Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marie Russel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Marie , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard
Yoga in the West has become deeply focused on the physical aspects of our experience. My yoga teacher and late husband used to joke, *”Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the best yogi of us all?”*
His point was that we’ve become obsessed with our outward appearance—the shape of our biceps, the flatness of our bellies, the brands we wear, and the yoga gear we buy (most often more expensive than the classes/coaching we invest in)! We measure our practice by how well we bend and balance, as if that makes us better or worse than others.
At It’s Yoga & Marie Russel Coaching, our function is to support others in connection to the divine by whatever name we use. From this vantage point, there is no better or worse—we are, at our core, the same. Many have told me that our focus on fully integrating mind, body, and spirit is unique, which is surprising since yoga is a practice of self-realization—connecting to our higher self, the part of us aligned with all that is. The modern industry of Yoga often shifts the practice to serve the level of consciousness of the masses, while the purpose of the ancient practice is to lift our consciousness out of the masses, and to see the bigger picture in all things.
Whether leading group classes, private sessions, or coaching, my goal is always the same: to connect with the part of ourselves that exists in peace, beyond time, space, and circumstance. I find it inspiring that, in every session, breakthroughs happen—people come in feeling one way and leave feeling another.
Our philosophy is that by connecting to higher consciousness daily, our perception shifts, and life becomes more enjoyable. Stress, fear, and anxiety lessen as we learn to see lessons in all things.
Yes, we focus on the physical body—breathing, bending, and balancing improve mental clarity, focus, and direction. But we also recognize that yoga’s true purpose (on & off the mat) is much greater than what it looks like on the outside.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I came to my yoga mat after a series of hip surgeries in my early 20s. While I was healing physically, I struggled to understand why I was having these issues. I felt anxious, frustrated, and disconnected. I remember thinking, *If this is me at 20, what will 40 be like?*
A friend insisted I join her for a yoga class at a studio called *It’s Yoga* in Columbus, where we were students at Ohio State. I loved it immediately! There was a woman across from me with a cast on her foot, and when I explained my physical limitations to the teacher, she told me, *This is an Eastern practice—it has nothing to do with Western competition.* What I could or couldn’t do with my body didn’t matter. I knew I was in the right place and felt so relieved that my physical limitations at the time, wouldn’t hold me back from experiencing the benefits of yoga.
A few years later, after graduating and briefly working in public policy in DC and Columbus, I went to San Francisco for teacher training at the original *It’s Yoga* studio with its founder, Larry Schultz. I realized I was happier and healthier when I was practicing yoga, and when I wasn’t, I felt sick, stressed, and engaged in unhealthy habits. I wanted to understand what it was about all of the breathing and bending that was literally lifting my spirits.
I had the privilege of staying in San Francisco to lead classes and trainings alongside Larry, and we eventually married. We traveled extensively, and I was blessed to absorb his wisdom while also bringing forward my own. After he passed, he left me his business and legacy, and since 2011, I’ve been devoted to sharing it at our various studios internationally, online classes/trainings and at retreat centers all over the world!
In 2019, I launched *Yoga Off the Mat Coaching*, a training that provides actionable tools, principles, and practices to help shift from disempowering thought patterns to empowering thoughts, feelings and behaviors through tapping higher states of consciousness. By getting clear on our desires, dissolving negative patterning, practicing forgiveness, aligning energetically, healing at a soul level, and reevaluating our roles in relationships, we’ve supported thousands of people worldwide in moving away from fear, judgment, and anxiety toward self-acceptance, connection, and authenticity.
Spiritual alignment isn’t *woo-woo*—it’s about solving the one real problem we have: the feeling of separation from our creator and each other. Once we align with our higher mind we see that separation is impossible. For example, we are a ray of light extending from the sun, so we are, in effect the sun. We can think we are not, but that doesn’t change the fact that we were created and did not create ourselves, when we know this and can tap this power, we can solve any challenge we perceive in our reality.
*Yoga Off the Mat* was born from my desire to bring the peace and clarity I felt on my mat into everyday life. In yoga class, I felt the high-vibes—breathing, moving, and engaging in meaningful group discussions. But as soon as I stepped off my mat, our out of training, a single text message or self-doubting thought could send me spinning. Yoga is ultimately a discipline of the mind, and with the mentoring I received from Larry and our life coach, Dorothy Divack, I’ve been able to merge Eastern practices with tools for modern, Western practitioners.
The results have been incredible. Our students and clients around the world have transformed their lives, and it’s an honor to be part of alleviating suffering by sharing tools, practices, and spiritual principles that heal at the root level.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
In 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I was shocked. As a dedicated yoga practitioner, I thought I had done everything right—I drank green juice, went upside down every day, and ate as organically as possible. But when I took an honest look at my energy and lifestyle, I realized I was under immense stress. I had lost a husband and, rather than fully processing my grief, I plunged into a new relationship at full speed. I experienced multiple miscarriages, was constantly traveling while running a business, and became a mother twice in two years—it was a lot. I was also relying on acidic foods and alcohol to numb my pain.
So when I first felt the tumor, I did what I was used to doing: I avoided it. I believed that if I ignored it, it might go away—this approach had carried me through many difficult moments before. But this time, avoidance wasn’t an option. The tumor was there, and I could feel it.
When I finally sought medical advice, the conventional treatment options didn’t feel right to me. I had learned so much about the cancer industry and was drawn to a more holistic approach. I knew I needed to do more than just treat the physical symptoms—I had to address my emotional and mental health as well. I wanted to take responsibility for my healing, not see myself as a victim. When we take responsibility, we gain something invaluable: the power to change our circumstances.
Choosing an alternative healing path was isolating at times. Well-meaning people projected their fears onto me, and the cancer industry thrives on fear-based messaging. The mainstream narrative often focuses on loss rather than success stories, and while I knew people who had positive outcomes with conventional treatment, I also knew many who suffered deeply from it.
I wanted to prove to myself that healing at the root cause was possible. Rather than succumbing to fear, I learned to trust myself. This journey took me and my family to Mexico for four years, where I explored alternative therapies with incredible results.
After six years of solo healing and significant progress, I ultimately chose to have surgery to remove the cancer. I declined further treatment, and when I tested again, there was *no cancer* in my body. Since then, I’ve launched online programs, led trainings in beautiful places around the world, and raised my children in Mexico for their first seven years.
Resilience is the ability to recover, adapt, and grow through life’s challenges. My cancer diagnosis became a powerful catalyst for transformation—it led me to Mexico, deepened my trust in myself, and inspired me to expand my work in ways I never expected. In many ways, cancer made me a better person—a more present mother, a more compassionate friend, daughter, and wife. It taught me the profound healing power of forgiveness and how unprocessed emotions can manifest as dis-ease. Through my own journey, I’ve gained the experience and mastery to support and coach others out of fear and into empowerment. When we face life’s biggest challenges—whether cancer, divorce, or financial hardship—with courage instead of fear, we unlock our inner strength and allow life to guide us in unimaginable ways. The hardest moments often become the greatest opportunities for growth, transformation, and a new path forward.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
In cognitive behavioral therapy, I’ve learned that most of us develop core beliefs early in life based on our families, cultures, and environments. Two of the most common and limiting beliefs—*”I am not enough”* and *”I am unlovable”*—are ones I’ve had to unlearn.
Through yoga, both on and off the mat, I’ve learned to observe my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, allowing me to break free from these unhealthy patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.
As a shy child, stepping into teaching yoga at 24 was incredibly challenging. I remember my first class vividly—a group of new teacher trainees watching me, and I was overwhelmed with self-doubt. *Who am I to be leading? I don’t know the routine well enough. They’ll see right through me.*
But I also knew that if I wanted to lead, I had to believe I was worthy. I had to trust that I was good enough and that I could be loved just as I was. I recall feeling terrified that I’d forget the next posture, but before I had time to overthink it, the right words came out of my mouth. That moment taught me a profound lesson: our inner teacher—the voice of our higher self—is always kind, confident, centered and available. When we listen to that voice instead of the one telling us we’re not enough, we will always find the right words, actions, and direction.
I’ve also realized that these beliefs often serve as a form of self-protection. If I believe I’m not good enough to teach yoga, be a mother, lead a business, whatever it is, then I won’t try, and my ego tells me that if I don’t try, I can’t fail or face criticism. Even if I do try, if things get difficult, I might give up proving to myself that I’m not enough etc.
Unlearning limiting beliefs has been one of the most important practices of my life. Learning to see myself as *enough* has changed everything. When I listen to my inner teacher instead of my inner critic, I step into my purpose with trust, confidence, and perseverance.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marierussel.com
- Instagram: @marierussel1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.hajjar?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: @marierussel1111
- Other: https://shop.marierussel.com
Image Credits
@viridian_ivy_images
@Alex.krotov