Es war mir eine Ehre als Gast bei Kurt Aeschbacher eingeladen zu sein. Seit den 80er Jahren war ich ein Fan von Kurt Aeschbacher und seiner Art, das Schweizer Fernsehen aufzumischen und zu gestalten. Wie oft habe ich gelacht, war berührt oder haben mich seine Beiträge zum Nachdenken gebracht. Damals war ich ein Teenager und Kurt Aeschbacher war der einzige Moderator, für welchen ich SRF anstellte.

So schön, dass ich jetzt in einer seiner letzten Sendungen über Yoga und mein Leben erzählen durfte, Merci!

Falls ihr den Beitrag schauen möchtet:

https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/aeschbacher/video/olive-ssembuze?id=f8e09e06-89f3-4962-b8f3-8aea3b42cc3f

What if I, is a question so many of us ask themselves throughout life. What if I didn’t quit, what if I did? What if I would have been stronger, smarter, prettier, less afraid, more emotionale available etc.

What if we start shifting these thoughts to: What have I learned about myself and the world through my decisions, my thoughts, words and actions? How can I benefit from my own experience?

I had this conversation with several women over the last two weeks. I adhere to certain belief systems that make no sense, not even to myself. If I’d have to explain them to someone, they would laugh out loud and so would I because it’s totally illogically and ridiculous! However, deep within there’s something in me that still believes in it. Who can help me? No other than me, because it’s me and my thinking, my words and actions that help to manifest these beliefs even more.

I started to write down my story on how I grew up in a very white Switzerland and how this effected me in many different ways. By putting my experiences in words, I started to see my thought patterns, my coloring and behavior so much clearer and it broke my heart at times, on how much I still cling to certain behavior that isn’t healthy or helping. What to do?

Since my seperation from my husband last year, I spent a lot of time alone. To grieve, mourn and trying to undertsand, what had happened to this love for each other that once illuminated my entire being and my life. To just be quiet and hope to find answers to the questions that only I can find within myself.

I haven’t found all the answers but a few. I’m still not fully recovered but I’m better.

What if or what not? Different choices would have made for a different outcome and honestly, I’m not sure if that would have been better. I don’t regret my choices because I’m grateful for my life the way it is and an optimist. So to me my life, feels very privileged and if I could have glimpsed at my life in my 40’s when I was 13, I would have been ecstatic.

Writing down my life in words also freed me from attachment to secrecy, nothing to hide anymore. I come from a family with many secrets that were kept, unspoken and festered in the hearts. Many of us learned as children, that some occurrences in the family can not be discussed with anyone outside. To me, this has become a parameter to decide when it’s time to act: “Is what’s happening in my relationship with my partner, my kids, my parents something that I couldn’t tell a friend without fearing their rightful concern?” If so, it’s time to act accordingly.

Forward we go and that’s the natural flow of life. Honoring what was but celebrating what is, being open to what is to come.

— Olive Ssembuze —

— GALA SCHWEIZ 13. September 2018

— Foto: Federico Naef

Moving my body in space saved me from my tendency to overthink and let thoughts fester in my mind. First as a professional dancer and later as yoga practicioner and yoga teacher. To me moving the body is about moving energy that got stuck and needs to be released. It's about exploring the strength and resilience of the body, which is so much stronger than we assume. Having to live through difficulties physically, prepares us to move through the difficulties of life, exploring the depths of our mind and vision.

Without moving my limbs on a daily basis, I don't know what would have come of me. I come from a family of mostly "non-movers" and was blessed with a rather stiff body...Starting dance school at age 17, without real prior dance training, was a tremendous task, to say the least. Not knowing the basic ballett terms and positions, I was so lost that I don't know why I didn't just give up and hurl in a corner and cry. I did cry but always dried my tears and went back in the evening for even more dance classes after six hours of obligatory training. Never one to have bad skin during puberty, in dance school at 17, my skin just broke out. Suddenly I was visited by heavy acne and it was because the dancing really broke me open and released the tight energetic holds that I've created in my physical body  to protect my heart. After two years I was accepted at Alvin Ailey in New York, that was my vision and it had less to do with talent but vision, dedication and lots of practice. In my humble opinon, I believe that it's easier for most people to use movement to access the deep layers of the self. Moving through a physical practice teaches us to breathe and sustain, to release, shed skin/layers and ultimately, survive.

Like the yoga practice, there's a reason for Savasana other than to recover from the practice. It's a temporary death, and a chance to be reborn, to shift perception, to be still and quiet long enough to find answers to your questions. Who am I and what will I become? How to be my most sincere and thruthful self? Santosa (contentment) has always been one of my favorite of the Niyamas, as I feel it's easy to obtain through gratitude. It doesn't mean happiness but simply contentment, which is a state of mind and not an outward situation. To me happiness are moments, like driving a car on a sunny, warm day and the wind blowing through your hair. Spending time with a child, remembering how wonderful the world is and how exciting life can be and so much more than we allow ourselves to see.

As long as I breath, I will move and of course, the range of movement is going to change as I grow even older. This could mean that I'll be only able to lift my arm, or bend over a chair, or sit a the wall or... but conciously and with full awareness, breath and commitment.

All of our bodies will deteriorate, Annamayakosha, all of us will take that last breath, Pranamayakosha but starting at Manomayakosha, mind/mental layer, we start to differ from each other, not everybody has the same train of thoughts. Same in Vijnanamayakosha, the intellect/wisdom layer, not everyone has the same visions, dreams and a structure how to get there, make their dreams or visions reality. If Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Leonardo da Vinci, Joan of Arc etc. were human beings like you and I, how come that they materilaized to what they've become? In Anandamayakosha, the bliss layer, we're again reunited as one, as love and conciousness.

- Olive Ssembuze | May 21st 2018 -

Olive is teaching a new class on Thursdays | 6:30 - 8:00 pm | YogaDance Movement

As we grow up and older, we stop moving in a certain, natural way. Doing ALL kind of movement helps the body, the muscles, the joints and tendons to stay healthy. This class is for everybody who likes to move and explore the range of motion. Olive has danced professionally for years and wants to merge her knowledge of dance, yoga and choreography, in a playful class. It's a great way to open up to new ways to move.

Regular Class: YL 90 Min.| Extern CHF 40.00