Chai and a chat with Maurice. (July Blog)

I was lucky enough to have my first cuppa with the Ashtanga and Yoga for Surfers man Maurice. So what’ll it be?

“Peppermint tea with honey, please” then by way of an explanation he adds, “I’ve already had a coffee today and it sends me a bit…” and he smiles.

So we take our seats on the step in the little surf shop where he works by day, on Manly Beach.

You may have been to one of Maurice’s classes already and if you haven’t then I would recommend going along just to see him float cat-like into a perfect chataranga dandasana (all be it a cat in white singlet and tight lycra pants!) I know when I first went to one of Maurice’s classes I thought ‘here’s a true yogi.’ He’s naturally warm and compassionate; his soft voice seems to sing out the instructions “lift your kneecaps, engage your bandhas.” And his chanting, well, that’s another good reason to check his classes out.

So, like many yoga teachers, Maurice came to yoga from a sales and marketing background (working in the surf industry to be specific). Then around six years ago he decided he needed a change of career and he enrolled on the Qi teacher training program.

“I needed to do it, to level some things out. And I took it very seriously indeed,” he laughs.  He loved the course and built a strong relationship with his Ashtanga teacher at Qi, Deb Grant.

“During the teacher training course and afterwards I would assist every one of her classes, even though I didn’t have to!” he explains, before eventually taking on her Ashtanga class on a Monday night after she left.

Maurice’s journey with yoga started in 1994: “I’d just finished a relationship and was really devastated so a friend of mine, Jessica, persuaded me to go to a Bikram’s class in Manly. So I did Bikram Yoga on and off for a couple of years, then did a bit of Ryoho yoga and then I got into Ashtanga.”

So what about the Ashtanga then? I’m an Ashtanga girl, as you know. Do you have any advice for me?

“Well…. do you have any injuries?” he shoots right back at me.

“Err…. errr… always.” I reply sheepishly, “I mean, well yes, I’ve got a bit of a sit bone and hamstring issue right now, which is why I’m sitting rather awkwardly here on this step.”

He smiles and looks me straight in the eye: “You need to allow time to rest and recover; it is important. The ego is a big thing in Ashtanga and it’s important to be kind to yourself.”

Ahh yes, the ego…

“Also, I usually spend at least an hour in the spa and sauna at my gym after a full Ashtanga practice to relax.” He pauses. “And be sure to keep your muscles really warm in the winter, use Dencorub, wrap up fully before coming to class. In the Yoga Mala Pattabhi Jois recommends a weekly mineral bath. Have a bath, soak yourself, light some candles. And let go, that is my big advice!”

Not sure my husband will like the Dencorub idea, I’ll smell like a boy’s change room. But I’ll give it a go…

So what else does this Chilean get up to when he’s not applying Dencorub and relaxing in the sauna?

“I LOVE surfing. It’s fulfilling in every way… surfing the big waves and sharing time with friends. I LOVE it. But I also love being close to my family. Although my parents, they are in Chile of course. They live in a village about 100km west of Santiago near the coast.  My Aunty and her family are up in Byron Bay though.”

So is that how you came to Oz then?

He nods and grins, “Yes, 22 years ago, I was called up for military service. It was during the time of dictatorship in Chile. The day before I was due to present myself for service I got on an aeroplane to Australia,” he laughs. “I couldn’t return for five years or they’d have put me in prison. But I came back to Chile after five years with an Australian passport!”

And finally Maurice, I want to ask you, why do you do yoga?

“Because it’s my passion!!!” he says brightly. “It brings me clarity of mind and keeps me healthy. I’ve not been properly lay-on-my-back sick for about 4 years now. In terms of the teaching, I am passionate about teaching with integrity. People sometimes say I’m a bit strict about things, like dropping the ego or not hyper extending so I emphasise this: drop your ego, find softness, it’s not about being flexible. So what if you’re not flexible? My goal is to teach every class and not have any students injured.”

And do you see it affecting your life now?

“Definitely. Yoga has given me the discipline I need,” he replies. “You need discipline to have a regular practice and to teach, so it pulls you into line and makes you want to be healthy and fit in body, and to take care of your mind. Also teaching has helped me to understand people better both physically and mentally. In a physical sense with injuries for instance, Deb told me once ‘You’re only gonna be a good teacher when you get an injury’ so now, having been injured a bit myself, I feel I understand people’s practice better.”

Well thank you for your time Maurice, I think I’ll go and run the bath now… “I’ve got some Dencorub if you need…?” he offers.

Feel free to ask any questions or post comments here. We’d love to hear what you think about some of Maurice’s philosophy, musings and experience!

PS… Maurice teaches Ashtanga yoga at Qi Freshwater on Mondays at 6.15pm and Yoga for Surfers in Qi Manly on Thursdays 7.30pm.