#44 – Keen on Yoga Podcast with Grischa Steffin

Grischa was a hard-working young software architect in the
exciting early days of the world wide web and raved through
Berlin’s legendary techno scene on the weekends.  He was
almost 30 when he dropped into a Shivananda Yoga class and
confused his physiological fitness and flexibility with yogic
qualities. Blessed be his ignorance!


His hunger for more drove him to the
only Aṣṭāṅga class in Berlin which left him sore for
a week and completely hooked. He soon stopped partying and
drinking and started teaching ashtanga to friends. He
eventually gave up his IT career and opened Berlin’s first
Aṣṭāṅga Yoga Shala. For the first years his excited ego kept
rushing him “up” the ladder of the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga series’.
However, he started to wonder if it was taking the right path.
As he questioned the real meaning of yoga he began to question
teachers’ techniques of strong adjustments etc.  He felt
the unhealthy power structures did not meet traces of yogic
ideals.


Ready to give up on Aṣṭāṅga, Grischa met Richard Freeman whose
unique teaching approach opened his eyes for the mind-blowing
world of the ancient scriptures. In addition he saw how
egotistical motivations taint our actions, even Yoga practice.
Paradoxically he also realized the Aṣṭāṅga
method needed to appeal to my ego to keep him engaged
on the path towards self-inquiry. All this fundamentally
changed the way he lived his life, practiced, and taught Yoga.


Grischa loves the Aṣṭāṅga Vinyāsa Yoga method. Mysore Style
could easily make it the safest traditional Hatha Yoga practice
system. However, he feels this yogic toolbox has not always
been used wisely. Injuries are the most obvious symptoms of an
ego-driven practice and teaching approach.


Just like learning to play an instrument well for music we must
practice posture, breath, philosophy etc. with good technique.
Yet, both music and Yoga can only arise from effortless
concentration and introspection, not from blindly following
rituals and rules.


Yoga Sutras & The Environment


Above all, two factors have initiated the most fundamental and
most challenging transformation of all. Grischa started using
Yoga Sūtra’s Sadhana chapter as the reference of all Yoga
practice and teaching principles.


Even more importantly the birth of his two children broadened
his perspective on literally everything. He realized that
an infinite number of beings will have to live with the effects
of our collective war against the planet. Karma is unfailing.


Yoga means looking at all our actions without filters, without
ignoring or justifying any of it. He realized he had been
fueling global warming with tank loads of kerosene for an
obscene yogic self-improvement trip for decades.


Grischa decided to completely stop air travel and started to
fight against our collective irresponsibility. His dream is
that all Yogis on the planet wake up and become models for a
sustainable and selfless lifestyle. Preserving the planet for
our children is more important than all yoga poses that have
ever been practiced together.


We hope you enjoy this yoga podcast with Grischa Steffin. You
can find more about his on his website.