Esther Ekhart
Esther Ekhart is an internationally renowned teacher of yoga and meditation, as well as a therapist and a pioneer in the world of online yoga. She is the face and founder of EkhartYoga[1] in the Netherlands, and the creator of numerous retreats, teacher trainings, DVDs, programmes, articles and more. She is known for her wisdom, authenticity, kindness and passion for bringing yoga to millions of people around the world.[2]
| Born | Esther Ekhart
1972 (age 48) Nigeria, Africa |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Education | Yoga, Social Studies, Psychology, Psychotherapy, Shiatsu |
| Occupation | Founder of EkhartYoga, Weesp, Netherlands |
| Known for | Online Yoga and Meditation, Kindness |
| Spouse | Bas Paul |
Early Years and Education Esther Ekhart was born in 1972, in Nigeria, Africa. Her parents moved from the Netherlands for her father, a doctor, to run a hospital there. Later, back in the Netherlands, Esther became curious about yoga through her mother - a yoga teacher and therapist. By the age of 18, Esther had already completed her first teacher training at the Saswitha Foundation, in the Netherlands. She trained in Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin yoga, and continued her yoga education with Clive Sheridan, anatomy studies with Leslie Kaminoff, meditation with Burgs and learning Clarity Process and therapy with Taetske Kleijn.[citation needed]
From a very young age, Esther sought solitude and quiet which she would later come to recognise as meditation. Traveling solo through Australia, visiting healers in the Philippines, experiencing the beauty of simplicity in Nicaragua, and witnessing true devotion at an ashram in India opened Esther’s eyes to truth, possibility and spirituality. She realised that nature recharged her and that contemplating the deeper meaning of life intrigued her.[3]
Evolution of EkhartYoga
Tragedy, loss and grief from which Esther emerged physically strong and clear in mind confirmed her passion for the practices she’d cultivated. After many years of working as a therapist, during a meditation retreat, Esther had the vision to begin sharing yoga classes online. Her wish to make yoga available to as many people as possible led her husband, Bas Paul, to pick up a camera, and from their studio in rural Ireland, in 2011, EkhartYoga was born.[4]
The Rise on YouTube
Esther’s online adventure began with her YouTube channel ‘Yogatic.’ In 2008, she was truly a pioneer of the genre and within just one year she became the most popular European online yoga teacher resulting in over 60 million views and nearly 350,000 subscribers by 2020. Most of Esther’s YouTube videos are short tutorials or brief classes with a specific aim. The launch of the subscription based platform attracted outstanding teachers from diverse backgrounds with widely varied styles. And in 2011, after living and filming in Ireland for over a decade, Esther and Bas moved back to the Netherlands, which is still home to the couple and EkhartYoga.[5]
Teaching
Through Esther’s spiritual studies and her fascination with the human psyche, she found that old conditioning holds us back from experiencing the reality of the present. Esther integrates this learning into all of her teaching, encouraging her students to see past their old stories in order to experience the truth – the moment as it is now.
Esther loves teaching dynamic styles of yoga - like Hatha or Vinyasa Flow, focusing on strength, stability and fitness - as well as slower practices such as Yin yoga and Meditation that allow one to get to know themselves better.[6]
As an avid student, Esther is forever evolving her own practice through continued study and training. And she is always open to questioning previous methods (including her own) and challenging herself, integrating new knowledge and insights into her teachings. Esther teaches online classes, in addition to live workshops, festivals, retreats and trainings worldwide.[7]
References
- ↑ "Log in | Ekhart Yoga". http://www.ekhartyoga.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help); External link in|website=(help) - ↑ "Who is...Esther Ekhart". Ekhart Yoga. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ↑ "About Me". Esther Ekhart Yoga. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ↑ "Esther Ekhart – YOGA Magazine". Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ↑ "Esther Ekhart | Ekhart Yoga". www.ekhartyoga.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ↑ "Our story online yoga and meditation | Ekhart Yoga". www.ekhartyoga.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
- ↑ "Interview with Esther Ekhart, Yoga instructor | Diaforlife". diaforlife.com. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
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