The month of June has arrived and whilst the halls of Stellenbosch University are filled with exam chatter, the neighbouring town of Paarl has celebrated the debut of its’ first exclusive yoga studio. The No 1 Yoga House is owned by Anja Wobmann (29) and Caralene de Jager (31). Wobbman is a Swiss native with a passion for the yoga lifestyle and de Jager is a local yoga enthusiast who currently has 500hrs of certified yoga training, and counting.
Enter a captionnja Wobbman (left) and Caralene de Jager (right), co-owners of No 1 Yoga House, practicing a yoga flow in Paarl. PHOTO: ElevenEleven Photgraphers
Ever since the Paarl’s Main Street greeted the Yoga House in March 2019, the studio has
made it their mission to “give students of all different levels and ages, a modern yoga
experience and to guide them to a healthier lifestyle,” says de Jager.
Practicing yoga can be extremely beneficial to one’s physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing and according to a student of de Jager and member of Paarl Boland Ladies Golf association, Paula Bester (56), “yoga just makes you a happier person and betters your attitude towards life”. Bester strongly believes that her regular attendance to classes at Yoga House improved her golfing skills and also relieved her lower back pain.
The author Johannes Bertus de Villiers (43) wrote, Kalmte in die malle gejaag – a book
conveying information about mindfulness practice and the benefits of yoga in the 21st
Century. According to de Villiers the practice of yoga increases the secretion of feel good
hormones and sweat, “it benefits one’s psychological wellbeing,” de Villiers explains.
Caralene de Jager , co-owner of No 1 Yoga House , busy with a yoga flow. PHOTO: ElevenEleven Photography
Dr. Leone Malan (65), a professor in Neurophysiology at the North West University and a
member of the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), claims that deep breathing reduces specific nerve activity in the brain, especially that of the vagus-nerve, which is longest nerve in body. She explains that “by breathing deeply you can lower your resting heart rate which will allow you to focus better”.
The No 1 Yoga House hosted a beginner’s workshop on Saturday the 15 th of June
2019. The workshop provided knowledge regarding the fundamentals of a strong yoga practice and also ways in which one can avoid and remedy injuries.
Caralene de Jager conducting a handstand outside the No 1 Yoga House studio in Paarl. PHOTO: Facebook/ No 1 Yoga House.
De Jager and Wobmann’s vision for the studio is based on their idea that it is “a space that feels like home, where our clients can sit on the couch and have a cup of coffee or tea”. As exam stress levels become more evident in Stellenbosch, it might be worth your while to take a drive to the neighbouring town of Paarl and visit the No 1 Yoga House studio for an escape.