SKIN DEEP with Felina Hæstrup

Felina Hæstrup is a Living Yolates instructor and psychology student based in Copenhagen,
driven by a curiosity about the connection between body, mind and spirit.

Living Yolates combines yoga, Pilates and dance with elements from traditional Chinese medicine and energy work. For Felina, it’s essentially about tuning in: moving with intention, being present in the body and letting it feel good.

She grew up with aromatherapy as a natural part of life – as the daughter of Karmameju’s founder, Mette. We talk about meeting yourself where you are – in the day and in life – about Felina’s rituals and habits, and about listening to your own inner voice rather than looking outwards.

Get to know Felina Hæstrup.

My journey began when I attended a workshop with Mikkala, who created Living Yolates. I completely fell in love with the form of movement. After that, I took their online course whilst travelling – including to Japan and Seoul – and that’s really where it all started.”

“Yes, absolutely. Living Yolates has given me a strong body awareness – both in terms of breathing and the way we move through life. It helps me when interacting with other people – in facilitating, communicating and understanding the interplay between body and mind. So I definitely feel that these are two worlds that are converging more and more for me.”

“When I really need to recharge, I start by listening to what my body needs. Sometimes it’s just lying in bed watching a film or a rubbish TV series – really allowing myself to settle into my bed.

And then, when my energy starts to return, it might be a matter of going for a few short walks, doing some gentle yoga, reading, or eating good food. All those little everyday rituals that can build up your energy, so you don’t just push your body too hard and end up completely drained again.”

“One habit I’ve adopted, which is perhaps very basic, is to be more mindful of my breathing.

If you’re rushing through life, cycling at a brisk pace or rushing about, tuning into your breathing – and simply lengthening your exhale – can activate your parasympathetic nervous system. It’s one of those things I’ve learnt to really regulate myself throughout the day, so I don’t end up coming home completely stressed and overstimulated.

Another thing is that a few years ago I started keeping a diary – not so much to write down everything I did, but mainly to get into the habit of writing down what I’m grateful for, and what will make the day a good one – a ‘daily affirmation’. And it was such a brilliant way to settle into the morning or evening and be reminded that: ‘My goodness, I really do have a lovely life’”.

“It has to be dry brushing, without a doubt – I do it every morning. And if I jump in the shower and have forgotten to do it, I get this real ‘oh no’ feeling! And then I actually use a mixture of Infinity serum-lotion and Hope body oil as my moisturiser, so I get both nourishment and hydration. And then BB cream for a glow.”

“One thing I’ve learnt in particular from Living Yolates in my life is to acknowledge that we can’t always be consistent, and that we can’t always run on autopilot and perform the same way every day; do the same things, be equally sociable, train in the same way… but that throughout our lives – both because of external factors and how we feel physically – we need to adapt to the fact that we’re capable of different things at different times of the day and at different stages of our lives. To embrace living in a performance-oriented culture and allow ourselves to be a little inefficient sometimes.

“I think it starts with listening to yourself – and actually daring to listen and daring to act on it – because it’s all too easy to think: ‘Oh, I’m tired, I’ll have a coffee – life goes on’, but instead perhaps: ‘I’m so tired, I’m going to lie down in bed’ – and then trust that the body will regulate itself. But it simply won’t do that if you don’t give yourself that peace and quiet.”

“I’ve noticed that if I’m facing some sort of dilemma, have a challenge or need to make a difficult choice, I try to seek advice from my mum, my family, my friends and all sorts of people. And it dawned on me at some point that I actually know the answer deep down inside myself.

If I just switch off from everything and everyone for a moment and simply try to sense: what do I genuinely want and need in this situation? And then follow that – instead of always looking for answers from others, which can, of course, lead you astray. But the most important thing is really that you know the answer within yourself.”