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
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.