Anita has been teaching yoga in SW London (UK), Sweden (Junsele) and in Hong Kong since January 2007. She currently lives in HK with her husband and three rescue dogs and rescue bird. Her yoga journey started in a small studio in Putney, SW London. Hatha yoga is the style she has practiced the longest but Ashtanga, Sivananda and Iyengar yoga are all part of her personal practice. These four styles of yoga are the foundation of Allomyoga.
Allom is an old Swedish word that means "for everyone".
Anita is a 500hr certified RYT International Karuna Yoga Teacher. Karuna Yoga is an Iyengar inspired yoga style. (Ruth White Yoga, British Wheel of Yoga, International YogaTeachers Association, Yoga Alliance Registered School) She has at least another 500hrs in Yoga TT from training in an Ashram in India, Evolution - Asia yoga Conference, workshops, Yoga retreats and attending a variety of group and private classes.
Anita did her teacher training (TT) with Ruth and John White in the UK and in Greece. Her TT included Yoga for Kids, Restorative Yoga, various meditation techniques and lots of exposure to a variety of different yoga styles as well as practicing and studying the eight limbs of yoga and yoga philosophy. Anita has also had the privilege to assist Ruth and John White in the final assessments of Karuna yoga students (Auro Soma).
During my TT time I met the loveliest, warmest, funniest and greatest yoga teachers and I'm very grateful to have these yogis and yoginis in my life who are always supportive, encouraging, inspirational and fun! In no special order: Sabine, Ingrid, Ruth, John, Andrew, Suzie, Dawn, Louise, Max, Regina, Patricia, Tobye, Lucy, Julie, Sukradeva, Rebecca, Gary, Donna, Sri Anadi, Liza and Laura ~ Thank you for your inspiration, support and loving care.
Andrew Henley (UK) is my meditation and spiritual teacher. Andrew taught me the wonderful and powerful practice of meditation and he helped me understand the true meaning of stillness and of letting go. His guidance and patience helped me to understand how important it is to find and make time to fall quiet and to be still wherever you are and whenever you need it. For this I'm forever grateful.
In 2009 I attended a Sivananda Ashram in Kerala, south west India, where I deepened my own personal yoga, pranayama, meditation and chanting practice.
During my London years I taught yoga for kids (The Roche School, Scouts) and teenagers as well as my regular classes for adults (The Spencer Tennis and Cricket Club, Southfields, SW London). The teenage group that I taught was a vibrant, energetic and fun bunch. They practiced yoga with me through their GCSE's and A-levels which proved helpful to them in many ways.
I have had the privilege to attend a lot of yoga work-shops, yoga retreats and one-to-one lessons over the years with many wonderful and inspiring yoga and meditation teachers in India and around the world.
Anita was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and grew up in Sweden. She started practicing gymnastics at the age of five and competed until she was 18 years old. She coached young girls in gymnastics in her teens. She also practiced ballet and modern dance for a few years in Malmö, south Sweden, which improved and supported her gymnastic skills. Anita has always admired the art and skill of gymnasts, ballet dancers, figure ice-skaters and acrobats. She has been into sports, fitness and wellness most of her life. Both her parents were gymnasts on an elite level in their youth, and her older brother was a Swedish decathlon champion (1994). Nutrition, healthy drinking (soft drinks were banned) and eating (especially avoiding white sugar, white flour, white salt) was part of growing up as her father is a specialist in internal medicine and gastroenterology.
Anita left Sweden and moved to Hong Kong in 1994 with her husband Joakim (eico.hk) and their newborn son Benjamin. In 1995 they left Hong Kong moved to SW London where they lived for 15 years. Their second son, Jonathan, was born in 1996 and their daughter Matilda in 1998. They all moved back to HK in 2010 where they are enjoying new challenges and adventures and loving the company of their three adopted rescue dogs Tammy, Lillen and Obi. They have also taken in a rescue bird called Ludwig. All three children have now "flown the nest" with the youngest living in the UK, the middle and eldest ones living in Hong Kong.
Yoga is a very big part of my life and I'm happy to say that my husband and three “grown up” children regularly attend my classes when they come home, especially during the holidays. Yoga compliments their rugby, handball, rowing, basketball, lacrosse and netball training which are all fast, tough and vigorous sports. It's wonderful to get the family involved 'on the mat' and to be able to share this beautiful practice with them. I love having them in my classes and they're all progressing really, really well.
I teach Hatha yoga with a balanced blend of my favorite yoga styles. I'm passionate about Vinyasa Yoga Flow and I love inversions. I teach regular weekly classes, mornings and evenings, on Hong Kong Island southside (hongkongparkview.com) where I live and every summer in my very own timber yoga barn in northern Sweden (Junsele, Ångermanland). My place in the north is the most beautiful and peaceful place to practice and teach yoga, pranayama and meditation. I am so incredibly lucky and grateful to have this amazing yoga space, surrounded by nature and breathing the fresh air!! The view alone takes my breath away……
Anita's classes are full of energy, focus and fun and she never forgets the importance of breathing, support, relaxation and rest.
Anita has hosted many yoga workshops, yoga weekends and yoga retreats. She runs her yoga retreats once or twice a year around Asia; Bali, Thailand and India mainly. These retreats focus on health, fitness, movement and wellbeing. Yoga, meditation and Pranayama are practiced twice daily. Mornings start off with silent walks and the food and drinks are always healthy and nutritious.
Anita/Allomyoga has been teaching yoga at the Asia Society Hong Kong for a few years now, celebrating the International Day of Yoga on behalf of the Consulate General of India. This is a charitable event to encourage the local community to get involved and try out the practice of all things yoga. She is very proud to be part of this volunteer team of yoga teachers and to be able to give something back.
She regularly hosts “Charity Yoga 108” events (108 Surya Namaskar) on a beach, a mountain top or in a pagoda, to raise money for natural disaster areas (typhoons, bush fires, floods, earthquakes etc) and children in need, It feels good to do good.
I love travelling, reading, dancing, singing, laughing and meeting new people. Teaching yoga and hosting yoga retreats and wellness days gives me the opportunity to do all these things combined. I love and live yoga every day and teaching and guiding others is what I'm truly passionate about.
I am also a very keen hiker and I try to hike 2-3 times / week. I love hiking and exploring Hong Kong’s many beautiful and amazing trails. I also like to combine my hiking with yoga so I often take a group out for an early morning or a late afternoon yoga-hike. Sunrises and sunsets are the best, especially when you’re on a mountain top! In July (2020) I hosted a yoga-hiking weekend retreat on Lantau Island which was simply magic. Surrounded by nature, yoga/chanting/pranayama/meditating and hiking everyday, healthy organic food, cooling off in natural streams and ponds, switching off from everyday life, great company, bonding, sharing, caring and being grateful to get away from the hustle and bustle of our busy HK lives….. A yoga retreat is always a treat. I hosted two more yoga-hiking weekends this year (2021) in the spring and it is very popular and appreciated by all. More weekends will follow for sure!!
Anita also owns and runs a small company called anara with her friend Kim Farbrace. They sell yoga mats and blocks, they design and make their own yoga-mat bags, yoga belts and eye-pillows. They import pure essential oils and 100% pure pashminas from India and Kashmir. They design and make linen Ashram pants and cotton tops. Anita and Kim attend a few events and bazaar's each year with their anara products. (anara has a new fb page - find us there!!)
"The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body" ~ Jason Crandell
I look forward to seeing you on the mat someday :)
Find gratitude in your attitude and breathe well.
Namaste,
Anita / Allomyoga