We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elka Almeida a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Elka , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

I always say to my students during my teacher training program that “teaching is healing”. I found yoga in my life 21 years ago. I was dealing with depression and anxiety. I was very disconnected of my body and mind. When I had my first episode of panic attack, everything has changed for me. I must say I was never the same. I become better. Because of my anxiety, I started to take yoga classes. Something has awaken inside of me. I become more in tune with my emotions and starting treating my body as a temple. I must also say that I did look for treatment back then and thanks to the medicine, it helped me to live my life in a social living. But medication didn’t heal my being, it helped me to stand up everyday and do my self-care work, which came from me, not by meds. I started to be dedicated to take care of myself daily. Yoga, meditation became my meditation and very organically I started teaching yoga. When I first started teaching yoga at a place in San Diego in 2003 in which closed after a year. Then, I was creating a group class and teaching yoga by the bay. I remember I had only 12 people, but it was great. After few months teaching outdoors, the winter came and I decided to take the risk to rent a studio and open a yoga center. In 2005, Namaste yoga Center was founded. it was a very small studio, only 700sq feet. My rent was very cheap, I wouldn’t accept credit card back then, and no computers. The students would have a punch card. In 2007, the center was very popular and the classes were packed. I decided to expand my business and moved to a bigger place, three times bigger but also three times more expensive. Back then, there were not so many yoga places like nowadays, so Namaste YOGa Center became very well known in the community. However, in 20012 after going through a divorce, I decided to sell the business but I was continuing teaching at the Center for the new owners, as one of them were my teachers. In 2013, things were not working well between us, and our relationship was not the same. They ended up having to terminated me and I was devastated. Lawyers got involved and things were not looking so “yogi”, I wasn’t feeling good emotionally with the whole situation and I decided to drop everything and move back to my roots, Brazil.. I sold everything and I was ready for a new beginning in Brazil. But in 2014 I had to come back to the US for my citizenship and I was continuing leading teacher trainings programs in San Diego. And that is when opportunities starting happened. In 2015, I had an opportunity to find a business partner and an investor to open another Center. But this time, it was going to be something bigger, not only mat yoga, but also aerial yoga, healing massage and a place for events. And the end of 2015 Elka Yoga & Wellness Center was born. In 2020, covid hit and I decided to let it go of the Center. My business partner decided to continue with the business and we got into an agreement and we dissolve our business together in November of 2021. Today, 2022 I am starting a new endeavor. This is the first time for me in a long time that I don’t have a place of my own, But Elka Yoga has become a brand and I am working online now, offering trainings three times a year at different places, organizing retreats as well continuing with life-coaching business. It has been a very interesting experience, lots of emotions. At the same time I feel free and lighter, there is a part of me that still grieving to have a place. But I am enjoying every moment of this new experience. I am sharing my services with new communities, I have more freedom to teach my classes online from anywhere, I have more time for my personal life, and I truly feel that I am living my purpose which is serving others. I feel very grateful for all the changes and transformations that happened to me. Because of my wounds, I found my purpose in life. Everyday I feel recharged and empowered to do my work, I love what I do. I feel when we do what we love an not worry how we are going to get there, the Universe will always conspire for you. As long you have your intentions of why you are doing what you are doing and be in true with yourself, you will always be in the right direction. Sometimes the right direction may take you to a different path that you were expecting, but if you are willing to see the opportunity when you have a breakdown, it can get you to a new place of possibilities and that is when we have a breakthrough. My every day mantra is “TRUST & LIVE YOUR TRUE”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Elka Yoga is a former owner of Elka Yoga & Wellness Center and Namaste Yoga Center in San Diego and she has been teaching yoga since 2003. She is a worldwide yoga instructor who has developed a unique yoga practice like none other in which today Elka Yoga has become a brand in the US. She is a certified Yoga Alliance (international registered yoga teacher), with additional certifications in Ayurveda, Hatha, Vinyasa, Prana Flow, Tantra Meditation Radiance Sutra Meditation, Restorative Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, SUP Yoga (Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga), happy-back yoga (yoga therapy for back pain) She is also a licensed Life Coach through the school Accomplishment Coaching, accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). She is also a health holistic practitioner specialized in Thai Medical Massage where she was also the head director of the spa of Pier to Point Wellness Center (formerly Elka Yoga and Wellness Center). She is the leader of the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training of Pier to Point Wellness Center where she has trained over 200 people and run over 23 YTT programs since 2011. She also runs the Elka Yoga SUP program in San Diego where she partners up with West Coast Paddle Board Rentals in San Diego.

Elka’s exuberance and passion for teaching, extensive knowledge of yoga philosophy, holistic health, and coaching combined with her experience of owning two successful San Diego yoga studios, leading international trainings, workshops, organizing retreats in many countries make her a positive force to be reckoned with.

Elka’s friendly approach to students, friends, and business partners inspire an inner transformation within everyone she meets. As she likes to remind everyone, “We are just getting started on this journey, so open your heart and your mind to see your true possibilities!”

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think all of those answer goes with the heartwarming question at the beginning.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

If I could go back, I would not change my profession. I truly love what I do, it is my passion. But I would make different choices in relation to my business. I would not let my emotions got into my way, Business is business and I was trying to believe that in the “yoga world” we can take only words for credit. I had to learn in a hard way, that everything we do in business, we must have a lawyer to protect you. Get some business consultant and hire a team. For me as I have experience in owning my business by myself and having a business partner would not choose to have a business partner, I would rather to hire a manager, but definitely having a team to work with you.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elkayoga.com
• Instagram: elkayoga
• Facebook: Elka Haeckel
• Linkedin: elka yoga
• Youtube: Elka Yoga