July 31, 2015
Peace,
Yoga Guru: Mike Massey is a strange butterfly whom has emerged from a cocoon of sorts. Mike was born, bred, survived, and still resides in the Roxbury section of Boston, MA. In order to dodge the influx of drugs, crime, and violence that plagued his neighborhood as a child, Mike found his spirit of focus and leadership through the sport of football when he was 10 years old.
After leading the city of Boston in almost every statistical category possible; both on the football field and in the classroom. Mike went on to earn a scholarship to play college football. After graduating college Mike still had the urge to play football as it was a “coping skill” of sorts to him, for many years.
In 2008, while playing semi-professional football with the Boston Bandits, Mike fractured his arm in a tragic on the field accident. The injury hurt Mike more mentally and emotionally than anything else. The injury forced him away from something he loved: football.
After surgery to repair the arm, Mike had to discover a new way to strengthen his body and spirit. With no option of pumping iron or returning to the field (just yet), Mike’s wife: Taheera, started “attempting” to do yoga as she watched Steve Ross teach on the O network each morning before she left for work. The strange thing was, Taheera did every posture wrong and unsafe, she fouled up each morning just enough that Mike felt compelled to get up and help “demonstrate” what Steve Ross was teaching on the TV set.
A week later Mike realized Taheera had a plan, because he was now doing yoga alone and she had returned to doing her everyday hustle.
At that point the asanas and pranayama were enough. It healed Mike, contrary to what 4 out of 5 doctors assumed. Mike soon returned to the field playing with the Boston Bandits in 2010.
A few years later the murder of his close friend and teammate: Odin Lloyd, made Mike dive deep into some soul searching. Miraculously Taheera had Mike’s back once again.
Taheera suggested that Mike look into a teacher training at South Boston Yoga. A coworker from Taheera’s job had taken the same training and spoke highly of it.
After researching the program and scraping up the money to pay for it. Mike studied with David Vendetti and Todd Skoglund (owners of South Boston Yoga). After David and Todd were finished with Mike he emerged stronger, healed from his emotional upbringing and morphed into a Rock Star yoga guru.
It’s is now that Mike understands why he had to see the lowest of lows growing up – how and where he grew up. Also Mike sees the paradox from experiencing the highest of highs through – graduating at the top of his class, marriage, child birth/parenting, and rocking out teaching yoga, whenever and where ever he can.
Helping others by teaching yoga is the highest of them all though. Mike dedicates his practices to all of the friends and family he has seen devoured by the streets and poor choices.
All of this combines to create an awesome Yoga Experience for you all to apply to yourselves and enjoy life even more.
Namaste.