“Yoga means addition - addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul” - Amit Ray. Marsha lost her left leg below the knee to Ewing’s sarcoma as a child. Yoga transformed Marsha’s life and helped her rebuild strength, health and peace of mind while she was struggling with health challenges. She has been a Yoga professional for many years and has founded Yoga for Amputees which, through the healing powers of yoga, helps amputees restore health and well-being and move forward their lives. Marsha has also authored several yoga books including children’s yoga books, has volunteered at the Wounded Warrior Project and has been featured in publications such as Oprah Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Yoga Journal, Huffington Post and many others.

What inspired you to start Yoga for Amputees? How has yoga helped you throughout your life?M: I started yoga because a friend told me how much she loved it and how good it made her feel inside and out. It was love at first breath.
I have had many physical challenges in my life which have been stressful on my body and my mind. Yoga has been my go- to means of self –improvement, health, peace of mind and physical restoration to rebuild my strength, confidence and hope.

How can practicing yoga be beneficial for people with disabilities? What programs do you offer?M: I don’t even know where to begin! Better range of motion, increased strength, better breath capacity, stronger reserves to cope with disability challenges, especially the mental drain that can happen from daily living stressors, connection with other people with disabilities ,increased confidence, better health , emotional healing , more body awareness, better pain management, increased immunity, deeper connection to one’s true essence, relief from anxiety and depression, more hope.
I offer:
- Yoga for Amputees trainings , online webinars , workshops and retreats​
- Adaptive Yoga classes and webinars
- The Joy Breakthrough 7 week program to reclaim your joy when faced with life challenges.

You have written several books for yoga. How can these books benefit our community?M: Here are a list of some of my books and how they can benefit our community:
Yoga for Amputees: The Essential Guide to Finding Wholeness After Limb Loss for Yoga Students and their Teachers is a robust guide to practicing and teaching yoga for all levels of amputees. I include sample themed practices , such as yoga for pain management, and yoga for acceptance, as well as detailed instruction with modifications for below knee, above knee and arm amputees. Available at www.yogaforamputeesbook.com soon.
From The Roots: How I Beat Death and Learned to Live Again is a memoir that explores my decision to find grace, hilarity, and ultimately joy, in the worst of circumstances. I wanted to portray an honest, but hopeful voice to the work it takes for those of us with disabilites, to choose to live a full life, how we seek real resolution and most importantly spiritual meaning to our challenges. Amazon Link
Yoga for Busy Little Hands is a children’s yoga books that is also used by many adults who may struggle to do full yoga poses. The illustrated book demonstrates how to use Mudras, or hand symbols, to achieve harmony and balance, based on the tradtional practices of yoga and acupuncture. Amazon Link
A Christian Yoga Practice helps those in our community who want to bridge their Christian faith with yoga. Amazon Link

What motivated you to keep going during your challenging times?M: I am a very strong willed, determined woman. I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone keep me from my happiness. I worked too hard to be here.

What form of dance do you love the most and why?M:  I dance flamenco, which is powerful, fluid and fierce. It feels like a deep expression of what I have endured and how to stand tall , strong and proud, yet full of grace.

Who is your inspiration?M: My father is my inspiration. He built his life from scratch. A childhood filled with neglect and abandonment from one foster home to another,he still kept his positive spirit, lived with such kindness and achieved tremendous success in his career and his role as a father.

What are your other hobbies?M: I have a new French bulldog, who seems to be taking up a lot of my time. I created a Meetup group so I could meet others who love this type of dog.
- I dance 4-5 times per week- modern, ballet, salsa, swing.
- I love being in nature.

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you like about that place?M:  I do love to visit groves found in nature. They feel like sanctuaries to me- sacred, set apart and secret.

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who want to lead a positive life?M: Tips:
- Welcome ALL your emotions. If we don’t , we push them further inward( or outward towards others) , creating more stress in our bodies and minds. Instead, accept and allow our emotions. They will pass.
- Stay active. Movement increases endorphins. It heals us and helps us feel better. No matter what, make sure you move daily in some way,even if you can only move your eyes.
- Stay connected to others. When we isolate ourselves, we can get really down. Whether it is going out for lunch, or calling a friend , connect . Hours on the internet is not true connection. Make the effort.
- If there is something you love to do, do it! There will either be an adaptive community already finding ways to do what you love to do, or you can be the pioneer who starts the trend. I was ALWAYS the only amputee in any yoga class, but now there are lots of amputees who practice yoga.
- Take really good care of yourself, as much as you are able. The food we eat, the thoughts we think, the clothes we wear, the daily rituals we follow are all part of our self -image and self- worth. There are days when I have just had enough with all the tasks I need to do just to fucntion for the day, that I don’t feel like doing anything else. It is in those moments that I take a deep breath, remind myself that I am worth the effort , and eat a healthy meal, dress up, or redirect a negative thought toward something worthwhile.

Any special message for our community?M: When we embrace our wholeness, just as we are, we become masters of our own destiny.