Portrait of a former policewoman yogini: Aurélie Mo
A former police officer on active duty in Paris for ten years, Aurélie Mo began her professional reconversion last September in order to devote herself to her studies as a naturopath and to deepening her practice of Yoga. Passionate about travel and eco-responsible road trips, she is a Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga Teacher. Recently she has traveled across Europe and Canada, to give Yoga classes and offer various workshops. She is currently looking to settle down after a year of traveling. She does not know where yet, but she is open to all opportunities that life puts in her path.
It was only natural that I asked him a few personal questions about his yoga practice, which I am sharing with you today.
How did you get into taking care of yourself?
Former teacher of Vovinam Viet Vo Dao (Vietnamese Martial Art), I learned very early to take care of my body and my mind.
I started Yoga five years ago. My daily grind pushed me towards a practice that could soothe me and complement martial arts.
This intrinsic desire to take care of my health resonates with years of working in a risky, stressful job serving others.
I started Yoga as an autodidact, following tutorials and videos on the Internet and reading books by BKS Iyengar and Swami Vishnudevananda. Finally, it was in Bali, Indonesia, and more precisely in the city of Ubud that I took my first real studio class. It was a trigger that was both physical and spiritual. Exactly like when you fall in love. I knew immediately that this was what would allow me to evolve towards what I was made for.
What practice for your well-being?
Yoga, more in the Vinyasa style, hiking in the great outdoors, climbing, snowboarding, bodyboarding and more generally thrilling sports practiced in the great outdoors.
What is the ritual of your practice?
It all starts as soon as I wake up, early if possible, around 6:00 in the morning at sunrise. I always start with a few moments of meditation even if it's just a few minutes, then I follow up with a Yoga session of about an hour including sun salutations, a series of asanas and Pranayama exercises.
What do you get out of it?
An immense inner peace and a lot of gratitude. Thanks to a daily practice, I am in the present moment. It is for me a way to recharge the batteries and to be connected to nature and to others.
What do you carry in your yoga bag?
Not much to tell the truth, my mat, water, or a lemon ginger honey infusion, a yoga brick, and a strap.
What is your favorite object/accessory?
I am a simple person, I don't really have a fetish object. However, from time to time, I wear my lotus seed mala bought in Thailand during my Yoga training: it sometimes serves me as a support during my meditation sessions.
What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?
First of all, keep it simple! and as Oscar Wilde said "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken".
As for the rest I think that the secret of success is hidden in your daily routine. So I would advise yoginis to practice every day even if it is 15 minutes. And above all do not fall into the search for performance, in Yoga, the beauty of the posture is one thing, but be careful not to lose sight of the essential: to make the link between the body and the mind.
Where/how do you practice?
I am lucky to have a room dedicated to Yoga and well-being at home, which makes things a lot easier. If the weather is nice, I am outside, preferably in nature.
