I got to know yoga as a teenager and put together asanas for myself using a pocket book and practiced them every day. As a result of scoliosis, I was required to do regular physical exercises. Instead of the physiotherapy treatments that were initially recommended, I opted for yoga and have remained faithful to this practice ever since, sometimes more, sometimes less intensively. As I am not an ambitious sports person, but I love to move, immersing myself in yoga suited my nature perfectly. For some time, the "5 Tibetans" were my daily program. Both physical schools lead to a mindful and purposeful sequence of movements and invite you to engage in meditation and deeper breathing. So my path continued and led me to a Vipassana retreat. I also incorporated this practice into my daily routine for several years.
Trip to India To recover from a stressful period at work and a personal crisis, I traveled to India and immersed myself in intensive yoga training. During this stay in India, I got to know rural India. As we lived off the beaten track in a small village with our yoga master, we were fed traditionally. We ate Ayurvedic food. Our host family cooked the perfect meal for our needs according to the master's instructions. Everything was prepared from fresh, regional ingredients.
Yoga and Ayurveda yoga therapy were part of our training program. We traveled with our teacher to visit sick people in the surrounding villages and took part in his consultations. It was impressive to see how the families gathered around the sick person and followed the instructions of our "guru". He almost always recommended a few days of khichari as a diet at the beginning of the treatment and explained exactly which ingredients should be used to prepare this diet. I had been working as a seminar and catering chef for many years and had discovered Indian Ayurvedic buffets as my specialty. It was in India that I encountered this form of nutrition in its original quality. During my stay in India, I got to know Ayurvedic cuisine even better and, above all, my body was able to successfully rid itself of some stubborn disorders. Of course, the absence of the usual stimulants helped. During this phase of my life, I was able to travel to India for six to eight weeks every winter for several years. I spent most of this time in a yoga ashram. At the end of each stay, I would take a long train journey. There was so much I wanted to see in this great country. The days and nights on the train brought me closer to the surroundings, the country and the people. I felt at ease with the smells, sounds and language. But my favorite part was the food in the increasingly common Ayurvedic restaurants. I love the healthy Ayurvedic dishes. During a longer stay in an ashram in Goa, I was able to take part in an Ayurveda training course. The intensive course with an Ayurveda doctor from Kerala lasted six weeks. There was a written final exam for which we had to work through all the material again on our own. We learned the most important basics of Ayurveda. Dr. Arun explained them to us by telling us a lot about the practical anchoring of the knowledge in Indian culture. It was an exciting and entertaining way to immerse ourselves in this knowledge. Together with him and his assistants, we cooked massage oils from local plants. Experienced massage practitioners introduced us to the practice of massage. With their help, we practiced the techniques on each other. We learned how to make and perform Kadi basti and Pinda sveda.
School for alternative practitioners in Lucerne After passing my exams in India, my desire to find a recognized training course in Switzerland was awakened. I found professional training at the European Academy for Ayurveda Rosenberg at the Heilpraktikerschule in Lucerne and completed my training as a nutrition and health consultant and massage practitioner. I will soon receive my diploma as a complementary therapist. I am recognized by Swiss health insurance companies for Ayurveda massages, and clients with appropriate supplementary insurance can have my invoices reimbursed.
Lifelong learning The training is, like the whole Ayurvedic field of knowledge, very versatile. I soon realized that it would be a lifelong learning experience. It was very useful for me to learn about nutrition, observing the times of day, the daily rhythm, cleansing techniques and the use of oils on myself during the training and to experience their deeper effects. Working as an Ayurvedic therapist brings me great joy and happiness. There is so much that I can offer people as help and support. Through mindful interaction with clients, I can contribute a lot to an improved quality of life in small steps. My interest in Ayurveda has been strengthened by getting to know the many areas. I have started training as an Ayurvedic physician and would like to delve deeper into Ayurvedic psychology. A long-dormant wish is to study Sanksrit.
My practice in Winterthur After investing in my new specialty, I looked for a practice in a lively area. I found it in Winterthur. My husband first had to be persuaded to make the move. But the time seemed ripe to leave our joint project on Lake Constance. The children had grown up and left home, and we were ready to try something new as a couple. My husband, who is about to retire, has now started further training as a yoga therapist. I hope that I will be able to incorporate his knowledge into my practice in the future and that this will develop into a joint project. I was able to rent a room on the first floor of a newly built cooperative building (22m2). We found an ideal apartment for us on the fourth floor. The building is located in a newly developed part of Winterthur. It is centrally located and not far from the train station. The area is car-free and quiet. Wonderfully, the practice room could be beautifully furnished with all the necessary furniture, even a Svedana box fitted in. The furnishing was an intensive task. I spent many hours dreaming up the color scheme and preparing the atmosphere of my dream room in my mind. The practice room is now how I like it and how I can work in it practically and in the right mood. The shop window is labeled with my own logo and fitted with a weatherproof card box. Landing well with a practice is not to be underestimated. Fortunately, I was able to successfully hand over my two previous small businesses (the bistro on Lake Constance and a gift shop) to a successor. The proceeds gave me some breathing space and a small financial cushion. The development of my practice is still in full swing. I spent many hours at the computer working on a homepage, creating flyers, writing the association entry, networking, advertisements and maintaining contacts. I offer morning yoga twice a week to encourage interested neighbors. Clients are slowly starting to show up and I am happy to see every new face. I value every experience as a great opportunity to explore my knowledge more deeply and at the same time give clients space to find their own way.
My supportive saying always resonates in my mind: "Always do your best, Jah will do the rest".