I had an extraordinary experience at my very first yoga class which took place at a Sivananda Vedanta center in the 1980's. After a simple sequence of postures and breathing exercises, the teacher guided us through a final relaxation known as yoga nidra. During this, I felt as if I had risen to the ceiling and was looking down upon the entire class. I never felt so light and joyful. After, I had other experiences that confirmed to me that there was an intelligence to this ancient teaching that the Sivananda organization had preserved with care in its transmission.

Inspired to understand better, I delved into the four paths of yoga (karma, bhakti, jnana, raja) in addition to the physical practice of hatha yoga through the Sivananda organization. In 1990, I took the Sivananda yoga teacher training at its Canadian ashram to deepen my personal practice and volunteered to teach at my local Sivananda center for 5 years until I moved to Luxembourg.

In 2005, I attended a workshop with André Riehl who introduced me to the Nidra Yoga of Kashmir Shaivism as taught to him by Kashmiri Babu. This introduction produced a similar effect to the yoga nidra at my first yoga class and propelled me into a 10-year practice and study with André that included a 4-year 500-hour teacher training that Denise and I organized for him here in Luxembourg from 2006-2010.

Apart from this primary journey into the spiritual dimension of yoga, in 2000, I resolved 16 years of back pain and weakness after a serious basketball accident with the help of Graeme Northfield, an Australian Asthanga teacher, who was personally taught very simple back exercises by Pattabhi Jois that were not known or taught in the Ashtanga system. Based on my knowledge of anatomy as a massage therapist, I had an insight into applying these practices in a specific way that brought immediate relief from pain that has not returned in 25 years. I combined these practices with others to create a special "Lower Back Yoga" course which has been so helpful that it has become our most popular course. I have subsequently passed it on to other yoga teachers in Luxembourg, France, Brazil, and Australia.

"You do great work and make a difference to people’s lives." - M.B. 3/9/10

"I think that you have, as a teacher, a very big quality, which is generosity. You are there to guide people but you are there for us and with us all along. And that is absolutely not very common. And for that I am (we are) most thankful to you." - L.S. 2/16/11

I have been featured on the cover of Luxembourg's Revue Magazine for an interview on yoga meditation, have given an interview in d'Lëtzebuerger Land, and have been invited to lead meditation programs at Fortune 500 companies' global retreats.

Articles by Fredric in our "Learning Corner"

• Raja Yoga and the Mind
• Hatha Yoga and your Energy Body
• Tattva Bodha: to realise the Divine
• Yoga & Stress