From Norway to Nepal with Ellen Johannesen

Our guest today is a lovely Elvish woman, who could’ve easily descended from a family of Wood Nymphs. Ellen Johannesen was born in Norway but has spent many years living abroad, mainly in India and Nepal. She was first introduced to yoga during her career as a professional dancer and has been teaching now for over 20 years. In 2002, she co-founded the first Ashtanga studio in Oslo, Norway, where she headed up the Mysore program. However, her time in India led to a growing interest in Buddhism, which brought her back to live and study for three years in Bylakuppe, at a Tibetan Monastery and Tibetan refugee settlement. She subsequently moved to Kathmandu where she became a Tibetan translator and earned a Masters degree in Buddhist studies and Himalayan Languages from Kathmandu University. During this time she founded the first Mysore program in the center of Kathmandu where she lived and taught for seven years. Ellen also studied Sanskrit, which was traditionally widely used among the Nepali Brahmin population and the Newar Buddhists. More recently, she has returned to Norway, but continues to take students on transformational retreats, where you can practice Ashtanga yoga and go trekking in the spiritual hub of the Himalayas. She loves sharing some of her favourite places around and beyond the Kathmandu valley, while introducing students to the sacred sites and natural beauty that is Nepal. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ELLEN INSTAGRAM I WEBSITE I On Yoga Norway FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HARMONY WEBSITE The Finding Harmony Podcast is hosted, edited and produced by Harmony Slater and co-hosted by Russell Case. A big heart of thanks to our friends, family, and students from around the world, who’ve generously supported this podcast through your comments, sharing, and financial donations. Your contributions have allowed us to keep our podcast ad and sponsor free. Creating, editing and producing each episode takes a lot of time. It is a labor of love. And would not be possible without your kind support. If you’ve enjoyed today’s podcast, please consider supporting our future episodes by making a donation. Every little bit goes a long way and we are immensely grateful for any and all of your support. Make A Donation Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! ❤ Give us a 5★ rating! Opening and closing music compliments of my dear friend teaching Ashtanga yoga in Eindhoven, Nick Evans, with his band “dawnSong” from the album “for Morgan.” Listen to the entire album on Spotify - Click Here. To purchase your own copy - Click Here. The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermind FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/ Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/ Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation