My Story
Spread your inner wings!
Hi yogies! I’m Camille Semiotaite - Whitaker and I’ve been practicing and teaching yoga over 10 years but my passion is Aerial yoga! I’m super excited to share my love for yoga and especially for aerial yoga with YOU – yoga students, practitioners, teachers and enthusiasts! I also share my FREE aerial yoga classes on my Youtube channel CamiyogAIR.
I’m always feeling a bit awkward talking about myself (you probably can relate) but I’m happy to share my story with you and hope it will help you to get to know me a little bit better.
The Early Years
I grew up in Kaunas, Lithuania – one of the Baltic countries with a beautiful flat lands and luscious greenery as well as lakes. So, I always got that very special connection with nature and animals. Since I was a child, I kept on questioning what is beyond all of this? Why are we dreaming and where does the dream come from? Where is the end of the Universe? What is my purpose as a human? Who is the inner thinker? So naturally, I have been drawn to search for the answers through the books.
On the Search
During my early years I found my expression through dancing, singing and playing piano as well as doing other creative and artsy endeavours – dancing was my meditation. I felt that through the body we can express our inner world, our inner “self” and dancing become the language of our soul. When I discovered contemporary dance, I truly fell in love with the free movement and being here and now – like no time or space existed, just immersing into movement and pure consciousness. I have entered various dance seminars, workshops and therapies learning various improvisation techniques, which later on spawned my own created “Dancing Soul” events – a meditation through movement to uncover your own unique movement and bodily expressions through various movement games and tasks. In 2008 I achieved my Bachelor’s degree in Art History and later in 2015 graduated with a Master's degree in Public Health and Nutrition.
The Yoga Journey – from Depression to Awakening
When I was in my 20s, along with dancing, I was practicing Chinese martial art - Tai chi where movement is connected with the energy flow through the body. That lead me deeper in the esoteric field and I was yearning for depth of the practice, so yoga found me not through asanas – physical side of yoga, but through mediation, pranayama (breathing techniques) and yoga philosophy and applying the knowledge I learned in practice. At that time, I also experienced a deep depression but yoga lifted me up from all the darkness and inspired to seek the happiness and play the game of life. Eventually, I was engrossed in the comprehensiveness and naturalness of yoga, both physically and spiritually, and have been practicing it since 2009. For me yoga has become the art of living and connection with every being. I especially felt that indescribable state in Ones when I walked the 800 km long pilgrimage road called Santiago de Camino in Spain. It was like an inner transformation and awakening of my spiritual life and I felt a complete union with nature and the Universe. That’s where I started a new chapter in my life.
My Destiny
Yoga became my true path and after a few years of practicing various styles of yoga such as Sivananda, Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga, I had become seriously immersed in yoga. I finished my first teacher training course and became an accredited Sivananda Yoga teacher (Yoga Siromani, RYT200H). In 2016 I travelled to India (where I also found my soulmate) and I completed the advanced yoga teacher training course at World Peace Yoga School (RYT300H) and am now recognized by Yoga Alliance as an experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT500, YACEP). At the same time, I delved into various other techniques and methodologies: Yin Yoga, Acroyoga, Nidra Yoga, Partner Yoga, Thai massage courses, techniques which I later combined and applied in my classes and teachings.
The Magic of Aerial Yoga
Finally, in spring 2014 I discovered Aerial Yoga - a wonderful experience in the air through antigravity state. It’s a magical experience that I advise you to try at least once in your lifetime! The Aerial yoga is freedom, yoga, dance and meditation in one! So many possibilities you can express through the body and the air element as well as the liberation of amazing emotions and sensations.
My Studio and Method
In late 2014, I opened the first aerial yoga studio in Lithuania – CAMIYOGA was born! At this time, only a few people had heard of aerial yoga. After practicing aerial yoga for many years, I developed a unique CamiYoga method with authentic CamiYoga Sun and Moon Salutations, exercises, asanas as well as more fun flips and tricks. As a teacher, my goal is to convey the precise asana alignment and adaption to everyone, to all different and unique body types as well as encourage students to develop mindfulness and self-awareness on and off the mat.
I have taught for over 6,000+ hours of yoga classes, teacher training courses, workshops, retreats and have taught over 2000 students, prepared 500 aerial yoga teachers worldwide. After gaining so much experience and knowledge of teaching aerial yoga and meeting various people with different body types, health issues and facing challenging situations, I felt that it was time to systematize everything that I’ve learned over the years and pass it on to others who desire to teach aerial yoga. I lead aerial yoga classes but also courses for both teachers and those who want to deepen their practice at home. I have been running courses for 9 years now and I am very happy to see how teachers are constantly improving and sharing the joy of aerial yoga with others.
In these Days…
I currently live in Lithuania and teach face to face and Online aerial yoga classes and courses as well as vinyasa yoga, breathing and meditation practices, dance meditation, events, lectures and workshops. I organize Aerial Yoga Teacher Trainings: Level 1-2 (Beginner-Intermediate), Level 2-3 (Intermediate-Advanced) and Yin/Restorative in my studio and released Online Aerial Yoga Teacher Training Course Level 1 , Level 2, Level 3 and Yin/Restorative in English with subtitles.
I invite you to acknowledge yourself through creativity and spontaneity, feeling the moment “here and now”, remembering playfulness as a child, expanding awareness in my aerial yoga classes, meditations, breathing sessions and other self-development practices. I strive to share my knowledge and joys of yoga and movement with you and together seek for well-being, harmony, peace, love for yourself and others. So, join me on this magical flying experience and let’s meet in the silk in my Online Classes and Courses!
From heart to heart,
Camille 💖