VICTORIA
My name is Victoria and I am a Berlin-based yoga and meditation teacher. I am also a Reiki Master. I am a writer. I am incredibly curious. About people. The body. Psychology. Mystical experiences.
I am a feminist, a Sagittarius, a Pitta, a friend, sister, daughter and dog lover.
I went to my first yoga class in 1995 or 1996, while I was studying Psychology at Hunter College in New York City. I explored different styles, teachers and studios, but it wasn’t until year 2000 when Go Yoga opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that I got truly hooked. One of my first teachers was J. Brown (who now does an awesome podcast called 'yoga talks'). In the coming years yoga helped me through 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, stormy break-ups and general chaos in my life. It became a safe haven for me. And it started to dawn on me that yoga would become a big part of my life. In spring/summer of 2007 I completed my 200-hour Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training in New York. Straight after the training I moved to Stockholm and started teaching there shortly afterwards. I relocated to Berlin in 2009. In 2010 I completed a Yin Yoga teacher training with Ulrica Norberg.
In addition, I have taken numerous immersion workshops, and have studied with many renowned teachers such as Ana Forrest, Michael Stone, Sharon Gannon & David Life, Doug Keller and Eddie Stern.
I have stayed at ashrams for long periods of time. I have a lot of experience sitting extended silent retreats. I have studied Ayurveda.
And I have to date organized and taught around 25 yoga and meditation retreats. In Italy, Spain, Germany and Sweden. I have also taught in South Africa and India.
For me the mental and spiritual effects of yoga are far more interesting than the physical ones. Of course, asana can be really fun and playful, and it’s awesome to become strong and flexible. And even more awesome to be able to heal hurts and imbalances. But ultimately, the practice is about ending suffering, about finding peace and happiness. If the practice isn’t improving the overall quality of your life, dulling your suffering, making you happier, then I see no point. Of course, change doesn’t happen over night. It takes time. It takes tapas. I don’t believe in shortcuts.
As far as my classes go, expect an experience; a highly curated happening. A ritual. As music is one of the highest most mystical forms of art, and one of my true passions, I take pride in crafting interesting soundtracks, although every now and then I may choose silence. And because I am a writer, I spin stories, I create narrative. Expect a meditative atmosphere, a challenging yet non-competitive vibe, lots of hands-on assists and sturdy framework for again and again returning to the breath and the NOW. Expect yin and yang. Expect incense. Expect light. But also be prepared for darkness.