Have You Met Maria Hettinga?

What originally brought you to yoga?

I was drawn to yoga because of the attention it requires. My first deep dive was in 2008, when I

enrolled in a hatha course taught by Christie Hall, an amazing Iyengar teacher at Riverside

Community College in Riverside, CA. I had no idea what I was getting into; the course was

nothing like the yoga I had experienced at the gym. Initially I was overwhelmed by the teacher’s

detail-oriented instruction. Once I let the alignment-focused teaching sink in, I discovered that it

resonated deep in my being. This yoga was not merely an exercise in body mechanics; rather it

brought my body and mind together in a new, deliberate way.

In 2015 I was living in Fort Collins and going through a very challenging chapter in my life. So I

committed to a meditation practice. And still I longed for something more. This led me to sign up

for my first RYT 200 teaching training with vinyasa master Andrea Bilderback and the late

Michael Lloyd Billington. I learned so much from these two generous, brilliant teachers. In 2019 I

completed a second RYT 200 with another dynamic duo of yoga virtuosity–Stacey Swerer and

Matt Dolezal.

I continue to soak in yoga from various lineages. I’ve taken several workshops with Desirée

Rumbaugh, a phenomenal teacher with roots in Iyengar and Anusara yoga. And I regularly

practice with Be Free’s renowned superstar, Melanie Lighthouser, as well as a host of the other

gifted teachers.

What are you finding most inspiring in your life right now?

Working with textiles! I’ve recently returned to making art using my sewing machine. I’ve been

making abstract designs on cloth napkins. Most of my other artwork is in printmaking, painting,

drawing, photography, and collage.

What teacher has made the biggest impact on your life?

My sister Carla. She generously offers her attention, follows a spiritual path, and points me in

the right direction.

What's something people might not know about you?

I speak Spanish and am learning French and Italian. Don’t be surprised if you hear “un, deux,

trois” or “uno, due, tre” in class!

What's one thing that you think most folks don't know about the yogic path?

There are no requirements to practicing yoga. You don’t have to be flexible, fit, or healthy. You

don’t have to be spiritual. You don’t have to leave any religion or belief system behind. Just

come as you are!

Yoga simply means union of mind, body, and spirit. Some folks strengthen this union by

practicing asana, meaning the physical poses we do in a typical yoga class. Others work on the

union through meditation, prayer, breathwork, serving others, making music, dancing, and/or

other practices. However we align the mind, body, and spirit is great