Wind Valley Yoga

About Me

HomeAbout Me

Hi I'm Irma

My yoga journey began in my early teens, a time when I was deeply exploring my sense of self and identity, searching for my path to acceptance and a sense of “coolness.” I distinctly remember the rebellious thoughts emerging as I questioned the traditional Roman Catholic faith that surrounded me. I never quite resonated with its teachings, especially the emphasis on sin and guilt – it felt like a shadow hanging over me from the moment I was born.

How it started

Growing up in 1990s Croatia, a country emerging from civil war, I sought refuge in Hare Krishna temples every Sunday and began dabbling in yoga. It wasn’t until years later, when I moved to London in 1995, that I found a teacher who could truly guide me deeper into the practice. I started with Iyengar Yoga under Roxanne Nightingale, whose teachings initially drew me in for the physical benefits. At first, yoga was primarily about exercise – I enjoyed the way my body felt afterwards, more present and grounded, and I saw the immediate benefits of my practice.

 

But, as time passed, Roxanne moved away, leaving me to continue my practice on my own. I maintained my commitment to yoga for years, alongside other activities like running, long-distance running, triathlons and conquering mountains. However, despite the physical challenge, it never felt quite the same and I found myself losing touch with my sense of embodiment.

Lokah
Samastah
Sukhino
Lokah
Samastah
Sukhino

Ashtanga Yoga

In 2015, I began practicing Ashtanga Yoga, and it profoundly transformed the course of my life. Shortly after, I met my teacher, Irina Pashkevich-Bourdier, who became a close friend and introduced me to the spiritual teachers who inspired her.

This moment marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life—one that continues to shape my journey today. Among those teachers were Gregor Maehle, whose anatomically sophisticated approach to traditional vinyasa yoga integrates the higher limbs of yoga in the spirit of Patanjali and T. Krishnamacharya, and Monica Gauci, one of Australia’s leading Ashtanga yoga teachers and a healing chiropractor.

Both have been instrumental in my practice, I have completed a 200hr Yoga Teacher Training with Gregor and Monica and am currently working my way through a further 300hr Yoga Teacher Training course.

I continue my practice and studies with Irina, Gregor, and Monica in my ongoing quest to better myself as a human being and walk the path toward enlightenment.

“All life is Yoga”. *Sri Aurobindo

Ashtanga (eight limbs of yoga)

Ashtanga Yoga, as outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, is a structured path to self-awareness and enlightenment. It consists of eight limbs, guiding practitioners from ethical principles to deep meditation.
Yama

Ethical restraints for proper conduct as moral imperatives typically representing commitments that affect one's relations with others and self:

Ahimsa non-violence, non-harming other living beings

Satya - truthfulness, non-falsehood

Asteya - non-stealing, not taking what isn't freely given

Brahmacharya - wise use of energy (incl sexual energy), self-control, moderation

Aparigraha - non possessiveness, not accumulating what is not essential.

Niyama

Positive duties or observances, habits for healthy living and a liberated state of existence

Sauca - purity, clearness of mind, speech and body

Santosa - contentment, acceptance of others and of one's circumstances as they are, optimism for self

Tapas - perserverance, discipline, patience

Svadhyaya - study of self, self-reflection, introspection of self's thoughts, speeches and actions

Isvarapranidhana - devotion, dedication to the ideal of pure awareness, true self

Asana

Asana - physical postures preparing the body for meditation, developing strength and inner stability.

Pranayama

Pranayama - Breath control, connecting breath - mind - emotions, regulation of energy and bringing stillness to the mind.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses from the external stimuli, look at our internal self.

Dharana

Dharana - Concentration of the mind on a single point, before meditation, object, mantra, etc.

Dhyana

Dhyana - we attempt to go beyond experience; we are at the level of ultimate reality and we are lost in that reality. This reality is not relative but an absolute one. There are no words to describe this since it is an experience beyond the mind.

Samadhi

Samadhi - state of ecstasy, connection to divine and all living beings. The ultimate state of spiritual absorption and self-realization.