Pinja

Yoga teacher and eternal student of the profound life of yoga

Simply put, I am an inquisitive soul, just like you. I wish love, health, and happiness for myself, for you, and really for the entire universe. I am a joyful and emotional person, born in '96. From Tampere.

I believe stories have strong meaning, and that's why I want to share mine...

How did I find my path?

I was 21 years old, working in a clothing store, and I felt my career was on a good roll. I spent my free time with friends, and life was "perfect." However, one afternoon when I came home, I collapsed onto the floor, thinking I couldn't go on anymore. A small part of me, however, decided to push through – after all, there was nothing wrong with my life. A few weeks later, our work team went on a retreat day to a yoga class at Studio Vintti. The warm-hearted yoga instructor asked us to first lie on our backs and close our eyes. "This next hour is yours. You also have every right to enjoy and relax." Tears started flowing down my cheeks, and I woke up. I had let external pressure guide me. Stress had taken control, and I was always where I was needed. I was lost, and I didn't even know where to start looking for who I really am...

However, this yoga class was a major turning point in my life, one that guided me onto my path. I remember thinking that if I could ever give someone this same feeling, I would want to do it as my job. So, I started attending more yoga classes, I read a lot about yoga philosophy, and researched how to become a yoga instructor.

I like to think I am strong and determined. Perhaps this comes from being born into an entrepreneurial family, where I was used to things happening when you work for them. When I was younger, I knew that creative work was what I wanted to do, but I still ended up becoming an international business professional. I had the chance to experience an amazing exchange year in the United States, and I learned a lot, especially about how much travel can help you grow. However, in my hobbies, creativity always took center stage, through dance and theater. After graduation, I found a job that felt right for me. Working in a clothing store was interesting, and I really enjoyed it. Still, something was missing, so I went in search of a creative career, which led me to train as an interior stylist. However, this didn't (at least not yet) feel like the right fit, and my search continued...

Life however surprises you, as you probably know...

In 2019, I found myself in Cambodia with a backpack on. A new home and a new job. I worked as an assistant group leader and social media coordinator on a construction site, where I also helped build houses and toilets for families we rescued from the slums. A job that finally felt like my own. After a few months, it was time to return to Finland, and my dream of yoga teacher training in India was postponed due to the global pandemic.

However, I had decided that now was the right time in my life to step into yoga teacher training, which meant that in 2020, I trained as a Multistyle Yoga Instructor in Mallorca. Obviously after intensive three weeks I wasn't yet ready to teach, so once I returned home, I decided to practice with friends and family. I started teaching remotely through the Zoom app, and after a few months, I began teaching classes at Om Yoga.

Soon, however, it was time to pursue my other dream career, and I was able to share my creativity at the Finnish Theatre Academy from 2021 to 2023. I love acting and performing. Long days at the academy, which continued into the yoga studio, took their toll, and I decided to take a short break from work and grab my backpack again. I was able to take the trip I had been waiting for due to the global pandemic, where I deepened my yoga studies in India for a month, after a few months of backpacking through Asia.

In the spring of 2024, I started teaching more weekly classes in Finland, explored new yoga studios, and felt new winds in my life. Just when I was almost settled, the world called, and not long after, the backpack was on my back again. I was able to experience yoga classes in Australia, among other amazing countries. I deepend my studies in India and lived like a monk for ten days in Nepal. I went scuba diving in the Philippines, flew in a hot air balloon in Laos, and ate the world's best dumplings in China.

Although traveling is a part of me, my home is still in Tampere, and I love working here. The best part is that you wonderful people who find your way to my classes also teach me and give so much with your present energy. Thank you for that!

What have I learned during this jouney?

As a person who loves to help and serve others, it is extremely important to first take care of oneself. The long journey has been about finding love for myself, learning to listen, and acting according to what I truly want. A journey that is endless and requires continuous work, because the only constant thing in the world is change.

Has anyone ever told you to look in the mirror? According to one yoga philosophy, we are all mirrors for each other. When I notice that someone or something is causing envy, frustration, or even anger, I find myself asking why? Quite quickly, I realize that I always find the steps leading back to myself, and after a few deeper breaths, I calm my nervous system and find myself back to the present moment.

One must remember that life is not just about light and positive flow; to complement the other side of the coin, there must also be negativity and stickiness. One of the most important teachings of yoga is balance. And I don't just mean physical balance that comes from asana practice, but balance that extends to all of yoga and life in general. How do you bring balance to your everyday life? Do you long for more balance in your life?

Now I have the drive and passion to share my knowledge with you – and to learn from all of you as well

Trainings

10 day Vipassana / Dhamma Pokhara, Nepal 12/2024

72 hr Sound healing ( levels 1,2,3,4) / Haritha Yogashala, India 11/2024

100 hr Kundalini YTT / Kundalini Yoga Ashram, India 11/2024

300 hr Yin ja Vinyasa Flow YTT / Kranti Yoga, India 01/2024

25 hr Dissection based yoga anatomy / Arhanta Yoga Ashram, online 9/2023

2021–2023 Finnish Theatre academy / Tampere

50 hr Yoga nidra / Arhanta Yoga Ashrma, online 4/2021

200 hr Multistyle YTT / Green Yoga International, Mallorca 11/2020

2017 Interior design stylist / TAKK, Tampere

2012–2016 Vocational Qualification of business and administration / Tampere

"The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life." - B.K.S. Iyengar