yoga body of light

“Yoga - Body of Light” has it’s foundation in the precision and vigour of Iyengar Yoga but emphasises more on breathing and the body’s natural flow of movement. Learning the body’s anatomy and how to move from within, the body is seen as an energy field interacting with nature. Remembering the pure joy of body movement we come back in touch with our true inner potential and happiness. How far we take this inner journey to freedom, is unique to each individual.

About Angelika

My interest in Yoga started in the 70’s when I was involved in a project with Autistic children in Berlin. The children became my teachers. We gradually bonded through bodywork, music and love. Reading my first book on meditation ‘Hara’ by the philosopher and psychotherapist Graf von Dürkheim I decided to go on a journey, which became my life’s journey. I had my first meditation and yoga experience in a mud hut in India. It was a significant turning point in my life. I moved from Berlin to England, lived there for 10 years in a Buddhist community and trained as a Yoga Teacher at the Iyengar institute in London.

I realized very soon that just the practice of yoga asanas (postures) was not enough for me. To have a deeper understanding of our lives and how the practiceworks, we need spiritual teachings to reflect on. I spend a few times in Auroville,teaching Yoga and studying the teachings of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. Although my practice is inspired by the ancient yoga philosophy, modern psychology and quantum physics, I feel mostly drawn to the teachings of the Buddha. My emphasis is and has always been the path of the heart, direct experience and truthfulness.

My deepest inspirations are the teachings of Pema Chødron, Tsultrim Alione, Aya Kema, Jack Kornfield, Thich Nhath Hangh and the Dalai Lama.I don’t follow one particular school or teacher, because I strongly believe that the true ‘Guru’ is within our own hearts. I call my style ‘Yoga Body of Light’, a journey into the more subtle body, the body of breath, energy flow, prana, transparency, lightness and joy, using the classical hatha yoga asanas to connect with that within us, which is beautiful and in harmony, the body of light.My teachings are always changing and directly from my heart experience, often very spontaneous and unpredictable.

I am inspired by many well known Yoga teachers. I feel particularly grateful to Gita Iyengar’s solid teachings of alignment and vigour, Angela Farmers creative and feminine approach, Orit Sen Gupta’s Vinyasa flow and philosophy, Dona Holleman’s pioneering, strong and clear practice and wisdom, Vanda Scaravelli”s teachings of “undoing the body”, Sarah Power’s beautiful way of combining “Yin Yoga” with Buddhist insight teachings and Swami Veda’s gentle and subtil teachings of the Himalayan Yogis.

I spent several times in the Himalayas, deepening my practice in yoga, pranayama and meditation. For the last 5 years I studied with Swami Veda Bharati the ancient teachings of the Himalayan tradition and spent a few times at his Ashram in Rishikesh. I have been teaching now for 22 years. I will never stop seeking since I realized that life is about inner growth, self inquiry and a very gradual awakening to inner dimensions of life, to one’s own essential nature. Yoga is the most challenging, most revealing path we can choose, if we practice it in all it’s aspects.