Yoga aligns body and soul, creating space for love to flow freely within and between us
about winnie
I wanted more freedom, more love and joy in my life. So, I took a huge risk. I put my political science career behind me and left for India to study yoga. This is the story of how I became Winnie Winnetu yoga teacher and what it has come to mean for me.
How I Found Yoga
and lost a dream
Before I became Winnie Winnetu yoga teacher I lived a very different life. I had a prestigious career in political science which was a dream come true for me at the time. I hoped to contribute towards positive change in the world through publication of my research. However, instead of my work being a catalyst for change, I saw increasing greed and destruction. So many people live in fear of each other.
Mine was a high pressure career and it was taking a heavy toll on my health. On a personal level I was stuck in unhealthy relationships. I was also unaware of just how much stress was building up in my body in those years.
I began to feel a urgent need to find a new way forward. I wanted more freedom, more love and joy in my life. The seed of a new version of me, Winnie Winnetu, was ready to sprout. So, I took a huge risk. I put my political science career behind me and left for India to study yoga philosophy.
Winnie Winnetu In India
Going to India was about seeking a deeper dimension of life, finding a philosophy with deeper values. India became a second home for me. India was where Winnie Winnetu was born. What I brought back with me changed my life.
I went to learn yoga, took training as a yoga teacher and was teaching my own yoga classes. I travelled between the comfortable order of Sweden and the chaotic marketplaces, vibrant colors and temple songs that are India.
Indian philosophy taught me to look at myself, my attachments, my relationships. I started to see them in a new way. Years of accumulated stress left my body. Gone was the pain and inflammation I had known. My friends said I looked 10 years younger, I felt that way too. I had shed my old skin and become Winnie Winnetu.
Winnie Winnetu In Sweden
For 5 years I ran yoga teacher training courses in India. Then I started to feel a pull to open a yoga center in Sweden and this manifested as Yogi Living Retreat Center. This is where I now do most of my yoga teaching and use my adopted name of Winnie Winnetu.
I was surprised when people began saying my yoga teaching was very healing. What a wonderful discovery! It still drives me to teach today: healing others creates a profound sense of happiness in me.
The world of yoga is full of images of perfect yoga poses, perfect bodies and branded accessories. But yoga is not how we look. Yoga is about connecting mind and body; a process that takes place inside of us. By turnng our attention inward and we notice subtle energy currents. They are the guide for our practice. Try it. You will be amazed at the difference it makes!
Teaching yoga
I teach original forms of yoga that I learned first-hand from Indian yogis and Tibetan monks. I integrate this ancient knowledge with modern scientific research into yoga.
There is a large body of research confirming the health benefits of yoga and how yoga practice works on the root cause of most diseases: chronic stress. It is important to know which yoga practices to use for which physical condition and for what result. The different forms of yoga work on your body in quite specific ways.
Typically, my yoga classes are improvised. By sensing the needs of my students I intuitively give what is most needed.
Tantra yoga
Love is the only thing that really matters. I believe that it is not knowledge that we lack when trying to build a better world. It is love.
I set out to teach tantric techniques of love and connection. I do not teach the distorted version (neo-Tantra) defined by uninhibited sex. The kind of Tantra Yoga I teach creates a love connection between people.
The fundamental technique is the tantric hug. This is a wonderful way to open the heart. Using synchronized breathing and feeling into each other’s heart center, it is possible to connect and share love energy. This is something you practice with your partner to reach a higher level of love. It is also a practice that can be shared with anyone.
Kundalini Awakening
Kundalini yoga kriyas consist of practices sitting in asana and focussing the mind to move energy through the chakras.
I am confident if you practice Kundalini yoga every day, in time you will certainly experience a level of Kundalini Awakening. I had my own awakening through Kundalini yoga practice. If there was a single moment that I could say Winnie Winnetu was born, it was that moment. It is a magical experience I would love to help other yogis have too.
Kundalini yoga also promises a deeper more lasting balance in life. I create a protective shield around myself, keeping my emotions stable, regardless of the situations I face. I feel the difference if I forget to practice for a few days! I am less stable, more prone to fear and anger, and more sensitive to others moods and projections.
Prana Yoga
Prana Yoga focuses on the control and regulation of prana, the vital life force. It aims to improve physical and mental wellbeing by balancing the body’s energy flow. It is particularly effective for stress, anxiety and depression.
My classes are based on an easy set of practices taken from Hatha and Yin Yoga. I also take my students into a deep trance Yoga Nidra and replace negative energy with positive It always brings a smile to peoples faces.
The needs of the class are what matters most. Some need anger release, so I teach the tantrum kriya. Others can release stress through laughter, so I teach laughter yoga. Students that are open to receive healing experience near-instant stress release.
Yoga Philosophy
personal transformation
Yoga is about personal transformation. When I use the name Winnie Winnetu I am reminded I was not always the person I am today. I believe that opening up the energy pathways is key to releasing accumulated stress, finding self-love, even restoring youthfulness. Age is determined more by your energy flow than by a number.
My yoga classes are not confined to any one style. I blend different practices to maximize the healing effect and the energy flow, and to balance heart and mind.
We have the ability to change. More than becoming Winnie Winnetu, we can change the destructive patterns of humanity. There is too much greed and too little love in the world. Our society is built around material possessions, competition and status. I believe yoga can help create a society grounded on love and compassion for all living beings.
Yogi Living
sharing love beauty and laughter
We teach yoga from the heart. We teach the path of love. We believe laughter is as much a part of yoga as deep silence. We work to create deep connections: with your own essence and with others. We work to raise consciousness and ultimately help you achieve liberation. This is the meaning of tantra for us. We hope for you too.
Regular practice of yoga can give you to better health and create the kind of relationship with yourself and others that you know is possible but perhaps have struggled to find. Welcome to your new life!
Feel the love
Experience the freedom, joy and lightness that comes through practicing yoga! Choose an experience that is the best for your needs from the Yoga Events page.
Whether you are an experienced yogi or a complete beginner you will leave here with a smile and friendships that last a lifetime.
Message us or call for a chat and see if we are a good fit for what you seek. We encourage you to reach out, but wherever you land we wish you happiness!
Awakening To Love
Yoga can change your life. I know because it happened to me. I had a career in political science, but wanted more freedom, love and joy in my life. So, I took a huge risk. I put my career behind me and left for India to study yoga. I chose to become Winnie Winnetu.
I hope Awakening To Love inspires you to practice yoga and one day come see us at Yogi Living Retreat Center.
Let's Talk
we would love to hear from you!
Book a discovery call with Winnie to see if we are a good fit for you. Or simply ask a question by email, and we will get back to you as soon as we can!