Esther Masemann, Pantarei Approach Practitioner

To Follow my heart

Originally from Bremen, Esther studied visual communication in Wiesbaden and then in Sydney before moving to Berlin. She naturally moves between being a designer, bodyworker, and yoga teacher. “I love to be creative with my work and my life – for me there is actually no difference between the two. I work and travel a lot. I really like to go surfing and explore how life can be, if you just try living it the way you like it to be. And I also live in a little spot next to Eberswalde to escape the city and I can take my design work there, give sessions and jump into a lake when it is warm enough.”

“I connect with ideas and concepts that make sense and I love to help them grow.”

“I’m a graphic designer, Forrest Yoga teacher and a Pantarei Approach practitioner. As a designer, I do branding and interface design. I have been doing a lot of branding design with little companies and people who produce good stuff. I need to put my energy into projects that do good for the world, where I can feel and see the passion of the client. It is crucial that we are on the same eye level, so we can push the ideas and concepts forward together. This is where I feel at ease, I love to see good things grow. The way I do my design work is pretty much the same as I give Pantarei sessions or Yoga lessons.”

What motivated you to be a Pantarei Approach practitioner?

“It was easy. I went to a practitioner and she suggested that the Pantarei Approach and Forrest Yoga might be interesting for me. I checked it out and was instantly drawn to it. I was in Claudia’s and Vered’s first class and it was an amazing experience. It was a decision based on my intuition and on my heart. I can’t make choices without it. I am doomed to follow my heart, if I do there is no regret. I think it’s the same thing that motivates my design work, as well as my yoga teacher trainings. I put my energy into ideas that makes sense, that are needed in this world, that I would like to see grow and thrive.”

She describes the Pantarei Approach as an approach, “that helps humans to become more human, including me as a practitioner.”

The core values of the Pantarei Approach resonated with her. “It’s how I go through life, also how I want to meet and talk to people. I believe we can bring out the best in each other, if we really listen and talk honestly. It can empower people to create great change for themselves which has an effect on their surroundings. I believe that if many people would approach life in this way, everybody would be different and everybody would be so ok with it… that is why I feel at home with the Pantarei Approach. It is about embracing your uniqueness and not being too serious about it.”

You mentioned your different cancer therapies. In which way did Pantarei help you during those times?

“I think my cancer helped me grow in so many ways. As a practitioner, because it made me understand a lot about healing and what it means to stand up for yourself in the most vulnerable situations. Cancer and the treatments brought a lot of very beautiful and dramatic moments into my life. And the Pantarei Approach was one of the things that helped me integrate the experiences.

From my perspective going through struggles, no matter what they might be, gives you the opportunity to grow and learn. And as a practitioner, I’m learning by witnessing these processes. I’m giving healing and then receiving healing at the same time. Actually, for me it is not so much about healing, it is about the integration of the experiences. It’s not like, we heal and then the thing that causes us pain is gone – it’s more the integration of the experiences and pain. With this, we can become more whole and also gain more resources and power.

During my cancer therapies, I couldn’t really work as a designer or give yoga lessons, but I was able to give Pantarei Sessions. I am very happy that Pantarei accompanied me through my cancer therapies. It feels as if Pantarei has always been there, either if it’s me giving or receiving sessions, continuing to learn, or by staying connected with this great community.”

Acknowledging and embracing the unknown

While we speak and I listen to Esther, I’m reminded that the only thing we can know is that we do not know what surprises life brings us. And when we decide to take advantage of every chance and dare to dream while we throw ourselves out there, we will live a life connected to our hearts.

Esther continues to explain: “For me working together as a practitioner and client is like an adventure in some sort of jungle. During a session, we explore it and observe what happens and where it leads us. And by being together with my clients, the dark and scary experiences can sometimes become less dark and scary. I feel there is often a very small gap between dramatic situations and laughter.

And I’m very curious. I love the element of ‘I don’t know’ and I really feel the best sessions are the ones where I can flow with the unknown and it leads me to surprising ideas and processes. I like to intuitively let the client guide me and themselves. And this is also the freedom I would like to have everybody in real life too. Because in the end nothing ever stays the same and we really don’t know how things will change. It helps with not taking the things and yourself too seriously.”

You can get in touch with Esther via her Website, or write her an

es****@ma******.com











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Written by Lena-Philine Zinser

 

Photography by Johannes Berger