Yohanna Mannelqvist writes about how yoga came into her life eight years ago. Her life in London was glamorous but hectic and she was constantly working, training, traveling, and socialising. Although she was living her “dream” in all areas of life she started feeling empty inside.
A soul searching trip around the world
I developed sleeping problems, exhaustion, anxiousness, digestive problems and became gradually underweight. I rarely took time for contemplation and tried to live up to the idea of “Wonderwoman” that society celebrates. Truth is, we are only human. Eventually, I hit burnout and decided to change the rhythm of my life. I reduced my workload, read self-help books, went to therapy and healed my eating habits.
I had been doing yoga for a couple of years but the practice became increasingly important, as a part of my recovery. After each yoga session, I felt more relaxed and aligned. It was the rare moment for me to check in with myself, to stop and to listen. I could feel the psychological and emotional benefits right away but what I didn't know at the time was that yoga has many physiological benefits as well.
A restorative yoga practice and conscious breathing balances our parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, moving us out from the fight or flight mode, and into the rest and digest mode. Stress causes the hormone cortisol and if levels are high over a longer period of time it can lead to burnout. Practising yoga reduces your cortisol levels, allowing your body go in to a state of restoration where healing can begin.
Back to self love through yoga
Eventually, I left my life in London and my fashion business career to go on a soul-searching trip around the world. I felt the urge to explore yoga deeper which lead me to my first yoga teacher training with Rachel Brathen at Island Yoga in Aruba. It was a life changing experience, where I could finally let go, heal my wounds and find back to self-love.
Once the training was completed, I traveled to Tulum with a one-way ticket and decided to make it my home. I now live in Tulum, Mexico half of the year and teach Jivamukti yoga at two studios; Sanara on the beach and Holistika in the jungle. I also work as a Wellness coach, allowing me to use my experiences from burnout to guide ambitious women to mindful living and lives in balance. Luckily, my work as a coach can be performed from anywhere in the world and I see many of my clients online during the summer, I live in Sweden where I host Yoga and Mindfulness retreats on the West Coast. I’m also in London on a regular basis where I host various workshops.
Yoga eventually helped me recover from exhaustion but has also brought clarity and purpose to my life, which I am forever grateful for. My practice reminds me of what is important, it keeps me grounded and brings me to my authentic self. Yoga reminds me to choose love over fear and transform emptiness to fullness of spirit.
More about Yohanna
Yohanna is a Vinyasa and Jivamukti teacher (500 hr) and a Wellness Coach. She lived a fast-paced lifestyle in London for many years, working in the fashion industry. She eventually experienced burnout and decided to embark on a new path in life which brought her into the world of wellness and yoga. Today, Yohanna lives in Tulum, Mexico half of the year, where she teaches weekly yoga classes and retreats at Sanara and Holistika. The rest of the year she lives in Sweden from where she hosts Yoga & Mindfulness retreats and workshops around Europe. Yohanna is currently building a community for ambitious women to explore mindful living. She also coaches women 1 on 1 in person and in online session.
Read more about Yohanna on her website or follow her journey on instagram at @yohasana
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