Kaiut Yoga for Biomechanical Health

Christina Siepiela Yoga Journey

 

Above Photo: Christina Siepiela and Francisco Kaiut

Dallas Yoga Magazine is thrilled to learn more about Kaiut Yoga Instructor, Christina Siepiela and the Kaiut method. Christina has an incredibly diverse background and has practiced yoga throughout the world. She has an incredible story of how she followed her heart to find her passion with Kaiut Yoga.

DYM: How long have you lived in the DFW area? Where are you from?

Christina: I have lived in the DFW area for 14 years. I was born in Curitiba, a city in the South of Brazil

DYM: Tell us something about yourself most people wouldn’t know.

Christina: I am a former family law attorney and a college professor in civil law. For 11 years, I practiced law in Brazil until I moved to the USA in 2004. That summer, I was in Mexico for vacation and I brought home “love as a souvenir”. (Smiling) I met my husband, Mark, who is from Texas, at the beach in Cancun and it was love at first sight. We have been married for 14 years and we have two beautiful daughters. I am also an author of two books published in Portuguese. The books are about DNA and paternity in the Brazilian legal system.

DYM: That is all so fascinating! You have such a diverse background. What was your first yoga experience like?

 

Christina: My first yoga experience came from a sciatica pain in 2001. I discovered Kaiut yoga in Curitiba, Brazil, with Francisco Kaiut, and I practiced regularly for about 4 years until I moved to the United States. It was a life change for me: from physically, to mentally, to emotional aspects. Yoga since then, is the main alignment of my life. It’s like the habit of brushing my teeth…I can’t live without it! Without yoga, I can honestly say, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I give the credit to my practice.

 

DYM: When did you decide to become a yoga instructor?

 

Christina: I decided to become a yoga teacher in 2016 while I was writing a website called “privilegedhome.com“.  I wrote about my personal journey as a mother and a yoga practitioner and I realized how much the yoga practice had contributed to a happy and healthy motherhood and everything that goes with it. At that time, I told myself… besides being a mom, I would love to have another job and call myself a yoga teacher!

 

DYM: What kind of training have you had?

 

Christina: I practiced in Dallas for a while and had different experiences until I found the right calling for my teaching journey. I started with Core Power Yoga and did a short training with them in Sculpt Yoga. But that did not touch my heart, so I decided to pursue something deeper. After talking with Kendal Inmann, a good friend and amazing yoga teacher in Dallas (now in Mexico), she listened to my thoughts and recommended Psychoterapeutic Yoga at Lispy School in Dallas. I gradutated from Lispy in 2017 and became a 200hr PY teacher. During my journey with Lispy, I reconnected with my Brazilian teacher, Francisco Kaiut, who now is well known internationally, and he invited me to explore the idea and dream of becoming a Kaiut teacher. I reflected… and it was the right call for my heart. I became a 200hr Kaiut teacher in April of 2018 and I am now teaching the Kaiut method in Dallas. In September, I will be going to Toronto, Canada, where I will be training with him again to achieve my 300hr Kaiut teacher certification.

 

DYM: Are you a yoga teacher full time or do you have another occupation?

Christina: I am a wife and a mother full time. It’s my priority to set the tone in my home, that I call my sanctuary. I want to be sure that my husband and our children have all that they need to feel good and happy. I teach yoga two times a week and being a yoga teacher is something that I love as much as I love to devote my time to my family.

DYM: Where do you practice and teach?

 

Christina: I believe that a good teacher is the one that practices daily, so I practice 4-5 times a week in my home. I have a special spot in my bedroom where my mat, my bolster, my block and my strap are always there for me. I teach at Bent Tree Country Club on Wednesdays 12-1pm and Saturdays 10-11am

DYM: Other than yoga, what do you enjoy in your spare time?

Christina: I enjoy traveling to different places, eating delicious foods at my favorite restaurants, celebrating good moments with my family and enjoy life with my friends. Also, reading good books always takes me to my dreams, feelings and thoughts.

DYM: What qualities do you feel are important for a wonderful yoga teacher?

Christina: Practice, practice, practice! Have a connection with the students and integrity with the method. Be punctual for classes and have a positive tone of voice and energy.

DYM: Explain to everyone what your classes are like?

Christina: The Kaiut method is a very unique yoga method. We call it yoga for biomechanical health. Classes are 60 minutes where we work on a sequence designed by Francisco Kaiut that includes 7-8 poses. There are 100 sequences during our 300hr teacher training. We work on the floor basically using the gravity to our benefit. We always use props or walls and we hold poses for a few minutes. The joints and nervous system are the main focus with the Kaiut method.

DYM: What makes your class unique?

Christina: We believe that the Kaiut method, as unique as it is, promotes longevity, mobility, state of presence and relaxation. Because of the way that the sequences are designed, the joints and the nervous system receive the benefits that, with time and practice, will transform our bodies and minds in a way that we makes us realize “I don’t want to live any other way”.

DYM: What has surprised you the most about being a yoga instructor?

Christina: What surprised me the most is the love I have for teaching a Kaiut method class. The moment I see my students melting in Savasana on their mats… that makes my day. I leave the room always better and happier than I came to it.

DYM: What do you find most challenging about what you do?

Christina: The knowledge never ends. It can be a challenge in a way that when I think I understand the practice, the sequence, the pose, the benefits… that’s when I question myself about my own understanding. It’s a never-ending journey.

DYM: What do you find most rewarding?

Christina: When I see that my students are feeling better because of the practice. When I see their commitment to be there, to stay there, to practice for them, and see their transformation for the better, for healthier and for happier.

DYM: Yogis need a sense of humor, are there any humorous situations that stand out to you in class?

Christina: Oh yes! Some of the sequences and poses can really be hard in a way that brings a lot of tightness (or lack of mobility) in our shoulders, hands, and feet… that’s when we, teachers, need to work with our sense of humor to keep the students focused… and not let them get out of the work!

DYM: There has been a lot of controversy about yoga in the news lately, what do you wish other people knew about yoga?

Christina: I wish people understood that yoga was designed 5-8,000 years ago and it was designed to extend our lives, it was designed to promote vitality and relaxation, it was designed to operate a change in our brains. I also wish people understood everyone is welcome and able to practice yoga. There is no competition, there is no right or wrong, there is no certain clothing brands, there is no female only or male only, there is no body types. It’s for everyone here, now.

DYM: Tell us about someone who has influenced you on your path?

Christina: My forever teacher Francisco Kaiut. He has guided me in a such kind way to show me life has to have a great sense of joy, otherwise there is no sense. With very few words, he has always told me what was necessary for me to receive as a message, process and make the change, at the right time, at my time. He has always been an inspiration of how and why we should pursue our dreams. For all that, I am very grateful for him and that life put us together almost 20 years ago and we continue our journey together.

DYM: There are so many places offering yoga teacher training including online. What suggestions do you have for those trying to make a decision where to take their training?

Christina:  Check, check, check, and do more checking. Find out who the teachers are, who has done the teacher training there before, the school credentials and who their students are.

DYM: What advice would you share with a person who is just starting yoga?

Christina: Ask yourself… Why yoga? Why is yoga for you? What do you want from yoga?

DYM: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Christina: After becoming a Kaiut teacher,  I feel I want to do this for the rest of my life!  I want to become the most desired Kaiut teacher in Dallas, co-owning a Kaiut Yoga School where everybody wants to come and join because they feel happy and joyful there!

DYM: Thank you so much for sharing with us today. We are looking forward to you teaching at class at the Cosmic Yogi Festival and more people learning about Kaiut Yoga.

You can reach Christina Siepiela:

Email:  [email protected]

Phone: 972.746.5991

Website: www.Kaiutyogadallas.com

Social Media:

FB @kaiutyogadallas IG: kaiutyogadallas

LINKEDIN: Christina Siepiela