The Wyld Thing
Sep 10, 2020
Julia, how long have you been doing yoga and how did you get into it?
When I tried it for the first time I don't know anymore, but really intensively for 6 years. I was unhappy in my job and needed a break from my stressful everyday life. On the mat I found this and little by little also me. Because through the yoga practice I got to know myself better and found out what is really important to me in life.
What do you find particularly fascinating about yoga and how do you practice it in everyday life?
Hard to say what fascinates me the most, maybe the variety. For every situation in life and every situation there is a suitable yoga. Sometimes it can be more intense and physical and sometimes it can just consist of pranayama and meditation. I think that's wonderful, that it can accompany you through your whole life and with time simply becomes your attitude to life. One finds answers to all questions in yoga. My practice in everyday life varies. There are times when I roll out my mat every day, then there are times when I only manage 10 minutes of meditation and try to live the yamas and niyamas in everyday life. Yoga is so much more than asana.
Has yoga changed your attitude to life, your appearance or your well-being?
Yes, yes and yes, yoga has made me the person I am today. Before that, I didn't really know who I was or where I was going. I didn't know how to connect with myself. Yoga has helped me to look inward and feel inside myself. No matter how bad I feel, when I've done yoga, I feel better. And I think yoga has also made me glow from the inside out.
When did you open your own yoga studio "THE WYLD THING" in Vienna?
After 3,5 years of Pop Up Yoga, Outdoor Yoga & Retreats I was at the point where I knew, okay I want to stay in Austria and live here. Then it was clear to me: that the next step is to have my own yoga studio. Finding a name was actually one of the most difficult parts before opening. I wanted a creative, new and unprecedented name. Much musing ensued and one day I went through all the asanas with names to see if there might be something that fit and stuck with Wild Thing. I also liked the meaning. "the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart" - because that's what this studio is to me - the expression of my love for Yoga, Modern Spirituality & Community.
We saw on your website that you offer a variety of yoga classes and yoga retreats. How did you come up with these ideas or places?
I love being creative and creating things that may not have existed exactly like this before. I do a lot of research, travel a lot and try to walk through life with my eyes open. Inspiration can be found everywhere.
Last year you published the book "Yoga & Juliet". What can you expect from the book in terms of content?
One of my wishes is that more people do what they burn for from the bottom of their heart and find their way, because yoga has helped me do that and I want to pass that on so much and that's what my book is about. The book is divided into two chapters: how to find your path, how to reconnect with your heart, your gut and your intuition, and how to walk it in the end, mustering the necessary courage, conquering fears, making decisions, keeping energy and staying mindful. All this with the help of yoga flows, meditations, insights into my life and little food for thought.
What prompted you to start the Instagram account "yogaandjuliet"?
Instagram was a hobby at first, then I had a short phase where I wanted to be a travel blogger and then finally 4 years ago I decided to get serious about it and start my yoga blog and in parallel also make my Instagram presence more professional.
What did you work or study before you took the yoga teacher training?
I am a lawyer, so I studied law and then also worked in the profession for 3 years. Long story short: I wasn't happy, found my way to yoga, quit my job, packed my seven things, travelled alone to Asia, did my training in Bali among other things, came back and started teaching yoga.
Is there a life motto which accompanies you and you want to betray us?
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." Walt Disney. I am convinced that all our dreams can come true if we believe in them and work hard for them.
What would you like to see in the next 10 years?
That is a nice question and not so easy to answer. So much can happen in 10 years! If someone had told me at 22 that I would have a yoga studio at 32, I would have laughed at them. So my primary wish is to be content, connected to myself and happy with what I do.