My story

THE STORY TO READ

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I wasn’t born into a golden cradle myself. When I was a child, I was constantly sick. Endless headaches, stomach ache, fatigue, floppy skin and excess weight followed throughout life. In my younger years, having ignored all of these symptoms, I gained a set of chronic illnesses, which traditional medicine did not have a solution for. That is when I started to look for other means of cure. 

I was always attracted by the Eastern methods of healing. Since the age of 11, I read books about Tibetan medicine, the monks that performed fasts and austerities, and their daily exercises. But all of that seemed completely unreal to do then and there, and the question stood – how can I integrate all of these wonders in the mundane human life and routine? Even though the knowledge seemed mystical and hard to reach, it was still extremely fascinating. 

I was clearly aware and told that modern medicine could not help me. I am in no way demeaning doctors. I believe that everyone in this world has their place and that every patient has and needs their own type of doctor. It just did not work for me. I needed to find an option suited to me individually, and that is how I found YOGA. 

The practice of yoga inspired me a lot and just in a few short months I could feel the first results and my wellbeing improving. I didn’t want to smoke anymore, I stopped drinking alcohol and most importantly, the headaches with which I have been living for more than 20 years, completely disappeared! It was a strange feeling, to be honest. It was hard to believe that my constant companion, alongside strong painkillers, ceased to be a daily part of my life. It was the first step in the right direction, which inspired me greatly!

My body, which everyone in childhood would affectionately call bulky and awkward, began to take shape and my weight stabilised. The body breathed with strength and relaxation. It was my small but not so small miracle! I felt completely new in my body and was impressed with what it was capable of. 

Sixteen years ago, in Ukraine there were only a few teachers and I studied with each one of them, analysing different methods they used and styles of teaching. I traveled to Russia and Europe to attend all the available workshops I could find. Later, my friend and I decided to go to India and dive right into the heart of knowledge. We spent 2.5 years there, where I studied at the Sri Parrabhi Jois Institute of Yoga, the only institute of yoga established at that time. I also studied at the College of Ayurveda which was part of a huge government clinic. I could write a whole book about this experience, but for now I will just note how important this experience was and is in my life, in that it shaped my OWN practice. Coming back to Ukraine I understood that I no longer could continue being an ordinary office clerk, from 9-5 breathing the dust of office air conditioners. I then left a successful international travel company, which I co-owned and was the marketing director of. Leaving fame and money, I took one suitcase and traveled in search of happiness to live in Vietnam. At that time, I could never imagine that I was leaving Ukraine forever and would likely never return. 

I lived in Vietnam for 8 years. Traveling the Southeast of Asia, I studied traditional meditation, attended many retreats, sacred places, and learned from famous and not so famous teachers. Thousands of hours in practice have carved a completely new ‘me’ – fearless, brave, and boldly heading towards my dreams. Now I can confidently say that I know everything or almost everything about the practice of meditation. At the same time, I continue to daily study and update my knowledge and skills, never standing still. During the 8 years in Vietnam, I have had hundreds, if not thousands of students learn from me.  There were many, and all different – from my Vietnamese students at dawn, to famous 5-7 star hotels, where I hosted retreats for international companies such as Mitsubishi Toyota and others. I was one of the first yoga teachers in Vietnam, passing on my knowledge to future teachers of yoga. 

For two years I was also a football coach for the Vietnamese national soccer team, which exposed me to a wide experience of working with injuries, pain and physical and mental tensions and disorders. This experience inspired me to search for a safe type of yoga which people with different health conditions and abilities could also practice. That is when yoga therapy and great teachers who opened this wisdom to me entered my life. It seemed to me that that is exactly what I have been searching for, since even then I understood that classic yoga is not available to everyone, as it can scare people away with its complexity and austere approach. 

Yoga therapy was akin to a “eureka moment” for me, with its wide set of tools that I regularly practice to this day. I continue to manifest and prove in practice the fact that yoga in form of therapy is not only available but is also vital for everyone, regardless of age, status, and health condition. It works for everyone with incredibly life-changing results! 

Amongst other things, I met the man of my dreams in Vietnam. There we had an absolutely amazing son and later left for a new life in Australia. We have been living in Melbourne for four years now. Here we have organised many educational programs for the Russian-speaking community, including: educational yoga and meditation programs, wellness and beauty courses, seminars on ayurvedic principles of life, hundreds of personal consultations. 

In Australia I upgraded once more, training and qualifying as a meditation therapist, competent in managing the diseases of the nervous system and the mind. Here I also updated my yoga therapy skills.

In reality, above is an extremely concise summary of my experience and skills. Every day my life is filled with further realisations from personal practice and also many extraordinary stories from my students, which we will start sharing on this platform very soon as well, to inspire you and your practice. 

Now our website is under reconstruction, so that in the near future we will be able to share with you many beneficial free and paid programs to support your health holistically in ways I promise you will come to love and enjoy.  

In my culture, it is a tradition to give gifts upon meeting someone for the first time. Today, I would like to offer you a welcome meditation, which will also be one of the best gifts you will give yourself by listening to it.