VIDEO INTERVIEWS
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The First Breath. Birth from a yogic Point of View
First part – Introduction (German with English Subtitles)
Second Part – Interview with Elke Egger-Schinnerl. Trainer. Coach. Yoga-teacher
Third Part – Interview with Renée Sunbird Georgiev, Singer. Indologist. Philosopher
Fourth Part – Interview with Boris Georgiev, Yoga Teacher, and owner of the Ganesha Yogastudio
Fifths Part – Interview with Katharina Wogrolly, Yoga Teacher, and former owner of the Yoga-College of Vienna
Sixths Part – Last Part. Interview with Elke Egger, Renée & Boris Georgiev, Katharina Wogrolly
Even if we don’t become mothers or fathers ourselves: Birth concerns all of us, ultimately, we all were born. Birth reminds us humans of our connection with the animal world. The interior of the human body is not that different from that of other mammals, and the human fetus itself – in its developmental stages – is reminiscent of a number of animals. As it grows together with the mother, the embryo appears like a plant.
However, humans are often embarrassed at the memory of this relationship. That’s why we have to emphasize our humanness with a second birth. In almost all cultures there are rituals with this aim: Initiation, Confirmation, Brit Milah & Khitan (circumcision in Judaism & Islam), Diksha (initiation by a guru in Tantra Yoga), Upanayana (the sacrificial cord ceremony of the Brahmins) – to name just a few …
Through this second birth, we humans enter the symbolic-ritualistic order, which emphasizes the differences: woman/man, child/adult, Guru/Cela, animal/human – but mostly also the hierarchies. This way we are cut off to a certain degree from the realm of nuances and gliding transitions, from the undecidability of becoming.
However, there is another way to think about the second birth: Hannah Arendt speaks of ‘natality‘ in this context. According to Arendt, every political act – i.e. every meeting in which interests, wishes, and needs are negotiated – is a possible new beginning or second birth. In order to be able to negotiate needs and interests, we first have to become aware of them. That sounds so natural and easy, but it is not – at least if we don’t limit ourselves to the material sphere.
In addition, every human being – through the unique constellation into which he or she was born – is a new beginning and harbors a new world. It is one of the aims of the video interviews on the cosmo-politics-of-ahimsa YouTube channel, to ‘open up’ these worlds and to present these new beginnings.
With this in mind, I would like the newly born YouTube channel to become a forum in which such a second birth can take place. So that the interviews encourage reflection and discussion on one’s own experiences.
Interviewees:
Mag. Elke Egger-Schinnerl
Website: www.mindfulmonday.wien
Elke Egger-Schinnerl studied law, completed training in organizational and personnel development, systemic coaching, business mediation, and mindfulness, and worked for many years as a personnel manager and business partner.
In search of physical balance, she came to Yoga in 2003, the healing effects of which she was able to perceive immediately in the first session. From then on, she practiced Yoga with regularity and steadily increasing intensity. Without realizing it at the time, a path had begun which led her more and more into self-awareness and which, in addition to the positive effects on physical and mental health and emotional stability, above all allowed her to experience the yogic power in supporting their personal change processes.
The curiosity to delve deeper into the secrets of yoga, to get to know the theory of personal experiences, and to combine this knowledge with the latest findings from brain research and psychology, finally led her to a Yoga teacher-training with Boris Georgiev and Reneé Sunbird at the Ganesha Yoga center, which also included courses in Spiral Dynamics and bodywork (Flow Nuad).
Elke is the mother of a daughter and a son and lives separated by mutual agreement from/with the father of the children. In her free time, she loves to live out her rediscovered creativity in the form of music (playing the ukulele, singing mantras), dancing and painting, and spending time with her children or friends. She meditates regularly and sees life as an exciting, joyful journey of discovery to herself.
Professionally, she now passes on her experience both as a Yoga teacher and in training and coaching on the subject of mindful (self-) leadership, in which Yoga is an integral part of the concept.
Mag. Renée ‘Sunbird’ Georgiev
Renée Sunbird was first introduced to Yoga by her father.
Some years later she studied Indology (Sanskrit) and Philosophy at the University of Vienna and started to practice Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She went to India several times to deepen her Yoga practice and fell in love with Indian music, mantras, and Bhajan singing.
Renée is the mother of two girls. She plays and fools around with them on the playground, in class, or in the tram.
She dreams about finding some time to read a book, sit in silent meditation, or just find a moment to be quiet. She loves to drink Matcha out of beautiful handmade mugs, compose music late at night, and dive deep into the philosophy of Yoga and life.
When playing live, Renée accompanies herself on Ukulele or Sansula and her husband Boris plays on the Harmonium.
Mantras are a tool for the mind. They guide us to a place within us where we can experience a sense of peace and silence.
When we start chanting Mantras, we can enter a deep state of meditation and feel who we really are.
Mag. Boris Georgiev
Boris Georgiev was born in Bulgaria and has lived in Vienna since 1991. He has been practicing yoga since 1980 and Ashtanga yoga, inspired by Lino Miele, since 1996. From 1998 to 2000 he practiced with Michel Besnard in Vienna. 1999 diploma as Sivananda yoga teacher. Since September 2000 he has been running the Ganesha Yoga Center and teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. In his lessons, he integrates elements from spiral dynamics and explores the naturalness of movement in connection with everyday life.
Mag. Katharina Wogrolly
Katharina Wogrolly studied journalism, psychology, and theater studies at the University of Vienna and then worked for several media companies and advertising and internet agencies. Until she finally went to New York in 2002. There she worked in business development for a Swiss company and also got to know Bikram Yoga. Shortly thereafter, she completed her training and opened the Bikram Yoga College Vienna (today Yoga College Vienna).
Kathi first came into contact with yoga when she was 12 years old. Her papa came back from a business trip and had brought a book about yoga … She was immediately fascinated, the cover depicted a sadhu – almost naked and in the lotus position. Somehow she was magically drawn to this book and soon afterward she knew why: it contained things that bordered on magic and sorcery. Things about breathing techniques and elevation (so fly !!!). She tried it immediately and sat down quietly, cross-legged, and began breathing exercises and meditation. Actually the opposite way from the way it is today in the West.
Today she is a Yoga teacher with a lot of experience and numerous training and further education in the field of bodywork: Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga with Jimmy Barkan, Bryan Kest, Sherie van der Wijngard and Dev Kapil. Numerous workshops and training courses such as Fascia Yoga, children’s Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga, Yoga therapy, Reiki, and Spiral Dynamics round off her expertise. In recent years she has increasingly specialized in individual work and energetic applications, such as the Emotion Code® or the Body Code®. Both techniques, with which it is possible to search for the causes of trauma, chronic complaints, and pain … She works with her students both in groups and in individual sessions. She headed the Yoga College Vienna for more than 15 years. Kathi is married and has 3 children.
