Yoga at Work Student Feature

Meet Mary Ann. She is a Systems Engineering Manager for BAE Systems. BAE Systems offers weekly yoga classes through our Yoga at Work program.

Yoga Yoga: What was your experience with yoga before having it at work?

Mary Ann: I was told by my doctor that I needed to yoga due to pain in my knees. That is when I joined the work class. I thought it was way too “out there” for me as I am a cyclist/volleyball/x-runner (muscle builder) and Type A person. The concept of lying on the floor for 5 minutes and thinking of NOTHING didn’t make much sense to me.

Yoga Yoga: What do you like about having yoga at work?

Mary Ann: I get to do yoga with people I know and that helps to improve working and personal relationships with them. I really like not having to drive anywhere in the infamous Austin traffic in order to go to a yoga class elsewhere. We have developed a good relationship with our yoga teachers, including Sandi who has been with us for quite a while now. They have always been very informative on other Yoga Yoga options when our weekly class is not enough.

Yoga Yoga: What benefits do you receive by doing yoga?

Mary Ann: Yoga has been a true blessing. It has not only improved the medical conditions for which my Dr. prescribed it, but it has taught me to think about many things in a whole new way. I was always afraid of failure in the past. Yoga taught me that failure isn’t such a bad thing. I can do what I can do and that’s OK. Put another way, yoga has taught me acceptance of myself and that further extended to acceptance of others. It has taught me how to relax my mind – I really can lie on the floor and (almost) think of nothing for (almost) 5 minutes. It has improved my cycling because I now know how to get a little added power from my core when the legs are burnt out. Oh, and another big improvement has been in my shoulders – I can zip my own dresses in the back now. I can sunscreen most of my back. I could keep on going – I am much more limber now, it has strengthened my back, I’ve learned a ton about my body.

Yoga Yoga: What are your other hobbies, interests?

Mary Ann: I ride the bicycle – this will be the 13th year I have done the MS 150. I have a ski boat and jet skis. I play volleyball at lunch with some friends when I can. I really enjoy Austin’s live music scene. I am a member of the Society of Women Engineers and the League of Women Voters. My boyfriend and my dog keep me quite busy too.