Marlene Mawhinney
When I meet someone who cared deeply, someone who listened with compassion, and I was blessed that she became my mentor.
When you work in dept with Hatha Yoga it enhances its therapeutic qualities.
The duration you work within the pose, how you build a practice in sequenses consisting of poses and counterposes, applying weight and building up prana.
Marlene taught me to work deep with these techniques applying the traditions and teachings of BKS and most significantly Geeta Iyengar. She is an inspiration to me ! even today as she still teaches in her studio in Toronto at the age of 82. Still listening - and still warmheartedly embracing the yoga student with love and compassion.
As I am gratefull for the teachings she passed on to me, I am also gratefull for her friendship and her care.
In yoga the student teacher relationship takes inspiration from the tradition of Guru - Sisya (Guru meaning teacher - and Sisya meaning apprentice or disciple).
In western society we seldom apply such devotion and surrender, but the tradition of mentoring students through the teachings of yoga is very much present.
In my life as a mentor and teacher to yoga students and trainees, but also as being a student myself, I have been blessed to have meet such inspiring teachers as well as students with the strenght, the will and the stedfastness but also the openness and the curiosity it takes them to mature into yoga teachers in their own right. Yoga is all about working with the deept of your whole being, not just the body, but with balancing the whole you - mind, body and spirit.
I thank my students of the past, present and the future, as I thank my allways warmhearted teacher Marlene for the inspiration, the teachings and the profound joy of being a student as well as a teacher and I welcome you all to Yoga!
Namasté Mette
