JANA BROECKX

I found yoga a few years ago during a stressful period. I ran out of energy for my usual workouts. With a background in dance, I thought yoga would help me regain flexibility and counteract my sedentary lifestyle. Yoga, which I thought of as stretching back then, would almost immediately change my life. I quickly noticed the mental benefits that I was so skeptical and in disbelief of. I discovered that yoga can be as intense or restorative as I wanted it to be and soon I was rolling out my mat every day.

Fascinated by the whole story, I quickly registered for my first (short) yoga teacher training locally in Belgium. I learned the basics of yoga and yoga philosophy. I started teaching soon after but had the urge to keep learning. Yoga helped me a lot with my mental health, but I kept pushing myself way beyond my limit. I worked full-time as a software engineer, had my own company as a side occupation, was active as a vegan activist, gave yoga classes and my grandparents had been suffering from illness for years. Too many activities and worries combined with a bad environment in my job and the vegan organization I was associated with led to a diagnosis of burnout and depression in 2018. I decided to quit my job and the vegan organization, I knew I was leaving for my next yoga teacher training in a few months time, so I decided to take that time to heal. In October 2018 I embarked on an amazing journey: the Island Yoga RYT 200h Training in Aruba with Rachel Brathen (Yoga Girl) and Lara Heimann. The training was a perfect combination of self-care, anatomy and yoga philosophy.

After my return I decided to fully focus on my own company, Florissant: part vegan cosmetics web shop, part IT consultancy for ethical companies. Together with fellow LYT yoga teacher Noélie Lanckneus, I started Ylva Yoga! We organize yoga retreats in and around Belgium, as well as workshops, and both teach group & private classes. I have kept studying and learning and completed a second RYT 200h course with Lara Heimann; LYT Level 1!

My classes are physically challenging, but always with an intention. Whether we’re using a chakra as a theme, or a body part, we always look at it from a yogic point of view. So we can move with intention, alignment, and ease in body, mind, and spirit. All of my group and private classes take place in Belgium or online, often in Dutch, and sometimes in English. Want to flow with me online or in person? Contact me through my website, Instagram, or e-mail! I look forward to meeting you.