MY STORY

Everything in life happens for a reason

Ever since I was little, I've been searching for the meaning of life, Philosophy first attracted me to the world of yoga. I felt I'd find an answer.

​

By the way, what kind of image do you have of a yoga teacher?
 

I'm often asked something like,
Have you always been good at sports? You were always flexible, right?

​

Well, when I was a student, my physical education grades were 2, or at best 3 out of 5. (My paper exam was good so that's how I earned 3 anyway.)
In other words, I was not an extreme sports fanatic. (I still love to exercise, but I'm not good at sports.)

That's why I never imagined that I would be engaged in a job that uses my body. 
I am still the most surprised.
 

Also for a long time, I didn't feel like I was living myself,

Living as if I was being swept away, being restricted by the values of others and society,

I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future.

Thankfully now people respect me as a yoga teacher.
But it's not like I was originally physically superior or mentally prepared.
Rather, it's the exact opposite!

​

Since I discovered yoga*, my mind and body have changed little by little.

No matter how complicated the outside is, I can always return to my center.

Life brings challenges, that's the nature of life, but yoga practice certainly made it easier to handle. 

*Yoga here includes not only physical practice called asana but also diet and lifestyle habits.

​

I believe mind and body are so well connected. If you look after both, your mind becomes freer and clearer and your body becomes more energetic. Then the world you create will be closer to whatever you'd like to have. Because you really are creating your life from this base.

In another word, when your mind and body are in order, you truly connect with your soul that knows who you really are. To prepare your mind and body is nothing but to understand yourself.

Today, many people feel that they have lost themselves in this rapid speed of society.
That's why it's really important to come back to yourself.

​

I offer programs based on three pillars: (1) Practicing yoga, (2) Finding out the best diet for yourself, and (3) Connecting with your heart.

I would like to talk a little bit about the three pillars and the background of Nao.

 YOGA AND ME
In my twenties, I encountered yoga and was fascinated by its philosophy. I was not good at appearing in public, and I had zero intention of becoming an instructor, but I ended up teaching. . . And before I knew it, I have been enjoying teaching yoga for over 10 years. It's undeniably thanks to the students who have been following me for many years. And more than anything else, I knew the benefits of yoga so I just kept telling people about it for the past 10 years. I have traveled to different countries, studied many styles of yoga, yoga therapy, Thai yoga massage, Vipassana meditation, attended breathing schools, and before I knew it, I've got more to share. . . I am still fascinated by the power of yoga. Yoga is just amazing.

 MY JOURNEY IN DIET
I had severe asthma and allergies when I was a child. Since I was physically weak, I naturally became interested in healthy food when I was a teenager. I just wanted to be healthy. I remember my family gave me a strange look when I started cooking brown rice for myself while the entire family was still eating white rice. When I was a student, I worked part-time at a natural food store and was always exposed to healthy food. After discovering yoga, I learned Ayurvedic food, which is called sister science to yoga, took a raw food chef course that doesn't destroy enzymes, and went on a vegetarian diet for a few years, and I do fasting regularly. Fodmaps and ketogenic, etc you can name it, I have literally tried most of the diet methods out there. 

Now I have come to the conclusion, any method has good or bad depending on the person. The most important thing is to find out what kind of diet is right for you. There is no one diet that fits everyone. That's why I picked up all the good points and now I'm enjoying my food in a relaxed and stress-free way. After all, it is best to enjoy food without stress, knowing options.

MY JOURNEY IN SPIRITUALITY

Fortunately or unfortunately, my quest for life started at an early age.

For some reason, I was interested in the invisible world from an early age. Now science has developed, and quantum mechanics can scientifically prove the invisible world, but I seem to have instinctively understood that humans exist as souls. There are various things I have learned throughout my life, such as subconsciousness, quantum mechanics, neuroscience, Reiki, yoga philosophy, coaching, and healing. Through my own discovery, I believe it is really important to know about yourself by listening to your inner voice as your soul already knows everything. It seems to me that there are many people who have lost themselves as they focus on the outside world rather than the inside. I understand it fully as I was like that myself. But when you start knowing yourself, your life will change. To be precise, even if the reality you see from the outside doesn't change much (it does change in many cases), how you feel and perceive it will definitely change. Having a clear mind connected to your soul is critical to your happy life which I can't stress enough.