My passion for yoga
If you practise something you will become skillful. If you are dedicated you will make progress. Dedication, passion and a joyful, light-hearted approach are key elements in making progress on our path of expansion into our full potential.
My background
Born in Seoul, South Korea, I grew up in Melbourne, Australia. Both my parents are dedicated martial artists, high ranking taekwondo practitioners and were my first teachers of movement. They taught me how to be a persevering student.
By the time I was 12 years of age I was immersed in the study of dance. I was trained in ballet and contemporary dance at the Victorian College of the Arts School and completed my studies at the National Theatre Ballet School in Melbourne before departing for Europe. At 19 years I was ready to pursue my dream of becoming a professional dancer and went on to work in European theatres for many years.
My Teaching
My passion for yoga led me to become a teacher in 2000. Based in Munich, Germany, I have been travelling to teach internationally for 20 years.
The power of yoga and the great teachers I have been fortunate to study with have inspired me to strive for excellence in all aspects of teaching yoga – from my own practice, to supporting students, and mentoring teachers in their quest to discover and live their full potential.
The yoga background encompasses a broad range of styles and traditions including Sivananda, Iyengar, various Vinyasa styles, Vinyasa Krama in the Krishnamacharya tradition and Vipassana meditation.
When I began my study of Anusara Yoga in 2006, my practice and teaching were completely transformed. I became a fully certified Anusara Yoga teacher in 2011 and am now a registered Experienced Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher (ECAT). My specialty is in teaching methodology, Ayurveda and therapeutic yoga.
Studying with me will strengthen your connection with your body. You will feel inspired to listen to its intelligence and learn how to create a physical experience that feels balanced and healthy. You will gain a sense of wholeness as you develop an appreciation for your physical and mental self within the context of all the emotions and experiences that make you the unique human being you are.
In 2013 I undertook a course of study called “Working with People: A Psychology of Awakening”, conducted by Rafia Morgan and Turiya Hanover, the founders of Path of Love. My participation in the Path of Love process was life-changing and has deeply influenced my approach to leading groups.
In 2014, I became co-founder of a unique approach to yoga and healing called ThaiVedic when Kimmana Nichols and Sebastian Bruno invited me to join them in developing a system that integrates Bodywork, Ayurveda and Yoga. This system is the realisation of our aspiration to offer education and share our accumulated knowledge of health and self-care from a holistic, traditional medicine perspective. My role has been to guide the yoga and structural therapy parts of our curriculum.
In 2015, the German edition of my book “Yoga – Mit Kraft und Anmut leben” was published, and the third and expanded new edition was released in 2019. The English edition, “Yoga – Living with Strength and Grace” is planned for release on my website.
It was actually the process of writing that inspired the name Strength & Grace Yoga to describe my approach to yoga. Strength & Grace Yoga is Anusara plus…everything that interests Barbra!
To the solid base of Anusara Yoga I continue to add, evolve and develop my practice and teaching. I love to create and design my own trainings and educational programs. Above all, my teaching is informed by my own practice, my observations and my dialogue with students around the world over the past 20 years.
You will find my classes contemplative yet powerful and dynamic; challenging yet sprinkled with humour. It is my great wish to guide students toward a healthier and happier relationship with their bodies and minds. It is my belief that through a deeper awareness of ourselves we come to appreciate our own innate value.