A yogini, heart and soul, Brigitte Longueville (57) has spent almost all her life in her quest to deepen her passion as a yoga teacher and to inspire people through her teaching and training.
By Marciel Witteman
She was taught by great teachers, runs her own studio Solstice Yoga Center in Mexico, and will be training new teachers near Barcelona in Spain, from June 2016.
Following a photo shoot in foggy Amsterdam, with tea and a large dark bar of chocolate, I find myself talking to a relaxed and tanned Brigitte, who has just returned from her annual trip to India.
Tell me about your most significant yoga memories
When I was twenty-seven, I went on a trip to India. I had heard of the English teacher, Clive Sheridan, who gave workshops on the beach. I was young, vital and thought I was flexible, but I was shocked to be so stiff! The workshop was so beautiful and good that I decided to tackle the stiffness. Clive is a very open man - a true master of pranayama - and his powerful chest struck me immediately (laughs). He offered sessions with very few instructions, which gave a lot of insight. In those workshops we sat outside on a mat, for about ten hours a day. Very deep. I saw a man who had experienced life and was always traveling and teaching, and this inspired me greatly; it was a way of life that I aspired to. And this was at a time when no one else was doing it ... He still teaches and is occasionally in Amsterdam. He stayed with me when I was pregnant, and was like a father to me, which cemented our friendship. Since then, Clive has always been with me in spirit when I teach.
Is traveling in your blood?
Yes, actually. My parents traveled extensively, especially my father. And since I was nineteen, I had already caught the travel bug. India, however, is my greatest love, the country has touched me deeply. And yoga is everywhere, quite naturally, you can practice it on every rooftop. It is part of life and if you stay somewhere, it is included in the price - it is normal. This is the way it should be, here and everywhere else in the world. By traveling through India and Latin America I became more aware and I consider myself lucky as a woman to be born here. I'm still happy to visit India, although on the last trip I experienced less tolerance for poverty and filth, but that is just part of the big picture. I spent many winters there with Guy, my best mate and father of our daughter, Nierika. Because I spent so much time in India, I made a lot of friends and know many great yoga spots.
What about your yoga development in India?
I spent about ten years training in the traditional yoga forms. With Pattabhi Jois for a time, with Iyengar for a time, and the traditional Hatha Yoga with Clive. I was very curious. India is truly the birthplace of yoga. The groups were small and very disciplined. You listened respectfully to your master, your guru, who brooked no contradiction. In Europe, I worked to travel, and I traveled along with yoga. Twenty-five years ago, yoga had not yet arrived in South America, nor in Mexico where I am based now; it simply wasn't there. Even in India, however, you had to look hard and be lucky to find a good teacher. It was destiny.
"To immerse yourself in yoga takes time"
Have you needed that time?
Yes, to deepen the discipline in yourself takes time, and ...
Keep reading ...OM Yoga & Lifestyle - Spring 2016
