Portrait of Mathilde AGNES, future teacher

I am 35 years old, with a husband and 2 children aged 5 and 8. We have been living in Lyon for a year . My family and I lived in Shenzhen, China for 3 years and it was during this period that I was able to deepen my yoga practice by making it a daily practice.

I am now in my first year of training to teach yoga ( Desikachar lineage ) . 500 hours of training planned over 4 years, the time needed to assimilate, integrate, digest, practice and fully experience this endless adventure that is yoga.

I have been doing sports since I was very young (basketball, synchronized swimming, gymnastics, running) and I can't imagine life without it. The practice of yoga is associated with it , complementary, as it can be with each of my projects .

I have been working in the training field in a large company for around ten years.

I have also worked abroad, in England and China , and traveled mainly in Asia. Openness to the world and to others is essential in my life, I also love languages, I recently had the opportunity to learn Mandarin.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

 As I left adolescence , my body began to express itself. Gradually its warning cries became so present that I could no longer ignore them.

I first discovered sophrology which helped me enormously, above all to become aware of my body, to welcome my emotions and my feelings , then I quite naturally arrived at a first yoga class... and I never left this practice, this work.

I use the word work deliberately , because that is what the practice of yoga represents for me , but need I point out that I give the word work a completely positive connotation?

Taking care of yourself is a job in itself, at least at first. And you have to be patient to get a return on your investment !! After several years it has become (almost) unconscious.

I would add that I met the right people at the right time, and for me it is never a coincidence, it is also one of the 4 principles of Indian wisdom: "every person with whom we come into contact is there to teach us something, or to help us improve a current situation".

What practice for your well-being?

Depending on what I need, I alternate between long Asana practices targeting muscle strengthening and balance, and shorter practices, seated or lying down with a particular focus on breathing movements.

A daily need I have is to stretch, stretch, and stretch again, starting before I even get up in the morning, and especially when I spend several hours sitting in front of my computer.

What is the ritual of your practice?

In 10 years of yoga, my rituals have been very varied and my practice evolves with me, the human being is only change !

The first years I practiced once a week, then more and more often and daily since my expatriation in China. If we have to find a positive effect of the current health crisis (confinement or teleworking), the time that is not spent in transport is in yoga!

When yoga rings at my door, most often before lunch or at the end of the day, I jump into my clothes (comfortable clothes are essential to let the body speak), I set up my mat and my playlist . Music helps me a lot to concentrate, it carries so many emotions…

What do you get out of it?

After a more physical practice I am immediately relaxed, I have the feeling of having searched deep in the muscles for the release I need. I am able to feel them one by one while totally detaching my mind from " this body " .

I feel real pleasure, even in (limited!) pain.

As for the final savasana , it is an exceptional moment. Body and mind in unison.

I get up and feel like I'm floating for the next few hours. A real drug, so no wonder you want to do it again!

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My mat, a cushion, and my water bottle.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

I don't have any.

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis ?

Practice as soon as you can without worrying about what others think (I'm thinking of stretching, which is often more than welcome at the office, for example). And above all, don't feel guilty about not having practiced. It took me a long time to understand that practice doesn't only involve asanas, but can also be translated into something else: walking or eating mindfully, savoring special moments with your loved ones , observing and breathing nature ...

Where/how do you practice?

I practice within my training group with my teacher every month, and almost daily alone at home.

The best was still practicing in the great outdoors between two lockdowns this summer!

I continue to take classes with teachers I don't know when I have the opportunity. There are so many yogas and so many people, so much to learn!

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

 Same, it is constantly evolving, but today it would be:

“Yoga is when every cell of the body sings the song of the soul… ” by BKS Iyengar

“Yoga is when every cell of the body sings the song of the soul.”

Namaste