"Keep knocking, and the JOY inside
Will eventually open a window
And look out to see who's there."
Rumi
About
“May my eyes be never blinded by the surface of things; may my heart be kneaded soft and yielding by life’s trials; may I graciously surrender to the mysterious unfolding of my own life.” - an excerpt from The Little Chest of Ready Blessings by Maria
Yoga has supported my life for the past 17 years through all its ups and downs. As an immigrant from Hungary, the mother of five wonderful sons, and one who was there for herself on every step of her healing journey from a bout of depression brought on by terrifying intrusive thoughts after the birth of my third son; my life is a testimony to the healing power of yogic practices and how they reconnect one with their inherent wisdom, resilience and resourcefulness in the face of life’s challenges. Yoga has proved my fundamental belief that we already have everything within us to survive and thrive on our human journey.
So, why not get curious about this sense of wholeness and begin to explore it and live it? Curiosity, patience, and perseverance are all needed to embark upon this journey into the mystery of your being. Explore it through movement and stillness, through sound and silence, and through lots and lots of self-inquiry. The reward is a deep connection to yourself and to Life itself. Peace with Life as it is.
Originally a teacher of English and Russian Languages from Hungary, I came to Canada more than twenty years ago to be with my Canadian husband whom I met while we were both studying in Russia. Building our life together and fueled by a shared adventurous spirit, we spent almost a decade living in the Canadian Arctic. Of all places, it was in the Arctic that I took my first yoga class on a large towel, in place of a yoga mat, on the linoleum floor of Arctic College.
My practice started out in a most simple way and to this day I value simplicity: show up each day and make your practice relevant to YOUR life so it can support your ever-changing needs and circumstances and it can support you in tending to what you need to tend to in life.
Throughout my many years of practice and teaching, my passion has been yoga for mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Fueled by deep curiosity and the desire to equip myself with the transformative tools of this ancient practice - both for myself and my students, I have attended numerous trainings and workshops pertaining to mental and emotional health. Some are as follows: Life Force Yoga® for Managing Moods with Amy Weintraub, Yoga for Emotional Balance with Bo Forbes, Yoga for Depression Teacher Training, Yoga for Anxiety Workshop, and Yoga for Chronic Stress Workshop through Esther Myers Yoga Studio.
I am also a Certified iRest® Yoga Nidra Meditation Teacher. iRest is a form of meditative self-inquiry that research shows effectively reduces PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and chemical dependency; while increasing health, resiliency and well-being. It is a body centered, guided meditation practice for self-regulation and self-care that focuses on physical, psychological and spiritual health.
My curiosity also led me to explore the practice of Mudras (ancient healing hand gestures). I studied the practice of Mudras, their therapeutic applications and the practice of Mudras with Crystals with with Sabrina Mesko PhD. I am a Certified Mudra/Hand Yoga Teacher.
I also hold a Certificate in teaching Restorative Yoga and Yoga for Kids and Families.
One passionate mama in the kitchen, I love feeding my tribe and filling the tummies and nourishing the souls of our five children with yummy dishes from fresh ingredients.
One of my favourite pastimes is drawing in my own comforting, meditative style that I call meditations in ink. My book, The Little Chest of Ready Blessings is the creative outlet of my healing journey from depression.
I love to ride my bike and spend time outdoors to soak up the Light.
I am currently continuing my study of the application of yogic tools for health, healing and resilience through the Advanced Training at the Soul of Yoga Institute (Encinitas, California) that weaves together the best, most relevant yoga teachings from the most respected Master Yoga teachers and authors in the world: Dr Richard Miller, Leslie Kaminoff, Flossie Parks. Amy Weintraub.
My offerings
iRest Meditation
"Life is both dreadful and wonderful. To practice meditation is to be in touch with both aspects." Thich Nhat Hanh Integrative Restoration, or iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation is a modern-day secular adaptation of the ancient healing practice of Yoga Nidra. The 10-step iRest protocol was developed by Dr Richard Miller, PhD, a world-renowned spiritual teacher, yogic scholar, and clinical psychologist. iRest is a form of meditative self-inquiry that research shows effectively reduces PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and chemical dependency; while increasing health, resiliency and well-being. It is a body centered, guided meditation practice for self-regulation and self-care that focuses on physical, psychological and spiritual health. iRest nourishes qualities such as joy, peacefulness, empathy, forgiveness, patience and loving-kindness toward yourself and others. iRest is an evidence based healing modality useful for people of any cultural background or experience. It can be done in a group or individual setting and is most often practiced lying down, however, one is always invited to find the most supportive position for the meditation. iRest provides you with tools to help you relax deeply, release stress, increase resiliency, improve your interpersonal relationships and provide you with greater mastery and control in your life. Contact me for a private session for yourself or a group session for your organization.
Dyad Co-meditation
"The land of healing lies within; radiant with the happiness that is blindly sought in a thousand outer directions." Swami Vivekananda Dyad Co-meditations are a form of iRest where we meet one-on-one, and welcome everything, just as it is. In this co-meditation, we are learning how to sit face-to-face with ourselves, by sitting face-to-face with another. Simple questions, such as "What is arising in the moment?" What is present now? "Where do you feel that?" keep orienting us to the present moment. A Co-Meditation Dyad is a feeling inquiry where the invitation is always to meet and feel whatever is arising to the degree one can or wants to. By remembering to fully meet each moment , just as it is, integration spontaneously occurs. Contact me for a private session.
Mudra Session
MUDRAS - THE HEALING POWER IN YOUR HANDS "I know a cure for sadness: Let your hands touch something that makes your eyes smile." Mirabai Did you know that our hands and fingers are full of meaning and potent healing energy waiting to be tapped into? Mudras are ancient healing hand gestures that work on our energy body that underlies our physical body. They work by affecting our subtle energy centers called chakras, and energy currents called nadis, as well as our brain centers. They release blocked negative energy and activate a vibrant, healthy energy flow. Mudras strengthen the immune system, balance emotions and aid in mental focus and clarity. They are simple to do, promote self-empowerment and are always at your fingertips. They are a beautiful testimony to our inherent wholeness. Contact me for a private or group Mudra session that can be tailored to your needs.
My book and cards
Contact
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Free Meditations
Events
iRest is a mind-body approach to yogic meditation; a modern-day adaptation of the ancient healing practice of yoga nidra. Scientific trials prove its positive effects on people who are experiencing stress, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, PTSD, and other conditions. To find out more about this transformative form of yogic meditation, go to irest.org
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This iRest Meditation guides you through the intelligent and potent 10-step iRest protocol that has been tested and true. The practice guides you through the layers of consciousness: the physical body, the breath, feelings and emotions, beliefs and memories and Joy, thus setting the stage for feeling out into awareness, our Essential Nature of Timeless, Unconditioned Being. The practice always invites us to make peace with life as it is and to recognize the paradox of being this human with real human experiences and also being this timeless presence, the pure openness of Awareness. Awareness that is unconditioned, always fresh, infinitely resourceful, untouched by life - a capacity we all innately hold within ourselves. iRest is a somatic/feeling meditation; it invites you again and again to draw away from the magnetic pull of the ego mind and to keep feeling into how life is unfolding within you moment to moment. The practice for difficult emotions will incorporate the iRest tools/interventions for the journey of integrating these experiences.
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