“To share the passion for yoga, personal wellness and mindfulness, to give back to this vibrant community of Kaohsiung allowing it all to grow as One.” — Quoting Bodhi Tree’s intension.
When I first arrived in Taiwan, I could not wait to go to the yoga class. I found Sophia’s class at Bodhi Tree yoga studio, the only one that teaches in both English and Chinese! I was delighted. To my surprise, this amazing lady, Sophia, helped me eased into the yoga here in Taiwan, she not only understands English, Chinese, but also her multicultural background, made me feel completely welcome. I see from her, so much professionalism and respect to the yoga practice that I know. When I asked her for an interview, I saw the smile that grin with joy!
Sophia was working in the restaurant business, at Din Tai Fung, one of the biggest and well known restaurants in Taiwan. It was a stressful job with an average of 15 hours work day. She was looking for a physical fitness that can help her take a break from work. When she found yoga in 2005, she was hooked. Then she was relocated to Singapore 2006. She continues with her yoga practice, and showed up everyday at Pure yoga, in Singapore, and was inspired by an Indian yogi, Aruj.
Sophia knew she will teach yoga one day. When she came back to Taipei in 2008, she took yoga teacher training from Stephen Thomas at Space yoga. She took the yoga teacher training, because she knew that yoga was not only about asana, but also need to have a better understanding of anatomy, pranayama, and yoga sutra. “Thru your practice, you know when you are ready to teach,” she said when She reflected on how she became a teacher.
Sophia was inspired and more ready to teach when she found Anusara yoga. It is based on ideology of “grounded in a Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness”. Anusara yoga inspired her on the opening heart chakra, and encouraged her with the spiritual practice, and lots of backward bending, and arm balancing techniques which enhances her asana.
Sophia, also met Adnan, whom she practice Ashtanga with. Adnan also has Osteopathic background, whom she learned and understand the alignment and body work more in depth. She got lots of adjustment training, like how a triangle pose, can be adjusted with a block if students can not reach the toes, etc. also help her “cultivate her body awareness” during the practice and training with him.
Sophia continued her journey to India. In 2011 she bravely went to Rishikesh by herself, attended an Iyengar yoga intensive training with Usha. She also had her Sivananda yoga training in India. Experiencing Sivananda practice with focus on satsang, Chanting, and pranayama.
Sophia has been teaching in Taipei since 2008, and started teaching in Kaohsiung in 2009, traveling in both cities for the next 5 years. Then got married and moved to Canada, have her baby in 2015, and returned to Taiwan in 2017. Thru out life changing events, she continues her practice, in prenatal yoga, woman’s yoga, and more. She was influenced by Bobby Clennel, an Iyengar teacher, who wrote “The Women’s Yoga Book”. She also took a lot of Iyengar workshop to enrich her yoga practice, alignment, etc.
Then unexpectedly, an opportunity came up at “I love Yoga” studio in Kaohsiung, where she teaches was closing. She and her partner turned the studio into today’s Bodhi Tree yoga studio. She never thought of co-owning a studio, but through overcoming many challenges, they have turned it into the largest in Kaohsiung today. Although she gained much experience on managing studio, she has decided to re-focus on teaching yoga and her practice, balancing with a hectic family life.
Sophia is glad to have found yoga, that fits her athletic nature since a young girl. She reaps so much benefit from the yoga practice that she has no hesitation to share the benefits to her students. Today, you can find her in different yoga classes, also workshops that she offers at Bodhi Tree to inspire more students to do yoga. I enjoy showing up in her class, but I am even more inspired after learning about her story. A lady guided by her passion for yoga, follow yogi teachers without borders, countries, or even cities to discover and learn the different types of yoga.
Sophia can be contacted below:
Address :高雄市新興區中山一路10-2號
Tel: 07-282 8282
The Yoga with Heart 