Who is Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth Sheehan Thai Yoga Instructor
When I decided I was ready to quit smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, I had to find something to replace that addiction. I hated aerobic activities, so I picked yoga. I figured I could still watch TV in the evenings, but instead of sitting on the couch smoking, I could open Power Yoga by Beryl Bender Birch and work through the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series. I eventually got brave enough to attend a class at a local college rec center.
No incense, no chanting, no mystery, just the postures and the breath.
The benefits of quitting smoking were immediate, as were the benefits of flexibility and strength. The knee and back problems that began in junior high school and that I thought would be with me for life started to fade. My back hurt less often and with less intensity. I could walk up an entire flight of stairs without my knee hurting. Having less pain kept me motivated.
I wanted to learn more, practice more, feel better.
I attended a teacher training, then another, and more workshops, and more trainings. I have over 375 hours of training in Thai Yoga and over 600 hours of hands-on experience. My first Thai Yoga teacher, Mukti Michael Buck, travels the world to share this beautiful art. His teacher, Anthony James, hosts 200-hour trainings in his home in Florida. I have been blessed to study with both of these masters.
I hold a 200-hour certificate in Integral Hatha Yoga teacher training from Sonia Sumar, who is also the founder of Yoga for the Special Child® I have also taken teacher trainings with David Swenson for Ashtanga Yoga, Shakta Kaur Khalsa with her Radiant Child Program. My favorite workshops include those with Dharma Mittra and Edward Clark of Tripsichore Yoga.
By starting each session listening to the breath, I help my clients become more aware of themselves – physically, emotionally, and mentally. This simple technique of assisting others to pay attention to what their bodies need at a given moment and to honor their bodies has proven to be transformative. Watching such transformations unfold is the joy of my work.
As a Vedic Conservatory Instructor, a Certified Thai Practitioner, and a licensed Yoga for the Special Child® Practitioner, I work with children and adults of all levels of ability, honoring the healing process as it unfolds.
Whether in a group class or in a private session, I work with the body as it is today. I respect your current situation without judgment or expectation, and I encourage you to do the same.
