MARIA
LAUGHTER YOGA COACH
516-524-5979
Mariyogarasa@gmail.com
You can also follow my Yoga practice at
www.Mariyogarasa.com
Certified RYT 200, LVCYT
Hatha, Vinyasa, Chair Yoga for group or private sessions.
About Me :
*2013*
I am happily married to my teenage sweetheart and we have two wonderful teenage boys who have taught me more life lessons then I ever thought possible in such a short amount of time. Both my husband and I come from large Italian families who are very big on holidays, birthdays etc. We seem to always find something to get together for and celebrate. Most of my childhood memories are all about good times, silliness, laughter, dancing and family.
Several years ago my mother suddenly got ill together with other circumstances which altered our mind frame. We all shared some fear of the unknown as she was never properly diagnosed with anything in particular. Every part of her body was in extreme pain. Within a few days she could barely walk and needed help with everyday living. I spent almost 2 years on a mission researching ways to help her by seeing specialist, nutritionist, physical therapists etc. lots of tests, procedures, cures, different diets, supplements, you name it we did it. It was draining and very time consuming. To date she still does not know what had taken over her body at that time. However, I am happy to say that she has improved tremendously and she feels blessed to have regained some of her health and freedom back.
At the time all this was happening the joy in our lives had decreased and we were all so sad and felt helpless watching her suffer. We lost our sense of humor and our laughter. In caring for my mother less time was spent at home with my boys and it was taking a toll on me and them.
On my quest to regain some happiness I happened to stumble across Laughter Yoga and I was extremely intrigued. I went into Manhattan to take a class and I was automatically hooked. I started my research on it and was amazed about the health benefits that come from daily laughter. It heals, it motivates, builds confidence, one session burns about 300 calories, brings joy back into your life and most of all it brings communities together. You find yourself comfortable and connected with people you have never met before at every class. A few months later I decided to get certified to be a laughter yoga leader and bring laughter back to all our lives and the lives of others. This is my mission now and I hope to spread as much laughter as I can.
I live to laugh and I'm laughing to live :)
"HAPPINESS IS 50% GENETICS, 10% LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES AND 40% IS UP TO YOU!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 2015 -
This year has been a real tough one. My 12 year old Godson GP was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and it was extremely sad to watch him go through it, however he's doing very well and his way to recovery and amazingly has kept a great and positive attitude through it all.
I also lost one of the most important people in my life just recently. The first man I ever loved, MY FATHER. He was very dear and special to me and probably one of the strongest people I will ever meet. The strength he showed this past year trying to fight his battle with cancer was something to be admired. Until the end he hardly complained of his pain which we all knew he had a tremendous amount of . He will be missed by everyone that knew him and will never be forgotten.
I now know that I would have not had the courage and strength to carry on the way I'm doing if I did not practice laughter yoga or use the tools that I have been trained to use to get through this time that is by far much more difficult than my experience with my mother's pain in 2013 at which time I decided to get certified and become a laughter coach.
In memory and honor of my dad I will continue on my journey to help others as well as myself to grow and handle the obstacles that come our way the best we can. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!
"PEOPLE WHO NEED PEOPLE ARE THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- SEPTEMBER, 2016 -
SADLY I HAVE JUST LOST ONE OF MY BIGGEST MENTORS, GURU, SPIRITUAL LEADER, VISHWA PRAKASH. HE WAS THE LAUGHTER YOGA COACH THAT TRAINED ME AND CHANGED MY LIFE IN MANY WAYS. BECAUSE OF VISHWA I WAS ABLE TO MEET DR. KATARIA, FOUNDER OF LAUGHTER YOGA HERE IN NEW YORK RATHER THAN GO TO INDIA WHICH I WAS PLANNING ON DOING IN ORDER TO EVENTUALLY MEET HIM. I WAS ABLE TO SPEND A WHOLE AFTERNOON CHIT CHATTING WITH THESE TWO GREAT MEN, DR. KATARIA'S WIFE AND A FEW OTHER LAUGHTER LEADERS WHICH I ADMIRE AS WELL. WE HAD TEA TOGETHER, SOME LAUGHS AND GREAT CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL REMAIN WITH ME AS WONDERFUL MEMORIES FOREVER.
REST IN PEACE MY DEAR FRIEND! YOUR SMILE LIT UP A ROOM! YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUL AND SPIRIT WILL BE MISSED IN THIS PHYSICAL WORLD! UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.........
PS..........THANKS FOR ALL THE LAUGHS!
Several years ago my mother suddenly got ill together with other circumstances which altered our mind frame. We all shared some fear of the unknown as she was never properly diagnosed with anything in particular. Every part of her body was in extreme pain. Within a few days she could barely walk and needed help with everyday living. I spent almost 2 years on a mission researching ways to help her by seeing specialist, nutritionist, physical therapists etc. lots of tests, procedures, cures, different diets, supplements, you name it we did it. It was draining and very time consuming. To date she still does not know what had taken over her body at that time. However, I am happy to say that she has improved tremendously and she feels blessed to have regained some of her health and freedom back.
At the time all this was happening the joy in our lives had decreased and we were all so sad and felt helpless watching her suffer. We lost our sense of humor and our laughter. In caring for my mother less time was spent at home with my boys and it was taking a toll on me and them.
On my quest to regain some happiness I happened to stumble across Laughter Yoga and I was extremely intrigued. I went into Manhattan to take a class and I was automatically hooked. I started my research on it and was amazed about the health benefits that come from daily laughter. It heals, it motivates, builds confidence, one session burns about 300 calories, brings joy back into your life and most of all it brings communities together. You find yourself comfortable and connected with people you have never met before at every class. A few months later I decided to get certified to be a laughter yoga leader and bring laughter back to all our lives and the lives of others. This is my mission now and I hope to spread as much laughter as I can.
I live to laugh and I'm laughing to live :)
"HAPPINESS IS 50% GENETICS, 10% LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES AND 40% IS UP TO YOU!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 2015 -
This year has been a real tough one. My 12 year old Godson GP was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and it was extremely sad to watch him go through it, however he's doing very well and his way to recovery and amazingly has kept a great and positive attitude through it all.
I also lost one of the most important people in my life just recently. The first man I ever loved, MY FATHER. He was very dear and special to me and probably one of the strongest people I will ever meet. The strength he showed this past year trying to fight his battle with cancer was something to be admired. Until the end he hardly complained of his pain which we all knew he had a tremendous amount of . He will be missed by everyone that knew him and will never be forgotten.
I now know that I would have not had the courage and strength to carry on the way I'm doing if I did not practice laughter yoga or use the tools that I have been trained to use to get through this time that is by far much more difficult than my experience with my mother's pain in 2013 at which time I decided to get certified and become a laughter coach.
In memory and honor of my dad I will continue on my journey to help others as well as myself to grow and handle the obstacles that come our way the best we can. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER!
"PEOPLE WHO NEED PEOPLE ARE THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- SEPTEMBER, 2016 -
SADLY I HAVE JUST LOST ONE OF MY BIGGEST MENTORS, GURU, SPIRITUAL LEADER, VISHWA PRAKASH. HE WAS THE LAUGHTER YOGA COACH THAT TRAINED ME AND CHANGED MY LIFE IN MANY WAYS. BECAUSE OF VISHWA I WAS ABLE TO MEET DR. KATARIA, FOUNDER OF LAUGHTER YOGA HERE IN NEW YORK RATHER THAN GO TO INDIA WHICH I WAS PLANNING ON DOING IN ORDER TO EVENTUALLY MEET HIM. I WAS ABLE TO SPEND A WHOLE AFTERNOON CHIT CHATTING WITH THESE TWO GREAT MEN, DR. KATARIA'S WIFE AND A FEW OTHER LAUGHTER LEADERS WHICH I ADMIRE AS WELL. WE HAD TEA TOGETHER, SOME LAUGHS AND GREAT CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL REMAIN WITH ME AS WONDERFUL MEMORIES FOREVER.
REST IN PEACE MY DEAR FRIEND! YOUR SMILE LIT UP A ROOM! YOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUL AND SPIRIT WILL BE MISSED IN THIS PHYSICAL WORLD! UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.........
PS..........THANKS FOR ALL THE LAUGHS!
