The long way round
2010, 01
The first contact
My mum takes me to her Iyengar class to get through exam stress. Two blocks, four blankets, a strap and a chair each. Unbearably long holds, close attention to alignment and sensation. Even after tennis and athletics, these 90 minutes feel like torture. But soon enough, my growing ability to sit with discomfort turns into resilience off the mat, exams included.
2013, 02
On my own
I move to Moscow for university, then to Paris. Yoga stays my way of coping, but the regular practice is gone. On a student budget, I practise alone with YouTube, and now and then in a studio. Nothing feels quite right.
2023, 03
Exploration
Settled, running my own company, I need a way to let off stress. Yoga slips back in, between Pilates, cardio, boxing and dance. But I still can’t find the depth that makes yoga more than a workout.
2024, 04
The click
After all those years, I finally meet teachers whose practice and ethos speak to me, and yoga replaces every other sport. Fascinated by complex poses and by what the body can learn to do, I practise every day, trying to work out what sets it apart. Meanwhile, I’m slowly heading towards burnout at work.
2025, 05
The leap
I close the company and start teacher training, determined to understand what yoga really is. And it is all I do: practising, studying, listening, practising again. Every question, whether about philosophy, history or anatomy, sends me down a rabbit hole of reading and research. I refuse to repeat anything I haven’t checked and understood myself.
2026, 06
Ready
I finish my training at Ayu School, top of my group in anatomy. Alongside it, I teach several private groups, including one of older students, and watch them gain body control and confidence month after month. I learn to adapt yoga to different needs: advanced asanas for one, lasting mobility for another, a calm mind for all.
Now
I keep learning every day, watching different bodies find their way into movement. I’m happiest when a student understands something new about their body, unlocks an asana, or simply spends an hour back in touch with themselves.
201001
The first contact
My mum takes me to her Iyengar class to get through exam stress. Two blocks, four blankets, a strap and a chair each. Unbearably long holds, close attention to alignment and sensation. Even after tennis and athletics, these 90 minutes feel like torture. But soon enough, my growing ability to sit with discomfort turns into resilience off the mat, exams included.
201302
On my own
I move to Moscow for university, then to Paris. Yoga stays my way of coping, but the regular practice is gone. On a student budget, I practise alone with YouTube, and now and then in a studio. Nothing feels quite right.
202303
Exploration
Settled, running my own company, I need a way to let off stress. Yoga slips back in, between Pilates, cardio, boxing and dance. But I still can’t find the depth that makes yoga more than a workout.
202404
The click
After all those years, I finally meet teachers whose practice and ethos speak to me, and yoga replaces every other sport. Fascinated by complex poses and by what the body can learn to do, I practise every day, trying to work out what sets it apart. Meanwhile, I’m slowly heading towards burnout at work.
202505
The leap
I close the company and start teacher training, determined to understand what yoga really is. And it is all I do: practising, studying, listening, practising again. Every question, whether about philosophy, history or anatomy, sends me down a rabbit hole of reading and research. I refuse to repeat anything I haven’t checked and understood myself.
202606
Ready
I finish my training at Ayu School, top of my group in anatomy. Alongside it, I teach several private groups, including one of older students, and watch them gain body control and confidence month after month. I learn to adapt yoga to different needs: advanced asanas for one, lasting mobility for another, a calm mind for all.
Now
I keep learning every day, watching different bodies find their way into movement. I’m happiest when a student understands something new about their body, unlocks an asana, or simply spends an hour back in touch with themselves.
