What if the heart grew arms? I sat down with Marie Belle Pérez Rivera, Ph.D., to talk about teaching and practicing yoga from the heart. In this rich conversation, Marie Belle invites us into the deeper layers of teaching yoga—where cueing becomes poetry, the koshas guide us, and yoga returns us to our quantum blueprint. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at her life of silence, strength, and leadership, reflecting on witnessing a school shooting and the delicate art of caring without needing others to share our opinion. We trace her journey through mindful movement, Ashtanga teacher training, and navigating the sometimes complex, sometimes territorial nature of the yoga world. Marie Belle speaks to the power of not flying the flag of any single tradition, embracing non-dualism, and practicing from the heart. Along the way, swe explores the teachings of Dharma Mittra, and Marie Belle reminds us: a year from now, you’ll wish you had started today.

Find Marie Belle on instagram:

@mariebellepr

Marie Belle’s website:

https://mariebellepr.com/ 

Find Shawna on instagram:

@shawnakru

Time stamps:

00:00 Intro

05:00 Teaching yoga like your really teaching

06:30 Is she speaking to us in poetry?

07:30 Koshas 

11:00 What if the heart grew arms? 

13:20 Yoga returns us to our quantum blueprint 

14:30 Cueing students 

16:30 Living in silence, BTS of Marie Belle’s life

17:30 Media and witnessing a school shooting.

18:50 You can care about things without demanding others have the same opinion as you.

24:00 How Marie Belle found mindful movement.

26:30 Ashtanga and going through her teacher training. 

30:00 Quitting her job and hearing back from Harvard medical school. 

36:50 Doubt and territorial nature of some in the yoga world.

39:00 Ashtanga and authorization.

42:00 Fundamental disagreement.

44:15 A question asked to all masters. 

45:00 Not flying the flag for any traditions and non-dualism: to define is to limit. 

49:00 Dharma yoga and the teachings of Dharma Mittra. 

52:00 A heart based practice. 

54:40 Qualities of an exceptional leader. 

58:00 Billboard message: A year from now, you’ll wish you started today.