The yogini: Marlie Winnubst
The pose: Headstand (aka Sirsasana)
The location: Kasbah, Morocco
The benefits: Inversions are challenging but super satisfying once you master them. Headstands bring tremendous benefits, both on a physical and mental level. By reversing the flow of gravity, a headstand gives you a mini facelift, since the inverted position flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face, creating a glowing effect on the skin. Headstands also provide fresh blood to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands, which are vital to our wellbeing. Sirasanas help to boost levels of confidence and provide you with a feeling of inner strength and focus.
About the yogini: Marlie started doing yoga at a young age after watching her mother practise sun salutations at sunrise. “When I moved to Bahrain, I lived by the beach. This is where I got the inspiration to start practising every morning, saluting the birds, the water and the sun!” says Marlie. The Dutch yogini took a teaching training course in yoga at Sivananda in Kerala, India but mostly does yoga as a hobby. “I’m drawn to Vinyasa as I believe that flow without interruptions, is very gracious and on a spiritual level perhaps it means the flow of life that we are constantly moving with.” Marlie’s favourite pose is the headstand: “I love Sirasana because being upside down gives me a whole new perspective on the world. It’s a very meditative posture.” Living life to the full is important to Marlie and the powerful chanting mantra, Om Namo Narayanaya is one she calls upon when life gets tough. At the moment though, life is pretty beautiful for this yogini, as over the summertime she will tie the knot in Spain with a man she calls the “love of my life”.
