{"id":14490,"date":"2023-05-23T22:14:42","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T22:14:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/?p=111430"},"modified":"2023-05-23T22:14:42","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T22:14:42","slug":"what-yoga-teacher-and-filmmaker-mel-mah-can-teach-you-about-living-your-wildest-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/2023\/05\/23\/what-yoga-teacher-and-filmmaker-mel-mah-can-teach-you-about-living-your-wildest-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"What Yoga Teacher and Filmmaker Mel Mah Can Teach You About Living Your Wildest Dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-yoga-teacher-and-filmmaker-mel-mah-can-teach-you-about-living-your-wildest-dreams.png\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-content-cta\">\n<p class=\"o-content-cta-text\"> Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/outsideapp.onelink.me\/wOhi\/6wh1kbvw&quot; class=&quot;o-content-cta-link&quot; data-analytics-event=&quot;click&quot; data-analytics-data=&quot;{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Element Clicked&quot;,&quot;props&quot;:{&quot;destination_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/outsideapp.onelink.me\/wOhi\/6wh1kbvw&quot;,&quot;domain&quot;:&quot;&lt;&gt;&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;in-content-cta&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;link&quot;}}&#8221;&gt;Download the app<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cYoga was really the only thing that made me feel at home and at peace,\u201d says Mel Mah from the front seat of her car. The California morning is bright behind her as she explains the clarity and steadiness her practice has brought her as she transitioned from professional dancer to yoga teacher, mentor, and filmmaker.<\/p>\n<h2>Her Early Years of Yoga<\/h2>\n<p>Like many of us, Mah began her yoga practice during a time of personal turbulence. Born and raised in Toronto, Mah moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue a career as a dancer. She Distanced from her family and friends, she was barely out of her teens when she was learning to navigate the entertainment industry while acclimating to a completely different country.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t an easy time. \u201cMost of my friends are still in college and I\u2019m here in LA paying my bills and auditioning and it was just a lot emotionally,\u201d says Mah.<\/p>\n<p>It was during this transition that she found her yoga practice, which ultimately became her way forward. \u201cI was questioning whether or not I made the right decision,\u201d she says. \u201cYoga was the thing that kept me centered on my path and allowed me to trust that the challenges were there for a reason. They were teaching me something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mah looks back on this as her turning point. At the suggestion of a friend and mentor, Mah decided to take yoga teacher training through CorePower Yoga. She questioned whether or not she would teach, until she was asked to start a yoga program at Millennium Dance Complex shortly after the training. It was during those early teaching experiences in the attic of the old studio on Ventura Boulevard that Mah witnessed the profound effect that yoga could have on others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI remember once in a three-person class, one person came up to me at the end, teary-eyed, gave me a huge hug, and said she had never felt that way before,\u201d Mah says. \u201cThat experience gave me goosebumps.\u201d It was the first time she felt, \u201dWow, like we can actually help people through this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It was that moment of clarity early in her teaching career that made her want to learn more about the philosophy and what she calls the \u201cspiritual depths of yoga.\u201d Grounded in mindfulness, self-discovery, and personal experience, her teachings advocate for an unwavering dedication to personal growth and inspiring others.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7p4-wxqbrKw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really have always stayed true to that: the best teachers are the best students. So I\u2019m constantly practicing, learning, studying, reading, and doing everything I can to be a student so that I can spread the most information to other people through my teachings,\u201d she says. \u201cI never think of myself as a higher figure or authority. I\u2019m on the same page as you. I\u2019m speaking to you, you\u2019re speaking to me. This is an exchange.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Mah, the practice of teaching is as educational as the study of yoga. \u201cI think the beautiful thing about teaching is that you\u2019re learning so much about yourself as you are guiding,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially when I was in my twenties, teaching was like therapy for me. You pull from your own life. That\u2019s your inspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>An Expanded Approach to Yoga<\/h2>\n<p>Mah\u2019s commitment to continuous growth and learning is reflected in her understanding of yoga as the pathway to uncovering your truest self.&nbsp;She continues to teach what she knows. Throughout her yoga experience, she toured as a dancer with pop stars including Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, Justin, Bieber, Britney Spears, and Katy Perry. She attributes it all to mindfulness.<\/p>\n<p>In 2016, Mah founded You Got This, Girl!, a company focused on empowering women through mindfulness, yoga, and community. \u201cAfter I accomplished this huge dream of mine, which was dancing on a world tour for Janet Jackson, I was literally like, I want every woman to feel this way, like \u2018I literally manifested this dream,\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cThat\u2019s the basis of all my work with You Got This, Girl\u2014encouraging women to believe their wildest dreams are actually possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mah\u2019s mission is to inspire women to discover their purpose and cultivate confidence in themselves. She conducts workshops, coaching programs, and one-on-one mentorships, emphasizing the belief that women can achieve the life they desire\u2014and that this can happen through mindfulness practices.<\/p>\n<p>She is grateful to have been raised by very strong women, including her mother. \u201cI remember when I was younger, she would say to me, \u2018You can do anything you want to do.\u2019 It wasn\u2019t until I got older that I was like, \u2018Oh, not all women were trained to think this way because of the society we live in.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mah encourages her students to find stillness, embrace the present moment, and tap into their authentic truth. By doing so, they can connect with their inner joy, intuition, and positive qualities, leading to fulfilled moments as they pursue a fulfilled life.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CJU-PqtDHRM\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Her Current Teachings<\/h2>\n<p>Similarly, Mah credits yoga with guiding her toward her next creative pursuit: storytelling through filmmaking. Drawing parallels between teaching and directing, Mah highlights the importance of using her voice, holding space, and guiding energy in both practices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDancers just don\u2019t get to do that. You\u2019re following someone\u2019s instruction, you\u2019re behind somebody as a backup performer. I was just seeing how that wasn\u2019t really aligned with who I was anymore as I was growing as a soul,\u201d says Mah.<\/p>\n<p>Once again, her dedication to authenticity was rewarded. Her award-winning short, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/546289628\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dear Mom,<\/a>\u201d was released in 2021 and quickly drew acclaim. The storyline addresses the relationship between a woman who unexpectedly learns she\u2019s pregnant and reaches out to her estranged mother.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cn78WQhLD-f\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\"><\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cTeaching yoga actually segued me into this whole new path, which is what I teach when I coach,\u201d explains Mah. \u201cThese practices will literally keep you on the path that you\u2019re meant to be on, which might mean that your whole entire life has to shift. But after that transitional period, you find yourself in a place where you\u2019re like, \u2018This is perfect. This is exactly what I want to be doing.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Throughout Mah\u2019s transitions, there was her ever-expanding experience of yoga. In 2019, she traveled to Bali and studied <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/lifestyle\/truth-tantra\/\">tantric yoga<\/a>, which she describes as \u201cmuch more meditation focused.\u201d That experience caused her to change her approach to teaching.<\/p>\n<p>Mah\u2019s current approach is helping others slow their racing minds enough so they can become still and remember their authentic selves. \u201cIn that place of truth and stillness is where you remember that we all have a purpose and you have distinct gifts given to you that you are meant to share with the world,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Whereas we tend to think of our purpose as a career, Mah believes purpose is actually an essence. If you focus on it with mindfulness, she says, then it naturally expresses itself in every area of your life. And, inevitably, it leads you to what you are meant to do and share with others.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, Mah and the mental health brand Calm launched <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calm.com\/app\/class\/past-week-of-daily-moves\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Move<\/a>, a short, gentle, accessible movement practice. The five- to seven-minute videos are designed to help people relax and focus and can be incorporated into any part of the day. Since the series\u2019 release in January, the practices have been viewed more than one million times.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s yet another outlet for Mah\u2019s mindful movement revolution. \u201cEverything can be solved in presence, and that\u2019s really the power of yoga,\u201d says Mah. \u201cWhen we tune out the past and the future and come back to the now, all the answers are there. All the fulfillment, joy, peace, intuition, and positive qualities that we\u2019re looking for are in the now. So, it\u2019s a lot simpler than we think in order to live a fulfilled life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With her dedication to personal growth, her focus on empowering women, and her belief in the transformative power of mindfulness, Mah continues to inspire others to embrace their most authentic selves, pursue their desires, and find purpose in each moment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Practice with Mel Mah this Wednesday, May 24, at noon ET\/9 am PT as she takes you through a Daily Move practice of mindful movement, similar to what she shares on Calm, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month and AAPI Heritage Month. Join us on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Csjm7kduru1\/\">Yoga Journal Instagram page<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>About Our Contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Sierra is a writer, yogi, and music lover living in the Pacific Northwest. She\u2019s been practicing yoga for nearly a decade &amp; got certified to teach in 2018. She writes and teaches all about connection: connection to the body, to nature, and to the universal love that holds us together. She\u2019s also the author of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/459psJ1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-outbound-instanced=\"true\">Your Year of Magic<\/a>, a moon magic journal and witchy workbook.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>For free yoga and witchy wisdom, find Sierra at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalmystic.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-outbound-instanced=\"true\">thelocalmystic.com<\/a>, on Instagram&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thelocalmystic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-outbound-instanced=\"true\">@thelocalmystic<\/a>, and on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC7jTgGGhZxMgQ4PBFooytcQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-outbound-instanced=\"true\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/what-yoga-teacher-and-filmmaker-mel-mah-can-teach-you-about-living-your-wildest-dreams-1.png\" alt=\"What Yoga Teacher and Filmmaker Mel Mah Can Teach You About Living Your Wildest Dreams\"><\/figure>\n<p>Spoiler alert: She credits mindfulness for helping her transition from having a career to living her passion.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\/lifestyle\/mel-mah\/\">What Yoga Teacher and Filmmaker Mel Mah Can Teach You About Living Your Wildest Dreams<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yogajournal.com\">Yoga Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[37,35,36],"class_list":["post-14490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ayurveda","tag-blogs","tag-yoga","tag-yogacourseware"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14490\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}