Meet Karolina Szymala: Senior Yoga Teacher at This Is Yoga
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR BECOMING A YOGA TEACHER?
My teaching journey began in 2010 when I graduated from the Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training facilitated by the founders of the method: Sharon Gannon and David Life in Rhinebeck, New York. In 2012 I became an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher thanks to the guidance of my mentor Narayani ( Nicole Nichols).
YOUR FAVOURITE YOGA POSE IF YOU HAVE ONE?
I have a love/hate relationship with Karandavasana (from second series of Ashtanga Yoga). I have been challenged by it and been working on it for some time now. I find that there is absolutely no time or space for switching off while attempting it. Full presence!
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT TEACHING?
Heart to heart connection with students and many healing and therapeutic potentials that come from this ancient, potent modality.
HOW CAN WE FIND YOU ON SOCIAL?
About Karolina:
Karolina‘s teaching journey began in 2010 when she graduated from the Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training facilitated by the founders of the method: Sharon Gannon and David Life in Rhinebeck, New York. In 2012 she became an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher thanks to the guidance of her mentor Narayani ( Nicole Nichols).
After moving to Sydney in 2012 she joined forces with Jivamukti Yoga Sydney in Newtown and over the years has become an essential part of the studio’s teaching faculty. While teaching there, she has dedicated her time to serve as a mentor to newly certified Jivamukti yoga teachers, helping them to grow and become more skilled in sharing the method.
In the late 2018 she left the school in pursue of her own growth and independent journey as a yoga teacher. She is now teaching numerous classes and workshops in Sydney, running her yoga retreats and continues to serve as a mentor, running group and “one on one” mentoring programs for newly certified yoga teachers.
As a part of her ongoing continuing education, Karolina has been practising and apprenticing with her Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Eileen Hall from Ashtanga Yoga Moves in Sydney since 2017. To balance her yang, she also practices and teaches yin yoga. Her mission in teaching has always been to cultivate positive shift and facilitate healing in peoples lives, whether it happens through healing their physical bodies or shifting their perception, inspiring them to take care of themselves more, or healing their emotional wounds. Whatever it takes to make them feel more whole and connected to Spirit.
Karolina believes in yoga as a holistic practice. Regarding Yoga philosophy as an integral part of the practice, she gives it great importance through her dharma talks, making yoga philosophy relatable and accessible to everyone. She believes that giving significance to those ancient concepts paired with self inquiry, asana, conscious breath and meditation, eventually, but inevitably has the power to positively affect the life of an individual, contributing into an effective shift of a greater collective.
She brings the importance and respect of earth traditions into the spectrum of her teachings. Combining music and healing arts together she creates an ambiance of an authentic and grounded practice. Her attention to sacred geometry of alignment and hands-on assists reflect her knowledge of physical and energetic bodies, providing a deeper experience for everyone in the class. She is known for her impactful dharma talks as well as beautiful flow and a sense of fluidity in her classes.
Want to know more?
Head over to our blog for a Q&A on Karolina!