Mighty Yogi of the Month: October 2015

Hi, I’m Beth and This Is How I Kick Asana!

Name: Beth Orenstein

Occupation: Firefighter/EMT

Favorite yoga pose: Standing balance poses- I love the focus required, and I feel like a figure skater!

Yoga is… Transformational. I can walk in to a class feeling tired, angry, or sad and within minutes, as the sweat and breathing begin to flow, everything gets cleared away. I leave class full of clear, positive energy.

What do you love most about yoga? The combination of challenge and calm, strength and relaxation, and the way the practice affects my daily life

What fuels you? The magic of nature, traveling, growing and eating great food, music, the love of family and community

My NON-guilty pleasure is… Being underwater exploring a tropical reef.

What makes you Mighty? My adventurous spirit and empathetic nature

What’s your yoga story? How did you start practicing? I have explored yoga for a long time- at least 35 years.  I realized that whenever I was at the gym, I always enjoyed the yoga classes best.  Five years ago, when I was doing a 7 day, 500 mile bike tour, the daily, post-cycling yoga classes kept me going.  I ditched the gym for Mighty Yoga about 2 years ago and have really seen some amazing positive changes- I feel stronger, more flexible, and more relaxed.  It really keeps those aches and pains at bay and gives me a sense of stability that nothing at the gym has ever given me.

If you had a super power what would it be and why? Either flying or breathing underwater. Sometimes I just want to shed the heaviness of my body and float in air or water. Thankfully, technology has given us the opportunity to almost do both.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Follow your heart. Life is too short to be sidetracked by the things everyone else wants you to do.