When we are strong on the yoga mat, we are strong in everyday life

Gina Bergmann discovered yoga ten years ago. Today, it has become one of the most important chapters of her life. Gina practices yoga daily and teaches it to others. Yoga has brought much more balance into her life and helped her reorder her priorities.

• How did your journey to yoga begin?
  

Before becoming a yoga teacher, I graduated from Tallinn University of Technology with a degree in international economics. I worked in an office for eight hours a day behind a computer - fidgeting all day and waiting for the moment I could go to the gym.

Eventually, I quit office work and obtained a group fitness instructor qualification from the Estonian Gymnastics Federation. I worked for years with a heavy schedule, teaching 20–30 hours a week. This eventually led me to a place where my body was broken and my mind exhausted.

Searching for balance, I ended up in my first yoga classes. I believe I’ve been lucky - and brave enough at a young age - to make choices that have allowed me to do what makes my eyes light up.

Why did you start teaching yoga?

I’ve been practicing yoga for ten years and teaching for half of that. Yoga showed me who I really am. Thanks to yoga, the noise of the outside world has become less important, while internal peace and purpose have become clearer.

After five years of practice, I felt that what I had experienced could also benefit others.

Yoga has many styles - which ones do you teach?

I practice and teach Vinyasa and Yin yoga.Vinyasa Yoga. Vinyasa is a dynamic style where breathing and movement become one. It focuses intensely on the physical body, and its main goal is to create a better connection between body and mind - to feel oneself as a whole and find peace and joy within.Practicing Vinyasa burns calories because the class is physically quite fast-paced. It strengthens and conditions the entire body, shapes muscles, speeds up metabolism, and detoxifies the system.Breathing plays a crucial role - movement flows in sync with breath throughout the entire class.

When we are strong on the yoga mat, we are strong in everyday life. When we are balanced and flexible, we are the same in our relationships.

Yin Yoga

Yin yoga, on the other hand, is a calm practice characterized by holding postures for long periods. The goal is to strengthen the deeper tissues and fascia - going beyond the muscles. It creates a relaxed, meditative state by directing attention inward.Consistent Yin practice improves joint health, mobility, soft tissue elasticity, and the movement of energy and nutrients. It helps cultivate harmony and balance in both body and mind.

What do you hope to share with your students?

I want to share the mindset that everything begins with ourselves. To give to others, our own cup must be full - or at least half full. No one can take care of us the way we can take care of ourselves, both physically and mentally.

Two years ago, I completed a nursing degree and now work as a nurse in a preventive medicine clinic, which allows me to approach health even more holistically. I’ve reached a place in life where giving and receiving are in balance.

My studies and experiences have taught me that the key to a quality life is the reflection of inner well-being outward. By helping others move toward a healthier life, I stay on that course myself.

My goal is to make yoga more accessible and understandable for those who need it most - or believe it isn’t for them.

Yoga often begins on the mat in a studio or gym, but life is bigger than yoga. The practices matter when we can carry them into everyday life. Otherwise, yoga is just a moment - or exercise accompanied by breathing.

Yoga isn’t only poses, breathing, and working with the physical body; it becomes a lifestyle. It shows up in daily actions and in how we treat our family, colleagues, the cashier at the store, or the person at the next café table who accidentally spills coffee on you.

Why practice yoga?

Yoga is a wonderful way to tune into yourself - to disconnect from everything else so tasks and work don’t consume you completely. Because of the fast pace of life, more and more people experience constant stress.

Yoga combines physical and psychological therapy, so it affects much more than just physical health. No other sport connects all aspects of well-being so deeply.

Different styles of yoga offer ways to reduce stress and tension, increase energy, boost confidence, improve flexibility, strengthen muscles, enhance sleep, bring mental clarity, cultivate calmness - and put a smile on your face.

What’s the mest Motivation tip for days when you don’t feel like moving?

If you don’t feel like moving, perhaps you’ve simply had too much and need to rest - be still and listen to what your body has to say. Sometimes silence is the best answer.

If the break becomes so long that comfort takes over and Netflix seems more appealing than your morning workout promise, it’s time to seek help from a professional yoga teacher. Sometimes we just need someone’s support and encouraging words to find ourselves again.

You use Casall clothing and equipment in your practice. What are your favorites?

Right now, my favorites are the Casall open-back fitted jumpsuit, the seamless soft stretchy leggings, and the seamless black top with a woven pattern.

When practicing yoga, it’s wonderful when clothes feel so natural you barely notice them. In Vinyasa, movement is dynamic, and I like not having to adjust my clothes. In Yin yoga - where poses are held longer and the body cools down - it’s great to pull on the cozy Casall hoodie to stay warm.

Since I travel often, I always keep the Casall Travel yoga mat in my suitcase or backpack. It’s very thin, only 2 mm, and fits even in a handbag. No matter where I am, I can always create my own small yoga studio.

What should a beginner buy first from Casall products?

Yoga is wonderful because it doesn’t require many accessories. But one good yoga mat is essential for every beginner and experienced practitioner. It becomes your daily companion and personal space - a place that must feel good and safe.

A favorite among clients - and mine - is the Casall 5 mm GRPCS yoga mat. It has alignment lines that act like helpful guides to ensure poses are taken correctly. The mat doesn’t slip and provides stable support, whether you’re wagging your tail in downward dog or letting good thoughts travel from your toes to your head in a headstand.

Text: Merilin Piirsalu Photos: Iti-Pätrik Järve