Şeyma Özcan

1. What is your yoga training?

 

I have completed all my trainings at Cihangir Yoga in İstanbul. I have finished a 500 hour training focusing on Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Flow. I am continuing with advanced trainings at Cihangir Yoga towards my 1000 hour teacher certificate.

2. How would you describe your yoga classes?

 

I can try to describe my lessons as something which makes the student stronger, turn inside, and also approach their body in a way that helps set the connection that was lost over the years. I encourage the students  to see spontaneity instead of to try to reach a goal.  In each yoga movement that I perform with my students I try to rediscover three elements:  movement, meditation and  breath.

3. What is spirituality for you?

Spirituality is present inside life, not outside of it.  It wraps life up and penetrates everything – in reality it is life itself! We should not try to make our lives spiritual with extra efforts because life is naturally spiritual and full of meanings. The best attitude towards spirituality would be first to realize that life is a mystery and then to enjoy it…

4. How do you connect your view of spirituality and teaching yoga?

In our lives each step and breath we take as well as the people we come into contact with serve to tell us who we are as mirrors of our spiritual lives…

Here at Cihangir Yoga we practice yoga to unite and join all of these elements in order to bring a flow and harmony into our lives. When I give yoga lessons, I try to explain to my students the breath pattern and movements for each pose, as well as the fact the heart and mind enrich our lives when the work together. I can say that being a yoga teacher lights up my way in my adventure of knowing myself: I discover new aspects of myself every time that people join my lessons.

5. How is it to teach yoga in Istanbul?

 

Istanbul is a great place for teaching and learning Yoga! Yoga is the perfect antidote to the tension accumulated in the hustle and bustle of this exhausting city, which is in constant motion and transformation.

Each yoga lesson is a transformative experience for people who come from different  parts of the city. Especially at Cihangir Yoga, I feel so lucky to lessons so that people can enjoy the feeling of living together in the same city and understand the richness of yoga.