Interview with Irana JiAn Fouroulis
June 2016-Parola Press Interview with Irana JiAn Fouroulis
by Augi Kallogianni
“Irana JiAn is a beautiful young woman of Greek and Argentine origin. Slim, swift, and warm with bright eyes, she really seems to be living according to that which she teaches. Her aspiration is to encourage people to live the best they can through physical practice, self-observation, and Trust, as she says.”
Can you describe your philosophy of teaching?
My teaching style is what resonates with me, with what I have learned and who I am. Teaching Yoga is what I love to do. I integrate breath, alignment, and anatomical awareness to draw the student into their inner experience of each practice. I explore both traditional Yoga and Flow style. Yoga is, for me, a vital, powerful and compassionate science for healing and strengthening the body-mind and the psyche.
Which are your 3 main strengths as a Yoga instructor?
Experience
Through more than 20 years of practice, I have developed a system to bring yoga to everyone, for all levels of ability. I teach physically strengthening Vinyasa, Hatha classical, and Therapeutics for healing and calming, and rejuvenating Yin Yoga practice, and I encourage you to get strong and take responsibility for your health, to embrace your limits.
Perception
Although it is important to have a class plan, personally, I believe that being a teacher means you understand what each individual needs, the mood, and level of the class, in the given moment and keep your students enthusiastic and present, at ease, yet challenged.
Integration
Yoga, for me, is the science of embodiment. I teach Integral Yoga. This means a strong body, a clear and focused mind, and emotional balance. Through this method, not only do you become fit, but you become more powerful, productive, and joyful in your life. It is a holistic approach and a path of conscious evolution.
Embodying is embracing, incorporating and integrating everything that is the now, the present moment.
In a class full of people with widely different aims, how do you strive to keep everyone engaged and motivated?
In my classes, you will always be surprised; they are always different. Because I get inspired depending on who I’m teaching and what is the theme of the day. I encourage creativity in the classroom by being receptive to the moment. By observing, giving the knowledge compassionately, and with freedom of expression.
What daily or weekly routines would be incorporated into your teachings?
Daily, we strengthen and purify the body through creative sequences. We rejuvenate and restore energy through breathing practices (Pranayama) and calming, gentle yoga. We focus and clear the mind through meditation and other practices such as Mantras. Weekly, we incorporate wellness sessions towards achieving specific health and fitness aims.
What made you become a yoga teacher?
The realization that our future is in our hands, as much as we are in life’s hands. My aspiration is to encourage people to be the best they can be through physical practice, self-observation, and trust. Yoga taught me that true power, strength, and integrity come only as a result of a life lived in harmony.
