Interview – Sofie Moonen – Yoga Teacher & former student of Viva La Vida

INTERVIEW
We are organising our Yoga Teacher Training Courses for the third year now. But who are the people participating in our courses? And what are our Viva La Vida Yoga Teachers doing now?
Today we introduce you to Sofie from The Netherlands

Name: Sofie Moonen
Age : 41
Nationality : Dutch

1. Why did you decide to go to a Yoga TTC?

I did not decide to go to A Yoga TTC, I decided to go to ILSE’s Yoga TTC 😁. I had been looking into different Yoga TTC trainings in Amsterdam for quite a while. But as they all took a lot of time – more than a year and spread over week days and weekends, I realised it would be very hard for me to combine with my family and job and there was a chance I would not finish it. So – to my regret – I never signed up. Then I noticed Ilse started offering the Yoga TTC as an intense 22-day training. I could go in a 3-week yoga bubble and finish it! After consultation with my significant-other, the decision to was easily made.

2.Why did you choose Viva La Vida?

I had met Ilse before when I went on one of her retreats and therefore there was never a doubt in my mind about the quality or structure of the TTC. I knew it would exactly meet my (broad) interests.

3. What did you like most of the TTC and what made it special?

There wasn’t much not to like. But what stood out for me was the great combination of the 3 teachers. Each so different of character but everyone of them a big heart and beautiful soul. They so much complimented eachother and it made the range of information we were getting even broader; very interesting and helpful – also to find out to what you relate the most. I am very happy it was a Yin AND Yang retreat and not just one of the two.

4.What impact had the TTC on your life?

To be honest, when I heard other people refer to a TTC as life changing, it always came across to me as a little exaggerating. But I have to apologise for that. Because it is! Life changing. Or can be. And for me it definitely was. I am a different person than I was before the TTC. Happier, lighter, more peaceful, more energetic, less fearful and it feels I only just started this journey. It is one of the few decisions I made in my life, just for me and myself only, completely disregarding any expectations of others. And it turned out to be one of the best ones – now why would that be?

5. What do you do now?

After the TTC, I immediately started teaching yoga at the primary school of my kids. Just for practice and also because I believe yoga should actually be a part of the curriculum of every school. Since then I can hardly believe how things are manifesting around me: such wonderful feedback from the kids, parents that tell me their kids look differently/better after the yoga and questions on where they can go if they like to do it more often. After the kids, I am now also doing yoga with the teachers. I am approached by another yoga teacher to teach kids yoga in the park with him this summer, etc. I cannot call it a proper business yet, and I still have my normal job, but the ways things are unfolding now, I expect to have a more structured – yet still small – business by the end of this year. And that is a very exciting prospect.

INSTA – Moon_en_Yoga

Sofie did her training in November 2019