Lotta Sebzda: Three-Day Ashtanga Yoga Workshop

This three-day Ashtanga yoga workshop in Athens, Greece, brings together Mysore-style self-practice, technical sessions and open conversation with Lotta Sebzda, a long-time Mysore teacher and handstand enthusiast. It is held at Avra Yoga in Athens, Attica, and is open to practitioners of all levels who want to deepen their understanding of Ashtanga, refine technique safely and think about how a practice can last through different stages of life.

What to Expect

The weekend follows a steady rhythm. Each morning begins with Ashtanga Mysore practice from 8:00 to 10:30, a traditional self-practice session with individual guidance and support. On the first morning there are two entry times, 8:00 and 9:00, and each participant is assigned to one of them. Midday and afternoon are given to focused workshops.

Friday opens with the foundations of safe and intelligent inversions (12:00 to 13:30). Any posture with the hips above the shoulders counts as an inversion, and the session looks at how to enter and exit with stability and ease, using strength, breath, alignment and body awareness.

Saturday is the fullest day. A backbends workshop (12:00 to 13:30) looks at openness in the front body and healthy spinal mechanics. "Just Handstands" (14:30 to 16:00) begins with a warm-up for shoulders, wrists and core, then moves into handstand work: beginners learn to kick up and balance with confidence, while experienced students refine alignment and develop new skills. The day closes with an open session on asana technique and discussion (17:00 to 18:30), shaped around the needs of the group, with room for adjustments, modifications and questions.

Sunday softens the pace. Ashtanga-Yin: Hips & Twists (12:00 to 13:30) draws on familiar standing and seated postures, twists and selected intermediate series elements, held longer in a gentle flow to release tension and restore the body and nervous system. The workshop ends with a closing session and Q&A (14:00 to 15:00), an open conversation with Lotta about her personal practice, aging, sustainability in yoga and the evolution of her path through Ashtanga and hand balancing.

About Lotta Sebzda

Lotta Sebzda has been drawn to movement and inversions since childhood, often found upside down practicing handstands, cartwheels and gymnastics. In the late 1990s she discovered Ashtanga Yoga, which she describes as a sense of "coming home." She studies and practices in the traditional Mysore style as taught by the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson R. Sharath Jois. Around 2015, handstand training became an integral part of her life, deepening her Ashtanga practice and her strength and body awareness. For her, handstands are also a source of joy and playfulness that carries into daily life. Her teaching brings together strength, precision and curiosity, balancing discipline with freedom.

Before You Go

The workshop is designed for all levels, and no prior handstand experience is needed. Spaces are limited. You can attend the full weekend or choose individual sessions as drop-ins.

The Mysore sessions, the technical workshops, the Sunday Ashtanga-Yin session and the closing Q&A are all part of the workshop. Travel to Athens and accommodation are not included, and the organizers do not provide lodging, though they can share useful information for finding a place to stay.