Studio Ich It’s all about you.

"Ich" is German for "I". But Rita Hofmeister didn’t choose this name from a me-myself-and-I perspective. On the contrary. "Taking responsibility for yourself and standing on your own two feet are the key ideas behind her STUDIO ICH. It doesn’t mean me, Rita, but everybody who comes to see me. With Yoga and Impulsing I support my clients in finding not an egotistical but a healthy way to take care of themselves and listen to their bodies."

Rita teaches her open Yoga classes at two studios in Vienna: the Wellness Werkstatt in the 5th and the fragrant premises of the Saint Charles Complementary in the 6th district.

I settle down on my mat in the latter. The first "OM" resounds so deeply that I open my eyes to check if it comes from a CD. No, it is actually Rita’s voice. Wow. "I teach bog-standard Hatha Yoga," Rita had smiled beforehand when asked about her style. How wonderful – no watered-down, fitness posing Yoga!

We move fluidly - more or less, depending on ability - from one Asana, which means position, to the next, attentively observing what is happening in our bodies. Rita demonstrates everything calmly and helps when needed. Without trying I start getting in harmony with myself, and during the relaxation in the end my brain has stopped babbling. Rita closes the session with a beautiful and very complicated mantra – "not because I am religious but because it creates good energy." It is obvious that she completed a part of her Yoga training in India.

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For my Impulsing session I visit her at her own rooms. "Impulsing is century-old knowledge. We use it all the time in our gestures and our language. When we are startled, we put our hands on our heart; we get something off our chest or let something roll off our shoulders. Impulsing means the application of the hands on exactly those parts of the body which we call energy gateways in order to release blockages. I use my hands like jumper cables to balance the flow of life energy in the body and help facilitate its own profound healing capacity."

After telling Rita about of my current little ailments, I make myself comfortable on her delicious massage table and, bundled up in a soft blanket, I close my eyes. Rita’s touch is so light I hardly feel it and I drift between half-sleep and deep relaxation. I lose all sense of time and the hour passes all too quickly. The rest of the day I spend in a sort of other-worldly daze – best not rush to a demanding meeting afterwards!

I understand why Rita has chosen this combination of Yoga and Impulsing: both are holistic approaches combining mind and body. Both are suitable for everyone who is interested in self help and self study, who actively takes responsibility for their health and aims to discover what they are truly capable of.

It is Rita’s goal to open a space where she practices both Yoga and Impulsing. A true STUDIO ICH where each client’s well-being takes centre stage. I am looking forward to the opening!

Nicola Gold

Guest Author Vienna