VYC SAHITYA · platform

Chapter 1 · The beginning

Where we started

Everything begins on the mat – with Vinayaki-Anne's own yoga practice, which has accompanied her for many years. Out of the wish to dive deeper and not just practise yoga but really understand it, the decision to train as a yoga teacher finally grew.

The wish to teach was not in the foreground at first. After 16 years "only" as a mum, the moment had simply come to find something that belonged entirely to her again: a path that nourishes, inspires and moves her forward. At the end of her training her teachers gave her an important impulse to take along: not to leave her particular gift in dealing with people unused – and to consider teaching after all.

The first courses at the Lauenburg sports club quickly showed how right this step was. Teaching yoga brings joy. People come together, share their experiences and grow with each other. Courses become community. Step by step our offering widened: singing bowls, Reiki and further paths that invite you to pause, perceive yourself more consciously and draw new strength.

Robert's path also begins with a personal question about change. The coaching training became a space for him where topics come up that many people know: why am I here? What would I like to realise in my life? What really fits my values? It is about the interplay of the genders – within ourselves and with each other. About partnership, family and relationships. And also about looking honestly at one's own topics, such as burnout, and working through them.

Out of this personal development another part of our shared path grew: coaching. Not with ready-made answers or quick promises, but with time, honest questions and the trust that every person carries their own way within themselves.

Our website grew along quite naturally during this time. At first it was a place for information, later dates and events were added. Then your questions from the courses reached us: about the mantras Vinayaki-Anne plays, about guided journeys and exercises for home.

That is how the download area came about – and for the first time it became clear: the community does not only take part in our offerings, it helps shape what may grow from them.

Chapter 2 · The idea

An idea is born

With the number of our courses, what needs organising in the background grew too: coordinating dates, keeping track of changing participants, managing course subscriptions, planning events and keeping an eye on the bookkeeping. At some point a question stood in the room: how can this become simpler – for us and for you?

We looked around for suitable solutions, but nothing felt really right. Often important features were missing, cost structures stayed opaque, or advertising and tracking were simply part of the deal. For a while additional paid extensions for our Joomla website helped us along. But they made us dependent, restricted us – and did not fit the way we want to work.

That is how the idea of our own platform grew: a place where everything may come together. A website to read up and discover. A clear course administration for us. A protected member area for you. And an app of our own that can accompany you on the go. Yoga for your pocket – easy to use, transparent and fair. From wherever you happen to be.

Chapter 3 · Today

Where we stand today

The app is taking shape: its first features are close to completion and much of it goes straight back to your wishes. Breathing exercises for home, accompanied by Vinayaki-Anne's voice, are part of it, as is a wiki with in-depth information about yoga, Reiki and coaching.

Some things also arise directly from everyday life. Because Vinayaki-Anne herself does not always find it easy to drink enough during the day, we built a drinking tracker including automatic reminders. That is how features come about that are not only practical but can really accompany you through the day.

In parallel we are rebuilding our website completely: away from off-the-shelf solutions and numerous paid extensions, towards an independent in-house development. It creates the technical foundation on which the platform can keep growing step by step.

Chapter 4 · Up next

Platform and app grow together

Next comes the member area for the community - so that you can keep track of your courses as easily as of your practice: which courses have I booked? When does my subscription run out? Is the course taking place this week? A few of our ideas:

»Renew subscriptions easily, cancel or rebook appointments in good time

»Automatic notifications when a place becomes free at short notice (waiting list)

»Learn about new events automatically

»Course content, materials and further information in one place

»Exchange between the sessions - with us and with each other

»Online and offline sessions

»Use the app with your account on several devices – so that your content and settings stay available to you on smartphone and tablet.

An area of our own is coming too: adding courses and events easily, keeping an overview of running courses and subscriptions, creating invoices. Because time that does not go into administration is time for you.

Chapter 5 · Our vision

A platform that opens up

Once the platform carries, we would like to open it — for teachers and learners beyond our own practice: a community in which yoga teachers, coaches and other people can share their knowledge and grow together. If you like, one day you can also list your own offerings there.

Many people would like to spend their time above all on giving courses and accompanying others. The digital organisation in the background - website, data protection, administration, hosting or cloud - often costs a lot of time and energy. This is exactly where we would like to help with our platform and suitable IT services: with a reliable foundation that takes the load off and creates room for what it is really about: accompanying people, sharing knowledge and letting community come alive.