ELIZABETH'S STORY
WHY I LOVE TEACHING YOGA AFTER 30 YEARS
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, in the United States, and have been living in Berlin, Germany for more than twenty years. I started practicing Iyengar yoga in New York thirty-five years ago as a nineteen-year-old college student. I knew right away that I had found something that gave me deep inner calm and relaxation and that my body felt more balanced and alive than ever before.
After college, I pursued a career as a professional dancer, artist, and arts administrator (I did this for fifteen years) and continued to practise Iyengar yoga. Then one day, the director of a dance studio where I was teaching asked me if I could substitute for the yoga teacher who was going on maternity leave. I asked my teacher, Joan White, if I could teach and she said, " Yes." So, in 1991, I began teaching yoga and joined the teacher training program.
Iyengar yoga is unique in the field of yoga for many reasons. We teachers undergo rigorous training - a three-year teaching training with prior years required and teaching exams that we must pass before becoming certified. I have had six exams and am a Senior Intermediate II (Level 3) teacher, which means that I am qualified to work with people of all health conditions and train teachers. I'm a Certified Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and an Assessor for yoga teacher exams in Germany and abroad and co-direct the Iyengar Yoga Zentrum Berlin.
I have been fortunate to study numerous times in Pune, India at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, studying with the Iyengar family and assisting in medical classes since 1997. I also continue my studies with Advanced teachers in Europe and the USA, constantly enriching my practice and teaching. Yoga integrates the body, mind, and heart when we devote ourselves consistently over time to our own personal growth.
The practice strengthens and interweaves the different parts of ourselves and brings the health, harmony, and happiness we crave in life.
WHAT MY STUDENTS SAY
"When the pandemic made my world very small, Elizabeth's online community became a breath of fresh air. It's a way to see things outside of my bubble and connect with teachers from different countries. This welcoming, open community keeps challenging how I think about yoga and teaching - it's been invaluable."
Timothy Grundy
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, Germany
"I live in Spain where there are no Iyengar teachers nearby. Discovering Sadhana Circle has been perfect - Elizabeth makes online practice work beautifully, even with minimal props. I love how she mingles philosophy with practice and her friendly, knowledgeable approach. The recorded library is fantastic, and seeing up to 60 people from around the world in our sessions is quite marvelous."
Gita Wolhuter
Sadhana Circle Member, Spain
"I've been practicing yoga for two-thirds of my life, and when I met Elizabeth at a workshop in Slovenia, I felt an immediate connection. Sadhana Circle gives me a shield against the world's problems - it's the community that helps me stay on the yogic path. Elizabeth interacts with us at the heart level with tolerance, generosity, and empathy. It is indeed my yoga community, thanks to the energy created by Elizabeth in the first place."
Metka Wolhuter
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, Slovenia
"I've been with Sadhana Circle from the beginning. Although it's online, you can really feel the group energy with people from all over the world. Elizabeth creates an atmosphere of deep study that's also relaxed and joyful. The monthly themes open new ways of practicing, and the Q&A sessions help with real-life integration of yoga. This appeared during COVID and was the good thing that happened to me - it's now a very important part of my practice."
Nolween Le Martelot
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, France
WHAT MY STUDENTS SAY
"When the pandemic made my world very small, Elizabeth's online community became a breath of fresh air. It's a way to see things outside of my bubble and connect with teachers from different countries. This welcoming, open community keeps challenging how I think about yoga and teaching - it's been invaluable."
Timothy Grundy
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, Germany
"I live in Spain where there are no Iyengar teachers nearby. Discovering Sadhana Circle has been perfect - Elizabeth makes online practice work beautifully, even with minimal props. I love how she mingles philosophy with practice and her friendly, knowledgeable approach. The recorded library is fantastic, and seeing up to 60 people from around the world in our sessions is quite marvelous."
Gita Wolhuter
Sadhana Circle Member, Spain
"I've been practicing yoga for two-thirds of my life, and when I met Elizabeth at a workshop in Slovenia, I felt an immediate connection. Sadhana Circle gives me a shield against the world's problems - it's the community that helps me stay on the yogic path. Elizabeth interacts with us at the heart level with tolerance, generosity, and empathy. It is indeed my yoga community, thanks to the energy created by Elizabeth in the first place."
Metka Zupancic
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, Slovenia
"I've been with Sadhana Circle from the beginning. Although it's online, you can really feel the group energy with people from all over the world. Elizabeth creates an atmosphere of deep study that's also relaxed and joyful. The monthly themes open new ways of practicing, and the Q&A sessions help with real-life integration of yoga. This appeared during COVID and was the good thing that happened to me - it's now a very important part of my practice."
Nolween Le Martelot
Sadhana Circle & Teacher Circle Member, France
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