Mladen Babic

The daily practice reveals the ever changing states of my internal being. Applying the yoga techniques helps me to regularly empty out the mind, access the creative energy and center myself before the day unfolds. It powers the ability to perceive each day with “fresh” eyes.

Over the course of years I observed how regular yoga practice informs my choices in regards to food, relationships and the environment leading to more balanced and sustainable lifestyle. This partly stems from re-establishing the trust relationship with ones inner voice. This intrinsic teacher guides me to honour simplicity and courage in the lifelong quest for the self-knowledge. It teaches me to accept the impermanence of the material existence and to deal with the fears emerging from our attachment to it.

On the yoga path I am being supported by David Garrigues with whom I study since 2013. I regularly attend his India intensives, EU and USA In-depth studies and workshops. It was with David that I first experienced the deep connection to the teacher. This relationship strengthened over the course of years and it helps facilitate the successful knowledge transfer. David deeply inspires me with his research and contribution to the Ashtanga community. He continuously offers fresh insights into the ashtanga method which motivate me to internalize the yoga teachings and develop new relations to the practice.

I learned a lot by practicing daily with Matthew Vollmer during his Berlin years (2015 – 2017). Matthew supported me to learn discipline, breath honouring and mindfulness. Non verbally, teaching by example, Matthew imparted lots of yama and niyama teachings. Observing him, allowed me to better understand how to transfer this yogic knowledge off the mat into the world. I continue to learn from Matthew in his workshops.

My first experience with Yoga was in 2004 while I was pursuing the computer science university degree. Upon one of the visits to the library I discovered the book “Yoga In Daily Life” by Swami Maheshwarananda. I started practicing the asana and meditation techniques presented in the book and complemented them with visualisation techniques. After a year I switched to martial arts which I practiced for the next 5 years. In 2009 my co-worker introduced me to the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I started taking the led classes and liked the dynamic aspect of the asana practice. I was encouraged to take the Mysore classes but some irrational fear was postponing this to happen until 2011.

At the end of the year 2012 I first went to India to practice with Lino Miele. This was a life changing experience. After fully devoting myself to the intense yoga practice I witnessed the lightness of existence never experienced before. This was the moment I got married to Ashtanga yoga and developed a daily practice.

I believe anyone can benefit from yoga practice and enrich her life quality regardless of age, belief and physical condition. I will try doing my best to support you on this path.