“Yoga is a journey,” says Barb Matheny. “It’s so much more than the physical. The spiritual aspect is coming to me. Yoga is life ‘off the mat’ as well as ‘on the mat’.”
Matheny’s journey has taken her from a high-energy elementary and middle school teacher, to a teacher who has found a softer, more fluid “voice” in the yoga studio. She is passionate about bringing the benefits of yoga to everyone, but especially children and adolescents.
“Our kids today have so much stress,” she adds. “Yoga is a way to relieve stress and some studies indicate that it can help improve grades, test scores and behavior.” In addition to teens, Matheny encourages new moms and moms-to-be to discover yoga. She holds Pre/Post Natal certifications from YogaFit, and works with mothers and babies together.
“You can even see newborns begin to relax,” Barb continues. “I’ve talked with area obstetricians about yoga’s benefits for their patients, but I think it’s up to the individual to seek it out.”
The journey
Barb’s yoga journey started nearly 30 years ago at the Findlay YMCA. She credits Emma Mae Gray, her first yoga instructor, with instilling an interest in
yoga and overall health.
“Emma Mae was way before her time. Decades ago she knew the benefits of exercise and good nutrition. She’s in her 90s now, and I hear she still regularly rides her bike.”
Matheny also practiced yoga with Brenda Roethlisberger and Margaret Malaney at the Findlay Y. Ultimately, four members of Malaney’s class decided to
take Level 1 training and become instructors themselves. Barb now teaches and practices yoga at Findlay’s Open Circle Wellness Center. She feels that the Open Circle environment is a perfect fit for her— “very caring and health-oriented.”
The statistics speak for themselves
Close to 11 million Americans practice yoga. Most Westernized classes focus on learning physical poses, or “asanas,” and usually include some form of breathing and meditation techniques as well. The benefits of practicing this 5,000-year-old mind-body-spirit union include increased flexibility, greater strength, better posture, less stress, and even improved concentration and mood. Yoga was a key component in the heart health program designed
by Dr. Dean Ornish, and has been associated with decreased cholesterol levels as well as a boost to the immune system.
A new voice
“I think I’ve found a whole new voice as a yoga instructor,” says Matheny. “I’m still teaching, but have a calmer style than in the classroom. I’ve taken my passion for teaching and continued it with yoga.” A second and third-grade teacher for 18 years at what is now Wilson Vance Intermediate School, Barb then moved to Central Middle School where she taught gifted and talented students in the REACH program. Before retirement, she taught younger gifted students in the FIND program at Washington School. Her experience with pre-teens and adolescents reinforces her feelings about how yoga can help alleviate stress in this age group.
“I even worked with the football team at Arcadia High School, “she laughs. “I think the players found it really beneficial
and, of course, they loved the relaxation part.”
In addition to her classes at Open Circle, 200 W. Lima Street, Findlay, Barb also teaches a Wednesday evening class at Arcadia School. She is eager to hold classes and workshops for students and asks interested schools, organizations and parents to contact her. She is definitely, a passionate and dedicated guide on the journey to exploring all that yoga can offer.
Barb Matheny can be reached at 419-423-4376, 419-306-6136, or at barbmatheny@gmail.com For more information, visit www.opencircleyoga.com
