Christos Charikiopoulos

“Through practice and my experience, I’ve come to realize that in life we must first breathe. Breathing is a unique bridge that connects body, mind and spirit. So, one day I had an inspiration for a play on words that is possible only in Greek language and characterizes the way I approach my practice today: “Asana begins with Anasa” (Anasa is breath for Greek). From this starting point, I try to align the earthly/material with my divine/spiritual existence and every time I seek new balances between Effort and Expectation for the outcome”.

I was born in Munich in 1967 but I feel that my life really started on my first contact with yoga in 2001. I met Iris Benarie that introduced me to Ashtanga vinyasa and I started discovering myself and the world from the beginning, like a little explorer. I followed the system of Satyananda yoga almost instinctively and I began an inner path aiming the search of awareness, one of the most important elements in evolution of human nature. Then I felt the need to visit the “source” so I started my journey to India in order to deepen my study of body, mind and spirit. I graduated from the teacher training course of Hatha yoga 300h+ of Yoga Vidya Gurukul with Yogacharya Vishwa Mandlik and Gandhar Mandlik as teachers. At the same period, I engaged the SSF (Seva Scholarship Fund) in collaboration with others practitioners all around the world in order to support the local community of Trimbakeshwar around the region of ashram Yoga Vidya Gurukul. We managed to distribute school books, stationery and kitchenware to almost 1000 kids and also covered the expenses of repair of two schools in the area and of the construction of sport facilities.

Afterwards I took intensive classes of Ashtanga Vinyasa at the center Mandala Yogashala by V. Sheshadri in Mysore, followed later by my studies on the holistic approach of man and the philosophy of Ayurveda at the therapy center of Yoga Vidya Dham. I came back from Mysore of India in 2006, having graduated from one more teacher training course Hatha Yoga 300h+ for advanced, held by Yoga Indea Center with the exceptional teacher Bharat Shetty. The year 2013 was another milestone in my path, as I followed the Advanced Yoga Teacher Training 300hrs by Shri Yogi Hari at Hallenthal of Germany, with particular emphasis on philosophy and Sampoorna Yoga. During my journey to the path of self-awareness I’ve obtained A’ degree in Reiki therapy, I’ve been taught my beloved “Whirling Meditation” by the great teacher/psychotherapist Vico Nachmias, I attended “Art of communication” of Valerie Saier with tools and techniques of N.L.P. and many other workshops and seminars.

After my return from India I created Yoga House so that this place will offer us all, teachers and practitioners, the ability to share Knowledge, Inspiration and Evolution. Through my contact with practitioners I try to help them discover their own path to self-awareness, always with safety, awareness and respect in Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Satya (honesty). As Galileo said: “you cannot teach a man anything. You can only is help him find it within himself.”

Today I am registered at the international organization of Yoga Alliance (USA) as an E-RYT 500 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 500hrs.) and also Yoga House is recognized as RYS (Registered Yoga School) 200 & 300 RYS. I teach there almost every day and I’m also managing teacher training courses and guide workshops and yoga retreats at a regular basis. I’m always open and eager to offer my energy in social groups that can benefit, as I’ve done in the past for 3 years with KETHEA (Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals); so also, today I’m looking for ways and places where my contribution can prove useful.

After 15 years of experience in yoga practice with almost 1000 hours of personal training, and also as a father and a husband, I still feel that I know little compared to the great wisdom of the universe and of human nature. So I continue my studies on yoga and self-awareness with undiminished interest, I take seminars, conferences, courses in Greece and abroad. The most important for me is to always remain a humble student.