Get to Know a New Camyoga Student
Every month we will have a "get to know section" of the blog where we find out a little bit more about a student or teacher. It's a way to learn more about the people you see in the studio and on the mat next to you. This month we get to know Marion Poerio, a new student to Camyoga, who has found her way to us after discovering yoga at LaFitness.
Name: Marion Age: 24 Occupation: Teacher
What brought you to yoga?
I ‘found’ yoga about five months ago after going through a pretty bad time in my life. Like most people, I found myself living in the fast lane without pausing for breath and inevitably burned myself out. Yoga was always something I had wanted to try, perhaps for the wrong reasons (“I want to do the splits”, “I want to lose weight and not have to put too much effort in”, “I want to be one of those cool people that ‘do yoga’”), so I seized the day and went to a class. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, that day was a massive turning point.
Yoga has changed my life. It has helped me to re-balance and centre myself, to become more accepting and forgiving, to reacquaint my mind and body, to be gentle and kind to myself, to smile through the pain, to make friends with my inner critic, to discover the power of the breath. And these are just some of benefits it has had on my mind. The physical benefits are also miraculous. If I continue I’ll never stop…
What do you do when you are not doing yoga?
As I’m still in the process of recovery, I’m not currently working as a Primary school teacher like I was beforehand. So on the rare occasion that I’m not immersed body, mind and soul in yoga, I am either nose deep in a good book (so many books, so little time), working on my proofreading course or trying (I repeat; trying) to write a novel. I also practice mindfulness meditation on a daily basis which ties in perfectly with yoga.
What is your favorite yoga pose and why?
This is like asking a mother which of her children is her favourite. I couldn’t possibly choose. However, I find both the mountain pose (Tadasana) and greeting pose (Namaste) incredibly powerful. Standing in Tadasana creates such a stable energy that roots you to the earth, while Namaste channels grace and gratitude and encourages a sense of inner peace that is truly uplifting.
What is your least favorite yoga pose and why?
I try not to dislike any yoga pose; negative energy really doesn’t have a place in the ethos of yoga. Of course, there are those poses which are more challenging (some actually seem impossible) but these poses more than any, need to be the ones that I embrace and learn to love. It is so tempting to dislike the yoga poses you find difficult but I am trying to silence my inner critic, listen to my body, and let it ease itself into those poses when the time is right. Smiling always helps too!
What is one quality you have taken off the mat and incorporated into your daily life?
Balance. Love. Lots of love. Sorry, that’s two.
An interesting fact about me that you may not know is…
... I can make roses out of paper napkins. Not quite on a par with turning water into wine but at least it looks pretty.