Maureen Fallis, founder and director of Surround Circle Yoga, established her business with an intention to share her love of yoga with a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate the serenity of practicing in a beautiful peaceful place.
The journey of making Surround Circle Yoga a reality says a lot about Maureen. These are her words, “Living and working as a Senior Account Manager for a Specialty Pharmaceutical company for eighteen and a half years gave me the confidence and skills to start my own business. It was a strong desire to explore ‘what’s next’ that gave me courage to build my dream.”
A thousand years ago, as the expression goes, Maureen developed a passion for running. And as all runners know, running often causes hamstrings to tighten, knees to seize, and hips to lock up. Practicing yoga not only relieved tension in her body, but improved her flexibility and brought balance to her life.
After fifteen years of sampling numerous yoga genres, it was the Kripalu style of yoga that felt like ‘home’ to Maureen. She was certified as a Kripalu Yoga Teacher in 2006. Kripalu yoga speaks directly to the heart, and then flows out to work within the body. This powerful twist is what makes Kripalu yoga unique. There is an immediate acceptance of individuality, and an inherent permission to move the body as guided from within. With this approach, truly great things can happen on the mat!
Maureen’s teaching has been influenced by her beloved teachers and mentors:
- Vidya Carolyn Dell’umo, Kripalu mentor and life coach www.opentolife.net
- Devarshi Steven Hartman, Dean of Kripalu School of Yoga www.stevenhartman.com
- Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, Sr. Kripalu Teacher (Restorative Yoga)
- Susi Hately Aldous, Functional Synergy Inc., www.functionalsynergy.com (Therapeutic Yoga)
- Christine Felstead, Christine Felstead’s Yoga for Runners, www.yogaforrunners.com (Run Yoga Run)
- Wendy Cole, my very first yoga teacher!
Everything evolves! In an attempt to provide support to students with specific physical needs, Maureen is furthering her studies. Currently she is working toward certification as a Functional Synergy Therapeutic Yoga Teacher. Functional Form Therapeutic Yoga is the beginning.
Maureen demonstrates her personal experience and expertise in facilitation of small groups: customizing classes, workshops and retreats for people who are stressed, fatigued or simply suffering from what is keeping them from attaining their goals and living their lives pain free.
