If we had to describe Erica using one single word it would be certainly Cosmopolitan– familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.
Born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) she moved with her family to Germany in the late 80’s. After finishing school and exploring Europe she returned to Argentina to major in Journalism, with a minor in Communication Sciences.
“My first contact with yoga was at quite early age when I watched my mother practicing headstand at home, but it never really attracted me because I was sure that this was an ‘old people’ thing…”
Erica got married to Mark in her mid twenties and became a mother to Joaquin, Nahuel and Sofia in the blink of an eye. After moving to Belgium she discovered her passion for running: always driven by her rajasic energy she mastered several half marathons until her first knee injury forced her to slow things down.
From ecstasy to despair, soon a good friend took her to a yoga class in Antwerp. It was love at first sight: the powerful vinyasa flow was exactly what got her hooked right away. The more difficult and powerful the sequence, the better she connected with the class.
“I always looked forward to working hard in that class and loved the fact that I was doing something with my friend, but I didn’t realize that yoga was shifting internal things and feelings, or planting a seed for something bigger and more permanent than the immediate physical relief…”
In 2010 Erica moved to Portugal. She quickly adapted to her new home adding a challenging passion to her repertoire: surfing. She continued running and incorporated more hours of yoga to her weekly routine. The knot was tied: yoga became her refuge. From that moment on she explored several styles finding a particular interest for the alignment orientated Iyengar style and the more challenging Ashtanga.
After a short stay in Barcelona where she successfully obtained a Postgraduate in Social Media and Community Management she moved with her family to South Africa in 2015. Recovering from a herniated disc caused by overuse she realized that something needed to change. That’s when yoga became the most important constant in her life. After practicing for a few years she decided to deepen her understanding for yoga and driven by her eternal love for knowledge she absolved her first teachers training.
“Yoga helped me to heal my injuries (physical and emotional), to find myself and to forgive myself. It has opened many doors that seemed closed and has taught me to connect to other people with compassion and empathy. I learned how to deepen my own practice and to understand that the practice of yoga help us to unravel certain aspects of our true selves through asanas, pranayama and meditation. I know now that it is better to find peace within oneself and to actually let go of anything we hold that does not suit us. The beauty of Yoga is that the perfection lies within us, on our mats and in our lives. Yoga taught me to remain genuine and spontaneous and I feel encouraged to share my love for yoga amongst my friends and students.”
Erica speaks German, Spanish, Portuguese and English fluently but most importantly; she speaks from the heart every time she’s on her mat. Her classes include variations for all levels.
She holds a 200 hour & a 500 hour teaching certification and is registered with the Yoga Alliance International.