Yoga

Meet the teacher: Masha G

From rollerblading, Ashtanga to meditation – learn what keeps this yogi honest and inspired on and off the mat.

---

Name

Masha Gorodilova

Where are you from?

I was born in Russia.

Where do you teach?

I am a co-founder of a studio called Happy Melon in Melbourne and currently teaching online and privately.

What style of yoga do you teach?

I teach a variation of all styles. I tailor it according to who is in front of me.  Sometimes it’s very traditional and often its strong and fun.

When did you first meet yoga?

Yoga met me at the age of 13. Back in Russia my dad and I explored postures in the living room not knowing it was yoga asana. We practiced movement, breath and siting (asana, pranayama, meditation) and when I came to Australia in 2001 it was only natural for me to be in the wellness industry

How do you stay inspired?

I practice. Meditation often makes everything a little clearer. I rarely skip it.  I think it helps to keep things in order and everything makes more sense. I go through the dance of podcasts, interviews, documentaries, music and dance shows but at the end of the day it’s all inside. So I go back to meditation and I practice.

How do you maintain the discipline to continue rolling out the mat?

I don’t. I just show up. I roll the mat out even if I don’t want to and sometimes, I stay for 15 minutes and often I stay for longer than an hour. Once you start – it’s hard to stop.

Who keeps you honest?

I think my kids. I notice my temper, volume of my voice or patience when I don’t practice and my four and two year olds remind me of it very quickly.

How do you nourish yourself?

I love nourishing myself and I try do it often (I think I am a better person, mother, partner, friend when I do). I go and do a luxurious facial (aesop), massage with my friend Lars, ice baths at our gym/studio/warehouse (my partner built one out of concrete and it’s damn cold), I go for a walk around Albert Park Lake or a Roller Blade around the MCG, I go and a samba dance class or an ecstatic movement session at the Abbotsford convent

What’s your greatest challenge in your practice?

Handstands! I am so attached to the wall that I have been trying to “divorce” it for years but I think I need more counselling.

Who’s your teacher?

For the past two years I have dived back into my Ashtanga practice. Because traveling was out of the picture, I went back to the traditional style of Ashtanga. Where there is a set sequence, and you move to the beat of your breath. There is not really a teacher, it’s just the discipline of practice. I really enjoy what this style is giving me at the moment.

What do you believe students need right now?

I think students and teachers just need to feel supported. You are not alone, so come re-join your community and have fun in it. Who knows what’s ahead of us just let’s have fun. Try different styles of yoga, try different teachers, and remember to laugh when things get serious.

Do you have any pre/post class rituals?

My ritual is a weird one – before I practice, or I teach I brush my teeth 🙂 and after I often like to have a warm glass of water and have recently started dropping some Wanderlust Ashwagandha in.