Vision & Mission

May I be born again and again,
And suffer thousands of miseries,
So that I may worship the only God that exists,
The only God I believe in, the sum total of all Souls –
And above all my God the wicked, my God the miserable,
My God the poor of all races, of all species,
Is the special object of my worship.
Swami Vivekananda

 

I have chosen the name Insight Yoga to highlight what in my understanding is the liberating
essence of all yoga traditions: gaining insight into our true nature. The yoga traditions are
clear that insight inevitably leads to compassion, since what is revealed is the inter-
connectedness of all beings.

The insight that can arise through a practice done with a spirit of inquiry is one of the core
liberating features in many yoga traditions. Therefore, Insight Yoga highlights this
investigative approach in its classes, turning them into interactive explorations, whether in
yogāsana, prāṇāyāma, meditation or yoga philosophy.

In a broader sense, my teaching also aims at a deeper Insight into our yoga practice and
how we integrate this practice into our lives. It is very easy to get into a comfort zone and
be ruled by old habit patterns, losing the freshness and willingness to constantly challenge
oneself. This ongoing sincere and fearless reassessment underlies an authentic yogic
existence.

A lot of different forces and influences have affected contemporary yoga, and while it is
necessary to integrate yoga into our modern world, there is a danger of losing sight of the
essence of this ancient liberation teaching during this process.

It is important to look into our present definitions of, and relationship to, our spiritual
practice. Three things that can help us to preserve this authenticity and clarity are:
1. A better understanding of the history and philosophy of the Yoga Traditions
2. Sincere self-inquiry
3. Informed and mindful practice

In my opinion, all of these are a vital part of yoga practice and not a separate intellectual
process. There is, in fact, a risk of forgetting two central ingredients of Yoga: clear intention, and clear understanding, without both of which our practice will lack the power to awaken.Through enquiry and clarity, we can move from a ‘blind repetition of a routine’ to a
conversant, insightful and therefore truly transformative discipline.

The aim of Insight Yoga is to facilitate mindfulness and to encourage this honest exploration one’s yoga practice and life, both intellectually and practically – and to thus open the hearts of one and all.