Still Teaching—Now with Maria Rosso
Let's welcome Moss and Stone Yoga Studio!
Are you ready for this?
Introducing Maria Russo and Moss and Stone Yoga!
Oh typing this is just so freakin’ exciting! I am not going to lie, watching a fellow female entrepreneur step into her power and create a business I get all gitty! And, selfishly, I get to share in the experience.
Let me introduce Maria Russo, owner of Moss and Stone Yoga Studio, opening in April of this year!
Maria is a twin mama and certified yoga instructor, she has been practicing yoga since 2015 and fell in love with the physicality of her Vinyasa practice. Since becoming a mom, the slower pace of Hatha has called to her and it’s where her heart currently resides. She loves guiding class and creating a space for folks to feel supported in their bodies. She received my RYT-200 through Green Lotus Yoga and Healing Center in 2021. She is currently finishing up my Prenatal Yoga Teacher Certification through Blooma. Maria recently moved to Bayfield to be closer to her family and she is quickly falling in love with this community. In her free time, you can find her outdoors with her twin toddlers, husband, and their dog.
When I came to a place where I knew it was time for me to move on to new adventures, I immediately thought of Maria!
She started teaching with me at BLU last spring. When I first met her, there was something about her…I just knew she had a similar passion for yoga and teaching and it was going to be a great relationship. She was an immediate hit, students loved her teaching and it was a great opportunity for me to have another yoga teacher who was trained differently than me so we could create more diversity in class offerings.
She and I met for coffee and I threw out this idea of continuing to have a yoga studio in the space and wondered if she was at all interested. She smiled and we dreamed up some ideas of what could work. From there, she decided to launch her new and upcoming studio….
If you have not met Maria, I asked her some questions about her love and passion for yoga, and I would like to share with you her incredible spirit!
What brought you to yoga?
I first started going to in-studio yoga classes in 2015. I had just graduated from college and was looking for something to help with my anxiety. Yoga was such an amazing way for me to move my body and find peace within myself.
How has yoga impacted your life for the better?
Oh gosh, how hasn't yoga impacted my life for the better?? I bounced around to different studios in Minneapolis and St. Paul until I landed at Yoke Fitness. I was immediately in love with the teachers and the community. This studio is where I was first inspired to get my 200hr. I wanted to help other people feel the way these teachers and this practice made me feel. Strong, grounded, supported. I ended up teaching here after I completed my certification, it was a beautiful full-circle moment for me. Yoga also helped me through my difficult twin pregnancy. While I wasn't allowed to practice full Asana, I was able to use all of the other limbs of Yoga to help me through. This is what led me to getting my prenatal yoga certification.
What is one thing that you love about teaching yoga?
I love creating a space where people can connect with their bodies, breath, and minds. Yoga doesn't have to be serious (but it totally can be, if that's what you're looking for!) The energy I strive to bring to my classes is relaxed and welcoming. I don't want people to be intimidated by a yoga class, I want it to be fulfilling in more ways than just striving for the "perfect" Asana practice. There are 8 limbs to Yoga, and I like to integrate those throughout the practice in a way that feels accessible to everyone.
What is your favorite yoga pose?
My favorite yoga pose is Trikonasana (triangle pose).
What advice would you give someone who has never done yoga before?
Don't let social media influence the way you feel about starting a yoga practice. It's a practice for a reason! And all bodies are built differently and get into and hold poses in different ways, and this can change day-to-day! This is also my core belief in how I teach yoga. I will do everything I can to make sure your body feels safe and supported. Whether that's offering physical support by using props, or making sure folks know they can always take a break, back off, move into a pose that feels better in their body at that time. I was so incredibly nervous about going to yoga classes when I first started. It's amazing what a kind teacher and supportive community can do for your headspace.
Moss and Stone Yoga Studio, I know people are chomping at the bit to learn more….it is coming! We will share with you all the details of the studio, its mission and more about Maria soon.
Now, here is what you can expect from me as we move forward into March.
First, I want to share that if any of you have a 5 Punch pass or a 10 punch pass please do not worry. Maria and I are working together to transfer those passes over to her studio. I will remind everyone that the 5 punch pass has a 6 month expiration and the 1o punch pass has a 12 month expiration. If you are not sure how many punches you have left, when your pass expires or if there are any other questions regarding this you can contact me at info@blubayfield.com.
BLU studio + wellness will have its last class on March 15th. There will be about a 2 week break where I will be closing down.
Moss and Stone Yoga is scheduled to open in April. We will continue to keep all of you up to date on the opening date.
I will be continuing to teach with Maria at Moss and Stone Yoga, I am so excited to still be able to share space with all of you!
Facial Services will be available until March 15th, so get yourself booked for a sweet facial treatment with me!
Functional Nutrition Services are still available and can be easily booked online! Online and in person classes are coming soon!!
So much information being thrown your way! I continue to be so incredibly grateful for all of you being here with me on this journey we call life.
Please reach out to me with your thoughts, questions, inquiries, and more! I am always available!
Sending love + light!
