Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Menard Schmahl.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lisa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I vividly remember my first anxiety attack. Fourth grade. Skiles Test Elementary. The walls closed in and my breath left me. Then in my early twenties, I called 911 to report a heart attack that was, luckily, a panic attack. Years of anxiety, depression and mental pain had finally transformed into physical manifestation. My anxiety was out of control, and depression was taking over. I realized in order to overcome these hardships, I had to get real. I had to get help. Anxiety was the defining factor that opened me up to the study of yoga.
I found physical relief through the asana practice and mental resilience by studying the philosophy of yoga. I learned in order to become comfortable in my mind and body, I first had to allow myself to be completely uncomfortable. My yoga journey became a journey of much-needed self-discovery, self-care and greater self-acceptance. I practiced alone for the first few years, afraid to go to a studio, afraid I wasn’t good enough to attend a public class. When I finally stepped away from my feeling of lack and went to a yoga class, I was blown away. This new community was full of caring, like-minded, non-judgmental people who showed me a different side of yoga.
This led to a huge shift in my life, and practice. I stepped fully into this shift and began my teaching journey. I’ve continued to study and train with the best, and recently became Yogamaze certified, making me the 13th teacher worldwide to complete this challenging and thrilling process. Teaching my class allows me to share not only my knowledge but my heart with students. I love teaching and believe in breaking down ideas in a way my students can understand. As a Slovenian, I believe in good, hard work. I also believe in play. Laughter and fun are important in my class. I spent my twenties in a bar… rather, behind a bar.
Bartending requires a keen eye and ability to keep things real, focused and fun while supporting people as they navigate their way through life’s ups and downs. It trained my eyes to see everything and my ears to “hear between the lines”. I recognize the strengths I honed as a bartender are absolutely present in my teaching. Today I serve mantras and mudras instead of martinis. I see past the pose and try to get in depth with my students. In turn, my classes are challenging in an appropriate and supportive manner. My students learn, and I learn from my students.
We grow as we navigate the journey together, as a community. I see so much beauty on the mat. The inner strength it requires to make it to the studio some days. The focus, dedication and tenacity students cultivate through their asana. There is a special beauty in the weak and tough moments. Learning to trust our strength, trust in ourselves, is an integral part of the practice. It took me a long, long time to honor the beauty in each moment and each breath. My goal is to help those who work with me to see themselves through a lens of worth, rather than lack. When we work together, you will learn about breath, meditation and asana practice… and beyond that, you will learn the depths of your beauty, strength and grace.
Has it been a smooth road?
Building a business requires lots of self-discovery and reflection. With a firm understanding of your strengths, you can cultivate a business designed by flexibility and creativity which is vital for a yoga instructor. After having our baby, I needed to reorganize the business aspect of my business. I needed to define it. This is where I struggle. One of my challenges is overthinking every detail, so much that I freeze and can’t access my creative energy.
It became obvious that I needed help in defining my brand. I needed a clear vision of what I wanted from my teaching schedule, what community I wanted to create, and what exactly I wanted my business to be. The revelation that my definition of a business model could be my very own leads me to hire a consultant, delve deep, and finalize my website.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the LMS Yoga story. Tell us more about the business.
I believe a yoga class should be filled with fun, focus and learning. I’ve been teaching classes for 12 years, logged over 1000 hours of training, and am YOGAMAZÉ Certified. I have a trained eye for alignment, a love of adjustments, and a passion for the practice. This is all evident in how I structure my classes and private sessions. Drills help to strengthen the physical body and the mind/body connection.
Repetition helps to train the movement and quiet the mind. And fun is just damn important. My reputation as a teacher’s teacher means my passion for the art of teaching is apparent and a skill I work diligently to hone. Whether I’m working privately with a student, teaching a class, or mentoring new teachers, it is when I see my student recognize their strength and worth that inspires me to always bring my authentic best.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The yoga community is growing each day with classes being offered at treatment centers, schools, and corporate offices. It’s beautiful to see so many gravitating towards the practice, and so many more communities being served.
There’s goat yoga and laughing yoga, hot yoga and sunset yoga, free classes, and online sites. Good yoga isn’t hard to find, but good yoga is hard work. Students should research the class style and teacher to find what works best for them. My hope is the trend of community offerings continues and more find their way to the mat. This world could use a little more centering, and a lot less reacting.
Contact Info:
- Website: lisamenardschmahl.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: lmsyoga
- Facebook: LMS yoga
Image Credit:
Nicole Elizabeth Photography, Jennifer Kichinko, Jennifer Davis Yoga
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