Today we’d like to introduce you to Margie Hunter.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In 1999, I became very sick and I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was told there was no cure for MS but could take medication to try to control the progress of the disease. I lost my vision for a time. The right side of my head and face were numb. The part of my brain which controlled balance was affected and as a result my balance was almost completely gone. I couldn’t drive or ride a bike and was having a hard time walking. I started taking yoga to try and help my situation. I was able to regain my balance and vision through a combination of the medication and yoga. The yoga helped to rewire my brain around the damaged parts to bring back balance. I regained full health and balance and began apprenticing under my yoga teacher/guru in order to teach others. In the same way yoga had helped me, I wanted to pass that gift along to others. For years, I practiced every day, all aspects of what I was learning. The postures/asanas, the breathing techniques/pranayama and meditation all came together to create balance, harmony and ease in my body. That brought the years of unmanaged stress under control in such a beautiful way. I learned to make space for my body and mind to come together and listen to each other.
I am now MS free. I haven’t taken medicine for the past 12 years. The effect of it all had to be shared. There was no other way for me. So, I dedicated my spare time to helping people who had become sick to do the same. I started helping people with multiple sclerosis, but also wound up helping people with many different sorts of problems and diseases. It’s been an unbelievable journey watching my students heal and blossom in a way they never thought possible. In the same way, it happened for me. For those who have been healthy and just wanted to find a way to find strength and peace of mind, it’s been a journey toward finding that which has brought balance and serenity.
My teacher never charged for any of my classes, so as I pass this gift along, I have followed his example in a true yogic fashion. My classes and help are always given as a gift. I feel very fortunate to be able to give back what was so generously given to me.
Through my experiences over the past years, I decided to write a book to try to help others around the world who I don’t get the chance to meet. I published “Transcending MS” to do that. It’s been out for about a year and I am happy to say that I have been able to see it help people who have read it and followed what it suggests. In it, I tell you my story in the first part of the book. The second part of the book goes into telling you what to do to help yourself. My experience is with multiple sclerosis, but I believe that it applies to any, and all diseases. I also believe that if followed, it will be a very effective way to prevent disease and bring balance to the body and mind. Stress has a way of sneaking up on us and having a devastating effect on our bodies.
Has it been a smooth road?
The process of learning to heal through yoga has been quite an interesting one. There were good days and interesting days. Some days were filled with self-doubt, but as I began to trust myself and listen to my body and inner voice, the process became smooth and filled with joy.
Any time we need to push our limits and think outside the box we run into those who doubt. In turn, it may cause us to doubt ourselves. But, I think it’s essential we remember that our spirits are limitless. That once we set our intentions and align our actions with those intentions to support them, what we find is that we are unstoppable. Define what you need and not what you want. Because once you have met what you need, you may be surprised by what you want. That will be what will bring you joy. Come from your heart in whatever you do.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Author of “Transcending MS”/Yoga teacher – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I teach Raj Yoga. I think I am known for my belief and application of love throughout all of my work. The way in which I teach is very deliberate, gentle and mindful. I try to tune in to what my students need on any given day. I believe that the relaxation which is reached through yoga is where the healing happens. Whether it be in the postures, the breathing, or meditation, it is important for my students to connect with their hearts. They all know that in that connection and living from that space will bring them peace and serenity. I am also known for teaching the importance of the breath. It is important to learn how to breathe properly in order to remain healthy physically and mentally.
I think what I am most proud of is when at the end of each of our classes I can look into all of the students’ eyes and I can see that they were able to reach a state of relaxation and healing. You see, in many of them, it was something they had never felt before.
It makes me happy when I receive pictures from around the world from people who are holding my book and smiling because they have read it and have begun to feel better. I have two students who had MS. They didn’t know each other, but they reached an MS Society Center oversees at the same time, with the intention of sharing my book. What a surprise it was to see a picture of the two of them with the administration of the MS Society holding the book.
I don’t know what sets me apart. I believe that I got sick, so I could help others to get better. That is my mission and purpose in life. Maybe that’s what sets me apart, but I also want it to be what brings us together.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I believe that each of us has to practice that which we are innately good at. We need to focus on that which we are passionate about. Spending our lives learning or working in a field which is not making us thrive is a very difficult way to live. It’s important to get up in the morning and look forward to the day because we know that we will be doing something which we like. Where our focus goes is where our energy goes. If that focused energy is passionate and is coming from the heart, then what at one time would have been a challenge or an obstacle, we will look at as an opportunity. If we can build a system of support for the women around us, as we go through our lives, then what we will receive will be a sense of support in turn. Looking at life as cooperative and not competitive will help us surround ourselves with like-minded people; building each other up when needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: transcendingms.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/transcendingms
- Facebook: facebook.com/transcendingms
Image Credit:
Adeeb Howrani, Kristin Hunter, Swami Maheshananda
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