Our Team - Yoga mit Verstand Berlin

Saskia

My name is Saskia Dapprich and I am happy to introduce the Yogamitverstand team.

I've been living in Germany again for almost 9 years; you can see exactly what I do on the website and also read about me in "about me".
My dream has come to fruition. I have found a space and a team for my work.
Another important person for me is Tracy Rodriguez, with whom I have worked in India for many years and with whom I now organize the yoga retreat in Tarifa. Among other things, she is an excellent Ayurvedic cook.
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My work is becoming more and more therapeutic and I am now also looking forward to an apprenticeship at Gong United

Dirk

I have always enjoyed movement. From team sports such as handball, football, basketball, volleyball or water polo to individual sports such as swimming, judo, athletics, rowing or cycling to hiking. During physical work, I neglected sports, assuming that I would get enough exercise - a fallacy! ​

After severe pneumonia, it took a lot of time to get back on my feet through slow walks with many breaks. Supported by "the five Tibetans" and gymnastics, I experienced again the joy and benefits of movement. Saskia then introduced me to yoga. The harmony of breathing with movement made me experience the power of stillness and convinced me that yoga can allow people to live together peacefully. When Saskia asked me if I would like to take part in the training to become a Yoka trainer, I was hooked after an hour of getting to know each other.

​ I am convinced that the exercises in their variants contain an increase in strength and mobility for everyone. Teaching Yoka to practice together and being able to experience the resulting development gives me a lot of joy.

Carolina

I grew up in Switzerland, in the canton of Valais in the middle of the mountains. Even as a young woman, I was drawn out into the wide world. Full of curiosity and with sparkling eyes, I traveled to different countries and am deeply grateful for so many heartfelt encounters.
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But no matter how far you travel, you always take yourself with you. The journey to myself began early. I have gone many ways and detours. However, the path that gave me a tender feeling of arriving and being right from the start was the moment on my yoga mat. Concentrating on my breath and connecting with myself I just felt happy.

About 20 years later I continued to follow my heart and did a 2-year yoga teacher training in Bern with Pavitra Frank Holzapfel and Hridaya Herve Loosli according to the tradition of Swami Sivananda.

I started the training to learn more about yoga and to be able to delve deeper into the practice. The holistic approach of this training and the Integral Yoga suited me very well. The combination of breathing and movement, as well as deep relaxation bring body, mind and soul into harmony. To be able to experience this again and again is a gift. And to be able to share this gift with you is a heartfelt wish of mine. To be in love, with yourself and with those around you. Another gift for me is the experience of gong meditation, which touched me deeply and I am very grateful for that.

For me personally, yoga means being in connection, in connection with myself, and with my heart. Close your eyes, notice your own breath, consciously and with full attention, this is a valuable start to yoga practice. For me, yoga is holistic. Pranayama (breathing exercises), asanas, whether flowing or held longer, yin yoga, gong meditations, as well as regular meditation, conscious deep relaxation, and the recitation of mantras are part of my practice.

Steffie

My name is Steffie and I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training at Spirit Yoga. My classes are powerful and then lead into stillness because in yoga we want to try to calm our mind. Easier said than done, and that's exactly where I support my students. For me, yoga means lifelong learning. Every time I'm on the mat, I can meet myself anew and find my voice, get in touch with myself.

I'm also studying regional studies with a focus on India and, in addition to Hindi, I'm learning everything about the country of origin of yoga. In my private life, I am very committed to cancer research and education about depression. And since I'm a trained publishing clerk, I put the rest of my time into it

Johanna

I came to yoga about 15 years ago, at the beginning of my studies. First, I wanted to try the whole thing because it was on everyone's lips and so "hip". I quickly realized that I was "too awkward" for yoga and dismissed the subject disappointed. But then I encountered yoga again and again, it just didn't want to let go of me, and slowly I realized that it has nothing to do with flexibility, bending or great poses, but with the spirit.

​I wanted to know more about it and decided to do a Hatha Yoga training at Yoga Vidya. During this 2-year training, the following sentence from one of the great yoga writings stuck in my mind the most: yoga chitta vritti nirodhah, translated: Yoga is bringing the thoughts to rest in the spirit. It took many years until I was ready to feel this and to feel the positive effect, and now yoga is exactly that for me: bringing the thoughts to rest in the mind.

Abraxas

I'm Abraxas and I've been doing yoga for as long as I can remember. I relax and lie on my blanket. I get petted a lot before or after class.

I loooooooove yoga
If someone is afraid of me (this has always subsided very quickly so far) or is allergic, then I either make myself comfortable at home or in another room.