15/08/2026
Uuden aloittaminen voi tuntua epämukavalta ja jopa pelottavalta, m***a usein harjoituksen hyvät puolet voittavat alun haasteet. Claudiolla alun epävarmuus muuttui voimavaraksi ja rauhoittavaksi rutiiniksi. Astangajoogaharjoituksesta tuli yksi elämän tukipilareista:
”I started practicing Ashtanga yoga in 2014, when I was 31. I had never tried yoga before, but this practice resonated with me immediately. There was something unusual about its intense, demanding physical effort, while it also required that I maintain a steady breath in order to stay relaxed. It was hard, but deeply soothing. After every tough, sweaty, and—more often than not—clumsy practice, lying down in Savasana gave me a sense of peace that always made me want to come back.
Only a few months later, I started a daily morning Mysore practice. This was intimidating at first. Being one of the few men in the room and self-conscious about my stiff, weak body, I felt completely out of place—until I realized everyone at the shala was focused on their own journey, so I kept coming back.
Over the years, Ashtanga has become one of the pillars of my life. It has helped me navigate difficult times, stress, and loss by reminding me that no matter how hard life gets, you can always breathe in, breathe out, the body will follow in movement, and the mind will often find what it needs.
After practicing daily on my own at home for years during and after COVID, I started coming to Pia’s shala in 2024. Here, now in my 40s, I have found renewed energy among a wonderful group of Ashtangis who fill the room every morning. Having such a space is not something to take for granted, and I am forever grateful to all the beautiful people who devote their lives to sharing this tradition.”