F'lowMe Yoga with Sarah Lisa Yous

“When one teaches, two learn. So true, I learn so much each time I teach.”

Sarah Lisa Yous founder of F’lowMe Yoga joined us this weekend to talk about her yoga journey, starting a yoga business in Zurich, her philosophy, mentors, and tips on how to find a teacher training that suits you.  Read more about Sarah below!

Curito:

Tell us who is Sarah Lisa Yous! Where are you from and how did your yoga journey begin?

Sarah:

I’m Sarah, a passionate yogini and yoga teacher based in Zürich, Switzerland. I grew up in a little village in the countryside with my family. As a child I was part of a children's circus for years and through that started riding horses and caring for them when I was 7 years old with my sisters. I danced jazz for two years, did Tae Bo for several years until I finally found my way into yoga. 

If you know Ayurveda, I’m very much Vata with a lot of Pita, Kapha is nearly non-existent. My mind often is everywhere. I have a lot of energy and passion. I’m a very sensitive and very emotional person. My challenge is to keep myself in balance and this is where yoga plays a big role in my life.

My yoga journey began in my early twenties. A friend of mine told me about this yoga class happening right after our weekly Tae Bo lesson. I was curious and we joined together. I liked it very much… but then didn’t quite know why...

Some years later, I traveled to Bali with my partner Daniel for one month. And this is, where finally everything started, where I found my style and started to create F’lowMe Yoga.

Curito:

What does F'lowMe Yoga mean?

Sarah:

It's a combination of flow with me and follows me.

As I'm teaching in different studios, sometimes outdoors or on rooftops, and I'm hosting retreats in different places it means Follow Me.

But at the same time, it's also Flow with me, as my style of yoga is super flowy.

Curito:

Who are some of your mentors and teachers you have been inspired by during your yoga journey and why them?

Sarah:

Actually the teachers who inspire me are the ones who really live yoga. It’s the ones who work on a deep level and really embody the teachings of yoga. Not only the asanas on the mat, but really studied the philosophy of yoga, live the yamas and the niyamas on and off the mat and teach from a place of experience. Here are some of them...

Les Leventhal and Andrew Mournehis from my 300h advanced teacher training in Bali with Les.

All the teachers from my last 300h Bhakti Yoga training in India: Ragunath Cappo for Asana, Kirtan, Philosophy and storytelling. Kaustubha Das for Yoga Philosophy, wisdom and storytelling. Cilla Weisman and her husband Noah Weisman, for Yoga Asana, the art of teaching and sequencing, Pranayama and Meditation. 

Then there are also some other great teachers I joined for workshops and classes, because I really like their style. Vinyasa Yoga: Meghan Currie, Kayla Nielson, Dylan Werner, Carson Calhoun. Yin Yoga: Josh Summers, Rachel Fearnley, Lucy Foster Perkins.

Curito:

What does the yoga industry look like in Zurich/Europe? Is it mainstream, competitive?

Sarah:

Yoga is everywhere... In the last couple of years it really grew here in Zürich. We have now many many studios mostly small and personal ones, many different styles and of course even more teachers. Starting from a lot of teachers who did their 200h, up to teachers who teach for twenty and more years. Now we also have some meditation studios and "breathwork" is also coming more and more.

Of course, with so many offerings, there is kind of competition. I also see a lot of teachers coming and going.

You really have to work hard to be successful in it. This often gets underestimated. You have to find a way to let people know who you are and what your offerings are.

Curito:

How would your students describe you? 

Sarah:

That’s a hard one… I guess I have to ask some :). 

Well, I will just list some of the feedback I get. They love the energy I put into and bring into my classes and teachings. They say I’m very authentic and inspiring. They describe me as a very positive and kind person who touches their heart while teaching. I heard that my asana practice is so elegant and beautiful to watch and that everything looks effortless in my practice. 

Curito:

Having met you in person at a training, we absolutely agree with your students! Your energy and practice is so beautiful it’s very inspiring to watch and be a part! What is your mantra in life?

Sarah:

It changes… but one of them for sure is:

“Trust the flow of life. Everything has its time.”

Curito:

What drives you to continue to share this journey with others. What motivates you and what fulfills you. 

Sarah:

I see how much I grew in the last years through these practices. How much my life and I changed to the positive by practicing and living yoga. Yoga brings so much awareness, connection, love and peace back into our lives. I feel like we need more of that.

What also motives and fulfills me are my students. To see their practice, to feel the energy in the room, to see them leaving in a different state as when they came in. It really fulfills me to simply practice with others.

There is also that saying that: When one teaches, two learn. So true, I learn so much each time I teach.

Curito:

You offer many types of classes, retreats, and sessions, do you have a favorite or preference in your offerings?

Sarah:

I love all of them. If I have to choose, I really love longer sessions, like the 2 hours class I offer once a month or in a retreat. Simply because we have more time to go deeper into a certain topic, to bring in philosophy and expand the practice of pranayama, meditation and add chanting and kirtan.

Curito:

What were some of your struggles when getting F’lowMe started?

Sarah:

I’m super grateful to say that there were no real struggles. Somehow everything just worked out from the beginning. I also had great support from my partner, Daniel. Not only he encouraged me over and over again, he also set up my website, newsletter and everything behind creating the brand. Furthermore, I learned to trust my intuition which very quickly told me if something is right or wrong for me and F’lowMe Yoga.

Curito:

As a business owner running your own platform what recommendations do you have for others who are trying to walk this path as well?

Sarah:

The most important to me is to stay authentic and simply be yourself. Follow your passion and share what you love and have. Second, it’s a journey and there is always more to learn, never stop learning.

Curito:

Do you plan to expand beyond the European market? What are some of your goals in this new decade?

Sarah:

There is no real plan of expanding internationally. But some of my online classes are in English. They are meant to be accessible for everyone who is interested and from wherever you are in this world. My goal is to simply continue to go with the flow… whatever is meant to be, will be.

Curito:

You have done your 500TT. What are some tips you have for students who are looking for a teacher training? 

Sarah:

Yes, I’ve done 200h as a base, followed by a 300h advanced training. Then did a 50h Yin Yoga training, a 50h meditation training and then another 300hours advanced in Bhakti Yoga. 

I did both, training here in Zürich and training away in Bali and India.

What works best for me is to go away from home and immerse in a 4-5 week training. To really go deep into the teachings of yoga, deep into self-discovery and growth I need time away from home and my usual surroundings. The magic always happened in this deep immersions. So, if you have the opportunity and the possibility to go away for some weeks, do it. Rather than staying home and doing it beside you usual schedule.

Second, it’s super important to train with someone you trust and you really like, as a person and as a teacher. Especially at the beginning, when you’re new to all the teachings that will come up in training and you haven’t found your own voice yet.. Because automatically, you will take over a lot from your teacher. Be sure about who you chose.

My tip, do a lot of research and then trust your intuition. Read through the description and find out more about the teachers. If possible take a couple of classes with them. 

This is how I found all of my trainings. A lot of search and somehow then, I just knew if I wanted to join or not.

Curito:

For those of us living in a different time zone what are some ways to stay in touch with you and perhaps experience some of your teachings?!

Sarah:

Instagram is great way to stay in touch. On instagram you will also find announcements for my classes, workshops, retreats… follow @flowme.yoga and also my Youtube channel.

I have some recorded online classes on my youtube channel, and at the moment (and I think also in future) live online classes in swissgerman and in english. You will also find all my offerings on my website: https://www.flowmeyoga.com/classes There is a lot of content in Swissgerman, but classes in English are announced and described in english.

You can also visit my blog on my website, there is not much content but from time to time, if I’m really inspired I write a blog post. Some in German, some in English.

Thank you dear Jenn, for this opportunity to share more about yoga. I’m happy to serve. 

Curito:

Thank you Sarah for sharing your yoga journey with us and we look forward to seeing how your practice and teachings continue to grow in Zurich!

First published on April 26, 2020