Yoga Pona

About me

My name is Kenneth Y. Wertheim, trading as Yoga Pona, but I go by the name of 11250205 too. I identify as aracial, acultural, and agender: a global citizen without a home country. My correct pronouns are they and them. More about my life outside yoga: link.

Yoga entered my life in 2008 when I was at university. It accompanied me throughout my academic drifting. In early 2023, after taking up my first permanent academic position in Hull, I began my 200-hour yoga teacher training with Ann-Marie Mainprize. In October 2023, 15 years after my first yoga class, I was certified by Yoga Alliance Professionals as a registered yoga teacher 200RYT.

Please contact me at yogapona (domain: protonmail.com) to arrange classes.

Teaching style

Toki Pona is a constructed language created by Sonja Lang in 2001. It comprises around 137 words, nine consonants, and five vowels. The language was designed to fill as much of the semantic space with as few tokens as possible. Its small set of phonemes, simple morphology, and rigid syntax make Toki Pona easy to acquire. It allows a user to simplify their thoughts to basic elements and encourages them to be mindful. The word pona—which means both good and simple (and more) in Toki Pona—it can function as an adjective, adverb, noun, verb, or interjection—encapsulates these qualities perfectly.

I adopt a similar approach to yoga. In my classes, I aim to reduce the intent to a minimum set of poses (asanas) while prioritising simple poses with multiple benefits. They are taught in predictable and repetitive sequences wherein each transition is paired with a breath (pranayama) to help my students get into a meditative state.

Group classes

I mostly teach vinyasa yoga, but my rendition of it is a slower flow. Although the focus is still on linking poses together in breath-synchronised movements, I intentionally include poses that encourage introspection. If you are looking for an energising class, I can of course teach a more dynamic flow.

Meditative flow yoga

This class is perfect for a Friday evening. Typically, after warming up, I centre the main sequence around Chandra Namaskar: moon salutations. They are the lesser-known counterparts of the energising sun salutations (Surya Namaskar). The cooling, calming, and meditative poses take you around the mat. Typically, I teach one cycle before adding poses that balance the seven chakras (energy centres) to another cycle. This is followed by a wind-down routine and yoga nidra (psychic sleep): a relaxation technique and a form of guided meditation.

Energising flow yoga

This is a more conventional vinyasa yoga class. After warming up, the unifying thread is Surya Namaskar: sun salutations. Each cycle is followed by one modified with more challenging poses to build up to an apex pose. Energising and balancing poses are prioritised to boost motivation, confidence, and focus. Following a wind-down routine, the class ends in an active or mindfulness meditation in savasana (corpse pose).

Private one-to-one classes

Lack of motivation? Anxiety? Shoulder issues? After a free consultation, if the client wants to, I can plan a lesson to address their specific needs.