Meet Andrea Kiss
What brought you to yoga?
In 1998 I went to listen to a Buddhist lecture in Hungary. By then I was thinking about starting to learn yoga, but I didn’t know where to go. After this lecture I went home found a book and started to practice from a book. Since I have been a dancer for long time, many asanas seemed almost easy, but soon I realized that I had to find a teacher. After my first child was born and I had spent years looking for someone to guide me on the beautiful journey that is yoga, I found JJ Gormley and Sun and Moon Yoga Studio. Since then my life has changed dramatically and I feel that I have so much more to learn.
Why did you want to become a teacher?
I have been teaching dance since I was 19. So, teaching became my profession. I love to do it, and I feel I was born to be a teacher. When I found Sun and Moon Yoga Studio I enrolled in the Teacher Training Program immediately. I felt that besides dance, I had to learn yoga and eventually teach it. So, I became a yoga teacher because that is what I love to do and hopefully do the best.
How would you describe your style of teaching?
I believe that alignment and breathing, pranayama, are very important elements of my class. Also, I noticed that my students need deeper relaxation techniques and help to find the ways to express love towards themselves and others. Also, since I have a dancer's background, I love to challenge my classes to find their limits. In challenging my class and myself, I need to remind myself and my students to accept our boundaries. After this acceptance process we can let go of many of our boundaries.
Any books you can recommend?
Yes, The Bhagavad Gita. After I read it, thought about it and finally understood it, I found it was a life changing experience for me. Before reading The Bagavad Gita I practiced yoga on the mat, but after reading it I started to practice yoga in everyday life as well. I also loved reading Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith. It gives a clear understanding about how our chakras work and also how we can affect them in our every day lives.
Do you feel any similarities between being an artist and practicing yoga?
Both yoga and art are physical expressions of our inner energy. Often while drawing, I would experience such one-pointed focus of attention that time would just fly by, just disappear. It’s that same one-pointed focus in meditation, allowing for pure awareness. As a painter, the emotional energy I can feel from pure color now makes more sense to me having studied the energy of the chakras.
And you enjoy being outdoors?
I grew up in the city, but my grandparents lived in a small village, and we visited them frequently when I was a child. Mother Earth was so important for my grandparents, so I learnt early to love and adore nature. Unfortunately I don’t think I spend enough time outdoors. When I was listening to Alberto Villoldo speak last year, I realized that we should stay much closer to Nature.
Do you have a favorite asana?
Yes, I love Headstand, Sirsasana. I believe that it is one of the most useful asana in today’s hectic world. Also, Downward Facing Dog Pose, Adho Mukha Svanasana, which helps to prepare us for many of the asanas, as well as being one of the best full body stretches. Once I read an article written by a busy mother. She said that if she had only 5 minutes a day to do yoga she would choose Downward Facing Dog Pose. I agree!