Erika’s Yoga Journey
An Interview with Erika van Gemeren
How long have you been practicing yoga? Teaching?
I have been practicing yoga since 1996/97. I began teaching in 2008
What does 'yoga' mean to you?
Yoga to me means coming home to your heart.
Describe your first experience with yoga.
When I first tried yoga it was offered at a gym I taught aerobics and dance at. Dance was my first love, but I had a ballet teacher that berated me about my belly and from there I always had body dysmorphia. As soon as I closed my eyes, I knew I was home.
How has your personal journey with yoga impacted your life?
It has cleaned up every aspect of my life. How I show up in relationships, how I cook a meal, how I create my home environment, how I let go of toxic habits. It’s led me to meet the most magical beings, and I continue to go down the rabbit hole with it. It led me to a mystery school where now I offer metaphysical healings. It really opens doors you never knew were there.
What inspires and motivates you to share and teach yoga?
I always was highly emotional and intuitive but didn’t quite know how to harness that energy. Being an empath didn’t feel like this world was the easiest place to be. Yoga brings me more clarity, more discernment and peace. When we attune ourselves to something greater, (god, spirit) whatever you wanna call it…we are able to live with more peace. I am inspired to teach it because I’ve always believed we can live in peace one day. I am on that mission. It’s up to us. It’s all of us or none of us.
What is Bhakti Yoga?
Bhakti yoga is the Yoga of love and devotion. It’s so rich and layered. There’s storytelling sometimes, chanting, vinyasa for the asana, and a huge emphasis on the heart. The first time I tried it, I cried. It evoked such a deep well of feelings for me.
What are the 8 Limbs?
The 8 limbs are from the yoga sutras of Pantajali. They are a guideline on how to live a spiritual life. To me, it’s my bible. It’s not condemning like the Bible though. But they truly help you live a much more rich life in integrity. They clean up our internal messes so we can live a life that is much more free and eventually attain freedom.