Yoga has been a very big interest in a long time for Mirka & that became her job & lifestyle. Mirka lived in London for many years & decided to follow her heart about perusing her dream to start a yogaretreat in the mountains in costa del sol (Spain) where she lives since 4 years.
"We decided to move to Spain 4 years ago with a very clear vision about opening yogaretreat. My love for yoga and Michael´s passion for cooking seemed the obvious choice for that".
I met Mirka on her yogaretreat La Rejana during the yogaholiday where it was calm & peaceful with a fantastic view over the mountains. The morning yogasession was completed & the preparations for the meals of the day just started.
How did you came in contact with yoga?
- I was inspired to take up yoga by a Swiss doctor who I met 30
years ago in London. Despite him being in his seventies he was still
working as a consultant, in one of London’s hospitals….he was full of
energy and had an incredible clear, fresh mind. He confessed to me that it
is all thanks to his yoga practice, ha ha ha. I started my yoga journey at the Iyengar
Institute in Maida Vale London in 1990.
While she carried on with her
Iyengar yoga, attending regular classes with Geraldine Ross, Tusse
Silberg and then with Ros Bell, her curiosity of mind led her to expand
her knowledge by practising other forms of yoga.Throughout these years the appeal of Iyengar Yoga stayed with her. Mirka taught in North London until
she moved to Suffolk in 2006 where she ran weekly yoga classes from her
private yoga studio. She also taught at the Self Centre (yoga and
alternative therapies centre) in Bury St Edmunds until she moved to
Spain in 2010.
What is Iyengaryoga?
- Iyengar Yoga is named after yoga master B.K.S Iyengar. It is a
form of Hatha Yoga which strives for precise anatomical alignment in the
postures with focus to achieve meditative qualities in the posture. The
attention to detail for precision often requires the use of props to
achieve desirable effects and to help less flexible students to do
postures with good alignment and to minimize the risk of injury.
What do you get for experience of practising Iyengaryoga?
- I am a big fan of Iyengar yoga as Iyengar style marries the art
of yoga and a scientific approach to yoga. It develops awareness and
sensitivity to your body (using the knowledge of anatomy and physiology),
breath and mind. It makes you aware
of the interconnection between body, breath and mind and their impact on
each other.
Yoga is an inseparable part of me and my life. It influence my
whole way of being (movement of my body, way of thinking, breath and
feeling. It became a tool for penetration and evolvement in my life.
- When
I start my daily practice of asanas as in my teaching I put emphasis on alignment
( internal awareness of it), safety of extension in asana, broadening of
the muscles, ligaments and tendons, creating space in the joints by
elongation of the limbs ( in standing postures). I work on the feel of the
subtle movements of the internal organs by the lift in the trunk in
sitting postures and twists etc. I also work on the feel of the
involvement of different muscles depending on the direction in the
postures like: forward bends, backwards extensions, lateral and rotational
asanas. Through observation and internal awareness of the posture I
develop understanding of the posture on the physical, mental and emotional
level.
What kind of healthbenefits comes out of yoga?
- Yoga can benefit
a variety of the body and mind functions…to lists a few: benefits your joints,
muscles, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, endocrine
system, renal system, nervous system etc. For example….generally speaking…
sitting forward bends postures calm the mind, regulate blood pressure, sooth
the nerves and refresh tired brain….While backbends
have rejuvenating quality, give you energy, open your chest, make spine
flexible, the arms and shoulders strong. On emotional level they build the
confidence and courage, make your mind alert.
"This year is our 3:rd year running yoga retreats and we both feel very passionate about perusing our dream to offer quality of teaching and quality of food to our guests"
Here is Mirkas webpage for more information:
