“I had to go very far and for long time to find myself”: An Interview with Laia Yañez 

This monsoon season at Purple Valley Goa, we’re thrilled to welcome Laia Yañez – an Ashtanga Yoga teacher authorised Level 2 by Sharath Jois at the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. Laia’s journey began from the structured world of hospital HR in Barcelona to a contemplative life in Nepal, where she discovered yoga.

In this interview, Laia shares how she discovered the transformative power of yoga, the role of spirituality in daily life, and what students can expect from her Mysore room.

How did you first discover yoga?

Laia: I sometimes say that yoga isn’t something I found – it’s something I grew into. For me, yoga is life. It’s how we live, how we relate to ourselves and the world. But if I trace the beginning of my conscious journey with it, it started about 15 years ago, when I was working in human resources at a public hospital in Barcelona.

I’ve always been spiritual by nature. Even as a child, I was full of questions – about life, about suffering, about what we’re doing here. Being surrounded by illness in the hospital where I was working for 12 years, and experiencing personal loss – my young nephew passed away from cancer at just four years old – shook something in me. I began asking deeper questions about our existence, questions that needed to be answered. And I became a seeker.

That search took me to Nepal, where I lived for three years working with an NGO, and where I immersed myself into spiritual practices including the Buddhist teachings and meditation techniques, but also into yogic scriptures. It was in Kathmandu that I found Ashtanga and it was love at first sight, from the very first breath I knew I had found what I was looking for.

What was it about Ashtanga that resonated so deeply?

Laia: There was something about it that called me beyond the surface. I never saw Ashtanga just as a physical practice, but as a spiritual one — a place of healing. Yes, it’s physically demanding, and yes, you end up doing things with your body you never imagined. But for me, it’s always been about the space it gives you. The healing that happens through the practice, through the breath.

Ashtanga yoga is a practice that empowers you, understanding empowerment as the strength to move through your life with more honesty, with more awareness, being who you truly are, your true essence, and standing firm and strong in that, so that you can then go out into the world with your whole being.

From the very beginning, I practiced under my Guru Sharath Jois, and he’s remained my teacher, the only one. I carry his teachings with me every day, and I will honor his memory forever. To whom I will always be Grateful. 

What advice would you give to someone struggling with their practice or with themselves?

Laia: I think it’s very important to ask ourselves why we practice, and it’s a question we must ask ourselves constantly, repeatedly, because it seems we forget. Why do you practice? And if you know why you’re practicing —if you’ve experienced how it calms your mind, softens your reactions, brings more focus, more mental clarity, makes you a better parent, partner, or friend…— that “why” will carry you through the hard days. That’s the deeper commitment. It’s not about achieving something; it’s about coming back to yourself, again and again.

I believe it’s very important to have a spiritual practice. It doesn’t have to be Ashtanga, but it has to be consistent. It has to be daily. Not once a week, not when you’re feeling inspired – daily. That’s how the real listening begins, this is how we can begin to heal ourselves.

The breath is everything. And you have to create space for silence, even just ten minutes a day. In silence, the noise becomes clear. The tension, the grief, the conditioning – all of it becomes visible. That’s when you begin to meet yourself. Without this, it’s hard to find who we really are.

Of course, there will be days when you don’t feel like practicing. Days when you’re tired, injured, or just low. But that’s when the practice holds you. You don’t have to give 100% every day – just show up with what you have. Lay down your mat. Breathe. That’s enough. Motivation isn’t always there, but then there is discipline.

There’s no need to expect miracles, just practice, a meeting with yourself every day. What matters is consistency, not performance.

Has your practice changed over the years?

Laia: Absolutely – the practice evolves and changes just as we do, but the reason why I practice remains the same.  For me, the practice was never about achieving anything, There was no goal. I wasn’t chasing a posture. I was looking for healing. 

The practice accompanies us through the different stages of our lives; it’s an incredible tool that helps us move through them in the best possible way — with more awareness and presence in everything we experience, moment by moment. And each stage is different, our needs too, so the practice can’t be the same either.The practice holds you through everything. 

I’m now 45 years old, Ashtanga Yoga has been with me through the most vital and important moments of my life. It gives me health in my body and peace in my mind. It teaches you compassion. For yourself. You learn your limits. You learn not to lie to yourself. Yoga makes you aware – you become deeply sensitive to what’s true for you and what’s not. And that awareness is everything.

What can students expect from your Mysore room at Purple Valley?

Laia: This is my first time at Purple Valley, and I’m so happy to be here. It’s a beautiful place to practice and to share. Im Grateful

In the Mysore room, I offer a traditional practice grounded in the teachings of Sharathji. But I also understand that people come with different bodies, different stories, different lives. I’ve taught in Barcelona for many years, and I know that most students are juggling jobs, families, stress,.. So I believe in developing a personal practice that addresses the specific needs of the individual and adapting the practice to be sustainable.

It’s very important to hold a space that feels safe, loving, and compassionate. Discipline is important but so is softness. I want students to feel they can speak to me honestly, to tell me what they’re going through, and feel supported. Growth happens in spaces where people feel seen and cared for.

Laia will be teaching at Purple Valley Goa this monsoon season. Her Mysore program is rooted in tradition, adapted with care, and open to all sincere practitioners. Come as you are and discover what the practice can reveal. Read more about our monsoon program here.