A Yoga Practice for Love
In the ever-evolving world of wellness, we are constantly reminded that love isn’t just something we give to others—it’s something we cultivate within ourselves. This Valentine’s Day, in the heart of Jakarta, I gathered at the new Sinilagi Café for a truly special experience: a heart-opening yoga session led by Ashle, a yoga teacher whose journey embodies the beauty of self-discovery. I interviewed Ash to talk about her journey, the connection between yoga and love, and why a heart-opening practice is so powerful.
Can you share a bit about your journey to becoming a yoga teacher? What inspired you to pursue this path?
Ashle: My journey started with ballet, which I practiced for 11 years. I initially saw yoga as just another form of movement, but over time, it became so much more. When I first started, even holding a downward dog felt challenging, but I kept showing up on the mat. That’s when I realized that yoga isn’t just about the physical—it’s a practice that shapes your mindset and emotions. I was working as a flight attendant when the pandemic hit, and suddenly, the world I knew came to a halt. During that uncertain time, yoga became my anchor. I decided to deepen my practice and completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT200), followed by a backache management course. Later, I traveled to Nicaragua to do my 300-hour training with Kayla Nielsen. With every step, yoga became more than just a practice—it became a way of life.
Why did you choose to host a special Valentine’s Day yoga event? How does this holiday tie into the practice of yoga for you?
Ashle: Valentine’s Day is about love, and yoga has taught me so much about love in ways I never expected. It felt like the perfect time to bring people together and share a practice that cultivates self-love and healing. I also wanted to make this day special, so I surprised attendees with little gifts—a small token to remind them that love comes in many forms.
Valentine's Day is typically about romantic love, but yoga can also encourage self-love. How do you integrate the theme of love into your yoga sessions?
Ashle: Love should come from within. You can only truly know love when you’ve learned to love yourself—and that’s something many people, including myself, struggled with for a long time. For this session, I designed a flow centered on the heart space. We focused on opening the front side of the body, sending our breath and awareness to areas that we often neglect. Creating space to forgive and to love is one of the hardest things to do, but through a physical practice, we can slowly shift our emotional and mental state. The beauty of yoga is that it helps us process emotions without words. The poses, the breathwork, the energy—all of it works together to bring us back to ourselves.
“If there’s one thing I want people to take away, it’s this: Find that space within you to love fully, to forgive, and to speak kindly—to others, but most importantly, to yourself.”
What do you hope people took away from your Valentine’s Day yoga event?
Ashle: I hope everyone left feeling a little lighter and more open. If there’s one thing I want people to take away, it’s this: Find that space within you to love fully, to forgive, and to speak kindly—to others, but most importantly, to yourself.
Are you planning more events like this in the future?
Ashle: Yes! Nothing is set in stone yet, but we have a few ideas in mind. I’d love to continue creating events where people can connect, heal, and grow through yoga.
Ashle’s heart-opening Valentine’s Day yoga session was a reminder that love isn’t just something we give—it’s something we cultivate within ourselves. Whether through movement, breath, or stillness, yoga offers us a pathway to self-acceptance and deeper connection. This gave me a sudden epiphany that love needs to be a daily practice that we give ourselves and others. Experience a heart-opening flow for yourself by practicing deep chest-opening poses like Camel Pose (Ustrasana), Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana), or simply sitting with your hands over your heart, breathing in love and exhaling anything that no longer serves you. Because, as Ashle so beautifully reminds us, “the love we seek is already within.”
