Hi and welcome!
I am Bettina, a research funding advisor by day, and a yoga teacher and women’s circle co-facilitator by night.
I am complementing my ‘work that pays the bills’ with yoga teaching and co-facilitation of women’s circles because I have a deep-rooted yearning to live in a world where we are all sufficiently grounded to embrace both our own shadows and light for healthy, thriving communities which live in tune with their environment.
I strongly feel that we need spaces to be in community with each other, to take care of our wellbeing and be vulnerable about how current systems can drain us and how we can change that. There is deep magic in when we have spaces where we can completely open up to each other, be human and vulnerable, and where we are not being judged for it and no one tries to ‘fix’ us, because really… we are perfect in our imperfections and where we can embrace all of those imperfections openly. Yoga groups and women’s circles are ways to explore how we relate to ourselves and our environment, learn about our shadows and light, and consider how we can show up in the world whilst being deeply true to ourselves.
I am a bit of a science geek that loves to understand why certain approaches work for our mental and physical health, why they create a sense of safety and belonging, and how we can practically use this knowledge in our wellbeing practices and in how we can change our (health, food, support, etc.) systems for the better. And I love bringing this into my teaching and facilitating.
I love the ‘real’ yoga – the one that is asking me to reflect on my habits, how I relate to myself and others, and how I can contribute to a fairer, healthier and more accessible world. The yoga for which postures on the mat, breath work and a vegetarian diet are just the entry to the real work. The yoga that creates safety and belonging as my struggles and my joys are seen and heard within the wider community (and may not even be called yoga anymore at this point).
I live in Hoeilaart, just outside of Brussels, close to the forest. I love going for walks in nature, puzzling, water-colouring and eating yummy foods (mainly chocolate and vegetables).