That’s what Simon Park reminded us at the end of a wonderful workshop weekend here in Stuttgart, hinting at the long, cold winter months ahead.

Kidneys are set by hips and knees. Kidneys are your essence.

Nevine Michaan

Yes, I participated in a “normal” yoga workshop again—the first since the initial lockdown and my total hip replacement.

To be honest, it was a bit intimidating.

I wasn’t sure how my bionic hip would perform. For the past four years, I’ve focused my practice on stability, mobility, and strength—with great success, if I may say so myself.

However, there’s a big ‘but’… In the process, I lost some of the joy in my practice. More often than not, I was practicing out of necessity rather than genuine enjoyment. Yet, it was joy that originally drew me to yoga.

Choosing to practice with Simon again was an easy decision. He embodies calm in the most profound way, making his classes both beautiful and challenging. He pushes me just the right amount, and his depth of knowledge is matched only by the joy he brings to his teaching.

More importantly, Simon was one of the first teachers I attended workshops with, even before I became a teacher myself. He was also the first international instructor I practiced with during my first yoga retreat back in 2011.

Simon blends modern and traditional yoga in a way that makes me feel at ease with the practice—and yes, even comfortable with chanting AUM. (Okay, I don’t really chant; I hum… softly.)

I must confess, I have a bit of a yoga crush on him.

That said, I’ll continue to focus on stability, mobility, and strength, but every now and then, I’ll practice just for the sheer joy of it.

Because I CAN. And so CAN YOU.

📸 My yoga mat during the workshop

Join me—whether your goal is longevity or simply fun, the choice is yours. You can find me Wednesdays at Puls Killesberg at 4:30 PM for a 90-minute intermediate class*.

And if you work at PwC, you’re in luck! I teach a beginner / advanced beginner class* Thursdays at 6:00 PM at PwC Stuttgart.

➡️ for details and changes please check out the time table)

Oh, and yes—let’s keep those kidneys warm!

*Advanced Beginners/Intermediate: you should have a regular yoga practice.
*Beginner: you should know what a Downward Dog is.
*Newbie: It is your very first experience with a yoga practice.

Text is partly revised by ChatGPT solely for grammar and typo reasons.