Marga Yoga 3: Hana Hladká (Prague & Singapore)
Today we head to the Lion City of Singapore. We meet with Hana Hladká – a Czech physician turned yoga teacher.
“My favorite yoga pose – Bakāsana (a.k.a. the crane or crow pose).” – HH
DDoA: When did you start practicing yoga?
HH: In the summer of 2012.
DDoA: Who/What sparked your curiosity in the practice?
HH: Our homeopathy doctor.
DDoA: What was your profession before teaching yoga?
HH: Physician (I worked at the department of internal medicine).
DDoA: From where/whom did you get your yoga training/certification?
HH: SVYASA Singapore – Manoj Thakur
“Receiving my teacher’s certificate
from SVYASA Singapore” – HH
DDoA: What were the challenges that you encountered when you made the career change?
HH: It was easy because I am not allowed to work in Singapore as a doctor and the only chance to work here was to get training here.
DDoA: What advice can you give yoga practitioners who want to train to teach yoga or run their own yoga studio?
HH: You don’t have to be practicing yoga for a very long time before becoming yoga teacher, more important is to enjoy practicing and teaching yoga.
DDoA: How has yoga changed you?
HH: I feel much more balanced. I am happier and more grounded. I quit drinking coffee and black tea just because I stopped enjoying it. My food cravings are gone and I naturally look for healthy food, I stopped eating meat, eggs and dairy products and I feel better. I am much more patient with others. I try to accept what life brings.
DDoA: Please share some information on the nature and location of your YOGA teaching practice.
HH: I teach in my neighborhood, I prefer teaching outdoors if the weather allows. I teach gentle hatha yoga which can become challenging if my students ask me for it, I adjust the style of teaching to my students so if they are stressed I try to make them relaxed and if they want to sweat they definitely will. I have very small groups.
“Teaching private classes from my home in Singapore.” -HH
DDoA: Please give us a glimpse of your daily routine as a yoga professional…
HH: I wake up around 6, If I don’t teach my 6.30 class I practice myself. I start with breathing exercises, then some loosening exercises, sun salutations and after deep relaxation I practice pranayama. This takes me more than 1 hour. When my kids wake up I prepare breakfast. If my sons go to school (3-4 times a week) I teach yoga at 10 am. I cook the lunch, I go grocery shopping and I pick my boys up at 13.00. Then we eat the lunch. In the afternoon boys can watch cartoon or listen to nursery rhymes while I reply to my e-mails or just browse on-line. This is our quiet time. Then I start to prepare dinner so we have things ready before we go outdoors. We go for a swim around 3.30 pm, then eat some snack and go to the playground across the street at 5.30. We come home after 7 pm, eat dinner with my husband and head to bed around 9pm. When my kids fall asleep then I work on my presentations for yoga therapy course which I attend or prepare my yoga class for the next day.
“My turn to be up…”-HH
To be a yoga teacher you must practice, practice, practice.
Photo shows Hana at a partner yoga class.
The person on the ground is the teacher and her name is Melanie Richards.
DDoA: What dictum/philosophy do you live by now that you are a yoga professional?
HH: I like Yama and Niyama from Asthanga Yoga.
YOGA at the Park with Hana
Telok Kurau Park, Singapore
So do… as Hana Hladká does – “try to accept what life brings.” In her case, not being able to practice medicine led her to teaching yoga. Who says there’s only one way to help and heal…
DAILY DOSE OF ART 
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