International Ambassador Caroline Stanienda
Meet Caroline. A yoga teacher, life-lover, auto-immune recoverer, mindfulness advocate, foodie and meditator based in Stuttgart, Germany. Caroline is passionate about inspiring others find their own path to health, happiness and wellbeing by sharing her own personal opinions on a number of different subjects and areas. She is also one of our incredible ambassadors! Let’s get to know Caroline a little more...
Why would you recommend yoga to someone who isn’t interested in its spiritual aspects?
Yoga can help with all sorts of pains and ailments. I actually wrote an eBook on certain yoga poses that can help sooth or even prevent period pain. And of course, it shouldn’t be forgotten that it really helps you to relax your body and mind.
What does yoga mean to you?
I found yoga back in 2014 when I was going through a dark time in my life and it really helped to get back on my feet. I will forever be grateful for the amazing time I had during my yoga teacher training. It’s been truly transformative and the steppingstone for everything else that has fallen into place in my life ever since.
Yoga is sacred to me. I’m always trying to make enough space for my own daily yoga practice which I don’t show on social media, so that I can fully be present and surrender my ego. I feel like in this time and age we often forget the true principles of yoga and only see these mesmerizing poses, and the ego keeps feeding off of that. So right now, what I’m trying to do is coming back to reason why I started yoga in the first place, because it made me feel good and helped me to relax, and not to get into any advanced poses at all.
Most life-changing book?
Most life-changing book?
“The Untethered Soul” by Michael Singer. There’s so much wisdom in this book which helped me dive even deeper into understanding my unconscious and expanding on the love I have for myself. I feel like it builds up on all the spiritual books I have ever read.
What’s a simple meditation practice we can do to feel a little bit better?
I mix up my meditation with pranayama which helps me to calm down in the evening after a long day. I sit in silence and set my timer for 11 minutes and 11 seconds (because I’m obsessed with the number 11:11). I start breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 8 counts. I keep repeating that until I feel super calm. And then I let go of my breath and just keep breathing naturally for the rest of the practice, focusing on my third eye.
If you could choose, what would be your last meal on earth?
My homemade pizza for sure! Every week I make a big homemade vegan pizza with fresh ingredients from my parent’s garden.
We saw a pic of your handmade granola! Would you be willing to share the recipe with us?
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups oats
1 cup coconut flakes
2 tbsp coconut syrup
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup cashew seeds
1 tbsp vanilla protein
1 pinch of pink Himalayan salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup water
METHOD:
Stir the mixture up. You might need to add some more water so that tiny clumps start to form. Place the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius. Always check up on it during those 10 minutes because you don’t want it to burn, you just want to get this crispy and crunchy texture. Enjoy with oat milk, acai bowls, as a snack and so much more...
Describe your perfect day:
I try and take each day as it comes and try to make the most of it. In fact, I kind of live by the motto “live each day as if it were your last”. But if I could choose, I would like to wake up somewhere in the Tropics, do an outdoor meditation and maybe some yoga or a HIIT workout. Then I would go spend some quality time in nature with my loved one. Maybe we would go for a little scenic hike or an Ocean dip. And finish the day with a bonfire or picnic watching the sunset.
We love you, Caroline!!
Why would you recommend yoga to someone who isn’t interested in its spiritual aspects?
Yoga can help with all sorts of pains and ailments. I actually wrote an eBook on certain yoga poses that can help sooth or even prevent period pain. And of course, it shouldn’t be forgotten that it really helps you to relax your body and mind.
What does yoga mean to you?
I found yoga back in 2014 when I was going through a dark time in my life and it really helped to get back on my feet. I will forever be grateful for the amazing time I had during my yoga teacher training. It’s been truly transformative and the steppingstone for everything else that has fallen into place in my life ever since.
Yoga is sacred to me. I’m always trying to make enough space for my own daily yoga practice which I don’t show on social media, so that I can fully be present and surrender my ego. I feel like in this time and age we often forget the true principles of yoga and only see these mesmerizing poses, and the ego keeps feeding off of that. So right now, what I’m trying to do is coming back to reason why I started yoga in the first place, because it made me feel good and helped me to relax, and not to get into any advanced poses at all.
Yoga is sacred to me. I’m always trying to make enough space for my own daily yoga practice which I don’t show on social media, so that I can fully be present and surrender my ego. I feel like in this time and age we often forget the true principles of yoga and only see these mesmerizing poses, and the ego keeps feeding off of that. So right now, what I’m trying to do is coming back to reason why I started yoga in the first place, because it made me feel good and helped me to relax, and not to get into any advanced poses at all. Not that I’m against advanced poses but I personally want to listen to my body before I do any type of movement. And maybe on a given day my body just needs to rest in child’s pose or in a forward fold. And that’s OK, too.
Describe your perfect day:
I try and take each day as it comes and try to make the most of it. In fact, I kind of live by the motto “live each day as if it were your last”. But if I could choose, I would like to wake up somewhere in the Tropics, do an outdoor meditation and maybe some yoga or a HIIT workout. Then I would go spend some quality time in nature with my loved one. Maybe we would go for a little scenic hike or an Ocean dip. And finish the day with a bonfire or picnic watching the sunset.
If you could choose, what would be your last meal on earth?
My homemade pizza for sure! Every week I make a big homemade vegan pizza with fresh ingredients from my parent’s garden.
We saw a pic of your handmade granola! Would you be willing to share the recipe with us?
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups oats
1 cup coconut flakes
2 tbsp coconut syrup
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup cashew seeds
1 tbsp vanilla protein
1 pinch of pink Himalayan salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup water
METHOD:
Stir the mixture up. You might need to add some more water so that tiny clumps start to form. Place the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius. Always check up on it during those 10 minutes because you don’t want it to burn, you just want to get this crispy and crunchy texture. Enjoy with oat milk, acai bowls, as a snack and so much more...