Teacher Feature: Morgan Merrihew
Teacher Feature of the Month: Morgan Merrihew
Morgan’s Classes:
WED: 7-8 am, Kripalu I/II:
SUN: 4:30-5:30 pm, subbing Des-Stress Yoga for Patrick through March 21
1. EVO: How did you become a yoga teacher?
MM: In my second year of college, after changing majors twice I was not satisfied with the road that I was traveling down and I needed a change. I then planned to take a year off of school to try to re-align my goals and aspirations with who I am. During the last year of attending Champlain College I had been taking their yoga classes they provided to the students and was inspired by the teacher. She had mentioned she had trained at Kripalu. Kripalu- a then foreign name, began to start popping up more and more as the months went on. I started taking more Kripalu classes at Evolution and the final sign to be a yoga teacher came to me. In the middle of a Saturday morning class wonderful Jane Jarecki Lanza purposed to the class “If you don’t like your job, become a yoga instructor” Bingo! After planning accordingly I resigned from my sandwich serving post in downtown Burlington and spent a month training at Kripalu. Bliss has followed.
2. EVO: Who do you think can most benefit from yoga?
MM: I think there are a lot of people that can benefit from yoga. There is a big under-served population in our area that could use some peace and contentment in their lives. Lower income populations, one-parent families, disabled populations the list can go on.I have been a yoga instructor for the Howard Center for a year now and I find that nothing has been more rewarding than giving a disabled class space for movement, laughter, and especially trust. I have seen great advancement in personalities, strength, and joy from experiencing yoga once a week.
4. EVO: If you could do yoga with anyone, who would it be?
MM: I would love to do yoga with Margaret Burns Vap. She is the founder of Big Sky Retreats out in Montana and hosts a Cowgirl Yoga Retreat. She leads the retreat on and off horseback and allows the yogi/horseback rider to deepen their horse/human connection and improve their overall well-being. The thought of finding bliss with yourself is wonderful, however being able to connect with a strong powerful animal like the horse has the potential to be mind blowing. We as humans are animals and finding a link to other four legged animals can help encourage a feeling of wholesomeness and awareness that we are all one living and breathing earth.