Hi!

WELCOME! I'm so glad you're here! My name is Elina and I'm a registered yoga teacher, wellness coach and content creator. I'm originally from Sweden, then I moved to the US in 2010 for a job, met a boy, married the boy, lived there for 12 years, and now we've somehow just moved back to Sweden! We live in Stockholm, we don't have any kids, but we have a dog. He's a Doberman Pinscher named Achilles and he's our everything. If you follow me on Instagram you probably know him very well.

I've loved health & fitness my whole adult life but after being diagnosed with a spinal condition in 2013, and also herniating two discs, I had to rethink the way I move. I'm very focused on alignment, core work, and low impact exercises. I believe the best way to help your body deal with pain and disease is to keep moving - whatever that looks like!

Whether you're here to read my blog, join one of my yoga classes, or perhaps inquire about brand partnerships - I'm really glad you're here.

Namaste!

How I Became A Yoga Teacher

I’ve loved health & fitness since I was 20 years old. I did everything - weight lifting, running, kick boxing, and I even competed in Bikini Fitness! All that came to a screeching halt in 2013 when I herniated two discs in my low back and was at the same time diagnosed with a spinal condition known as Ankylosing Spondylitis, or "Bechterew's Disease".

My life turned upside down. I was in excruciating pain day and night, I couldn't sit, I had to give up running, and I certainly couldn't do any kick boxing. After years of trying to find movements that felt ok for my back, I was getting desperate. Everyone said to try yoga but I hadn't found a single teacher that understood what I was going through, they were all super flexible and strong and didn't seem to know anything about spine anatomy, spinal injuries, or chronic pain. I couldn't sit, I couldn't fold forward, and I couldn't do most of the "basic" yoga poses like sitting cross legged on the floor. I felt like such a failure after every class I tried, and my pain just got worse. I even paid for private Pilates classes only to leave with tears streaming down my face when I couldn't do the movements and the teacher didn't know what to offer instead. This is when I realized I wanted to learn all I could about the spine, the body, and various movement modalities, so that I could become exactly what I was missing: a yoga teacher with knowledge AND personal experience with back issues, spine injuries, and chronic pain.

I enrolled in Yoga Teacher Training with the renowned Cathy Madeo, whom I trusted fully as she had undergone spinal surgery herself and knew a lot about spinal issues. I started teaching via Zoom during Covid and my approach remains ever focused on the balance between strength and flexibility, creative modifications and the use of props, as well as a philosophy of practicing without expectation. My classes are inspired by physical therapy, Pilates, Vinyasa Flow, and gentle yoga, and you can expect accessible, fun, and empowering sequences that feel good in your body and mind - whether you have back pain or not!

Inside my membership "The Studio" you'll find a mix of yoga, Pilates, mindfulness and lots of low impact moves you can do on a daily basis. I truly believe movement is medicine and I want to make it easy for you to make exercise a habit. If you're just getting started, my Daily 10 Challenge consist of 10-minute classes that you can do everyday!

If you have back pain, I'd highly recommend you check out my "Back Friendly" category. I have a special passion for back health and these are the things that I do on a regular basis. They're my go-to's and have been for years.

Whether you're here to practice with me, or just check out one of my blog posts, or any other reason - I'm so glad you're here!

Xx Elina