I used to feel guilty for taking a break, being a workaholic perfectionist who desperately tried to be great in everything and for everyone. I would often feel anxious and would toss and turn at night overthinking and worrying. I was compromising my mental and physical health to make everyone else happy. Until my health and circumstances made me slow down.

In the past, I used to see yoga as a physical exercise only, for higher-class superficial people with a wardrobe of matching Lululemon outfits. Or for terminally ill people aiming to reduce their remaining suffering. Boy, I was wrong. I realized that yoga has 100 different ways to approach it. I also learned that it could hinder unnecessary suffering!

Yoga became a profound positive catalyst in 2022. I started teaching yoga as a volunteer work to immigrants and refugees in Northern Norway. To better assist people, I decided to pursue professional yoga teacher training. It came as a surprise that changing my lifestyle, and nutrition and moving my body through yoga, erased the persistent long-term health issues I had at the time. Yoga combined with breathing exercises also helped to improve anxiety symptoms such as chest pains without any prescribed pills.

At some point in my yoga journey, I decided to pause my architect career to dedicate myself fully to teaching this millennial art of yoga. A difficult past has made me a very empathic person, which is my greatest weakness and superpower at the same time. I realized that I wanted to help people like me. Who sometimes need extra encouragement, who at times are overly sensitive, who might struggle with anxiety, and who so desperately want to heal and surrender. The ones who need a break, the ones who have discovered that they need to reconnect with their hearts, the ones who crave to fall in love with themselves again.

To me, Yoga has become an ongoing path to self-suiting, self-healing, and self-regulating. It made my body stronger and more resilient to tackle health issues I had to deal with, such as an autoimmune disease and c-PTSD due to neglect and violence in childhood. Patience and resilience to discomfort through yoga made me less reactive and more mature in close relationships. Meditation and having space and time to feel, think, and reflect, reduced patterns of destructive self-talk, and where Kristina stopped beating herself up for the littlest things. Yoga brought more grace in all aspects of my life.

When I moved to Norway I fell in love with the Norwegian concept of “kos”. Directly translated to English it means cozy. But in reality, it is way more than that. “Kos” can mean anything from having a good time with a friend to crawling in front of a fireplace in the cabin while the snow falls outside. It is this feeling of warmth, safety, satisfaction, and often peace.

Influenced by my yoga path and inspired by the Norwegian concept of “kos” I aim to provide yoga on your terms. Cozy, calm, unrushed. Where you could come as you are to have a break from the stressful life and reconnect to your breath and your heart.

If you are craving to be seen, and treated with compassion and care, YogaKos is the right place. I offer inclusive yoga. In my classes you don’t need to be able to place your legs in the pretzel nor land your heels on the mat while squatting, I will meet you where you are. I teach a unique mix of gentle vinyasa and yin yoga styles. It is a soothing and graceful approach to yoga, suitable for all levels. Inspired by Iyengar school I also offer props to support you and your practice.