Wisconsin Life

>> I teach yoga at the Studio in Madison, Wisconsin. What I try to bring to my classroom is more of that meditative stillness to slow down our minds and to relax our thoughts. But it was actually a terrible accident that brought me to yoga. The shoes that I'm wearing today are the same shoes that I had when I was in the accident. So they've been with me a long time. I knew I was going to get hit. It was there, right in this moment is where I got hit. I remember my body being hit on the top of the roof of the car. And I remember waking up and looking at the traffic that was coming for me. So, I knew I was alive and I knew that my life would change. I was in misery a long time. I owe my recovery to yoga. That bike accident changed my life for the better. I was able to further my practice when I moved to Thailand to teach English. I would walk into a classroom that was a temple every day. One of the most amazing places to visit in Madison is definitely Olbrich Gardens. And the one place that I am always drawn into is the Thai Pavilion. When I became a teacher in Thailand, I knew that Thailand would be a place that I would fall in love with. There, I didn't have a lot of distractions. And I had a lot of time. Because I didn't have a choice, I didn't know the language, I was forced, in a way, to just have to sit in silence a lot of the time, even through a practice. It really changed over time. At the end of the class I realized I was in a state of bliss, of calmness, and of compassion. Life became easier then. It's really about coming into that place where you accept yourself for who you are. Then I was ready to come home. I never envisioned as a child that I would be back in my hometown teaching at a community center. I feel like I've grown up. What a wonderful thing to take your practice from the indoors, outdoors. Three summers ago, I learned how to paddleboard. There was an instructor who knew I taught yoga. And she said, "Wow, Maureen, wouldn't it be great if you could teach yoga on the paddleboard?" And I thought, "No, that's not possible, how could you do yoga on a paddleboard?" And it kind of excited me to a sense of, well, I wonder, could that be done? Such a playful fun thing to do. It was a lot easier than I thought. Practicing stand-up paddleboard is a great teacher. It becomes a part of you. You're connecting with nature. So you see the clouds laying down on your back. You feel the wind being an element of a challenge when you're on the paddleboard. I'm continuing to grow and to learn as a teacher. I find what is the best part about being a yoga teacher is really sharing the wisdom of what you have learned, not only in your own life, but to also share it with the rest of the world. Namaste.