My Journey
MARYANN BECKMAN-BERMAN, M.Ed
At the suggestion of my dear sister, Fran, I took my first yoga class in 1997 with her and my Mom at Wright Community College in Chicago and was immediately hooked. Through the years I continued to take yoga classes while working full-time and moving up the corporate ladder. However, the more I learned about the rich history of this ancient practice, and the more I applied these techniques to my life, I was called to spread the word on the incredible benefits Yoga and Ayurveda provide. Knowledge of what we are made of at the core - Air, Space, Fire, Water, and Earth, forever changed my view of health and disease. With death and chronic disease all around me, how can I not share this with others when at one time I, too, had no idea of its importance to every aspect of life itself and now feel like I won the lottery! I could never deny anyone this basic life information like the British did when they overtook India and outlawed its practice. This profound shift in consciousness equates to a better understanding of yourself, others, and the world around you. It is applicable to people from all faiths and backgrounds . I would have gladly welcomed this common-sense approach to discussions surrounding health issues when I was in high school. I am on a mission to share this with others who have no idea why this understanding is desperately needed in every classroom today.
Watching my own life improve in so many ways when I practiced yoga and connected to my heart, I knew I was being guided to serve others in a different capacity. Growing up with a standard American diet and having a body full of toxins from food and chemical sensitivities, working late hours regularly, I rarely got a nourishing meal or a decent night's sleep. Exhaustion and digestive issues were all I knew. Running on adrenals I would have energy bursts and then periods of pure exhaustion simply from doing too much and needed to recharge a lot! I knew I needed to get to the root cause and not just pop a pill.
Fast forward to today where I have connected many of the dots in my life. With immense gratitude for the understanding and healing benefits Ayurveda and Yoga provide, I want to share what I have come to learn from this ageless wisdom with those seeking greater comfort and ease at this time to bring about optimal health and well-being on every level --physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and socially.
Even 5,000 years ago, people were eating the wrong foods, at the wrong times and in the wrong quantities, and could not concentrate long enough to sit still and find peace within. This is why the physical practice with poses or asanas was created and America has only scratched the surface of the deeper science of yoga. My great grandparents in Kerala, India practiced Ayurveda and I am honored to be among those whose obligation, dharma, and duty is to spread this knowledge to all corners of the world to foster greater understanding. With understanding comes acceptance, tolerance, and peace.
Anyone who understands fire is always hot, water is always wet, and the air is always lighter than the earth can become an alchemist and flow more easily through all the seasons of life. My dear Ayurveda teacher, Patricia Layton, explained that if Ayurveda is meant for you, it will find you. Likewise, if you are reading this bio about me, regardless of how you came to this website, I trust Ayurveda, the wisdom of life, is calling you now to address lifestyle changes from an elemental perspective.
I took a huge leap forward to pursue my dreams and left the corporate world in 2008 after 15 years in the marketing and meeting planning arena after completing a Yoga Alliance 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2007 at Total Body Yoga in Mundelein, Illinois with Silvia Mordini and Wendy Dahl. In 2009, I completed a 300-hour program at Kanyakumari Ayurveda Education Center in Milwaukee with Patricia Layton to become a Certified Ayurveda Educator (CAE) and with Corinna Maharani for Panchakarma Technician training. I also completed an Advanced Ayurveda Educator program with Pat at Bhavana Institute in LaGrange, Illinois in 2010. I attended an RYT-500 program at Universal Spirit Yoga with Poonam Gupta in 2015 and also mentored her 2016 RYT-200 and 2017 RYT-500 teacher training programs. In 2019 I earned a Masters of Education in Health and Wellness from the American College of Education.
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I love sharing all of yoga, the history, the philosophy, and its sister science, Ayurveda with others, not just the poses. I have been teaching yoga at studios, gyms, community centers, businesses, schools, and private homes, as an independent contractor since 2007 throughout Chicagoland. From 2010-2020 I taught at the College of Lake County in Grayslake, Illinois. In August of 2021, I opened Healthy Spirals Yoga Ayurveda Meditation in Des Plaines, IL. In 2024, I was invited to begin teaching at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago. I am truly honored.
Combining the latest technology and ancient wisdom, I welcome the opportunity to help you and others journey toward greater health, balance, and peace. This knowledge is OUR birthright and I vow to do my part until the words Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are just as well known as yoga is today!
With sincere appreciation,
Maryann
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