There was a free yoga class in a public building and I just took the chance to drop in. Lots of people were sitting on their mats, quiet, with their eyes closed. Looked weird to me at this time.

The class began with mantra singing and pranayama (breathing exercises). I felt ashamed, unwell, uneasy and couldn’t understand that all the people around me seemed to enjoy this. It was difficult for me to keep my eyes closed. There was an inner impulse to open my eyes to see what’s around me, checking the setting, controlling the situation.

I remember that I tried to follow the voice of the yoga teacher and continued to breathe deeply, then quickly, then holding my breath. I just tried to do everything what the others did. All of a sudden, I was super dizzy. I had to leave – the breathing, the class, the room, the situation, the yoga experience.

But I had no idea…

A few years later I tried again and made a life changing yoga experience with one of the most inspiring yoga teachers I ever had. She had it all – her way of teaching, her voice, her mindfulness, her kind of alignment, her grace.