I Am A Yoga Girl - Silvina Neder

I am Silvina, I am a former market researcher turned into model, actress, and influencer in my 50´s.

I was born and raised in Argentina. I was good with numbers, so I studied Statistics, and I developed a successful career in Market Research in Buenos Aires. In my late 40´s, I moved to London, the city I have always dreamed to live in. The change was not easy: even though I had studied English since I was a girl, I struggled with the language, with a new full-time job, even looking to the wrong side when crossing the streets!

At that time, I was a dedicated runner. I have completed 2 marathons and was used to running around 60 km per week. I continued with my running routine, but coping with my new London life was exhausting. I felt I needed something that was gentler, as I was not enjoying running much, doing it with my lasts bits of energy. And also a hamstring injury was starting to be each day more painful. Practicing yoga was not on my radar: in my mind, yoga was something for “not sporty” people and I was used to sweating!

One day, I was heading to the gym floor to do my weights routine, exhausted before starting. There was a yoga class starting. I decided to give myself the license to “do something light, instead of training”, and joined the class. After an hour of following a yinyasa sequence, I realised I was physically challenged, and at the same time, I was feeling relaxed and focused. I came back to the class the following week, and the following. Week by week I started to switch my running and gym sessions to yoga classes. In a year’s time, I was doing 4 or 5 yoga classes per week, almost no running, and feeling stronger, more flexible, and more focused.

Yoga started as a physical routine for me. Over time, it became a meditation practice. I now take my practice as a moment of focus on my inner being. Now, even though I enjoy a thorough physical routine, the main parts of my practice are the opening (OMs, chantings, the opportunity to be in the moment, unattached from anything from outside), and the end (Savasana and the final OM, a new start free from prejudices, with the soul opened to take what the day brings).

Teachers say self-practice is of major importance. It is, certainly. But that said, it is rewarding for me to share the energy happening in a class with the teacher and the other students.

At this point, if I met someone younger, someone in a hurry to achieve things, I would tell him or her not to worry about rushing.

Anything that is meant to be will happen.

And to embrace ageing, which brings wisdom, inner peace and self-acceptance. Yoga is part of this journey.