CommunityRead what our practitioners are saying about Bhumi Yoga:
"Ashtanga Yoga is an empowering practice in the way that it gives you the tools to quiet your mind and take care of your body wherever you go and wherever you are. I love the way it makes me feel and increases my compassion to myself and those around me. Maxi is a very knowledgeable teacher and more importantly she helps you to establish a routine that suits your needs. For me an (almost) daily practice strengthens my body while giving me insight in my behaviour. I'm really glad to have discovered Maxi, this Shala and Ashtanga yoga!" Yvette van de Riet, October 2019; Ashtanga Mysore & Moon Sequence Practitioner |
"I have practiced with Maxi since 2015 or 2014, I don't quite remember. Through her, yoga has integrated into my life gradually such that I don't know where it began. Maxi has shown me how be accepting of myself and my abilities. Each yoga practice is different yet all based on the age old traditions of the method. I was not knowledgeable about yoga or its background when I began. I started yoga to add physical exercise to my life in way that was sustainable for me in order to help in balancing my work life in IT. |
"By the time I had decided to join Maxi's yoga school, I had been meaning to learn Ashtanga yoga for a while. I was practicing yoga regularly but was in need of a guiding hand to show me further into my yoga journey. Maxi turned out to be exactly the guidance I needed, and her yoga school is the optimal learning environment. I had never practiced Ashtanga yoga before, and Maxi gently guided me through the sequence of poses, showing me modifications when needed as my body adjusted to the poses. Going into my first classes among a group of people, I was afraid of not being able to keep up, or of an intimidating atmosphere. That was never the case, as Maxi knows how to adjust the learning process to every student's needs and learning from her is always a delight. When practicing at the yoga school, everyone is equal and has an individual experience within an open group setting.
Having a regular yoga practice has been a very positive experience for me. As a student, I sometimes struggle with finding the time to cultivate qualities within myself that are outside of the academic domain, but Maxi's yoga school has greatly helped me with that! It is delightful to start off the day by focusing and cultivating yourself, both body and mind. I find that my daily practice helps me focus throughout the day and offers me a headstart to the day's activities. Every evening I look forward to the next day's practice, as I know it will provide me with time to better myself, and by the time practice is over I will be refreshed and ready to focus on the day's intellectual work.
I am very glad that I joined Bhumi Yoga and I have the opportunity to practice regularly under the guidance of a great teacher!"
Medeea Anton, October 2019; Ashtanga Mysore practitioner
"I have been following Ashtanga at Maxi for half a year now and I like this exceptionally well. It's like playing the Champions League every day, but with the difference that this is accessible to everyone and without the stress associated with top sport! |
"When I started practicing Ashtanga in Mysore classes with Maxi a little more than a year and a half ago, I had little experience with yoga classes. Maxi has been a very good guide on my yoga journey and I have built a regular practice since. The individual attention in Mysore classes is a great way to build the practice as is good for you and your body. It helps me focus on my own needs and abilities without constant comparison with others around me. As a teacher Maxi is gentle and patient, but she can also push me a bit when I am too afraid to try something I think I cannot do. I think it is all about finding this balance – between kindness and discipline – both on and off the mat. Practicing Ashtanga helps me to reflect on this daily. Maxi also pays a lot of attention to the balance between our yoga practice and the demands of our fast-paced daily lives. This space for reflection definitely contributes to making me stick with Ashtanga and with Maxi’s school." Sanne Hupkes, October 2019; Ashtanga Mysore Practitioner |
"I began ashtanga yoga a year ago, knowing nothing about yoga but been curious about it. I was looking for something that could help me keeping the body active and countering the bad habits and restlessness that a long working day (spent mostly in a seated position) entails. That was just the beginning and along the way ashtanga yoga brought much more. The most valuable thing I'm learning is how to challenge my habitual perception of what my body is, how it works and what it can or cannot do. Thanks to Maxi's delicate and skillful guidance, the whole practice unfolds as a way of discovering how little one knows what a body can do and how much potential it has. And by knowing this, one might also become less concerned with the body itself, less anxious or preoccupied about it: the body knows how to move, it can learn, and it can take care of itself. So breath, stand and move, watching the body breathing, standing and moving, letting go all the rest. This is a quite good starting point for each new day that comes." Andrea Sangiacomo, October 2019; Ashtanga Mysore Practitioner |
"About a year ago I went to the Ashtanga Yoga school of Maxi Meisner, with some hesitation; After all, 60 years, fairly stiff and almost no experience with Yoga ... |
"Maxi is kind and patient, and feels/knows how to adjust and help my body move - to dive deeper in the practice. It's very easy to communicate with her, as she is really open/accessible and clearly there to help. Furthermore, her calming voice is very very very helpful when I'm getting worked up in the practice. I'm learning a lot from her - not only in the practice but also in the philosophy (aka the parts you take home from your mat). I'm very happy to have her as a guide." Marjanne Vos, November 2016; Ashtanga Mysore Practitioner |
"I looked on the ashtangaingroningen site many times before finally taking the leap. At first I was scared it would all be a bit to much for a beginner in yoga. Especially the Mysore classes, working through your own sequence? I had no idea what that would entail, and it started at 6:30... I didn't see myself able to get out of bed that early. However it was a challenge so I decided to try just for the heck of it. Beforehand I thought a one month trial would be a big dive into the deep.. only to find a nice warm bath.. It was a really gentle way to get to know yoga, and to do it right, to completely surrender, and try out what it is like to integrate it into your lifestyle. Of course, I had some sore muscles in the first week, but I also found ease. At first I excused myself for not beïng a morning person, yet now I try to go to as many morning sessions as my student-life allows, When I walk back home after my morning mysore and walk pass the busy traffic with their noisy claxons at 9 am I feel completely at ease. There is no better way to start your day. |
"The one month dedicated trial to this Yoga School, and hereby the Mysore style Ashtanga classes, gives the opportunity to engage in Ashtanga in a personalized way. What I really appreciated is that regardless the level you start with, Maxi makes sure you have the basis right before adding more poses to your practice. She takes the time explain poses well, either by verbal instructions or soft touch. I found out that by taking a few steps back I was able to find more space in the poses, even in poses that I’d done over a hundred times. Poses that appear simple such as downward facing dog or even mountain pose have so much more to it than I initially knew! The led classes allowed me to focus more on getting into the poses as Maxi talked us through the sequence. Especially in the beginning the Mysore classes were more challenging for me as I was so focused on my breath, what my hip was doing or where my arm was supposed to go that I forgot the sequence…Luckily Maxi is always there to help. During the month the sequence became more of a flow, less thinking and more feeling. To get most benefits I would recommend to come in at least 3 times a week. One of Maxi’s strengths is to see the needs of every individual in class and tailor to it. Maxi is fully committed to guide everyone to get most out of this month. Having this guidance is just too good an opportunity to miss.
The atmosphere in the studio is warm and friendly. I like that the yoga room is a silence area, it makes it easier to get out of your head and into your body. Maxi is an inspirational teacher and person, I recommend her as a yoga teacher to anyone." Rosa Eersteling, March 2017