about julie

Julie headshotI first experienced recognizable “yoga” when a theater professor integrated Surya Namaskar into class; for years, it was that thing which made me feel centered and grateful and which I forgot to do much too often. It’s still that thing… but hopefully I’m remembering to do it a little more often. My fascination with the interweaving of mediation, the physical world and spiritual philosophy goes back to childhood, where I was usually to be found inventing some vague form of pagan exploration in the woods behind my house, or belting out anything from show tunes to medieval chants with my mother the classical soprano.I received my high school diploma from a performing arts school, majoring in theater direction and voice performance, and a dual BA in Theater and Biology from Oberlin College. An independent study in what was starting to be called “the Mind-Body connection” fed my interest in the links of physical, mental and spiritual and reminded me of that yoga thing. Throughout a decade in New York City producing, writing and directing independent theater and dance, yoga was first the center point that kept me sane in a crazy city; then an incredible gateway to the body, mind and spirit and a wild, wonderful community of fellow investigators; and then a ongoing gift as I found that continued teaching and study only enlarged my joy and curiosity about yoga and the world at large.

I have been teaching yoga since 2003 and offering yoga training and consulting services since 2005. Since 2007, I’ve been living and teaching in Berlin, learning enormous amounts about practice on and off the mat as I add German to English and Sanskrit and jet lag to yama and niyama. Registered with Yoga Alliance since 2003, I am an E-RYT 500, their highest level of teaching credential, as well as having attained the rank of Yogiraj (yoga master) within the ISHTA lineage.I brought the ISHTA trainings to Berlin beginning in 2012, and they are now in their 9th cycle – read more about the trainings here, at ISHTA Yoga Berlin – and in 2017 founded a home for the trainings and ISHTA community in Berlin, Bija Yoga Berlin, in my home kiez (neighborhood) of Kreuzberg.

I am profoundly grateful to all my teachers; to Kirtan for offering me a path for voice, bhakti and joy; and to the mind, body and spirit of all my students and friends for providing an ongoing source of inspiration. I’m continually amazed by the depth and beauty of yoga, and the joy and light it can bring to our lives. I’m thrilled to share this with my fellow explorers however I can.

shanti / peace,
Julie

Contact me with questions about classes, private lessons or more; visit the Teaching page for more information on my teaching practice and ongoing studies.