About Us

Sonja

Sushumna Studios in Goa, India was started by Sonja Appel and her partner Gita Sahni. Sonja has eleven intensive years of experience studying and then teaching Yoga and twenty years experience of teaching Pilates in London. Her Teachers are from all over the world and have greatly helped and influenced her: Shri K Pattabhi Jois (Guruji), Sharat Rangaswamy, Saraswati Rangaswamy, Shri Sheshadri, Cathy Louise Broda, Leela Miller, John Scott, Michael Gannon, Edward Clarke, David Swenson, Claire Best, Anna Ashby, Daniel Aaron, Simon Borg Olivier, Rolf & Marci Naujokat, Emil Wendel (yoga philosophy), Yat Malmgren (movement psychology), Mercia Hetherington ( Pilates & Ballet) and Imogen Claire (Ballet). She has a BA in Classical Theatre and Acting and an MA in Contemporary Dance. She comes from a professional performing arts background and has found these two disciplines to be invaluable in balancing and maintaining calmness in her life. She is certified by the British School of Yoga, is a certified Vibrant Living Teacher and also registered with Yoga Alliance, ERYT. She also conducts workshops in Ashtanga, Restorative Yoga, Mysore self-practice, Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow, Yogalates and Pilates, Free-style Dance & Technical Acting nationwide and abroad. Gita successfully takes care of the administrative side and we now have on board Violette Donat as our sales and marketing manager.

 

Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow

Many years experience of being taught by the late Shri K Pattabhi Jois, my Guruji, in Mysore, from whom, she has his blessing to teach, and many of his disciples, has brought to her a way of life that acknowledges the eight - limbs (asht - anga in Sanskrit) of yoga. Guruji always said " Practice and All is coming", he did not limit this phrase to just 'asana', but All the eight limbs. They are:-
Yamas  , Niyamas ,  Asanas , Pranayama , Prathyahara , Dharana , Dhyana ,
Samadhi (which is guaranteed after continued, disciplined practice of all these limbs)
I believe in a holistic approach to the study of yoga, giving my students a well-rounded yoga education. I combine alignment techniques of the body, with breath techniques for calming and balancing the mind. Pranayama, to balance body and brain. Chanting and music for inspiration and concentration and Meditation, (the ultimate reason for the practice of asana). I also believe that it is Not progression through the 6 series' of Ashtanga that defines Wholeness, but rather a wider focus on all the limbs. This dynamic form helps:
  • To centre the mind & align the body
  • Increases awareness of spirituality & cosmic consciousness
  • Tones & strengthens the body
  • Prepares a person for the ultimate reality, that we are all interconnected.
 
Testimonial:
"I was a regular at Sonja's classes at a gym in London, when she first started teaching. I organised my weekends so as not to miss her classes. They were fun, challenging, inspiring, enlightening, relaxing and rejuvenating. Discovering yoga through Sonja's great teaching I have a good grounding in yoga both physically and mentally that people comment on today and which I credit to her. She is still talked about at the gym as she is missed and I have found it hard to find other teachers to beat her. I hope to go to the studio in Goa at some point."
- Mel Haywood (London)
 

Pilates

This unique form of exercise, created by Joseph Pilates from Germany in the early 20th century, is a tested Method that takes it's origins from Hatha Yoga, Physiotherapy, Basic Gymnastics and Physical Training exercises. It was first taken on board in the early 1930's by various professional classical ballet companies, because it built unbelievable strength and streamlined bodies for their Art. This is the same method that we adhere to at Sushumna, unlike the half - baked method that is taught in gyms across the world. It has gained great popularity over the last century, because of its numerous benefits, and has the ability to transform bodies to perfection if adhered to correctly and practiced daily! Pilates can benefit people of any age or fitness level. It especially helps:
  • People with Postural problems
  • Back Ache
  • Protruding Discs
  • MS (Multiple Sclerosis)
  • Osteoporosis
  • Repetitive Strain Injury
  • Whiplash and Tennis elbow
Testimonial:
"I have always spent considerable time on working out and maintaining a fitness regimen. However when I began Pilates it was something entirely new and completely different from what I had been doing at the gym. Sonja is an excellent teacher and is able to teach people who have different levels of fitness without making it too tough for beginners yet challenging those ready for more. Pilates has helped me a lot personally, I was able to run the half marathon with no after effects of pains and muscle pulls! The classes really helped me to strengthen and tone my body and what has helped me in all my exercises is the correct breathing technique which makes all the difference. Sonja was constantly improvising so even after doing her classes for over a year I was not bored and always looked forward to the next class. I still practice on my own however I miss her classes a lot. Pilates is a must for a fit body and I would strongly recommend her classes."
- Anjali Banerji (Delhi)
 

Yogalates

This can be truly challenging for the mind and body! Although there can never be a true marriage of yoga and pilates combined together, simply because of the two different types of breath. Yoga is always inhaling in and out through the nose and Pilates is inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. That is why we split the class into two different segments. The emphasis is always on the mind connecting and observing the breath, allowing the exhalations to take you deeper into the asana (posture) and pilates exercise movement. Benefits include:
  • A focused, serene mind and an awareness of the mind, body, spirit connection.
  • Strength and flexibility
  • Remedial help of the body
  • Posture alignment
  • Health and fitness
Testomonial:
"I had a good experience learning from Sonja. She gave us a fundamental overview of Yoga and Pilates to help ensure we understood "neutral spine" and the correct breathing method. Then, she worked us hard, but made the class more interesting by mixing things up a bit with light weights, bands or balls now and again. I think Sonja's knowledge of both Pilates and Yoga gives her an advantage in that she can borrow from both disciplines to bring a good total body/mind workout to her students. I wish her all the best in her endeavors to help strengthen and tone more people in her new studio!"
- Rebekkah Kumar (Delhi)