“Yoga takes you into the present moment, the only place where life exists.” -Patanjali

Online Classes

WELCOME
Welcome to my online at-home yoga classes! All my online classes are open to yogis of all levels, as modifications and alternatives will be given thru- out the classes. This to include those who are more at a beginner level, but also those a bit further along in their practice. If you have any specific injuries that could affect your practice, please mention this in the registration form, so I can adapt the necessary parts to better fit your needs. I look forward to sharing this practice with you. See you on the mat!

HOW TO BOOK A CLASS
1. Find your class – choose your desired day, time and yoga class, using the descriptions of the different classes under “Book a Class”
2. Register & pay – Fill out the registration form found under “Book a Class” and complete your payment for your class thru PayPal (send to contact@sylvainemusic.com). When sending the payment, please choose “send a gift” as this will ensure I receive the actual full amount you have sent. Without this, PayPal deducts their fee, meaning I do not receive the full payment, something I have not factored into the fee set for each class.
3. Confirmation by e-mail – You’ll receive a confirmation in your mailbox, containing the access information to the Zoom chat room. You might have to check your spam folder for the invitation!
4. Get ready – get your space ready for our little yoga practice together. Set up a mat, a towel, any props you’d like to use (pillows, blankets, blocks, bolsters etc), and remember to bring a nice glass of water and an open heart and mind!

ABOUT ONLINE CLASSES
Sign up for each yoga class will be available up until 30 min before the start of said class (the earlier you sign up though, the better). Please make sure you have the Zoom app downloaded prior to the session. Upon completing your booking and payment, you will receive an email confirmation with the Zoom Session details and a link to a YouTube playlist that’s meant to go with your class, if applicable. The beauty of the Zoom online classes is not only can you practice in the comfort of your own home, but you’ll also have the choice to practice with or without your camera running during our class. Your microphone will also be muted, so do not worry about background noise.

Meet Kathrine

My name is Kathrine Shepard and I’m the woman behind Akiko Yoga. I’m a professional musician, vocal coach and yoga teacher from Oslo, Norway. Along side my musical career with my solo project Sylvaine, I have always been passionate about teaching the things dear to my heart. After growing my own yoga practice, my mission became to share the power of this beautiful practice with people far and wide, to hopefully spread a bit of light, balance and positivity around. Having already taught yoga both in person and online for quite some time, I completed my Yoga Alliance approved RYT 200Hr in June 2020 at AwakeSpace (former RainbowLight Yoga) and began my certified teaching journey. My yoga classes tend to the needs of both the physical and energetic body, showcasing yoga in a way that’s accessible to people of all ages and all levels. I also offer guided meditation courses, to complement the yoga practices.
Hope to see you on the mat!

桜梅桃李

Using the kanji representing the four trees that bloom during springtime, oubaitori is a Japanese idiom that teaches us that like flowers, people all bloom and grow in their own time and individual way. Every individual in this world is on their own personal journey of development. This is reflected in our yoga practice, functioning as a highly personal practice, allowing you to have an experience solely focused on yourself within the present moment. Yoga is being aware. Yoga is to look within. Yoga is here to create equilibrium between the opposing forces within our beings.

 “ Yoga is the perfect and appropriate method of fusing body and mind together so that they form a unity which is scarcely to be questioned. This unity creates a psychological disposition which makes possible intuitions that transcend consciousness.”
– Paramahansa Yogananda

To me, yoga in its essence is about getting to know yourself on a deeper level, both in your physical body, but also in your emotional and energetic body. The practice of yoga allows us to reintroduce these two planes, to ground ourselves and reconnect with the most vital parts of who makes us our own individual. To re-create balance within, so we can better serve ourselves and others while on this human adventure together.

The practice of yoga is a powerful, all encompassing tradition. The practice holds the ability to change the individual’s life completely, but it also holds a power to change our existence and the world on a universal level. It’s like planting a seed within each individual person, to then watch as the plants grow and grow on a global level. As each individual contributes and evolves over time, we’re all raised up, raising our collective vibration and energy. 

Yoga is a fantastic tool to get our bodies functioning in an optimal way biologically speaking, using the breath to soften, to strengthen, to cleanse and balance. Thru deep, controlled breathing, we can calm our nervous system, something very beneficial to our mental health. We strengthen the respiratory and cardio-vascular systems, helping our internal organs function at an optimal level. The manipulation of the spinal column is very beneficial for our immune system, and thru the healthy form of compression put on the bones while performing yoga poses, we can also reinforce our skeletal system. At the same time that the biological benefits of a regular yoga practice are undeniable, the spiritual side of the practice is what drew me to it in the first place. Thru yoga and meditation, we can reconnect with our origins and once again find balance within ourselves, but also with the universal forces. We might have a Western body, but the gift of this practice coming from the East, seems to function as the key to reunite and reconnect with ourselves and our truths, beyond this human form and society.

“Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame.” 
– B.K.S. Iyengar