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Marketta Murtomäki - Personal Biography

Marketta Murtomäki was a professional dancer. She started her career in 1993 after graduating from the Dance Department of the Finnish Academy of Theatre. Her life as a dancer had many exciting, challenging and fun aspects; however, after a few years she had a growing sense of something missing. Having heard about Ashtanga yoga, Marketta satisfied her curiosity by taking her first Ashtanga yoga classes with Juha Javanainen and Petri Räisänen in June 1997. Four months later, she was introduced to their teacher, Lino Miele, in a Finnish workshop. Lino's enthusiasm and passion for the Ashtanga practice made a big impression on her. Marketta felt that the Ashtanga discipline was fulfilling her unconscious search for challenges on a physical as well as spiritual level. Thus, Lino became her teacher, and she attended all of his workshops and retreats in Finland and even some abroad.

In 1999, Marketta was invited to assist in the Astanga Yoga School in Helsinki. The same year, she began her apprenticeship under Lino's guidance. After spending time with Lino in his centre in Kovalam 1999-2000, Marketta decided to dedicate her entire time to practicing and teaching Ashtanga yoga and stopped dancing professionally.

Since 2002, Marketta has been one of the head teachers at the Astanga Yoga School in Helsinki, where she primarily is responsible for the Mysore classes. However, she also conducts introductory courses for other levels. Despite being a mum to two young children, Marketta always finds time to do her daily Ashtanga practice and participates in Lino's workshops as both his student and assistant. She has completed the advanced A series with him. In recent years, she has taken a deeper interest in pranayama and meditation.