“Follow your heart, it knows the way”
I LOVE YOGA
I love what yoga can do for your body, mind and soul.
A regular yoga practice can make you feel more energetic, fit and happy. It improves the body’s flexibility, health, strength and balance, and is also a great way to tone the muscles. It can reduce or relieve aches and pains, enhance sleep, boosts the immune system and detoxifies the body. It helps to relax and deal with stress, rebalancing the nervous system and calming the mind.
Yoga also creates a space to be with yourself on the mat, to connect to your body and heart. It’s a tool to get to know oneself better, to become more mindful and live in the here and now.
The emphasis during my classes is on moving with the breath, encouraging a mindful practice to bring about inner peace and balance. Moving fairly slow and with control to get into the correct alignment for one’s own body.
I aim to help people to connect with themselves, listening in and feeling what it is the body, mind and soul need, while at the same time getting more flexible, healthy and strong.
In today's hectic world, stress and anxiety are widespread. Many of us struggle with the pressures of career building, managing various responsibilities and striving for a balance between social life, work and family. Add to this the need for regular exercise or yoga practice, constant online presence and responding to texts, emails and messages, all while seeking happiness. It's undeniably challenging. Yoga offers a space for self-connection, allowing us to momentarily disconnect from external pressures and be in the present. Self-care is so important, involving proper hydration, nutritious and energizing meals and engaging in activities that rejuvenate the body and mind. As a yoga instructor, I am committed to guiding my students through this journey of self-connection and care, enhancing resilience against stress and preventing burnout. Burnout is alarmingly common worldwide, and together, we can strive to prevent its further increase.
About me
I am an international Yoga Alliance certified E-RYT500 senior yoga teacher, teacher trainer and continuing education provider (YACEP), teaching all over the world and online.
My story
I used to live in Amsterdam and work in advertising for some 20 years. I led an urban life with a stressful job in a busy city. During this time it was yoga that helped me to stay connected to myself and find the calm within. Because of the positive impact it had on my body, mind and soul, over the years I fell in love with yoga more and more.
For many years that urban lifestyle made me happy, and I’m grateful for all the wonderful things it brought me. Until at some point something just started to change within me. During a 3-month sabbatical, I did my first yoga teacher training, mainly to inspire myself and deepen my personal practice. But it turned out that I also loved teaching! Moreover, the sabbatical made me realize I wouldn’t be able to settle for a full-time urban life anymore. Instead, I needed to be outside, in nature, at the ocean, doing something I love and feel true passion for. It was then that I decided to follow my heart. I quit my corporate job in 2016 and am now living the life I want. My home base is now on Bonaire, a small island in the Caribbean Netherlands and I have been teaching all over the world and organizing yoga teacher training courses and retreats.
Besides yoga, I have an enormous passion for the human body, anatomy and physiology. You will notice this in my instructions during my yoga classes. During the teacher training courses, it is also very clear as I am super enthusiastic to share my passion and teach my students everything about the human body, related to yoga, in a clear and fun way.
Besides yoga and being close to nature I love travelling, music, good & healthy food, windsurfing, diving & snorkelling, watching movies and reading.
WHERE I TRAINED
I have been practising yoga for about 20 years and have completed over 550 hours of teacher training.
My first 200-hour teacher training was with Trimurti Yoga in South-Goa, India, where I completed a hatha, ashtanga and vinyasa-based program.
My second 300-hour training was with Sampoorna Yoga, also in South-Goa. I completed their vinyasa-based program.
After these training courses, I completed various continuing education programs, mainly about Yin yoga and anatomy.
My latest training was a 50h Yin Yoga TTC with Yin yoga expert and author of many Yin yoga books, Bernie Clark, from Yinyoga.com.
I now am a Yoga Alliance certified E-RYT500 yoga teacher, teacher trainer and continuing education provider (YACEP).
