In today's interview series, we are pleased to introduce you to a highly experienced classical yoga teacher, Suddha Weixler, originally from Austria and now based in Chicago, USA. Suddha has studied with great masters and brings over 30 years of practice and experience to Suncokret!
Tell us a little about yourself; what else do you do besides teach yoga?
I have been a photographer for a long time. When I left for my first trip to India in 1978 (which became a world trip, lasting 3 years), part of my daily practice was “learning to see”. We now call it “mindfulness”. I carried my Leica with me wherever I went. And later I sold images for commercial use.
What brought you to the world of yoga?
Growing up in Austria, I left to study in England in 1968. Flower-power, the Hippie culture influenced many of us, with it came the esoteric interest in Eastern culture.
What do you value most about yoga?
Yoga keeps me humble and in contact with the present moment, and that is what I value the older I get.
What was your most embarrassing class teaching / group event experience?
Being nervous in front of a large crowd, my Guru exposed me to it early on, knowing my shyness and introversion. It was hard to speak in front of 150-some people.
And your best class teaching experience?
Overcoming fear and restriction is liberating. And knowing that it is the mind which sets up the condition.
Besides yoga, what is your favorite thing?
Music, mostly classical. But I must confess I am also into high performance cars. Always loved speed, as a Ski-racer, or in a Porsche, does not matter. And I adore Shanti, she is a small dog with a lot of love.
How do you hope to enhance the retreat experience with your particular offerings and what do you hope the students will gain by attending the event?
Sharing what I have learned and accumulated in the past 30 years as a yoga teacher. We gain what we are ready for.
How did you come up with the retreat event theme you are leading at Suncokret?
I have been doing retreats all over the world for many years, and I liked the simplicity of Suncokret when I visited last year.
Why would attending your particular event be beneficial to the participants who join?
Experience and having filtered the theory and practice of yoga for most of my life may help.
Is there any ideal way retreat participants can better prepare themselves for their retreat time with you?
This is yoga mediation retreat, but it is also a yoga vacation, so we take it easy and combine fun and practice.
At the end of the event week, what is the one thing you hope retreat participants will walk away feeling?
Feeling better than when they arrived. Having made the connection with their body, mind and Self and nature.
What is your favorite place to visit on Hvar?
I like the small towns and the down to earth, friendly people.
What are you most looking forward to experiencing as an exclusive events teacher at Suncokret?
The simple life in midst of nature, hearing a rooster, smelling the earth, seeing the many green’s in vegetation. Living an in big city like Chicago I miss that.
What advice would you give to aspiring yoga teachers who would like to lead retreats?
Do your practice, and all is coming my teacher Pattabhi Jois used to say. I find that true.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, after the retreat I will visit my family in Austria. Will be back in Chicago in August and start my teaching job as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute. Run the Yoga Center, and in November be back in Bali for a yoga retreat. Visit India in January and return for a retreat to Maya Tulum, Mexico February of 2016. And so on…
Here's more information about the event with Suddha:
Yoga and Meditation
With Suddha Weixler, July 5 -11, 2015
The cultivation of physical postures, breath work, and the refinement of the mind in its capacity to be directed toward a single object, transforms yoga into a spiritual practice.
Concentration of the mind at will is the goal of Meditation and Yoga. The mind is seen as an instrument of Consciousness.
The Yoga – Meditation retreat will be led by Suddha Weixler, including talks on the history of yoga and its philosophy. Suddha began studying yoga in 1978 on his first visit to India. He spent eight years in a monastic environment learning the classical system. He was certified in 1984 and has been directing the Chicago Yoga Center for over 30 years. Initiated into Raja Yoga and Meditation in 1982 by Swami Narayanananda, his training includes classical Hatha, the Iyengar method and Ashtanga Yoga with K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, South India annually from 1995-1998. He is also a student of Srivatsa Ramaswami of Chennai, and has been introduced into the Vinyasa Krama method of Sri Krishnamacharya.
Suddha has been an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago since 1989 and enjoys the art of photography. He holds national, international workshops, and annual Teacher Training Courses.
The retreat is appropriate for anyone strongly interested in meditative awareness.
And this being a yoga vacation we will explore the local natural, historical and cultural spots!
Suddha's teaching style is precise, attentive and integrating. Students are encouraged to work at their capacity. The workshop will include morning meditation practice; the morning class will be deep and therapeutic, blending the essential aspects of the Iyengar tradition and Yin Yoga. The afternoon practice will be based on dynamic, invigorating Vinyasa sequences. The emphasis is on the integration of all physical, mental, energetic and spiritual faculties.
Interested in joining Suddha on retreat at Suncokret? Suddha is offering a 10% discount to all our European clients! Contact Suddha directly for details via his website: http://www.yogamind.com/workshop-croacia.shtml
See you then! :-)