Biography.
Nektarios Mitritsakis was born in Chania, Crete.
In 1998, his interest in Indian classical music brought him to Varanasi, India where he spend almost 12 years of intense study various subjects such as Music, Jyotish (Vedic astrology), Ayurveda and Yoga.
He was treated as a family member he lived and spend most of his time with his teachers of music, Rabindra Narayan Goswami, as also in Jyotish, Ram Kumar Mehrotra.
Each of the following years, while in India and in parallel with his studies, he pursued to deepen his practice by working with yoga teachers of different Hatha yoga traditions,
as also by coming in contact with many practitioners and by studying thoroughly the
classical yoga scriptures.
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This quest of his brought him in contact with the Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga method and Vipassana meditation and since then he has been practicing it systematically and with great devotion.
He has been studying and deepening in this yoga method with known and well experienced teachers in this tradition such as David Williams, Kristina Karitinou, Richard Freeman.
He first met Manju Pattabhi Jois in 2007 and since then follows his teachings.
In 2012 he certified by Manju to teach this yoga method, as also he assist his workshops witch gave
him a great chance of experience, working and apply the science of yoga of different people.
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Significant was also the experience through the time he spend studying with the
living legend Bns Iyengar, mudra, pranayama and yogic philosophy.
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Through his knowledge and experience combined with the wisdom of Ayurveda & Jyotish (vedic astrology) he guides and assist practitioners in a well beneficial approach of the asana & pranayama practice.
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Everything began after a concert of some classic Indian music. I was enchanted by the peculiar sounds of the sitar, the uplifting yet calming music, the peace and joy I felt inside.
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Without having any experience of any musical instrument I decided to learn the sitar.
So since 1998, at the age of 27, and for the following 12 years I was spending all of my winters in Varanasi, North India, trying to improve in playing this unique musical instrument.
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Varanasi had been a great school for me. Living in such a different place brought me in contact with people, sceneries and experiences that played an important role in my life.
In parallel with the fascination of music, living in such a different and unique place,
I found myself discovering and developing qualities in me that previously I was not aware of having.
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In this magical place and in a rather amusing way I came in contact with yoga for the first time.
My body is by its nature stiff. Sitting on the floor holding the sitar for hours in order to study was for me a tedious task. Following the advice of a good friend I went to a yoga sala.
Having no clue about yoga and being totally unprepared of what to expect I was terrified by the pictures hanging on the walls showing people in the most peculiar postures. “Why should someone do this to himself?”
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I wondered and asked the teacher to just show me some exercises exclusively for the right foot, the one that has to bend in order to hold the sitar properly and with no strain.
The teacher smiled at me and took me to his class, fortunately, not paying attention to my request.
Eventually, and in a short period of time I started feeling the benefits of practicing yoga.
This led me to revise my former beliefs and to engage more in yoga and its practices.
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For the next few years I approached my yogic practice with love and interest to experience its benefits.
It was sufficient enough to just do my practice and enjoy the consequent tranquility and stamina.
I met several teachers and I came in contact with various approaches of yoga.
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At some point however, the profound realization of the potential that yoga has to offer made me approach my own practice in a more refined and thoughtful way.
I started studying classic scriptures such as Yoga Sutra, Hatha Yoga Pradipika etc, and practicing daily by myself.
While experimenting with the various kinds of yoga I came across Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga and I was tempted to give it a try.
Starting with the first series I came to realize that gradually positive changes in my body.
This realization was so deep that after only one month of daily practice I decided to devote my efforts to this system specifically.
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I had not expected that someday I myself would teach this method, it happened as a natural outcome of my practice and the effect of its benefits that i have experienced.
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