Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Episode #22 – The Discipline and Devotion of Ashtanga Yoga – Yoga in Switzerland with Amina Luc 

Welcome to Episode #22 of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast! This week, I welcome Amina onto the show. She is a yoga teacher from Switzerland, who teaches yoga in Switzerland and abroad! She hosts yoga retreats and classes in Italy, Morocco, Spain, and more. She’s a dedicated Ashtanga Vinyasa practitioner, who has spent extensive amount of times studying in Mysore, India. 

My conversation with Amina Luc was so much fun, she is so filled with light and laughter and it comes through every minute of our time together. I hope that this conversation gave you a deeper look into yoga in India compared to yoga in the West, specifically in Europe. We talked about the discipline and devotion of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, and about inner transformation, and teachers being everywhere. 

If you’re looking to tune into a podcast that is illuminates the path of yoga as a lifestyle with devotion and the heart of it all, then this is the conversation for you.

Yoga in Switzerland— away we om!

Tell me more about Amina Luc…

 At a young age, Amina Luc began classical dance training at the Friborg Conservatory. Several years later, she discovered Hatha Yoga, and eventually found herself in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga – the style to which she now devotes herself. She has completed over 600 hours of training, Amina travels to India regularly, returning to Mysore each year to practice under her masters Vijay and Vinay Kumar. Amina is also a Reiki Master and a full-time yoga teacher in Switzerland.

At a young age, Amina Luc began classical dance training at the Friborg Conservatory in Switzerland. Several years later, she discovered Hatha Yoga, and eventually found herself in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga – the style to which she now devotes herself. Through this practice, she experienced the fusion of the body and the mind, leading to inner peace and to profound experiential understanding. Rather than a philosophical system, Amina views Yoga as a holistic life style – something she lives on a daily basis both personally and professionally.

Amina completed studies in Tourism and Marketing in Switzerland, and enjoyed a successful career managing events and projects in Vancouver and Berlin. She also worked in communications for the luxury watch industry prior to dedicating herself full-time to the sharing of Yoga, teaching yoga in Switzerland, Spain, Morocco, and various other countries.

The foundation of Amina’s personal style of teaching is Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, in which she has over 600 hours of training and many hours of intense practice. In Mysore, the birthplace of Yoga, Amina has had the honor of studying directly under B.N.S Iyengar. During her many extended stays in India, she explored various holistic therapeutic techniques, and now infuses them into her teaching. In February 2020, after an advanced course in Pranayama, she decided to stay in India for the duration of the lockdown caused by the COVID19 pandemic; her stay lasted almost to a year. She used that time to become a Reiki Master as well as to further expand her knowledge on the various limbs of Yoga. Amina continues to travel to India regularly. Every year returns to Mysore to practice under her masters Vijay and Vinay Kumar.

Drawing inspiration from the timeless Indian tradition as well as from her own heritage and life experiences, Amina helps to spread the universal message of Yoga as a path to the Self. Bright and genuine, she shares her knowledge with a touch of humor and kindness. Each of the courses which Amina leads is a unique journey.

What to expect in the Yoga In Switzerland episode of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast

Amina Luc feels like an old friend. She has a bright and beautiful soul, and so much devotion to the path of yoga. She’s taken multiple trips to India to study under her teachers in Mysore, and actually spent 15 months in India during the pandemic! She firmly believes that yoga is a way of living, it’s not just some philosophy to talk about and ponder on. She has a solid, dedicated daily sadhana practice and also tunes in to the needs of her body and being, and adjusts her practice accordingly.

In our conversation in the Yoga in Switzerland podcast episode, Amina and I talk about what about Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga resonates so profoundly with Amina, what her daily sadhana looks like, the most inspirational moment she’s experienced as a teacher, and her personal definition of yoga as well! We even talk about how yoga and surfing is similar— both are passions of Aminas. 

Tune in to hear all about Amina’s beautiful journey.

For the skimmers – What’s in the Switzerland episode?

• The Discipline and Devotion of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga 
• Inner Transformation & The Flow of Energy
• Getting stuck in India for 15 months during COVID19
• The history of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
• How Surfing and Yoga are Alike

Thank you so much for tuning in the Yoga in Switzerland episode of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast with Amina. Our conversation was stirring, significant, and downright beautiful.

Favorite Quote From Amina Luc

“When you give the discovery of yoga to someone, someone completely new, and you can see the change in someone even after one hour. Sometimes you can see the journey of the person in one hour, the emotions that come out and the a big release.”

Connect with Amina

https://www.instagram.com/amina.yoga/

https://www.aminayoga.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ashtangayogavalais

Want more?

https://wildyogatribe.com/thepodcast/

Everything you need is just one click away! Check out all the resources here: https://linktr.ee/wildyogatribe

JOIN ME FOR LIVE-STREAMED YOGA CLASSES!

Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Episode #22 – The Discipline and Devotion of Ashtanga Yoga – Yoga in Switzerland with Amina Luc

[00:00:00] Lily Allen-Duenas: Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to the Wild Yoga Tribe podcast. I’m your host, Lily Allen Duenas. Together we’ll talk about the world of yoga and we’ll talk to people from around the world. Join us for authentic conversations about the global yoga ecosystem and we’ll cover yoga philosophies and methodologies along the way. Inhale. Exhale. We’re about to dive in.

[00:00:39] Namaste family. Welcome back to the Wild Yoga Tribe. This week. I am thrilled to be joined by Amina Luc. She is from Switzerland and she is a yoga teacher, but at a young age, Amina actually began classical dance training. At the free Borg conservatory. Several years later, she discovered Hatha [00:01:00] yoga and eventually found herself in Ashtanga Vinyasa, yoga, the style to which she now devotes herself.

[00:01:07] She’s completed over 600 hours of training and she regularly travels to India returning to Mysore each year to practice under her. Virginia and Vinay Kumar. Amina is also a Reiki master and a full-time yoga teacher in Switzerland. So thank you so much Amina for joining me on the show today.

[00:01:28] Amina Luc: Thank you Lily. Thank you for the invitation. I’m glad to meet you. 

How was your last year, since COVID hit?

[00:01:34] Lily Allen-Duenas: Me too. I’m so excited to have more laughter and share more stories, and so all of our listeners can now tune in and hear all of the beauty and your story. I’d love to actually start just with hearing about how your last year went ever since COVID hit, I know things really changed.

[00:01:52] So let’s talk about that.

[00:01:53] Amina Luc: So what happened exactly, I would say last February, I [00:02:00] decided actually to do a teacher training of two weeks last year in Rishikesh, a Pranayama teacher training for 14 days exactly. And I was planning to stay there for three weeks. And what happened? On the 16th of March, I was supposed to go back to Italy.

[00:02:20] I was flying for myself, no airport. And COVID started at that time and I got locked down and decided to stay. What was really funny at the end is that I stayed more than 15 months. 

What was it like to be in lockdown in India for 15 months?

[00:02:37] Lily Allen-Duenas: Oh, tell us more about what you did and what it was like to be in lockdown in India for 15 months. [00:02:42] Like to definitely paint us a picture. 

[00:02:45] Amina Luc: I don’t know. It’s just crazy because actually it has only been a month since I arrived here in Switzerland and it’s been nice. And June and like, why not just look back on the year. It’s like [00:03:00] really crazy because I spent really the first 10 months in Rishikesh.

[00:03:05] And at the beginning I was thinking like, oh, no way, I’m going to stay just a little in Rishikesh.. But the time just went completely crazy. 

[00:03:17] Lily Allen-Duenas: Wow. And what was it like to be in India for that long? 

[00:03:19] Amina Luc: It was an amazing experience because I could practice a lot. I’ve learned a lot of things every day. I could improve my chanting.

[00:03:34] Another aspect of your guide to the features of your lots, because I was in India. So I just took the opportunity to learn more. And the thing is India is different compared to Switzerland. and niches are really stronger. So your practice is deeper and there’s like this inner transformation that starts.

[00:03:53] So I worked for myself and I also shared my knowledge with the people there. [00:04:00] So when we started to have a community, because we were like just a few at the end, we just stayed united. And yeah, so there was like a small community that started to build in Rishikesh.. And we started to share our knowledge with each other.

[00:04:16] That was really amazing. 

[00:04:18] Lily Allen-Duenas: Wow. Was there a big community of people also in lockdown who couldn’t leave? Was there a big community there?

[00:04:24] Amina Luc: Exactly they couldn’t leave. And the thing is, depending on the countries, like I heard that actually, Australia is still really locked down now. So remember I met that many Australian people and they couldn’t do anything.

[00:04:38] They were really locked down in India and it was impossible to just return to Australia. So we were like at the beginning, I would say 200 people, there were lots of satsangs , and we were chanting together. There were many things she got, it was really nice. But the more months that passed, more people started to slowly go back home.

[00:05:00] This year in April, there were just a few that stayed in India. And when the second lockdown started, lots of people just went back home. 

[00:05:10] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah. And so after you were in Rishikesh, where else did you go?

[00:05:14] Amina Luc: So I just went to Goa because it was so cold and I decided to join the sun. So when to go on and after that, I went to an ashram in Gokarna and I stayed there a bit. And after that, I went back to Mysore to see my teacher. So that was really amazing. So I could practice again with my teacher as I usually do with them. So I stayed two, three months. And after that it was the end of the season.

[00:05:43] And I was supposed to wait until the summer started again to practice with them again, but the thing that happened in between was the second lockdown. So that’s why at that time I decided to return the Rishikesh.

How do you feel that yoga in India differs from yoga in Europe or yoga in Switzerland?

[00:05:57] Lily Allen-Duenas: Oh, that means I definitely did want to ask you Amina since you’ve studied [00:06:02] so extensively in India and you’ve studied with, some of the most profound living teachers and Mysore, like BKS Iyengar.. I wanted to ask, how do you feel that yoga in India differs from yoga in Europe or yoga in Switzerland and what is offered or what is popular? 

[00:06:20] Amina Luc: It is quite different. The teaching first, is already different compared to the Western style.

[00:06:28] For sure they are more focused on the feelings and the spiritual aspect in India, which I kind of like. And I like the teachings of BKS Iyengar. One of the students of Krishnamacharya who was the father of modern yoga. And I remember at that time, he’s not teaching anymore now, but at that time it was really amazing just to be in front of a legend like him.

[00:06:58] And he has [00:07:00] really strong knowledge, but I would say the spiritual aspect of yoga is really more enhanced in India, compared to Europe. In Europe they are focusing more on details and more on anatomy, which is really interesting. And I think having both aspects are really interesting, but being in India, when you receive teachings.

[00:07:26] And when you go to train over there, I think the first thing, which is the most important, is discipline. I would say more, not discipline, but more devotion. They teach you how to be more devoted to the practice and the spiritual 

[00:07:43] Lily Allen-Duenas: So here in Europe and in the west, it’s more, oh, I go to yoga every Monday night.

[00:07:51] Yeah. It’s just randomized. So there you think they teach you how to incorporate it as a [00:08:00] discipline and a devotion in your daily life? 

[00:08:02] Amina Luc: Yes, exactly. I’m more into the lifestyle. That’s actually the meaning of your guys’ activity. For sure they have a yoga half. How helps you to increase your health and how to help you to build muscle everything for sure.

[00:08:19] But besides those side effects, I would say there’s all this spiritual path. You do some yoga to reach some enlightenment, if I would say, if we take it back to yet, like the sutras, or potentially or the eight famous limbs, you do yoga to reach one final goal, which actually in Western, you don’t find this.

[00:08:43] We just like to stop in the asana aspect. It’s only the postures, which we are missing, all the other aspects of yoga and more of just one way of yoga, because you have different yoga, like or tell my yoga, like the different one, but we are just only using the asanas way of the eight limbs.

[00:09:07] And that’s it. 

[00:09:08] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah. Yeah. I’ve also found that when I’ve studied yoga in India, on my few trips, it is so much incorporated in the, in their daily lives and just how they move about the world, they’re how they speak and the advice they give it’s just so much more resonant.

[00:09:25] Like it just sticks with you longer or it makes you reflect. Like one of my yoga teachers said whenever he gets very distracted in his day to day life, just, out walking in and notices, his mind is busy, he thinks of his knees. He’s I just think only of my knees when I get distracted and that stuck with me, it’s that’s not something that’s on the mat, when we’re talking about life on the mat and the west, but I do think actually Amina, we’re getting a little better about talking about the emotional and psychological benefits, right?

Like stress  reduction and calming effect. So I appreciate that it’s not only physical, like just the muscle building or the flexibility or the circulation, but do you also think that it’s, we’re just inching closer a little bit? 

[00:10:16] Amina Luc: Yes, for sure. We are also really more open and everyone can travel.

[00:10:25] So it means that the knowledge gets spread more and more. And like nowadays, when you go to Rishikesh, as you remember, there are so many people from all over the world and they start to be more interested in yoga in India. So they start to travel and get the training over there.

[00:10:43] I remember when I started yoga before Ashtanga, I was always doing Hatha yoga.. I was really focused only on my physical health. And that was really like, the point where I was working so much in corporate. I was stressed and I was [00:11:00] like, oh, why not do some yoga? And what happened at the end, which was really funny, what that was looking for

[00:11:06] It was just to be less stressed and to do relatable sports exactly like everyone here. But after four years, yoga transformed me slowly. I started to change myself. And the inner transformation started, I changed everything in my life. My life started to change and slowly, all the layers just study to just change and what happened?

[00:11:33] I completely changed my life. That was what happened with yoga. And so I’m 100% sure that everyone will start this path going to get closer to the emotional part, somehow, because this is the power of yoga. 

[00:11:49] Lily Allen-Duenas: Oh, that was so beautifully said by Amina. I feel like that resonates with me.

Why do you love Ashtanga Vinyasa?

[00:11:56] That’s so it feels so powerful to me. It’s so true because it’s these [00:12:00] gentle unlayerings over time that happens with yoga. It’s not the snap of the fingers. It’s just so beautiful. But specifically about Ashtanga Vinyasa, since you did start with Hatha, so what is it about Ashtanga Vinyasa [00:12:14] that really gripped you and took you and made you fall in love with it? And what is it about that particular practice? 

[00:12:23] Amina Luc: Yes, the discipline and the devotion of the practice is really incredible. When I met this method five years ago, I met one of my friends, she was in Australia for seven years.

[00:12:36] And I was dancing with her in the convert first and what happened with her. She got interested and she went directly to yoga and she became a national yoga teacher. And as she came back from Australia, I met her and I was looking at the time for a yoga teacher, but for one year I was trying a different one, but I was never convinced.

[00:13:01] So I left yoga for one year by the state and I was dancing a lot. And when I met her again, I discovered Ashtanga with her and what was really amazing was this strong practice. There’s like this fixed sequence of the first area, which is already really complete. And when I started my style, I was practicing every day, and that started my inner transformation.

[00:13:31] Having to practice every morning and going to the shala  at six, I started to change my lifestyle and I got really stuck on this method, because I saw moments in a month that I started to change completely and I could see everything differently. My body studied change, and I was like, the practice is so strong that it gives [00:14:00] you this. [00:14:01] Like a lot of power and lots of strength. 

Could you talk just a little about the background of Ashtanga Vinyasa? 

[00:14:04] Lily Allen-Duenas: For our listeners who maybe have never heard of Ashtanga Vinyasa or tried it, could you talk just a little bit about the background of it? Yes. 

[00:14:13] Amina Luc: So it was 1920 when Krishnamacharya. So the father of modern yoga came to Mysore. So he has like several students and they were the three main students.

[00:14:26] So two people knew about BKS Iyengar,, which developed the Iyengar style and Patta B. Jois choice, which had the opportunity to develop the Mysore style. Yes, yoga is a fixed sequence. With a forming service or depending on the people. But some people say six and some people say four anyway.

[00:14:52] So he just developed this. So compared to all the styles, you always start with a sun salutation [00:15:00] and after you always do the standing postures, and then the sitting postures. And you do the same postures every time from the beginning until the end and the and the first series, yoga chikitsa,. which is like yoga therapy, which is not hard on your body, and is a really nice sequence, which actually takes you between five and 10 years just to practice these sequences.

[00:15:25] This is like a method which requires the muscles with the, with the ujjayi breathing, the dristi, the bandhass. And you use these sequences to practice as a whole practice to learn by heart. You do just as you can in your practice.

What does your daily practice look like these days? 

[00:15:43] Lily Allen-Duenas: Got it, thank you for explaining that for our listeners. And what does your daily sadhana or your daily practice look like these days? 

[00:15:51] Amina Luc: So these days are quite interesting because last year when I arrived in [00:16:00] India I was locked down. So during COVID, I started to practice a lot until I was practicing between four and six hours per day. Being meditation and Asana, for a month my body couldn’t really handle so many hours with my Ashtanga practice.

[00:16:19] So last year I met a Swami in Rishikesh and I started a special method, which is called antar dosha method, which is like a special method really ancient one, which is built from the swami. And it was like a more Hatha style way. Which means that today I started to change a little bit for my practice. I’m still practicing, some Ashtanga.

[00:16:45] But every single day now, I’m still in contact with my teachers in India and in Nepal. So I’m doing my Hatha yoga in the morning. After that I do one hour of meditation [00:17:00] and I do one hour of chanting, which is now my practice.  

[00:17:06] Lily Allen-Duenas: Beautiful. Yeah, I think that we mentioned to each other before that it’s so hard to have a full time job if you’re also a full dedicated practitioner, because there’s so much that goes into it.

[00:17:16] It’s not just being on a mat or a cushion for an hour or 90 minutes a day. There’s a lot of other practices to complete. 

[00:17:24] Amina Luc: It requires so much time. And now I just slow down a little bit because it is, and we start a new winter. So it’s quite hard for the body. I’m feeling that I’m really into a transition.

[00:17:42] So I have to find out the balance of my practice. So that’s why I’m following my teachers and I’m more working on the personal level actually, and more with my chakras and what is required now. 

How important do you feel that student teacher relationship is in yoga?

[00:17:57] Lily Allen-Duenas: So for our listeners who are also, [00:18:00] yoga practitioners as well, but don’t have such a dedicated relationship with their teacher, [00:18:06] How important do you feel that student teacher relationship is in yoga? 

[00:18:11] Amina Luc: I think that we are all teachers and students to each other. And teachers are more here as a balance to, to find, your inner path. If you find a teacher who resonates with you at the moment, and this is really wonderful, and I think it’s possible to have a teacher for many years, for sure, but it’s also possible to meet some people just for a few months.

[00:18:44] And I used to go before the COVID, I was traveling a lot meeting different teachers,  I chose those teachers because I really felt the same vibration with them. But I’m [00:19:00] really convinced that depending on how you are growing in the period, it will change the relationship with the teacher. So I think it really depends on everyone.

[00:19:15] But it’s great if you can find someone who can help you to show you like the path of yoga, this is really important.

[00:19:22] Lily Allen-Duenas: Absolutely. It is. And I’m glad you mentioned that the student is the teacher and the teacher is the student and it’s this beautiful, circular, cyclical, like it just relationship of you have to remain open to your teachers being everywhere

[00:19:41] Amina Luc: And that’s what I’ve really noticed is it’s always interesting to choose teachers who you want to learn with, like special things, for sure. But at the same time it is really nice to meet other teachers. And every time I was having classes [00:20:00] outside with anyone, I could always learn something because we all need teachers to teach us.

[00:20:08] Which I found really amazing because even for example, someone who has never taught before, I always learn something from the person, because it can be like maybe not from the Asana point of view, but more in the human way, how she is. And I found it really beautiful in yoga classes, how you can notice that.

[00:20:33] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah, absolutely. And the teachers can also sometimes be our biggest challenging people in our lives. 

[00:20:41] Amina Luc: Yes, exactly. Yes. It’s all about sharing yoga and I found it really amazing we can share all together, and how we can grow all together. And yeah, it’s [00:21:00] really this, which I found really amazing, because when we actually practice with everyone in the world, we have a link with yoga.

[00:21:08] All the practitioners and we can share with everyone something in common, which is yoga in different ways and points of view. And I found it really amazing. 

[00:21:20] Lily Allen-Duenas: That’s such a good point that we all are, everything is connected. We all are connected, but by having that connection of yoga it’s even a little deeper thread that runs through it.

What has been your most inspirational moment that you have experienced as a teacher or student in yoga?

[00:21:31] Lily Allen-Duenas: So Amina, what has been your most inspirational moment that you’ve experienced either in, as the role of a teacher or a student, but in yoga, what do you think has been your most inspirational moment? 

[00:21:43] Amina Luc: Like I said, for both anyway, how powerful yoga can be, really. When you can say, as a teacher in one class, when you give the discovery of yoga to [00:22:00] someone completely new, and you can see the change after one hour, I feel like that is really amazing.

[00:22:08] And sometimes you can see the journey of the person. During one hour is like just letting down, completely into the practice. And sometimes you can see that come out and all the big releases to practice. I found it really amazing. Sometimes in my self practice, I have a really incredible sensation that I never experienced.

[00:22:41] With anything in the world. I could go really far away with pranayama. For example, I just want to, into a deeper layer that I couldn’t even really explain. And that was really amazing. 

[00:22:57] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah, that’s sometimes that feeling of [00:23:00] leaving yourself completely. 

[00:23:01] Amina Luc: Exactly.

[00:23:01] Leaving yourself. Yeah. I couldn’t find the word. Leaving yourself. And it’s so powerful that you get, as you use the word, you get to completely disconnect at once, and it’s so powerful. It’s really like this layer that you can reach sometimes it gives you back.

[00:23:24] You’re really not thinking on another level, and that starts to give you the opportunity to go further into yourself. 

[00:23:36] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yes, I do. It doesn’t happen for sure every day or every week.

[00:23:44] Amina Luc: Yes, yes! Exactly!

[00:23:44] Lily Allen-Duenas: It’s just a wave.

[00:23:51] Amina Luc: Exactly. The times that it happened, it was three for me, it’s like what is happening? And sometimes you just think like I’m crazy, you [00:24:00] know that it is true, at the same time. It’s really interesting. 

[00:24:03] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah, it does. It does. Then you wonder, wait what just happened as you said, it’s like that when you come back, you immediately wonder what just happened. 

[00:24:11] Amina Luc: And then what happened?

[00:24:12] And you just. Connect to your body again. And you’re like, what is this? Yeah, this is this flow of energy that grows really strong. And somehow, I don’t know. I don’t like to also put so many words, but one on one, and I can tell, like these energies, which people call , this is another which is really amazing. 

What is your personal definition of yoga?

[00:24:40] Lily Allen-Duenas: Absolutely me too. So Amina, I know it’s a challenging question, but I do ask all my guests. I know this is the tough one. Everyone always is oh man. [00:24:55] What is your personal definition of yoga?

[00:24:58] Amina Luc: The [00:25:00] connection of your inner source. Because in this society nowadays we function with the mind, and we don’t even realize what we are doing. I just take it as what I experienced in my life: I was working in corporate, in a luxury industry for the watch industry in Switzerland. I was working so hard and I was really convinced myself, oh, I’m going to go to China or back in the biggest city, you’re going into a career.

[00:25:35] And I was convinced of this. I was so happy. And there were all these minds that I just created. All the barriers because society shows me how to be successful, how to identify in this world outside. And when I really realized that I wasn’t even familiar with what I created the past [00:26:00] years, that’s when I started yoga and I truly started to get to know who I was.

[00:26:08] After that one, I started to get this connection and I was like thank you. Okay. I can go really deeper with me. So who am I? And I like practicing a lot, doing different practices, discovering more yoga, understanding the textures,  meeting people, teachers, spiritual people and can understand what was beyond

[00:26:35] the meaning of yoga. And all of this started to get connected with me more, I was practicing more. I was going away from what I was building in my life, and I just realized more and more how I can get closer to myself. And that was really with yoga, like discovering the [00:27:00] first layer was the sensation.

[00:27:02] How to breathe, how to connect with my body, because I was not aware of my body, even though I was dancing a lot. It’s not, it doesn’t mean that dancing brings you the awareness, the complete, I would say, awareness of your body. And there’s also beyond the body. And the mind is connected to the source of your heart.

[00:27:24] I would say. And I just really also realized how life can be sometimes difficult and that we sometimes struggle a lot. And we are protected with big armor because we don’t want to face all the suffering that we are having. But with yoga, you can really start to go deeper and to explore this part of yourself that you cannot see.

[00:27:55] And I think for me, really this is yoga. 

[00:28:00] Lily Allen-Duenas: Beautiful answer.

On a more fun note, are you a surf instructor?

[00:28:08] Lily Allen-Duenas: So on a more fun note, are you also actually Amina, a surf instructor? I noticed you’ve taught a few surf camps in India, Nicaragua, 

[00:28:17] Amina Luc: I’m not a surf instructor. I was a snowboarding instructor, but snowboarding and surfing are my beside passions with dance. I’m not a surf teacher now. 

[00:28:30] Lily Allen-Duenas: Okay. Yeah.

[00:28:30] Amina Luc: But I love it.

[00:28:32] Lily Allen-Duenas: Yeah, yeah, in California where I’m from, I went surfing and then in Bali and in Sri Lanka. So I’ve done it a couple of times.

[00:28:40] Amina Luc: Sri Lanka is amazing over there in Sri Lanka surfing.

Do you notice any relationships between yoga and surfing?

[00:28:45] Lily Allen-Duenas: Amazing. It’s such a, it’s very difficult. It’s very difficult. Do you notice any relationships between yoga and surfing? [00:28:54] Anything profound? 

[00:28:55] Amina Luc: Like you have to focus too, because, so for sure, physically [00:29:00] speaking first. Easier when you practice yoga, because you’re super flexible. You can jump. And there’s some similarities, and not completely, but doing some Cobra or it helps you, the effects speed up the spine and the strength of the body.

[00:29:16] This is for sure. But the second relation that I can say with yoga is the focus. That’s actually when you are entering the sea and there are lots of huge waves, you have to go through the waves, and there’s a moment that you are facing your own fear. And yoga helps just to calm down and just breathe.

[00:29:42] Look for cues and go under the water too, just to go through the lines, to the peak. That helps. 

[00:29:49] Lily Allen-Duenas: Oh, for sure. For me, what came to my mind is you in both practices, you have to release expectations. 

[00:29:58] Amina Luc: Completely, Yes. 

[00:29:59] Lily Allen-Duenas: [00:30:00] You can’t expect to be really flexible in yoga. You shouldn’t do that. And in surfing, if you expect to perfectly catch every wave or to that, it’s going to be easy that day or yeah, it’s not fun. 

[00:30:16] Amina Luc: The expectation is good. Yeah. You’re right. 

How can our listeners find you?

[00:30:19] Lily Allen-Duenas: Amina, if our listeners want to find you online or check out any retreats you’re offering or that are coming up. What’s a good way for them to find you? 

[00:30:28] Amina Luc: So you can find me on my website, aminayoga.com or @aminayoga Facebook on Instagram.

[00:30:37] Lily Allen-Duenas: I will link to everything Amina mentioned in the show notes here, wherever you’re listening to podcasts, as well as on my website, wildyogatribe.com. So thank you so much for joining me today. It’s been such a joy to be with you. 

[00:30:51] Amina Luc: Thank you very much for everything. It was really amazing to spend this time with you.

Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast Outro

[00:30:58] Lily Allen-Duenas: My conversation with Amina Luc was so fun and she is filled with so much light and laughter and it comes through every minute of our time together. I hope that this conversation gave you a deeper look into yoga and India compared it to yoga in the west, specifically in Europe. And we talked about the discipline and the devotion of Ashtanga Vinyasa, yoga, and about inner transformation.

[00:31:24] We even talked about teachers being everywhere. You don’t have to go looking for them. Thank you so much, dear listener for being with us here today. Be well.

[00:31:40] Thank you for being on this journey with me, it has been a privilege to be with you. I know that your time is precious and I am both humbled and honored that you chose to spend your time with me here on the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast. As you are on your own inner journey, remember that you are not alone. There are so [00:32:00] many of us on this path to awakening this path of self discovery and expansion.

[00:32:06] And we are right here alongside you. Remember to hit subscribe so that you never miss an episode. And if you feel called, please share this episode with someone that you think could benefit from it. Leaving a review would also be so appreciated. If you’re on social media, I am there too @thewildyogatribe, you can tap into all the amazing resources on my website, the WildYogaTribe.com.

[00:32:35] And you can meditate with me on Insight Timer and get your flow on with me on my YouTube channel, where I’ve recorded free yoga classes. If you would like to schedule a private yoga or meditation class with me or a coaching session, you can find the link to do so to book in the show notes or on my website.

[00:32:53] Again, the WildYogaTribe.com. Thank you once again, dear listener for being with me, may [00:33:00] your day be light and bright. May you be peaceful and happy and led on the right path, free of suffering and free of sorrow. Be well dear one, be well.

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