Interview with Demetrios… | The Yoga Instructor at What’s up! Bilbao

ES: Hola, Demetrios ¡Cuéntanos un poco sobre ti!

I grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and at about the age of 16 I caught the travel bug when my mom took me to Greece with her. At that point, I realized travelling was one of my passions and from then on, I haven’t really stopped visiting new countries.  I moved to Bilbao back in 2010 and have been enjoying my time here ever since.

Why did you decide to start your career as a yoga instructor?

ES: ¿Cuál es el motivo por el cual decidiste dedicarte profesionalmente al yoga?

Yoga has been an integral part of my life since my friend took me took my first class when  I was 15.  From there – and thanks to  lots practice-  I started to dive more into each facet of yoga, not only the poses but also the other paths that are combined in this rich tradition.

Nowadays our work environment puts us in very stressful situations. For this reason it’s no surprise that there is a slower way to life to make up for the small things and moments in life.

ES: Hoy en día vivimos en una sociedad cuyos ritmos nos exponen a un estrés diario considerable en el ámbito laboral. Por ello no es de extrañar que haya surgido una corriente de movimientos slow en la búsqueda por reconciliarnos con el aprecio de las pequeñas cosas y momentos de la vida.

How do you interpret the trendy concept mindfulness?

ES: ¿Como interpretas tu el concepto mindfulness del que tanto se habla últimamente?

I think most people seek an introspective task to find themselves while seeking to break down personal barriers that they have built over the years. To me mindfulness when done correctly can be the key to helping us unlock a different quality of awareness.

Let’s talk about getting started with Yoga…Is it necessary to have any specific prior knowledge? Or are there any beginner’s tips to bear in mind before starting?

ES: Hablemos sobre iniciación en yoga… ¿Basta con unas pequeñas nociones para que una persona sin demasiados conocimientos pueda iniciarse?o ¿Es necesario tener un gran bagaje sobre el yoga antes de practicarlo por primera vez?

Someone once told me that you can’t be bad at yoga. Unlike other sports, yoga is not a competition. Although you can contort your body into a pretzel, it doesn’t mean that you are a professional yogi. The same applies when you can’t get into advanced poses that doesn’t make you a bad yogi. Yoga is focuses on what’s going on inside than what is happening outside.

Can you recommend any books or online resources to introduce our students into the yogi way of life?

ES: ¿Que libros o recursos online recomendarías a nuestros estudiantes que quieren iniciarse en yoga?

These are some books I have found helpful along my path, especially the ‘The Power of Now’- it holds a very special place in my heart. It deals with day-to-day living and stresses the importance of living in the present moment and avoiding thoughts of the past or future.

• Autobiography of a yogi
• The power of now
• The heart of yoga: developing a personal pratice
• Yoga as medicine
• Bhagavadgita
• Wisdom of yoga

Thank you very much Demetrios!

The What’s Up! Team.