In my late twenties, I shattered my left ankle. It was reconstructed, 10 pins and a titanium plate, but the prognosis was arthritis and limited range of motion. I attended my first yoga training to develop a deeper understanding of the practice while working to prevent a lifetime of joint pain.
My first teacher, Beth Beigler, combined Iyengar inspired asana with a Body Mind Centering approach. Deeper than that, Beth taught subtle anatomy, Hindu mythology and Ayurveda. This colourful, textured adventure started to unfold beneath the layers of the asana and I was hooked.
My interest in injury led me to an advanced Yoga Therapy training in Colorado at the Rocky Mountain Institute for Yoga and Ayurveda with Mukunda Styles. While studying in Boulder, I discovered Richard Freeman’s Yoga Workshop. There, Troy Lucero contributed an Ashtanga foundational layer, an interest in modifications and a quiet spirituality to my practice.
That privileged year of travelling and training ended in Rikiapeeth, a Satyananda ashram in Bihar, India. We studied the kriyas, meditation and yoga nidra but the primary focus was seva, serving the local villages. The insights gained here added a fullness to my understanding of what yoga is.
Limping through that yoga door on my broken ankle marked a paradigm shift in my life. There were suddenly so many new directions to explore. At the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York, I investigated the relationship between gut heath and the mind-body complex. When I settled in Ireland, I added perinatal training to my practice, qualified as a massage therapist and became a Pilates teacher.
While growing my business, we were also growing a family. Parenting was all of the wonderful things that I had imagined it would be. It is also so many hard things that we don’t talk about enough. I was ready for it. I love it. And, like a lot of us, I am really challenged by it.
The early days felt like a path of dominoes set in motion. Life sped along and I was just keeping up, knowing that I was not fully present in the way that I wanted to be. When the boys entered primary school, I found a bit of space for myself and another door opened. This time I ran through it.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindful Parenting courses offered stability in a continuously changing landscape. More importantly they helped me put the focus on the small but joyous moments that quietly slip past in all of the business. The Mindfulness in Schools’ .b program fit neatly into my yoga work with secondary school kids and was a natural segue into the MSc in Mindfulness Based Interventions at UCD where I could further my work with adults.
Bringing mindfulness to my own life helps me to manage stress and conflict in the home, facilitate better relationships and create more ease and joy in family life. I’m passionate about bringing these skills to my community through classes, courses, talks and events.
"Truly fantastic. Really enjoyed it. It was so wonderfully facilitated, well presented and prepared. Michele was incredibly skilled, gentle and encouraging. She is an excellent listener and gave thoughtful responses to every single person"Niamh Nic Carthaigh (10/10)
"Thank you for such a positive introduction to mindfulness. I have been meditating every day since we finished the course. It’s now a part of my life and part of who I am. You are transforming lives, Michele."Janice M, Mindfulness for Parents
"Michelle is excellent at making the concept of Mindfulness in the Classroom a practical reality. I would recommend getting Michelle in to any school and let her work her magic."Patsy McCaughey, Deputy Principal, Educational Psychologist
"She has a great way of walking you through the motions ensuring that you are doing all the moves correctly whilst challenging yourself to take your practice to the next level. "Deirdre Fahy, Head of HR Royal College of Surgeons
"...just the right balance of sincere, thoughtful, intelligent and humorous! The structure of the sessions was great, never boring."Nikki Fitsgerald (9/10)
"1.5 hours was perfect. The informality of the class was great. Zoom did work! I really liked the book too."Anon, Mindfulness for Parents
"We see Michele as a valued member of our school staff. Ever since her arrival here as a Yoga and Mindfulness teacher, she has impressed us greatly with her enthusiasm, professionalism and dedication."Philip Wallace Deputy Principal, Terenure College
"She is the reason I have stuck with yoga and will continue to do so as long as she is around"Olivia Burke
"Michele’s session with our staff was one of the most enjoyable CPD sessions we have undertaken in our school."Lorcan Coyle, Principal St Pius X BNS
"It changed my life. The course has improved my interaction with my family and I am going to be kinder to myself"Fionnoula Cullen (9/10)
"Through her support I gained the clarity & composure that I needed in my practice & thanks to Michele I sailed through my Yoga Teacher Training exam but it was her supportive attitude that I found most inspiring."Brenda Palmer
"The overwhelming response from our students was positive. The techniques that Michele taught them enables them to manage both academic stress and stress in their personal and sporting lives"Brendan O’Callaghan, Fifth Year Form Master, Terenure College
"Every single aspect of the sessions are way beyond what I expected. I find the relaxation at the end of each session one of the most beneficial experiences of any exercise regime I have ever followed."Clodagh Dillon
"Michele's suggested activities were practical and and very 'do-able' in a primary school setting. This coupled with Michele's own easy manner and openness made the day a very enjoyable and informative one."Triona O’Niell Wellness Coordinator, St Pius X BNS
"My stress levels have reduced. I feel calmer and more content. My home life feels calmer as a result. I’m not as stressed about work. Life has slowed down and its really good."Adrienne Lee (10/10)
I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.Hafiz