My Yoga Journey
with Svetlana Saenkova
Svetlana Saenkova is a Russian-born yoga teacher living Dusseldorf, Germany. In this interview, she shares her yoga journey dating, back to the Soviet era when yoga was more or less forbidden, and how yoga has transformed her into a deeply spiritual and joyous person.
Yoga is not a religion. I'm not a member of any religion in this world. Yoga is not a sport. In this sense, I'm not in a sports club. Yoga is my unique and individual dialogue and interaction with self and with God.
Interview with Svetlana Saenkova
Published 16 April 2020
Published 16 April 2020
What does yoga mean to you?
The entire Life! The infinite and unforgettable path. The conscious and joyful journey. The sacred dance of body, mind and spirit.
It is awakening, self-research, self-mastery, self-understanding, self-reflection, self-transformation, expression and contribution to the glorious spirit of divine Love, Light, Freedom, clarity, wonder, youth and beauty.
It's my daily message and act of gratitude, happiness, celebration, learning, realization, easiness.
People say I have a pragmatic, scientific, vivid, constructive approach.
Yoga is not religion. I'm not a member of any religion in this world.
Yoga is not sport. In this sense, I'm not in a sports club.
Yoga is my unique and individual dialogue and interaction with self and with God.
It is awakening, self-research, self-mastery, self-understanding, self-reflection, self-transformation, expression and contribution to the glorious spirit of divine Love, Light, Freedom, clarity, wonder, youth and beauty.
It's my daily message and act of gratitude, happiness, celebration, learning, realization, easiness.
People say I have a pragmatic, scientific, vivid, constructive approach.
Yoga is not religion. I'm not a member of any religion in this world.
Yoga is not sport. In this sense, I'm not in a sports club.
Yoga is my unique and individual dialogue and interaction with self and with God.
When did you first start practicing yoga and why?
In 2010. It occurred by lucky chance. My girlfriend and co-member by ballet dance studio once asked me to join her a yoga course at one city studio. So, friendship and curiosity brought me to yoga.
Were you ever resistant to learn yoga?
Oh, yes! You know, I grew up in a very ordinary family in USSR. When my father died, I was 11 years old and the next year, my grandmother and few other family relatives passed away. So, my mother did her best to overcome a hand-to-mouth living, while raising me and my younger brother at a difficult period to survive in Russia in the 20th century. At times of a political restructuring and coup, at the gangster crisis in the 1990s in Soviet Union, I was graduating from university.
Therefore, as you can understand, there was no opportunity to learn yoga due to my family situation, on one hand, and due to the political situation, on the other hand. Yoga was more or less forbidden during Soviet times. The few existing yoga pioneers who grew up in the Soviet era had to learn and master yoga on their own, underground.
In addition, the wider society considered yoga and yoga followers to be abnormal, weird, mad. At that time, I went through a personal transformation along with national (political) and societal changes. Today, I clearly realize that God wanted to release me of all those stereotypes, pre-judgements, and doubts. God intended I go through all those obstacles and limits in order to become strong-willed and confident, to succeed and unfold more of my talents, strengths, faith, charm.
Therefore, as you can understand, there was no opportunity to learn yoga due to my family situation, on one hand, and due to the political situation, on the other hand. Yoga was more or less forbidden during Soviet times. The few existing yoga pioneers who grew up in the Soviet era had to learn and master yoga on their own, underground.
In addition, the wider society considered yoga and yoga followers to be abnormal, weird, mad. At that time, I went through a personal transformation along with national (political) and societal changes. Today, I clearly realize that God wanted to release me of all those stereotypes, pre-judgements, and doubts. God intended I go through all those obstacles and limits in order to become strong-willed and confident, to succeed and unfold more of my talents, strengths, faith, charm.
How has yoga impacted your life?
Today, I may definitely say that yoga and veganism are the best things that could happen in my life!
Once yoga crossed my life path, it keeps opening like a bud in a blooming flower in my heart. I found Who I Am Truly. I learned, discovered, applied and transformed so a lot. And now, I share it with others graciously.
Thank yoga and other holistic techniques, today I am never in a hurry. I'm in full satisfaction in the moment, Here and Now, and I'm joyful and happy, creative and efficient. When people meet me, they do not believe to my age and also they say I'm so young and fit. I'm shinning from inside like a bright Sun!
And yoga is like Life: it's a never-ending path. Eternal development, change, growth, new connections. Once you encounter an ending step, a new beginning starts. Right over a corner is a new step, new God's blessing, new colour to your soul. Yoga came into my life and connected me with "Aura Soma" – one more profound system; a source of abundance; marvellous and inspiring; beautiful and ever-discovering.
Moreover, in my individual case, I proved that yoga and professional occupation can be matched reliably. It's my individual and social oriented attitude. Being a successful project manager in a big international company, now I give the yoga classes there also, as I'm the certified yoga teacher in integral and aerial yoga. Everyone benefits from it! I like such win-win situations.
It's one concept for me: yoga, veganism, organic, eco-friendly packaging development and green chemistry, cruelty free goods, volunteer and charity. It's all in one big sustainable world model, there is no separation in this vision for me.
So, take yoga on board at early stage of your lifespan, and enjoy and amuse how the miracles dawn!
Once yoga crossed my life path, it keeps opening like a bud in a blooming flower in my heart. I found Who I Am Truly. I learned, discovered, applied and transformed so a lot. And now, I share it with others graciously.
Thank yoga and other holistic techniques, today I am never in a hurry. I'm in full satisfaction in the moment, Here and Now, and I'm joyful and happy, creative and efficient. When people meet me, they do not believe to my age and also they say I'm so young and fit. I'm shinning from inside like a bright Sun!
And yoga is like Life: it's a never-ending path. Eternal development, change, growth, new connections. Once you encounter an ending step, a new beginning starts. Right over a corner is a new step, new God's blessing, new colour to your soul. Yoga came into my life and connected me with "Aura Soma" – one more profound system; a source of abundance; marvellous and inspiring; beautiful and ever-discovering.
Moreover, in my individual case, I proved that yoga and professional occupation can be matched reliably. It's my individual and social oriented attitude. Being a successful project manager in a big international company, now I give the yoga classes there also, as I'm the certified yoga teacher in integral and aerial yoga. Everyone benefits from it! I like such win-win situations.
It's one concept for me: yoga, veganism, organic, eco-friendly packaging development and green chemistry, cruelty free goods, volunteer and charity. It's all in one big sustainable world model, there is no separation in this vision for me.
So, take yoga on board at early stage of your lifespan, and enjoy and amuse how the miracles dawn!
Why should someone practice yoga?
To reveal more unique edges of your infinite and brilliant spirit. To meet yourself. YOU = YOga + Unity. To gain an inner freedom and become beyond linear time. To experience balance and completeness. To liberate, to calm, to transform, to heal, to insight, to explore, to refresh, to reinforce, to re-determine, to re-unite, to re-member, to re-new
What are your favourite asanas and why?
Bakasana (crane/crow), Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel), Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (pigeon pose), Hanumanasana (leg split), Sirsanasa (headstand), Supta Virasana, Shatkonasana (6-triangle pose), Vasishthasana variations, Padmasana with arms in Gomukhasana.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
For me, the combination of yoga, veganism and Aura Soma is a sustainable, healthy, active, eco-friendly and cruelty free, prosperous and happy lifestyle!
These are the three Tools of Creation: thought, word, deed, and the tools are perfect. They are magnificent. They are effective. Think only what you choose to experience as your highest potential, say only what you choose to make real, do only what you choose to demonstrate as your Highest Reality.” - Neale Donald Walsh, What God Wants
Be assured that yoga has a wide range of styles and techniques. Yoga has plenty of worthwhile and applicable instruments for your life. Just start! Lao Tzu said: ”A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Create! Be faithful! Be brave! Be loved! Be trustful! Be truthful! Be curious! Be focused! Be experimenting! Be merciful! Shine on! Be YOU and all of your best!
Svetlana's yoga journey teaches us that no matter your origins, no matter what trials and tribulations that life has thrown at you, yoga offers us a fresh start and a new beginning every time that we get down on our yoga mat. Whereas we can choose to be crippled by the chains of pain, yoga offers several alternatives: transformation, joy, self-discovery, and a better way of living. Choose yoga over bondage!
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