About Us

Sonja

 Sushumna Studios was started by Sonja Appel in Delhi for three years, then she moved to Goa and set up there, now in it's 5th season, with her partner Gita Sahni.  Sonja has been practicing yoga for fifteen years and has twelve intensive years of experience studying and  teaching Yoga and twenty five years experience of teaching Pilates in London, India and Nepal. She is certified by the British School of Yoga, in Hatha and Meditation and is a certified Vibrant Living Teacher (Hatha Flow) and also registered with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, with Yoga Alliance  for 200+ hours of Teacher Training.) " 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. Focus and visualization, to balance body and brain. Chanting and music for inspiration and concentration and also 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."
Sonja keeps up with a daily mysore self-practice and her own brand of vinyasa flow. Sonja's Teachers are from all over the world and have greatly helped and influenced her, they are:  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 B.A. in Classical Theatre and Acting and an M.A. 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 also conducts workshops in Ashtanga, Sushumna Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Mysore self-practice, Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow, Yogalates and Pilates, Free-style Dance & Method Acting Techniques nationwide and abroad. Gita successfully takes care of the Business side & Sales and  Marketing is looked after by Julie Karleskind.

 

Sushumna Ashtanga Vinyasa Flow
 
Many years experience of being taught by the late Shri K Pattabhi Jois, my Guruji, in Mysore, from whom, I have his blessing to teach, and many of his disciples, has brought  to me to 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)

Click on limbs for more info

 
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.

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

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