French Yoga Community

I met Flora Brajot over a year ago at Yoga Searcher where she was a teacher. Her dancer's look, her smile and her joy of life touched me right away .

Ashtanga teacher (authorized Level 2 by the KPJAYI of Mysore-INDIA), diligent Yogini, in love with India, globetrotter at heart, Flora Brajot Flora followed the aspirations of her heart by teaching Ashtanga around the world (India, Thailand, via New York and Istanbul) and continued, throughout her travels, to train with Ashtanga masters (Maty Ezraty, Chuck Miller, Mark Darby, Louise Ellis, Rolf Naujokat, Brian Cooper…), as well as in Iyengar, in Rishikesh with Usha Devi.

Flora is a teacher as we like them. She is concerned with promoting and perpetuating the teaching of Ashtanga according to tradition and attaches particular importance to postural alignment. She encourages her students to be more present, conscious and humble in their practice and to cultivate this attitude on a daily basis and in their relationships with others.

I grant you that I have a certain cult following for her, being myself a humble student and practitioner of Ashtanga. And like many of her students, I follow her whenever she organizes a Yoga retreat; the next one being on December 8th at Tigre Yoga.

How did you come to take care of yourself?

I have always taken more or less care of myself, through my family, my education: a certain hygiene of life (food, physical activities and well-being) but this was regulated, affirmed and refined with the entry of yoga into my life.

There is a logic that comes to you quite naturally: by practicing yoga and meditation and applying their fundamental principles, the body and mind purify themselves, soothe themselves, and tend organically and obviously towards a healthy lifestyle, respect for oneself, others and one's environment.

What practice for your well-being?

Yoga and Meditation

Swimming and forest walks

What is the ritual of your practice?

I practice Ashtanga 6 days/week, in the morning, very early

And Meditation: 30 minutes in the morning, 1 hour in the evening

Then, Pranayama: 1 or 2 times a week, and on moon days

What do you get out of it?

Vitality, strength, lightness, stability and serenity

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My Manduka ProLite mat. On the go and abroad: my Manduka eKO SuperLite travel mat.

And if I'm in a hot country: a skidless Yogitoes from Manduka

One block, one strap.

What is your favorite object/accessory ?

A small notebook

What would be your advice as a teacher for Tayrona Yoginis?

To impose a certain discipline, rigor and regularity in one's practice, but to do it in full awareness, with sincerity, thirst for learning, humor, self-respect, kindness and humility. And finally, to be patient, open and ready to receive...

“Practice, and everything is coming.” Pattabhi Jois

Where/how do you practice?

When you teach, 3/4 of the time you practice alone.

For me, it's often in the morning, at dawn, before giving my lessons if it's not a Mysore class at 7am.

At home (bedroom or living room) or in the classroom, before or after my classes, when space is available.

When traveling: anywhere I can be alone and quiet in a room, with enough space for my mat

At the Pattabhi Jois Institute in Mysore, India. 3 months, at least once a year.

In guided courses: sporadically or during hand-picked workshops and with teachers I have been following for a long time

What is your mantra/ favourite phrase?

“I still have everything to learn and discover”

&

" In the end

These things matter most:

How well did you love?

How fully did you live?

How deeply did you let go?”
― Gautama Buddha

Let me introduce you to Bénédicte Peroz, co-founder of Yoga Searcher and Yoga teacher.

Bénédicte is a very important person for me and in my life because she has always been there in the good times, as in the bad times. A true friend on whom one can count in all circumstances. And it is especially she who initiated me on the path of yoga. In addition to being my friend, Bénédicte is a beautiful person, generous, attentive, sensitive and upright. She has this wonderful gift of bringing out the best in you and calming you down. She is also an excellent yoga teacher, very attentive to her students and to postural alignments. She gives Iyengar classes and runs a magical place "La Ferme Andine" by Yoga Searcher in Hossegor where she organizes wonderful Yoga retreats.

After initial training in Ashtanga Yoga, Bénédicte regularly completes her teaching with passion with great yoga masters such as Faeq Biria and Christian Pisano (Iyengar yoga), Olop Arpipi and Kathy Cook, (Iyengar Bali), Judith Adank (Switzerland) Godfrey Devereux (Dynamique yoga).

Yoga has become for her a true philosophy, an art of living on a daily basis. Teaching yoga for Bénédicte is a moment of sharing ideas and experiences.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

Because one day your body tells you to stop, that the rhythm of your life no longer has any meaning, ... That it is time to react .

What practice for your well-being?

Yoga and all its philosophy.

What is the ritual of your practice?

Daily practice of pranayamas, and practice of Asanas. I regularly immerse myself in yoga courses with teachers who inspire me, such as Christian Pisano (Iyengar), or Godfrey Devereux (Dynamic yoga).

What do you get out of it?

Spending time for yourself, giving yourself a moment dedicated to your body and your well-being, allows me to share this with the people around me, in my personal life and in my work.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

A mat, and a small strap.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

My yak hair blanket brought back from Dharamsala .

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

Practice, and breathe every morning, even for 10 minutes…

Where/how do you practice?

At home, in a room, a bedroom, a living room… If I don’t have space for an Asana practice, then just by sitting a little Kapalabhati in the morning…

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

"Love & thanks"

Photographer @Amaury Cibot

Stéphane Haskell, photographer and documentalist, author of a very beautiful book "Respire" published by Michel Lafon and of a documentary "Breathe, Yoga, a breath of freedom"

I met Stéphane at the signing of his book at Tigre Yoga. Right away, I liked his personality, his kindness, his listening skills and his smile. He exudes strength, generosity, depth, serenity but also a certain fragility. Stéphane is a man who stands tall, an inspiring man, a caring man who has a wonderful gift: "transmission".

In all friendship, he immediately agreed to take part in the portrait exercise for tayronalife.com.

Stéphane owes a lot to yoga. Around the age of 40, Stéphane Haskell had back surgery and was paralyzed. Doctors said they could do nothing for him. He suffered terribly and his life became hell. After many operations, he returned to live with his mother, dragging himself from his bed to the kitchen with his only companion being his dog Elektra and his window and tree as his horizon. Then began the fight against pain to recover his body and a little freedom. Months of rehabilitation, years of suffering. Then an encounter that changed the course of his destiny: Thérèse, a yoga teacher. She introduced Stéphane to the practice of Iyengar and pushed him beyond his limits.

Stéphane finds himself and above all feels his body again. It was a long work of the body and the mind together. Every movement was torture, he will learn over the years to make his body move again, in accordance with his mind. It is this journey that he recounts in all sincerity in his very beautiful book "Respire" that I devoured in less than a week and that I highly recommend.

And it was quite natural that I asked him a few personal questions about his yoga practice that I am sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

By force of circumstances. By hitting rock bottom and realizing that only I could make the decision to move forward in my healing with the tools that my first yoga teacher offered me.

What practice for your well-being?

Yoga came with the master at the right time when I was ready. A lot of resistance and fear, mixed with acceptance and enormous expectation. It has become an ethic of life that brings me well-being.

What is the ritual of your practice?

At my place every morning 5 to 10 minutes every morning and two group lessons per week.

What do you get out of it?

Stability and anchoring.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

A yoga mat, purchased from www.tayronalife.com!

What is your favorite object/accessory?

A mala given by a friend in Bali

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

Practicing even 10 minutes a day is better than a 2 hour class once in a while.

Where/how do you practice?

I follow several Iyengar method teachers who teach at Be Yoga , Tigre Yoga and Rasa Yoga rive gauche.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

“Sense, look, listen”

Many of you ask me the question:

Which yoga mat to choose between the EKolite and the Prolite from Manduka.

I tried to answer you. Here is the comparison between these two great, non-slip mats for the most demanding yoginis and yogis. Two environmentally friendly mats, one of which is made of natural rubber.

The ProLite Yoga Mat

Manduka's Prolite Yoga Mat delivers maximum performance with minimal weight. Non-slip but non-sticky, even when exposed to sweat. High-density mat for unmatched experience and joint protection . Ideal for enhancing your practice and for use in the studio or on the go, on any surface (carpet, cement, hardwood floors).
This yoga mat, produced with environmentally friendly manufacturing, has optimized durability and is guaranteed for life.

It is ideal for the practice of Bikram.

The texture of the mat softens as you practice.

• Dimensions: 61 cm x 180 cm x 5mm
• Weight: 1.8 kg
• Oeko-Tex certified PVC, non-polluting manufacturing
• 100% latex free
• No restriction of use for people with latex allergies

Maintenance: We recommend using Manduka Mat Renew Cleaner

The ekoLite Yoga Mat

Developed by yoga teachers after more than 4 years of research, the eKo Lite mat from Manduka provides unparalleled grip in sweaty conditions. This eco-friendly yoga mat, made from a biodegradable natural rubber, based on natural rubber not from the Amazon, is an ideal mat for all types of yoga (dynamic or gentle) and for yogis who want to prioritize maximum grip and the environment.

• Dimensions: 61cm x 180cm x 4mm (available in 3mm)
• Weight: 2.1 kg (4mm) and 1.9 kg (3mm)
• The most durable yoga mat on the market.
• No PVC or harmful plasticizers.
• Made from biodegradable gum from natural tree rubber with non-toxic foaming agents and non-AZO dyes.
• 99% latex free

Cleaning: All eKO lite and PROlite mats can be cleaned with Manduka spray (a vinegar-based solution) or with a 50/50 solution of water and organic apple cider vinegar. It is recommended that you do not put your mat in the washing machine. Do not immerse it in a water bath and do not use soap as this can compromise the performance and quality of the mat.

@ Amaury Cibot - photographer

Here is my first yogini portrait. Each month, as I meet people, I will introduce you to yoginis and yogis who will tell you about their yoga practice and who I hope will give you some useful advice.

Simone Bourgarel - Founder of the Pure Happiness Collection

I have known Simone Bourgarel for years and the idea of ​​making my first yogini portrait with her was obvious. Despite her thousands of projects on the go, and an overflowing creative energy, we feel in her a beautiful serenity, a listening ear and a true purity. Always attentive to the well-being of others. She gives you her advice as a friend, an expert and a yogista.

Simone Bourgarel is a real gem in its raw state that makes you want to know more and know her recipes for happiness. Above all, she is an expert in aromatic and medicinal plants who wrote a lovely book "La Pharmacopée naturelle" or Le bon usage des plantes naturelles, published by Alternatives, which explains how to do yourself good with plants. This clever little guide offers you a whole range of new uses in herbalism and aromatherapy in the fields of health, beauty, cooking and daily well-being. Grandma's recipes well adapted to today's life!

She has also developed a "Pure bonheur" collection which offers beneficial plant blends from organic farming, with herbal teas from the garden, scents of well-being and vegetable soaps that you can find on her website www.collectionpurbonheur.com

You can also discover all his activities on his blog lebonheurestdanslepre.net

@ Amaury Cibot - photographer

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?

At the dawn of my 30th birthday, I felt the desire to find an accessible method, and above all one adapted to each person's temperament, to acquire physical balance following back pain and an almost perfect mental state to better channel my energy!

Yoga turned out to be in perfect harmony with my expectations. I was initiated by Vera Montpensier around Hatha Yoga, a disciple of Eva Richpaul… A very beautiful encounter

What practice for your well-being?

Having acquired the basic knowledge, a few years later I wanted to express myself in a more natural movement in accordance with the breath.

It was a summit meeting, in Val d'Isère, with Charlotte Saint Jean who introduced me to Vinyasa Flow, which was then totally unknown in France.

Yoga Nidra and Yin Yang Yoga are also an integral part of my practice.

What is the ritual of your practice?

Every day, depending on my timing, it varies from 10 minutes for a restorative phase and at the end of the day. It can go up to 1 hour 25 minutes of practice per day.

What do you get out of it?

This allows me to live in harmony with my convictions and my life path.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My mat…It is important for me to practice on my personal mat to better connect with my energies. Recently seduced by the Jute Yoga Mat on tayronalife.com! An unrivaled feeling of natural materials and linen.

I also have an Anadeo meditation cushion that I take everywhere. Lightweight and simply beautiful.

@Amaury Cibot - photographer

Then, in terms of clothing; a simple outfit. Leggings and T-shirt with a message…and non-slip socks from Toes Socks . I have a whole collection of them in all colors. And especially a cotton sheet found in Bali 20 years ago which allows me to relax in a gentle heat at the end of the session.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

My Peace necklace is the expression of what I am looking for and the magnificent work of Paul Coelho “The Alchemist”.

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

I think that the practice can initially be done without a goal. You must first assimilate the basics of asanas before moving on to progressive series. It is important to practice with a teacher because he will be able to guide you on the yoga that suits you best.

For me, the complete understanding of this ancestral practice was also built around numerous readings.

Where and how do you practice?

At home in my meditation space. According to the workshops offered today by very professional centers in Paris Rasa Yoga , Le Tigre Yoga Club , Yoga Searcher and in London at Triyoga , Life center and Jivamukti London. Or in private lessons with my friend and favorite teacher Charlotte Saint Jean for whom I take care of the communication around the Yoga Festival of Val d'Isère. And of course her website yogachezmoi.com

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

“Nature & spirituality which allows me to put in place the Shanti” - Inner peace

I recently received several questions from a regular Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga practitioner asking me which mat was best suited for his practice. As a practitioner of this dynamic yoga style myself, I know from experience that choosing a good, non-slip, comfortable mat for performing asanas is not an easy task.

I thought it was an opportunity to write this little article, to help you choose the right carpet. Without further ado, discover these little tips that will not only help you not to make a mistake with the material, but also to maintain it well to make it last longer!

What yoga mat material should I choose?

Despite the feats of strength of the various manufacturers to use the most organic materials as much as possible, good old PVC remains the most durable and resistant material for a yoga mat. Ashtanga being one of the styles of Yoga that puts your mat to the test, choose a PVC mat if you want to reassure yourself about its lifespan. The record holders for lifespan are the Manduka BlackMat PRO and PROlite mats, which are guaranteed for life! It is particularly recommended for intensive practices. If you are a fan of natural rubber mats, characterized by extreme grip, you will be able to find what you are looking for among the Jade Harmony Professional mats , which are undoubtedly the most resistant natural rubber mats currently. Personally, I opted for a Jade Harmony Orange, lighter to transport and for ethical reasons. Since the brand also plants trees for each mat purchased!

What thickness is suitable for Ashtanga - Vinyasa practice?

Jumps, Vinyasa, inverted postures are all good reasons to have a thick yoga mat… Your joints will thank you! However, if 6mm mats are the thickest, they are often very heavy, and not really made for transport… More than 3 kilos, that's starting to be a lot! You can then opt for slightly less thick mats: yoga mats between 4 and 5 mm thick allow a comfortable practice of Ashtanga, reducing the weight of the mat almost by half... Rest assured, this does not mean that the mat will be less resistant! The thickness of a mat is above all a question of weight and comfort…

Which side of the yoga mat to use?

Most Ashtanga mats are quite technical and offer two different sides: the upper side, made for the grip of the hands and feet, often resembles that of fabric and is generally not smooth. The lower part, which is often smooth but sometimes has studs, has the main purpose of adhering to the surfaces on which the mat is placed (wood, cement, parquet, sometimes carpet)... Try to use the right side of the yoga mat, this can improve your grip and allows the mat to be forgotten so you can focus only on your practice!

How can I be sure I won't slip?

PVC mats for Ashtanga are often "closed cell". This means that sweat or water do not penetrate inside the mat, that it is a "waterproof" product, unlike rubber mats. As a result, the mat can lose grip if you sweat a lot (those who have rubbed shoulders with Bikram know what I'm talking about). This is why many practitioners use a Yoga towel in addition ... It behaves in fact the opposite: the wetter it gets, the more grippy it becomes! Perfect for those who tend to sweat ... Manduka offers very beautiful towels for this purpose; the Yogitoes.

And the maintenance of my Ashtanga mat?

To take care of your Ashtanga mat, clean it regularly by hand (not in the washing machine) with a cleaning product and a damp cloth or sponge (not with a lot of water either). Once dry, roll it up with the outer part on top, then store it flat. This allows the corners of the mat to always remain flat when unrolled. Furthermore, given its "closed" structure, avoid piercing it or accidentally opening it (scissors, cutters lying around... bad idea!), and it should last you for years!

What do you think? Do you have any tips to share too?

You may not know it, but there are dozens of styles of Yoga. From the most dynamic to the gentlest, they correspond to the needs of each person and meet all physical conditions... So, which Yoga is right for you?