The summer here in Croatia is not over just yet, but my feet are itching and my mind is once again dreaming of faraway places. It's no secret: I am obsessed with travel, as much as I am with Yoga.
In my early teens, following a series of life's curveballs, I left my birthplace and became a nomad, moving countries more than a dozen times since then. Not to mention all of the backpacking and the global festival chasing in my 20s, and then the international aid work in my 30s.
Sometimes I feel that I came to the planet with one mission: to move.
Friends, Yogis, and travelers often ask me where the seeds for Supersoul events come from; how do connections with these wonderful teachers happen; how do we find the magical spots; where does the inspiration come from?
The simple answer is: when our missions are propelled by our passions – in my case the love for travel and Yoga – I believe that life has a way of aligning to support us. This benign and affirming force is called serendipity.
To that end, I'd like to share the story of how Supersoul Yoga's upcoming events came into being.
Kino MacGregor in Zagreb, 8-10 September, 2017
Many years ago, my love for Ashtanga Yoga led me to Kino’s YouTube channel. In awe of this powerhouse of a Yogini, I travelled to Vienna to attend her workshop, where I was struck by Kino's commitment to sharing the Yoga practice. I invited Kino to teach a workhop in Croatia and sadly realized that I was joining a 2-year long queue - her teaching schedule is that packed! Not long after, while I was studying Ashtanga Yoga in Goa, my daughter Tara ‘discovered’ Kino chilling on the beach, recognizing her face from my incessant Ashtanga research. Tara playfully challenged Kino to some bakasanas, and I gathered the confidence to reach out with an invitation to Croatia again! The queue was still long, but totally worth it!
Wild Heart High Spirit Retreat with Sarah Britton and Mikkala Marilyn Kissi, Ibiza, 17-23 September, 2017
I accidentally met Sarah and Mikkala in a small café in Ubud, Bali. We were all just coming out of different retreats we'd worked on. We didn’t know each other, but with our sweet children mingling in the café we naturally connected and chatted about all the good stuff- Yoga, travel, food, family. These beautiful and inspiring women were planning new Culinary and Yoga retreats in Europe, and looking for support-and I was excited to realize that Sarah is the force behind the super yummy and globally known My New Roots. If you are a healthy foodie you know who I am talking about. Fast forward to September, and our first collaboration- the Ibiza retreat in a magical location with a dream programme including Sarah's cooking and Mikkala's movement classes - is sold out!
In the Footsteps of Ancient Yogis- A Yoga Journey to Kathmandu Valley with Ellen Johannesen, Nepal, October 21-30
I spent 2 years living in Nepal as a UNICEF aid worker, and absolutely love this country. It was in Kathmandu, in 2010, that I took some of my first Ashtanga classes and began my self-practice. It was also there that the first seeds for Supersoul were planted - inspiring the use of Tibetan prayer flags as part of our look. But it was only after I moved away from Nepal, that a friend connected me to Ellen, a Norwegian Kathmandu local, to explore the idea of Himalayan Yoga treks. Our plans didn't materialize immediately, but we stayed connected through social media. Not long ago, I went to study with John Scott in Italy. I arrived to the center late at night- and was placed in a shared room for the night. In the early morning light I recognized Ellen’s short hair and tall slender figure stretching in the bed next to mine. Following lots of ‘wows!’, and a powerful week of practicing with John, we understood that this encounter had a purpose. Ellen is one of those mystical old souls with a vast knoweldge of Nepal and Kathmandu. She has studied Tibetan and Sanskrit languages, is completely immersed in the local Buddhist and Hindu cultures and has massive experience in the practice and teaching of Ashtanga Yoga, -my favorite topics!
Ashtanga Yoga Immersion with David Robson, Zagreb, October 20-27, 2017
When the inspiring Canadian Ashtanga Yoga duo, David and Jelena, first came to teach in Croatia in 2016- we discovered we had a curious thing in common. All three of us lived in my little known, small, birth-town of Novi Sad at different points in our lives. What are the chances? We are talking about a town in northern Serbia. With no airport. What followed were some funny, and some sad war stories of our 1990s Balkan connection, and a camaraderie and shared love for Ashtanga Yoga which led to David’s and Jelena’s renewed Zagreb visit, as well as an Italian retreat planned for 2018 (more info coming soon!)
New Year’s Retreat with Meghan Currie, Bali, 29 December 2017 - 5 January 2018.
I once saw a youtube video of Meghan riding a Royal Enfield through India - and instantly developed a girl crush. I love Enfields, (am the proud owner of one), and I love Ma India, and riding Enfields through India is THE defintion of a perfect adventure for me.
So of course our first retreat collaboration took us to India - an experience, which I feel glued big parts of our souls together. Since then, I have been in total awe of Meghan’s creative genius. She has inspired so much of my vision for Supersoul, and raised the bar for the qualities we look for in the teachers we collaborate with. But more importantly, Meghan’s teachings have triggered a series of inspiring changes in my own life and she has become a dear friend. To work with Meghan is to watch, learn and support her incredible craft to turn the rawest human emotion into the most magnificent art. 
Bali Boost Yoga Retreat, with Lisa Andersson and Nazareno Grisolia, 17-23 February, 2018
The process of designing new Yoga retreats is really the most exciting part of the work at Supersoul. A big part of that work is about connecting with authentic teachers who transmit their highest truths. It’s a similar process with scouting for retreat centers- we look for places that are magical, embraced by Nature, radiating feel-good vibes but with attention to detail for all the needs of our usually well-travelled international Yogi guests. This is how the enthralling connection with Lisa and Nazareno happened - a series of good friends in common + shared favorite locations + great attention to detail - brought us together in the virtual world, and then in Bali and Portugal! And this winter we are finally manifesting a retreat collaboration packed with the soul-quenching goodness this inpiring couple radiates. The retreat is hosted by the wonderful Samadi Bali, a popular Canggu retreat center operated by Yoga teachers, Andrea and Damian, with whom I studied in Graz, Austria- but that detail is part of another story about the web of life. 
The morale of this story is: both travel and Yoga open us up to boundless new potential in unparalleled and unexpected ways. Stars begin to align wondrously; paths begin to criss-cross, synthesis and serendipity seem constant, and self-perception begins to rewrite itself. Our lives become saturated with the flavor of openness and trust in the journey ahead.
Retreat
