to find a more natural, centred position.

For yogis, paying attention to the head and neck position is very important (that's why it is often part of our focus during classes!).

When the head and neck are free to move, we can find some extra freedom in the rest of the body too: a bigger range of motion when turning in twists, more space to open the chest and upper back, and less weight to bear on top of the shoulders.

As I always say: myofascial release is a complement to yoga practice.

This little neck massage in the video is super simple. Just grab your neck as if you were grabbing a puppy. Not too strongly to cause pain, but firmly enough to hold the skin. Do this with the back of your neck and with those long muscles on the sides.

Doesn't it feel amazing? It is so easy, you don't even need balls, just your own hands and firm grip :) 💚

Do you feel the difference? Try it again when you start feeling tense, tired, or before your next Half Spinal Twist :)

If you are a yoga teacher and want to explore myofascial release more deeply, I will be teaching "Beyond Stretching: Practical Myofascial Release for Yoga Teachers" together with Bindi Yoga School in Amersfoort 6-7 November.

08/09/2026

I think one of the most important things we can learn in our yoga practice is that our body doesn't always need more of everything.

Rather, it needs a careful assessment and a choice of the right practice to help bring it back into balance.

Sometimes we need to stretch.
Sometimes we need to strengthen.
Sometimes we simply need to move.
Sometimes we need to release tension.
And sometimes… we need to do less. 😉

Maybe it's silly, but I always think about it when I apply conditioner to my hair. I choose the same approach: depending on how my hair feels and looks, I use proteins, emollients or humectants 😂

The more I teach and work with different people and their bodies, the more I believe that there is no single approach that works for everyone.

What helps one person feel more free can make another person feel even more restricted. And what feels like the right choice today might not be what your body needs tomorrow — or this year, or next year.

For me, working with the body is about learning to listen and finding that balance between strength, mobility, flexibility and softness.

It takes a bit of experimentation, but I think that's also what makes bodywork so interesting. Playing around and checking what happens.

What does your body actually need today? 💚

Asia

29/08/2026

Choosing the right tool is a really important part of myofascial release.

We often reach for tennis balls because they are easy to find and give us a strong, deep sensations. But stronger doesn't necessarily mean better — and a tennis ball is not the right tool for everything.

For areas as sensitive as the ribs, or the more delicate tissues around the belly, I often prefer something more adaptable, like this Pilates ball. Hard balls placed against the ribs can be so painful that taking a deep breath becomes impossible.

And being able to breathe fully during myofascial release is really important :) I always say: If you can't breathe out comfortably, or you feel yourself “getting ready” for the exhale, that's clear information that you are pushing yourself too hard. Be patient, ease the experience and take one step back.

This particular technique from the video works with the myofascia around the intercostal muscles between the ribs. As a result, we may find it easier to breathe more deeply and fully, the arms can feel longer, and twisting can become more comfortable.

You only need 1–2 minutes per side. And if you don't have a Pilates ball, you can use a rolled-up blanket. The results are clearly noticeable :) Every time we do this during classes, people can't believe what a difference it makes. It's a big WOW each time ;)

MFR doesn't need to be painful to be effective 💚

Follow me for more practical ways of working with fascia and alignment — and save this for later, when you feel tense and stressed and notice your breathing becoming shallow.

Would you like to learn more about MFR for yoga practice?

📅Join "Beyond Stretching: Myofascial Release for Yoga Teachers", a live training in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, on 6–7 November, at Bindi Yoga School

📅If you're not a yoga teacher but would like to experience this work yourself, my Going Deeper: Myofascial Release XXL class at Bindi on 18 September is almost full — only 5 spots left. 💚

21/08/2026

Take a moment and pay attention to your jaw right now.

How does it feel? Is it tight? Are you clenching your teeth?

We hold so much tension in there without even realizing it. Stress can cause our jaw to tighten, and a constantly tightened jaw keeps sending signals of stress back to the nervous system - like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This is how different systems in the body influence each other and fascia is right in the middle of it all.

You can release some of this jaw tension with a simple ball. It doesn't need to be anything special — even a tennis ball will work. Just lie down on it for about 60 seconds and observe what happens. Don't force anything, just give your body some time to respond. It can be a bit intense but breath calmy it I promise it will get better😄

How do you feel right now?

Follow me to learn more about fascia, movement and the nervous system. 💚

And if you would like to explore this work more deeply, there are two opportunities coming up:

Training "Beyond Stretching: Practical Myofascial Release for Yoga Teachers"
📅 6–7 November 2026
A 15-hour live training in the centre of the Netherlands in Amersfoort at Bindi Yoga School.

And if you're not a yoga teacher but would simply like to take care of your body on a deeper level, you can join me for my XXL class:

"Going Deeper: Myofascial Release"
📅18 september 2026, 19:00-21:30
at Bindi Yoga School in Amersfoort💚

13/08/2026

NEW WEEKLY YOGA CLASS!

I am happy to share with you that from 17 August (next week!) I will be teaching Vinyasa Yoga every Monday at 19:00 at Bindi.

This class has existed longer than my time at Bindi, and I am honoured that now it is my turn to contribute and lead a class that, for many years, has been followed by a group of dedicated yogis.

When I started practicing yoga nearly 20 years ago, Vinyasa and Ashtanga Vinyasa were the first practices I followed and loved. And in 2017, when I started teaching at Bindi, I actually started as a Vinyasa teacher. 😊

I am very happy that after years of teaching Hatha and Yin, Vinyasa is coming back to me. Even though my personal practice right now is mostly steady and alignment-based, I still turn to Vinyasa sequences whenever I need to burn off some excess energy and seriously calm myself down.

Our Monday Vinyasa class will be based on tradition, alignment and finding a balance between strength and flexibility. Expect a different theme in every class, plenty of asanas, transitions and a tempo that allows that inner fire to emerge.

And yes, I do love standing balances too. 😉

Can’t wait to share this practice with all of you! 😊

Asia💚

11/08/2026

Yoga practice invites us to always search for balance — between tension and relaxation, between strength and flexibility, between readiness and comfort, between steadiness and stillness.

It is all about constant, tiny adjustments. Nothing stays the same forever. From one moment to another, everything changes, and we always need to find the middle again.

This is what I mean by active relaxation — finding that place where we can be peaceful and ready at the same time.

We can often find this state during asana practice — when we are free of unnecessary tension, while still anticipating and responding to what the body is about to do.

In the old yoga texts, this idea is described as sthira sukham asanam — the asana is steady and comfortable. For me, this is very close to what I call active relaxation: dynamic peace, rather than complete stillness.

Asia 💚

05/08/2026

The lower back often works much harder than we realize (especially when we spend hours in the same position).

After long days of preparing workshops and sometimes literally sitting behind the computer for hours at a time, I can really feel my lower back and sacrum becoming stiffer than usual. That's when I come back to this short myofascial release sequence, and it never disappoints. It is this kind of preventive work that we all should be doing more often😂

Using two tennis balls allows me to work gently around the sacrum and the muscles surrounding the lower back. The goal isn't to force anything or create painful pressure, but to give these dense tissues the opportunity to rehydrate, improve fluid exchange, and help the lower back feel lighter and freer again.

The stiffness gradually disappears, and I'm ready to continue with my day, step onto the mat for my own practice, or teach a class. 😊

It's a sequence I come back to again and again. Simple and effective—exactly how I like it.

Hold each position 30-60sec, breathe slowly and let the pressure do the work.

Have you ever tried myofascial release with tennis balls?

28/07/2026

More information (plan and curriculum) about my first teacher's training

"Beyond Stretching: Practical Myofascial Release for Yoga Teachers"

you can find on Bindis website!

A 15hr teacher training | November 6 & 7, 2026 | Bindi A practical training for yoga teachers who want to make their classes more effective by integrating myofascial release into yoga practice. Most yoga classes rely on stretching. But in real bodies, stretching alone is often not enough. Many stude...

26/07/2026

You all know how much I love myofascial release.

Over the years, I have seen how valuable this method can be as a complement to yoga practice. It has helped many students explore more freedom of movement, reconnect with their bodies, and understand their own patterns of tension. I have witnessed so many beautiful shifts over the years that I often regret we didn’t take before-and-after photos.

I truly believe it is a missing piece in the physical aspect of yoga asana.

After years of learning, experimenting, and integrating these techniques into my own practice and teaching, I am ready to share my approach with other yoga teachers.

"Beyond Stretching: Practical Myofascial Release for Yoga Teachers"

A two-day, 15-hour training with practical, hands-on work that you can understand, experience, and confidently bring into your own yoga classes.

This training is designed for yoga teachers of all styles who want to expand their toolbox and bring a deeper understanding of the body into their classes. Whether you teach Yin, Hatha, Vinyasa, or another style, you will learn how to integrate this method into your own classes and sequences.

I am organising this training together with my beloved Bindi Yoga School in Amersfoort

The full curriculum is ready, and the early bird registration is open until 6 September.

If you have any questions, send me a message. I will be happy to share more details. 💚

Asia

21/07/2026

Summer is my favourite time of the year. I try to prolong it as much as possible — that’s why I usually leave in winter for 6 weeks to warmer countries. ☀️

When it’s warm, I feel that my body comes back to life. All that stagnant energy starts moving, releasing, and making space for something new.

Summer feels like a natural time to take care of the body and support the processes that help us stay in balance.

That's why we are meeting for:

**XXL Yoga for the Summer Cleanse | 7.08.2026**

In this XXL class we are going to explore how yoga can support the body’s own cleansing and regulating systems, with special attention to the lymphatic system — our body’s natural housekeeping system.

The lymphatic system loves movement, and yoga can be a wonderful way to support its flow. Through a carefully designed practice combining Hatha yoga, Yin-inspired elements, pranayama, mindful movement, and myofascial release with balls, we will create space for circulation, breathing and awareness.

AND we will finish the practice with lymphatic self-massage of the whole body to support relaxation and connection with this important system.

This is the second time we are meeting in the summer for this special practice. 😊

If you are not on vacation and spending your summer at home, give yourself this little gift and join me. 💚

Asia

XXL Yoga for the Summer Cleanse
7.08.2026
19:00-21:30
Bindi Yoga School in Amersfoort Bindi Yoga Amersfoort

P.S. You can join via Bindi's website or send me a message I will share a link:)