Meet Sofia

Sofia

Meet Sofia Costa, Research Assistant

Sofia attends the Gentle Yoga class on Thursday evenings

What brought you to yoga? I had been meaning to try yoga for a long time. But for some reason, it was something I kept postponing. I was looking for some physical activity which would allow me to relax and completely turn off from work, while improving my motor skills, flexibility, posture and overall control over my body. Yoga seemed the perfect choice for someone like me who doesn’t enjoy very intense team sports or the impersonal environment of a big gym.

 
Were there any obstacles to starting a practice? None whatsoever. I was concerned that I wasn’t fit enough to practise yoga or that I didn’t have good motor coordination. But as soon as I started, I realised that it wasn’t an obstacle at all. In fact, yoga has helped me improve my fitness and coordination.
 
 
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How long have you been practising, in general and with Rosanna? I started practising yoga just a few months ago, after moving to the area. I joined Rosanna’s classes after looking on the internet and I’m happy about my choice. Rosanna is the perfect choice for absolute beginners.

How do you feel from coming to the classes? It feels great and I only regret having to wait a week for another class. I definitely feel a difference between before and after having my weekly yoga class. More than feeling “stretched”, I feel great peace of mind – as if I had just emptied my mind from all the thoughts and worries of day-to-day life. Yoga has also contributed to improving my awareness and learning how to take good care of my body.

Do you have a favourite yoga posture/practice – and why? Tree pose, definitely. To me, it reflects much of what yoga is. At first it seems so basic and easy, but then you realise you have to stay focused otherwise you’ll lose balance. And it’s a very elegant pose as well.

What impact does yoga have on your life, in general and day-to-day? Since I started practising yoga, I realise I get less worried about the future and think less about the past, so I get to fully experience the present. I guess I learnt that from the more demanding poses. If I start thinking about how difficult it is, then I realise I lose focus easily and I end up struggling through the pose. Whereas if I take it slowly and worry about each step at the time, then even a more challenging pose comes easily. I try to keep the same attitude outside the classes and therefore I try to stay focused in each task at the time, instead of worrying about how challenging my whole week will be.

Any words of advice/tips for people thinking about starting yoga? Just do it! There are many types of yoga and it can be adjusted to meet particular needs. It all depends on your objectives and particular needs. One of the principles of yoga is that there are different ways to get to the same pose, no right or wrong, and you just have to do whatever feels comfortable to you. 

 

Are you a Student at Rosanna’s classes? Happy to answer a few questions? I’d love to hear from you! Please share a bit about your journey to, and experiences on the mat by getting in touch here.