Kat goes global

When I first arrived at the airport in Mumbai I had to go through several security checks. I was very nervous. The guys at the passport check seriously checked every single Visa. A few people in the cue in front of me were refused to let in. Then the guy behind the desk was first not able to register my visa, again and again trying to scan my passport. Half an hour later, when everyone else was already gone to the baggage claim, I still stood there in front of the desk. The officer had in the meantime asked for help of his colleagues. Another thirty minutes later I was finally allowed to go through the gate and pick up my backpack. It was already driving around alone on the conveyor. I exchanged my last twenty Euro cash in Indian Rupees. I got about 20000 Rupees for it. Wow! I never had so many banknotes in my hand before! Then my first steps out of the airport! Straight to the Rickshaws. Luckily, I was well informed and knew the appropriate prices for a Rickshaw drive to my ...

The Niyamas are the second of the eight limbs of Yoga . In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , they are described right after the Yamas . Whereas Yamas are rules what a Yoga practitioner should not do towards others and oneself, the Niyamas describe what one should do. They also have to be practised on a mental level to improve ones clarity and inner peace of mind. The Niyamas are 1. Saucha 2. Santosa 3. Tapah 4. Svadhyaya 5. Isvara Pranidana SAUCHA Saucha is the first Niyama and it means cleanliness or purity.  A clean body and mind keep you physically and mentally healthy. When you are free from physical disturbances and mental worries, you can successfully focus on your goals and needs. But what does purity of body and mind mean practically? How can we achieve it? Let's start with the outer appearance . First of all, purity means we should regularly have showers, wash hands, brush teeth, change clothes and maintain our daily hygiene. You can also start using a tongue...

The Yamas are life skills practiced by a true Yogi in every action, thought and word. With discipline and without exceptions. Everyone can practice them. Even a business man or someone who has never tried (physical) Yoga (=Asanas) before.  You need a lot of self control to practice these principles, but your surroundings are like a mirror. When you truly succeed in following those Yamas, only good will happen to you and it will transform your life!  Try it, it may sound unbelievable , but it really does work . The better you get in these practices, the easier your life becomes. I know it from my own experience!   The 5 Yamas are 1. Ahimsa 2. Satya 3. Asteya 4. Brahmacharya 5. Aparigraha   The names are in Sanskrit, a very meaningful language of the ancient scriptures about Yoga philosophy. Sanskrit words always have several deeper meanings which we can nowadays, with modern languages, hardly describe in words. I will try to explain it as far as I can a...

Maharichi Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras and summarized all practical knowledge for a yogic life.  He divided Yoga into eight steps with Samadhi, enlightenment and liberation as the highest goals.  Samadhi is a state of mind where you are in total inner peace, completely detached from all worldly and where nothing can harm you anymore. Liberation means being released of the endless cycle of rebirth and painful lives. The eight steps or limbs of Yoga are 1. Yamas 2. Niyamas 3. Asanas 4. Prana Yamas 5. Pratyahara 6. Dharana 7. Dhyana 8. Samadhi You can work on those steps simultaneously and they are linked to each other, that is why they are also called limbs of Yoga, like the limbs of a body. Step 1-4 are the basics. Yamas and Niyamas are principles for your social behaviour and your mindset. They make us a lot more aware of our thoughts, words and actions so that we can work on our selves and become better versions of ourselves. Additionally, the...

Why am I writing about Yoga? Yoga is my life. I still remember how I attended my first Yoga class in Kassel, Germany in 2013. I was a full time student at the time. A friend of mine from University asked me if I would like to join a Yoga course with her. I was very much into fitness because I always loved physical activity and I had seen crazy Yoga postures of super slim athletic bodies in underwear on Instagram. I came with wrong expectations. The teacher only showed us super easy postures and relaxation techniques. We had to breathe through one nostril and then through the other, or focus on a point between our eyebrows. To be honest, I found it super weird. And then she tried to persuade us not to drink alcohol, never to take drugs and to become a vegetarian. I didn't understand why she was behaving like this. She made me feel like a teenager, with a mom trying to tell me how I should live my life. Furthermore, I didn't feel physically exhausted after her class, so I...