Q & A with Maria.

Q: What do you mean by releasing samskaras?

A: What I learned, and continue to learn, through this physical and emotional practice of the Heal what Hurts Method is that we really can locate and release the negative energy patterns that continue to play out as painful life circumstances. What I also learned is that if these samskaras are silenced with either shame or numbing agents, they always end up flaring up at the least opportune time. What we resist does persist. But what we are willing to feel can finally and truly heal.

Q: What kind of pain can cause samskaras in our adult relationships?

A: Well, my own experience of deep human pain was introduced early when my dad died suddenly when I was 17. In the years to follow, I started my meditation and yoga practice in the late '80s in Copenhagen, where I was born.  My journey since then has been and continues to be a relentless process of penetrating more and more of my human consciousness with the Divine Light that is my True Being. I know firsthand the pain and despair that arise when we welcome every part of who we are to become visible, and I know the discipline, love, and empathy required to continue to do this inner work even when we hit the inevitable inner roadblocks.

Q: What is the Heal what Hurts Method?

A: The Heal what Hurts Method is a systematic practice of the deep awareness and empathy necessary to bring lasting healing to the wounded self. It is a misunderstanding to think that the yogic practices will bring nothing but bliss and peace -- they will also bring that -- but whatever your karmic patterns, your samskaras are, and whatever your pain-body looks like, they will need to be addressed with Deep Presence, acceptance and the medicine that a regular authentic yogic practice truly is.

How it all started

Maria is the founder and owner of Breath of Life Yoga School®. Maria has been practicing and guiding yoga and meditation since 1990. Through meditation, asana practice and pranayama awareness, she leads her students into presence with compassion and wisdom, showing them their own inherent connection to the Divine.  Her experience includes teaching meditation and yoga at places ranging from addiction recovery centers, universities, at-risk-youth programs, yoga studios, private businesses as well as in her own therapeutic yoga school and coaching practice. Maria is on the faculty at Saint Paul College where she trains students to become certified yoga teachers. She also trains students to become 200-hour yoga teachers and Meditation Teachers through Breath of Life Therapeutic Yoga School.   

How it all started:

Ever since I was a little girl, growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark, I have experienced an inner knowing. Without words, I was aware of a guidance and protection system that surrounded me wherever I went. 

I often seemed to know what would happen before it did, and I have regularly had premonitory dreams. When I was 17, I was devastated by my father's sudden death while I was abroad. It was in my search for meaning and answers after this shock to my system that I first discovered meditation at the Tibetan Buddhist Center in Copenhagen. Through a more formalized spiritual practice, I deepened and strengthened my connection to Spirit. In connecting with people, I get images and messages that stream into me. 

I know to my core that you too can connect deeply to your Divine support system, whatever name you might give to the Source that sustains us all. That you and I, and everyone on Earth, is made of Divine Light. But modern living practices and negative thinking patterns can cloud our inherent wisdom. 

Through lifestyle changes that may include daily yoga, prayer, and breathwork, I have witnessed students access their inner Teacher and Light. This is how I work. I don't want anyone to become dependent on outer guidance; I want to show you how to access your own inner Teacher and Light. 

Maria Toso, Stifter og indehaver af The Heal What Hurts Journey

Som 27-årig flyttede jeg til USA efter jeg blev gift med en amerikaner. I årene der fulgte, oplevede jeg livet langt fra familie og egne rødder på godt og ondt. 

Det der føles godt var at få to fantastiske børn og udvikle min forretning indenfor yoga, meditation og coaching, det der gjorde ondt var at genopleve mange af de sår der lå begravet indenin både fra tidlig barndom og fra teenage årene hvor min far døde pludseligt, mens jeg var på skole i USA. 

Men det der ikke var nemt og som triggede mig til at opføre mig som et brændt barn, blev samtidigt lige det, der lærte mig, at jeg hverken kunne tænke, skrive, tale eller analysere mig til at få det bedre. Jeg lærte på smertefuldeste vis, at jeg først begyndte at få det bedre, da jeg lærte at forbinde mig bevidst til Gud og gå med kærlighedens kraft helt ned i de gamle knuder, der sidder i kroppens energifelt. Metoden startede med mig selv og voksede langsomt til at omfatte coaching-klienter og eleverne på mine yogalæreruddannelser. 

Jeg begyndte at skrive, tale, fortælle, undervise i metoden og bruger nu en stor del af min tid på at hjælpe andre via group coaching og individuel coaching til at forløse de mest smertefulde knuder ved hjælp af den guddommelige kærlighed, der er indeni os allesammen .

Derfor kalder jeg mig heller ikke healer. For healeren er den guddommelige kærlighed der bor i os alle, men som vi ikke altid har fat i, fordi vores sind skaber for megen uro og vi glemmer, eller gemmer os fra, følelserne, der sidder i kroppens energifelt. The Heal what Hurts Journey skal opleves for den er meget større end ord. 

Uddannelsesmæssigt har jeg en international kommunikationsuddannelse fra Dansk Erhvervsakademi, og arbejdede med PR og freelance skriveri før jeg flyttede permanent til USA, hvor jeg også skrev og skriver for amerikanske publikationer. I USA blev jeg uddannet til lærer i Therapeutic Soma Yoga og har det som hedder en E-RYT 500 certificering. Desuden har jeg min egen yogaskole, der hedder Breath of Life Yoga, den er akkrediteret af det internationale forbund: The Yoga Alliance. 

I 2022 flyttede jeg tilbage til Danmark, hvor jeg nu er i gang med at etablere mig og udbyde mine metoder som Heal what Hurts Coach samt yoga and meditationslærer.