SI PRO EMPLOYEE LUISA ZIMMET PASSION­ATELY PRACTICES YOGA & MEDITATION AND, AS A RESULT, SHE HAS COMPLETED A COURSE IN YIN YOGA TRAINING. SHE ENJOYS THE BENEFITS OF THIS PRACTICE IN ALL ASPECTS OF HER LIFE AND AIMS TO PASS THIS KNOWLEDGE ON TO HER FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

Luisa, when did you get involved in yoga?

Sports such as fitness and dancing have always been an important part of my life. That’s how I came across yoga for the first time, as a sports activity. I started practicing more intensively and became interested in yoga philosophy at the beginning of 2020, and this continued during the pandemic. This is because I have suffered from increased stress levels in the past, I had more time for self-reflection during lockdown, and I was looking for a way to improve both my mental and physical health.

 

Why did you complete a Yin Yoga training course?

Yin Yoga in particular – an extremely passive form of yoga – involves relaxing both the body and mind. Each pose is held for several minutes and you focus on relaxing the different parts of the body. It targets the deep connective tissues, the internal organs, and even the body’s self-healing powers. It’s also an extremely meditative style of yoga, which results in greater clarity of thought and eliminates negative emotions. My interest in the effects of the individual exercises and the background to the physiology motivated me to start a course.

 

What’s next?

Privately, I practice different yoga styles almost every day. I really enjoy sharing the knowledge that I’ve gained to date with my colleagues and friends. I’m not ruling out pursuing my training so that I can develop an even deeper understanding and pass this on – but, in keeping with the spirit of yoga, there's no pressure in terms of time or success.

 

What insight have you gained that you can apply to your day-to-day work?

My working life is very active. We do a lot of top-quality work in the shortest possible time. To maintain that in the long term, you have to schedule in the necessary time to relax, to restore your natural balance. This applies to both the physical and psychological aspects.

  • Unconscious, permanent tension in a seated position can result in backache and headaches, restricted flexibility, and much more. This can be prevented and counteracted by specifically relaxing muscles and working on your fascia.  
  • Continuous excretion of stress hormones is known to have a negative impact on our health. With Yin Yoga, your breath and heartbeat is deliberately slowed down, allowing the body to rejuvenate itself.
  • Even after work, your mind is often still thinking about solving a particular problem, or coordinating tasks and projects. Since in Yin Yoga you focus exclusively on your own body, it’s best not to pursue these thoughts during your practice. Eliminating chaotic thoughts subsequently creates space for new ideas and creative solutions.

I’m convinced that everyone can benefit from it.

 

Thank you for speaking to us.