We met with presenter, author, wellness, and yoga instructor Ece Vahapoğlu at the yoga camp she organized in Kaz Dağları. For our series “Conversations in Pursuit of Happiness,” we asked her about her perspective on happiness and her personal formulas.

Interview: Özge Zeki www.instagram.com/happyfashionandfood/

Ece, we are spending three wonderful days here in the amazing atmosphere of Kaz Dağları, healing through yoga therapies and meditations under your guidance. Now, I’d like to focus on the theme of happiness. What is happiness? How would you define it?

First of all, let me say welcome. I created this space here, so let me open by saying welcome to my energy field, dear guests. I began focusing on the word “happiness” with the pandemic. After the pandemic, I took online courses from established universities like Yale University, Rice University, and the Indian School of Business. Recently, I went to India and took various in-depth courses. I’ve been a yoga instructor for 15 years, I’m interested in healthy living, I’m a licensed athlete, I run, I’m an athlete. While doing all of this, I first questioned myself—am I really happy? I believe happiness is a journey. What I understood is that happiness is not really a destination. Like, ‘You’re single, I’ll get married and be happy.’ There’s no such thing. I got married, yes I was happy, but I divorced by choice, and I’m still happy now. ‘I’ll have a child and be happy. I’ll pass this course and be happy. I’ll get this job…’ You can’t tie happiness to a certain condition. If that condition doesn’t happen, will you be unhappy? No matter what the conditions are, you need to learn the journey of staying calm. And there are actual ways to do this. These ways have been researched. They’re already hidden in ancient wisdom. I discovered that I’ve been doing many things for years and that’s why I’ve always stayed positive and optimistic. On social media, I generally share positive messages, always motivational and inspiring. I don’t like sharing negative things. Yes, there is darkness in the world, but there is also light. And I want to share the light, the good news, kindness, and inspiration. That’s my choice. It’s the same with happiness; we have a will. Right now, are you choosing to be happy or unhappy? It’s that simple. Actually, yes, sometimes there is death, loss, failure, and what we call bad things. But even in those moments, there is always a lesson to be learned, a teaching, a calmness, a spiritual lesson, for sure. The path to being happy in any situation might sound very simple, but it’s about living healthily, drinking plenty of water, and eating well. I’m summarizing a lot—each of these are deep steps, but balanced nutrition affects our mood as well. Good sleep—definitely getting enough sleep is crucial. Finding your purpose in life… That’s why I believe I’m a very happy person. I have a career where I not only make money by fulfilling my life’s purpose but also feel deeply satisfied and benefit others. Gratitude and sharing are at the top of the happiness list. We don’t set a goal; it’s a journey and we put in the effort. Every day we might remind ourselves of the things we’re grateful for. Like exercising every day, we also work out our minds and emotions, just as we do for our muscles, and we choose to be happy every day. Yes, I’ve actually summarized it very well and it’s turned into a checklist of points. I also tell this in a theatrical way, in a one-hour show. It’s a performance I’ve been doing for a few years now, called “Is Happiness Within Us?” I don’t do it very often, my schedule is busy, but it’s a 60-minute show, part musical, part dance, on a theater stage, in ticketed venues. The show is like a seminar that informs while entertaining. I entertain, interact with the audience, I get them to exercise, meditate. We also do this for companies, more internally, and I can deliver it online too. Stay tuned for the answer to “Is Happiness Within Us?”

Well, I was actually going to ask what makes you happy, but in a way, you’ve already answered that. Besides that, are there any extra things you do, or any rituals you follow when you’re feeling down? Would you share them with us?

I believe happiness lies in balance, and I make myself happy by maintaining that balance. Yes, we should live healthily, eat balanced meals, and exercise. I do those things, but I don’t do them every day by restricting myself or stressing out, and I really don’t recommend that. I believe in karma, I believe in infinity, but because I only have this one life in this body, I believe there should be a balance here. I live 80% healthily, but I also allow myself to do things that bring me joy with the other 20%. I don’t think they’re that harmful, and I even consider them antioxidants—like coffee or chocolate. I have little pleasures, for instance, things I do in the afternoons. I don’t watch a lot of TV, I usually watch documentaries or read books. I’m not going to give a public service announcement, but sometimes I can just sit and do nothing. I only learned that in recent years. I didn’t used to do it before, learned it late. I’ve come to believe that watching something mindless that makes me laugh helps clear my head. Or simply doing nothing at all. Those kinds of things make me happy too. Playing silly games with my son, even though it can be tiring sometimes, focusing on that moment with him feels good.

Yes, and we know that you regularly practice the meditations you show us…

Of course, I’ve come to understand that it’s an essential part of life. I’ve been a yoga instructor for 15 years, practicing yoga and doing many physical things, but for instance, I wasn’t practicing meditation regularly. For the past year, thankfully, I’ve been meditating every day without skipping, and it has brought so much into my life. Practicing regularly is like developing a muscle in the body; it changed the way I think. No matter the circumstances—whether I got what I wanted or didn’t, whether something turned out good or bad, or whether something amazing or disappointing happened—I’ve learned to remain calm. It has given me incredible maturity, and now I truly understand the purpose of meditation. Every morning, I wake up very early to meditate, though this is relative—some wake up at 5 a.m. I wake up around 6 or 6:30, and my son wakes up at 7 to go to school. Before he wakes up, I get up, meditate, do my yoga stretches, take a shower, and prepare for him. This way, I save time too. If we manage our time, we can do everything we want. We need to bring meditation, exercise, and truly healthy living into our lives. I now share my meditation knowledge in my workshops, seminars, and camps. I also open up the energy of meditation to people and those beautiful souls.

Yes, I was actually going to ask you about that as well. Right now, we are sitting in the garden of a magnificent ancient monastery in the breathtaking atmosphere of Kaz Mountains. We start the day with yoga and meditation early in the morning, followed by a lovely breakfast, and then we are introduced to new experiences. I’ve had only a few camp experiences myself, but this camp feels truly special—both not overly challenging and focused on mental wholeness. In this sense, for those who are unfamiliar, what is a yoga camp? What happens in a yoga camp?

I think this is a very nice question; I get asked about it a lot. People wonder what you do when you go there. It can be referred to as a retreat. I think of it as a kind of retreat. It’s a chance to break away from your daily routine and the hustle and bustle of the city, allowing for a change of environment and atmosphere. There can even be yoga retreats within the city where you don’t necessarily have to escape outside. We came from Istanbul to Kaz Mountains to experience a different atmosphere and breathe clean air. It’s delightful to escape the chaos of the big city. Last week, I was in Cappadocia, and now I have other cities lined up. I’m planning to do something in Bodrum and another in Kars. I can organize retreats in various places.

In a yoga camp, it’s a space where people with the same goals, mindset, and intentions come together for pleasant conversations but also engage in plenty of yoga practices, meditation, and mental sessions. This, of course, also depends on the instructor of the yoga camp. I now use sound vibrations and offer sound therapies. I’ve incorporated more meditation into the practice. In the past, I focused more on the physical aspects. You can also conduct a fitness camp where you can work out intensely and sweat. However, I’ve observed that providing a balance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wholeness is more effective, and people feel much more relaxed. I am the same way. You not only release that fatigue but also boost your energy.

When you go to a retreat, the accommodation typically lasts at least three days, with an average of seven days. We did it over the weekend, from Friday to Sunday, because many people work, so they can take time for themselves on weekends. There are also three-day camps with two nights of accommodation.

I always include outdoor walks in the camp, regardless of the weather. We take walks in Kaz Mountains with plenty of oxygen. There’s walking, and there’s yoga. In the past, I used to do strict detox programs, but I’ve relaxed that a bit now. We have a nutrition program that focuses on vegan and vegetarian options, with very little red meat, but we do include white meat and fish. We can offer herbal tea, and for those who want it, coffee as well. I don’t want to pressure people too much, especially those who are not ready for it. There’s no need to impose a diet they are not accustomed to, as there are many steps to take. First, they should get accustomed to yoga and meditation. Everything will come together in their journey over time when they are ready.

I also believe that in yoga camps, those who are meant to be there will come. Sometimes, just two days before the camp, something happens, or someone suddenly sees the camp and thinks, “Oh, I should go,” and signs up on the last day, finding a flight from another city. I experience this often, which is why I let things flow. The right people, energies, and spirits come together. People leave with beautiful friendships and connections. Generally, these camps can become addictive; participants follow the upcoming camps and continue to come. In each camp, in every yoga session, even as an instructor, I experience a different awareness and deepening. That’s why I highly recommend it.

Yes, absolutely. So, you closely follow trends in the world. One new ceremony that I learned about from your social media channel is the Cacao Ceremony. What does this mean? Can you explain it in detail?

Yes, the cacao ceremony is a trend worldwide. It’s a trend for companies as well as for those interested in spiritual practices. It originated from South America. Last year, I participated in a cacao ceremony with a foreign instructor. It was an English cacao ceremony with mostly foreign participants. Intentions were spoken aloud; I expressed my intention, and I felt a sudden closeness with the strangers around me through eye contact. It was interesting because when you are in this field, you tend to look at things technically, wondering what is happening. I tried to perceive the structure as if it were a lesson. Then I became curious, researched it, and took an online training. At that time, I was in Bodrum and learned from a Mexican shaman. He didn’t even speak English, but I took the online training with written translation. If you are a yoga instructor or if you conduct practices in this area and have guidance skills, you can adapt much more easily.

Cacao is a sacred drink; in ancient times, during the Mayan era, it was known as the drink of the gods. It is obtained from cacao beans, but it is not like the chocolate we know. The cacao plant produces the beans, which are peeled and processed. It reached Europe in the 1500s and became a drink that nobles and kings consumed to boost their energy. Today, there are industrial chocolate brands, but we can still find cacao from South America. First, I find raw cacao for the ceremony, and I am actually the person who opens that mystical space, that sacred guidance area with the participants—this can be 5, 20, or even 30 people. I prepare the cacao with various mantras, depending on how it flows within me. The cacao comes in a mass form and is very bitter, as we refer to it as raw cacao. There is a process of grating and cutting it. Then, various spices and intentions are added. I infuse it with beautiful energy and call for sacred guidance. After that, I present it to the participants in generally cup-less bowls; I have bamboo cups that I use. We connect the individuals with cacao through meditation. To help everyone enter that energy, it’s a very mystical journey, and the participants genuinely connect to that energy. Unconditional love flows, like a mother’s affection—a very feminine, nurturing, and loving energy. Happiness and joy flow to the extent that they can’t hold back their tears. You express your intentions clearly, and it blends with the intentions of others. There’s no guarantee for this, but it really happens; I’ve witnessed it many times. Within 24 hours, or even within one or two hours, you can see your intentions manifest.

This ceremony is conducted with great attention to measurements. There is music that aims to balance the heartbeat. If you want, you can dance, and you can move your body freely. It is done according to the guidance of the ceremony practitioner with yoga and meditation. I am a professional presenter, and I work as a host on television and at events. I have also become a cacao ceremony master, which I really enjoy. At the end of the ceremony, you hold hands and establish eye contact, a ceremony where guidance flows without words. You end it with great happiness, but this is not something that can be done at any moment; it needs to be planned in advance. I will also do it from time to time because there is a lot of demand, so please follow the dates.