Mariane Pinto ~ In the Mystic Flow

Mariane Pinto, a yoga teacher and Thai massage therapist, discusses her journey in the world of yoga and massage therapy. She shares how she discovered her passion for yoga and Thai massage, and how she incorporates both practices into her teaching and retreats. Mariane emphasizes the importance of finding a connection with your teachers and clients, and the power of non-psychedelic modalities in healing. Mariane's upcoming retreats in Puerto Escondido, Mexico and Brazil are highlighted as transformative experiences for participants.

Visit Mariane on her website: https://www.themysticflow.com/
Follow Mariane on IG: @mari.in.the.flow https://www.instagram.com/mari.in.the.flow/
and on @the.mystic.flow https://www.instagram.com/the.mystic.flow/

Key Takeaways:

• Mariane found her passion for yoga and Thai massage after going through a divorce and immersing herself in yoga practice.
• She emphasizes the importance of finding a connection with your teachers and the yoga community.
• Mariane offers unique experiences in her retreats, including surfing, sound healing, and breathwork.

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Transcript

Todd McLaughlin: 0:33

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage bodywork and beyond. Follow us @nativeyoga, and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let's begin Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. I'm so happy that you're here. Today I have the pleasure of bringing a special guest Mariane Pinto to the show today. Mariane is a yoga teacher, a Thai massage therapist, and she holds and leads yoga retreats around the world. Her website is www.themysticflow.com. And you can also find her on her Instagram. Two handles I have for you. @mario.in. the.flow, and also at @the.mystic.flow. I'll have those links in the description below. And I'm so excited to have this chance to speak with Mariane and I'm excited for you to have the opportunity to jump in and listen to this conversation. All right, let's go ahead and begin. So happy to have this opportunity to converse with Mariane Pinto. Mariane, how are you feeling today?

Mariane Pinto: 2:03

I'm doing good. I feel like that there's this energy my life right now that I am fulfilling my dharma 100%

Todd McLaughlin: 2:15

Nice. Well, that's a good place to be. What what is happening that makes you feel that way?

Mariane Pinto: 2:22

Um, well, you know, I two years ago, I was leaving Guatemala, literally two years ago, living what Amala in 2022. And it was about to launch my first yoga retreat ever. And that was my first Guatemala retreat. And I had also just finished my Thai massage course. And which I just had, and I was just thinking, like, really? How could I use like, be keep doing that thing. The things that I love when I had to move back up to the states, you know, because I lived in Guatemala for a year so fast for two years. Now I'm going to my heart retreating two weeks in Mexico. I remember I just launched about a mile retreat, the third version cafe next year. And I found the place that I needed to share Thai massage in South Florida and at a very aligned and I just feel so connected with this place more, and also the people that are in vibrating the same frequency and I'm finally be able to say, Yeah, I'm leaving everything that I've prayed for.

Todd McLaughlin: 3:35

Oh, that's amazing. Yeah, that's so cool. I'm so happy to hear that. You're also a Thai massage therapist. I love Thai massage.

Mariane Pinto: 3:48

You know, right.

Todd McLaughlin: 3:49

Yeah. How did you What came first yoga or massage therapy?

Mariane Pinto: 3:56

Um, yoga. So I think I started practicing yoga, a lot of yoga in my middle 20s When I went through a divorce, actually, so I just immerse myself into doing as much as yoga as I could because it made me feel good. And I wouldn't, you know, have I'll have better thoughts about myself and just had better feelings in my body and just a lot of release. And I started working a yoga studio as a Sinclair meaning 20 2016 which is Orange County, California. I used to live in California at the time. And then I working there I ended up doing a teacher training with my amazing teacher and the rest is yeah, my stories. And then I ended up with with that way I ended up became a traveling yoga teacher for a while I was teaching. I was teaching mostly at a hostel where I live, and I was teaching workshops and I I went to teach in Bali at a retreat, I went to Costa Rica, like right after the pandemic and live in the community. And that's when I was doing a work trade there like working the teaching, teaching yoga, working the farm. And I remember at nighttime, we would be everybody would be really tired and like, and we all massage each other's feet and massage chair does snacks and everybody like how you have really good hands, your hands are really strong, you should become issued to the issue help people you know, you should use this skill too. So I was looking actually, when I was living in the community, I was looking at some massage therapist course like nothing I really like. It sounds nice doing like students massage or shiatsu all that, but I wanted to do something that had more, had more a correlation to yoga that also improve him as a teacher. So I was looking at Thai massage courses, but it was very literalistic to go to Thailand. And then I found this studio in Sao Jose, Costa Rica with the teacher that studying Thailand. And I was like, it's not gonna happen back then. But like, I'm gonna make a priority to make it happen. And I did and nice. Yeah,

Todd McLaughlin: 6:18

that's cool. The like, there's a few years in between the dream of actually studying and then being able to take a training course.

Mariane Pinto: 6:27

So I everything happened really fast. So I was living in Costa Rica, that happened us when it 2021. And then, that same year, I moved to Guatemala, right after I lived in Costa Rica for about five months, and then came back to the city for about a month. And then we would go to Mala and then why I was leaving Guatemala, I went to Costa Rica actually the same year, it was just a few months in between. Yeah, that's how I live actually. Like how make a decision. I'm gonna do this. Yeah.

Todd McLaughlin: 7:06

That's cool. That's amazing to be able to make up your mind and do something. Sometimes we teeter in this like unknown area and don't actually achieve anything. So I hear Yeah, that's cool that you can just like, Get up and go. Did you end Did you have a great experience with your time massage training?

Mariane Pinto: 7:25

Oh, yeah, I was amazing. I'm actually looking at to retake the same training again next year.

Todd McLaughlin: 7:30

Nice. What is the name of the teacher? Isaac, Isaac, very cool. And you said it was with the sunshine school? School? Yeah. Nice, which is in Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand, are really popular

Mariane Pinto: 7:44

in India now. But he he he travels the world doing teaching people chi massage.

Todd McLaughlin: 7:50

Nice. Awesome. What type of yoga Have you centered on in relation to teaching? Do you have a specific modality that you enjoy more than another or two times?

Mariane Pinto: 8:01

30? I studied in California with my teacher Kelly DOORLY. And it was apprenticing as a teacher trainee and she teach for a living Aza which was its own Shiva Ray. Yes. And I was just with them in California, at bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree, so Oh, cool. Yeah, so it was really nice to be there with my teacher. So it's, we have a community that we always Yeah, we it's very special. It's not like I just did a teacher training. And that was the I have a connection with my teachers, which not a lot of people do, you know, that have a connection with their, to the to teacher trainers with so which I find really interesting, because for me, like, that was like more having the connection first and then saying yes to the teacher training, we really made a difference.

Todd McLaughlin: 8:56

Yeah, that's a good point, to kind of maintain and foster that relationship versus to just show up, take training, get a piece of paper, say goodbye and never talk to them again.

Mariane Pinto: 9:09

So I really recommend anyone that want to be a yoga teacher, or really, it's more than that, you know, it's it's a community and it's something that influences your whole life. And eventually, you know, eventually your life becomes yoga and then you even like some friends that don't do yoga fade away because all you want to do is be around that energy.

Todd McLaughlin: 9:35

Good point. Yeah, I hear you. What did you think of Joshua Tree? Was that the first time you'd been there?

Mariane Pinto: 9:42

No, I've been at the same festival for like three times.

Todd McLaughlin: 9:45

Nice. Can you I love Joshua Tree. What how would you describe Joshua Tree to somebody listening that's never been there.

Mariane Pinto: 9:54

Like Mars. You're literally another planet Joshua. is actually a tree. It's a cactus. So it's really big. And there's hot spring is around. There's endless amount of place to record. And to be honest, I'm an ocean person. I couldn't wait to get back to the ocean surf because I was visiting California. Yeah. I recommend going not in the summer, probably October. Like, end of September. October, November is the best time to be there.

Todd McLaughlin: 10:31

Yeah, well, it's a little bit cooler. I had a chance to go there this last march over spring and it was so beautiful. It was a stunning and I love it out there. That's so cool. I'm glad you got a chance to go to bhakti fest I've heard amazing things about that festival. What did you think of that?

Mariane Pinto: 10:50

Yeah, I just get it's it's amazing. This year, they had some DJs which was not expecting usually they just have like kirtan stuff but I think that there may be try to attract little younger crowd which which is great, because he's an opportunity for people to be exposed. Yes, yeah. healing modalities of yoga. And I think such as I think how intimate it is. I like how small it is. It's very, also, it just like everybody so heartfelt. And it's just, yeah, just a good time. And then like, I don't really do the night stuff. To be honest. I like sleeping early. We covered with the sun rise and doing all the urine this morning. Nice. Time. I'm tired.

Todd McLaughlin: 11:39

Here. Yeah. Where were you? Where were you born and raised in Brazil? Very cool. And so obviously you speak Portuguese. If you've been living in Guatemala, are you fluent and Spanish as well?

Mariane Pinto: 11:55

I did. I yeah, I'm actually I just learned Spanish show having friends in high school. That, you know, it was a lot of people here in South Florida. I went to high school and I went I went to California. I had a like a knot. It was more like actually more like a I was married at the time and I will have my ex in the military. So all my friends are like, didn't speak Spanish. So and I always wanted to learn and then after I started working, I also worked as a brand ambassador for different marketing agencies. And they always hired because I speak Portuguese. So I have worked like Comic Con, music festivals and stuff. So I would start speaking Spanish on the job. And then when I moved to Costa Rica, that's when I started speaking more and in Guatemala more. And now I speak fluent. Yeah, as I still have some words that I need to improve, but I can have a full on conversation for sure. We

Todd McLaughlin: 12:57

know. Anyway, that's so cool. So Portuguese, Spanish English. Are there any other languages tucked in there? No, no. That's impressive.

Mariane Pinto: 13:08

About that. Yes. You are talking about like this guy that speaks 14 language. And then I was like, see, I'm like my brand sometimes if I'm like speaking in Portuguese in English, but I think in for in Portuguese, and then but I have to speak Spanish. You know what I mean? Like, like, I don't know how that guys is, but I think yeah, I don't know. Maybe if I ever learn another language. I think I'm halfway through language. But no, I mean, like, I like I think he's tired. It was really beautiful. And I don't think it'd be that hard for me tomorrow.

Todd McLaughlin: 13:41

Yes, yes. Are ya? Are you Where are you currently teaching? While you're in Florida? I know you get a chance to teach at the retreats. But when you live in South Florida, do you have a opportunity to teach to the public? Are you teaching all online?

Mariane Pinto: 13:59

No, I actually never been the kind of theta teachers on everybody has many to teach online but I haven't gotten to the point yet. I always been living in small apartments and that like actually taught online a little bit during the pandemic for some friends. But right now our teaching there re at a new students calls down the lights, a boutique style studio, we have a coffee shop, and two yoga rooms. It's beautiful. It's right downtown. We actually have our grand opening today. And then I also going to start teaching where I do Thai massage, which is Pura Vida wellness. In West Palm Beach. We have Copeland sauna, personal training, and I do Thai massage there and then I'm gonna start I'm gonna start offering yoga, their private lessons and then we they have memberships there. So we're going to start we're going to send out emails whenever there is a class because we start filling it out what the time works better for the members, but I know that the first class is Monday, October night, and night, night. If anybody want to learn more, if they live in the area, they can just however me and I always share everything that I'm teaching for that week.

Todd McLaughlin: 15:14

That's cool, Marianne Yeah, the link to your website, and Instagram is in the description below. So it'd be really easy for people to follow you and see what your schedule is. Can you explain a little bit I saw that you advertise that you practice osteo Thai? Can you explain to us your understanding of the uniqueness or difference between osteo Thai and classic or traditional Thai massage?

Mariane Pinto: 15:42

Yeah, um, it's not, it doesn't mean that I'm like I do. I do also party or anything like that. It's just like, oh, stay smart. The technique that we learned that it comes with learning how to also pay attention to the fascia and, and also touching the bone than just using traditional Thai that is just like mostly lengthening, straining, you know, like in it or stepping or it's, it brings a Thai massage more to a gentle approach. more intuitive, let's say.

Todd McLaughlin: 16:22

Very cool. That's cool. I had a chance to interview a woman named Sandra juris B, who's out in Los Angeles. And that was my first exposure to the word osteo Thai so I found it really fascinating that the like, what you're speaking of the ability to or the emphasis on the like deep fascia work, but very similar to like classic or traditional Thai massage. That's I hear you to do. What is something or somebody that you've worked with lately that has benefited from the work that you do? Like, Have you received any feedback from someone recently that felt like they noticed some sort of change and or reaction to Thai massage?

Mariane Pinto: 17:09

Yeah, so now I actually have for the first time I have like, record like clients that I booking, I read a book three sessions after the first one. They didn't say anything specifically, like in the body, but have they felt overwhelmed, like more present or relaxed in a release? I mean, some people say their neck and their shoulders felt more like relaxed, I think was a specific but I think it was more overall experience because I also do sound healing Muay Thai massages. Nice. And I do breath work. And yeah, there's, it's the whole experience. So

Todd McLaughlin: 17:56

that's cool.

Mariane Pinto: 17:58

So I think that there, yeah, mostly people always relate to the whole experience than just something specific, you know?

Todd McLaughlin: 18:04

Yeah. With breath work are you working with like transformational breathing technique that to that, that double inhale through the mouth, exhale, or

Mariane Pinto: 18:15

you should is a two part breath, inhale through the belly through the chest, they could pause in the slowly exhale out of the mouth. Because people really want to deep really, like deep like, like, they would like think that they need to like but that's like for me, I do them when I'm like doing a Thai massage in a certain area that requires them for deep, like just take a brief deeper, but I will guide them through that. But then I'll ask them to go back to the master that brass ring and they usually they'll guide like, go back to the to paragraph, inhale through the bail. If you inhale through the chest, take a pause. And so Alexei open your mouth with that. Oh, and I like doing that. Because instead of like, I know like, they do it. Oh, it goes. It's like suiting and slow and really brings like, and then I also try to tell them to bring a mantra. I intention like inhale and exhale, peace, you know, something that just keeps them in the present moment. And I know it's work when people fall asleep.

Todd McLaughlin: 19:20

That's like the ultimate compliment.

Mariane Pinto: 19:23

Yeah, like, and I really like where I do Thai Yoga, because it's not like a regular massage plates. Like, guys, it's Ilana. You know like I usually people fall asleep I'll leave them so we can pretend minutes you know, like, even longer fade. There's nobody else coming in. And I usually book people not too close to each other. So really allows them the eye space to be you know,

Todd McLaughlin: 19:45

nice. That's cool.

Mariane Pinto: 19:47

And I haven't been doing for a long time, but everybody tells me I have a gift. So yeah, awesome. Working. You're sharing this gift more? Yeah, yeah. have that much experience. So I've only been doing For two years now,

Todd McLaughlin: 20:03

very cool. Or, yeah, I mean, the main thing I find a lot of people will come and take time and such training but not actually practice it continuously over a long period of time. So to get two years under your belt is great. You know, like to actually stick with it and keep doing it. I also think to like to do agree that so people are actually coming specifically for Thai massage. Are you finding that Thai massage is gaining in popularity? Or do you feel like you have to just educate people about what time massage is? Because often, they might be like, what is that? Oh, I can caffeine half.

Mariane Pinto: 20:40

Yeah, I think it's getting properly. But also, you gotta be confident. Yeah, but moving people's bodies around. I'm a yoga teacher. So I have done in my, under my bow in our body awareness. And also, I really listening to what we call not client, we call the receiver. I don't know if you ever get to that term when you do Dymatize. Yeah, of course, we don't call client we call the receiver, because we're not there to hear in the body. Were there to open the channels off the body for the body can hear itself.

Todd McLaughlin: 21:18

Good point.

Mariane Pinto: 21:20

Yeah. So I think it's more people don't know what it is. And then I just tell them exactly what I told you like it's learning straining, but also has a lot of breathing, and relaxation, and the more relaxed and more, you're going to be able to feel the benefits of it. Yeah, I want to that's why it's really nice to keep working. I tell people that they need to practice yoga. So I say like, the Thai massage is like when you go to a cleaning for your teeth. And then the work at home is flossing, brushing your teeth. So like if you're not stretching, not working out, I'm saying stretching or, or doesn't have to be yoga, any sort of stretching that, let's say your hamstrings, which is very common, it's very tight. If you're not, we're always waiting for the next massage to feel better. You're not going to see an improvement. Yeah. But if you'd like I'm trying to teach my clients now to at least know two or three times a week, between massages to really go to if you don't want to stretch on your own, but a YouTube video or go take a yoga class, which is pretty much yoga is including stretching, of course. And you can see start seeing the improvement a lot more on the body, which is going to reciprocate to the mind.

Todd McLaughlin: 22:50

Great point, Marianne. Yeah, there there is that idea of people coming and saying, Well, how many times should I get Thai massage a week? And or how often should I receive time massage if I want to improve my flexibility, and I agree with you 100%. Like if somebody puts in two to three times a week on their own stretching, that they'll really see that improvement. But I think if people will receive, say Thai massage once a month, that it won't necessarily make this huge impact in terms of increase of flexibility. You know, like, unless there's that consistency on a regular basis. Do you agree? Yeah, yeah.

Mariane Pinto: 23:31

It's the same. You know, we I try to practice what I preach. And I practice a lot of yoga, but I don't receive enough massage. So I need to because I haven't found anyone. So I do get massages, actually, but not Thai massage. But I want to get Thai massage as well. Yes, I can see the improvement in my body. You know.

Todd McLaughlin: 23:54

I hear Yeah. That's like the best. Remember,

Mariane Pinto: 23:57

I was so flexible during my training, like literally everybody because whereas practicing like 910 hours a day. I'm like, I love trainings. I wish I could get training every month.

Todd McLaughlin: 24:11

Isn't that the best where you just actually receive and give bodywork all day for a couple of days consecutively. It's such an incredible experience. I'm guessing that's maybe how maybe. Can you explain a little bit how your retreat that you're getting ready to hold them Puerto Escondido and Mexico I believe are the dates again, it's

Mariane Pinto: 24:31

October, October 24 to the 30 to the 38th.

Todd McLaughlin: 24:35

So is that right on the ocean because you mentioned that you're such a ocean lover. How close is the retreat center to the walking walking distance? Nice. Yeah.

Mariane Pinto: 24:49

So we did a surfing yoga retreat. So we offer surf lessons with local teachers. If you're already a surfer, you can rent a board. We also give them the be diving I am going to be teaching yoga daily. All started yoga restorative for a living as a yoga nidra sound healing. We're going to have static dance. We're also going to be doing going to away on dolphin tour and I'm also bringing an awesome teacher that leaves in Port Escondido she's from Iraq and she's going to be doing workshops in Human Design Center relating breathwork and then we also going to have a traditional Mexican kemiska which the sweat lodge with Sherman everything Yeah,

Todd McLaughlin: 25:36

wow, that sounds incredible. Yeah. Oh my gosh, I want to go once that laughs Oh, man, that would be so fun i but you have seen the surfeit Puerto Escondido obviously like Mexican pipe right? Or have you seen Have you seen Oh no. Say again? It's pretty small. Now it's pretty small now Oh, good. I know like that's one of the heaviest speech breaks in the world. But obviously where you guys will be able to take lessons and or go surfing there's probably like a little day. Yeah, that makes sense. Isn't I saw a documentary on Netflix regarding hallucinogenic mushrooms and they gave a storyline about how a haka is or the state of Oaxaca Mexico near Porto, it's gonna be Puerto Escondido is where the first Westerners actually contacted, hallucinogenic endorsed psilocybin mushrooms. Why do you Sabina? Yeah. Was that an amazing story? Or isn't amazing? Yeah, it is. It is fascinating.

Mariane Pinto: 26:46

Can you actually do offer a mushroom ceremony in one of my retreats? But now this one? Yeah, that makes it I want to know you're doing what? Amala? Yeah, gotcha. It's the Mayans are all connected, right? Like the same miles there sit there. They think tribes from Guatemala as well. So yeah, people been working with mushroom since we. To be honest. I like this year where the apes ate mushrooms. And that's how we evolve our consciousness. I like believing.

Todd McLaughlin: 27:17

I've heard that theory. I'm reminded the name of the book. Are we thinking the same way? Say again?

Mariane Pinto: 27:26

Is it the documentary fantastic fungi.

Todd McLaughlin: 27:29

have not read that one? No, maybe that's a

Mariane Pinto: 27:33

this is a documentary on Netflix with Trump power standards. I'm just checking my banana bread so that we can keep talking.

Todd McLaughlin: 27:42

That's totally cool. That sounds amazing to fresh banana bread.

Mariane Pinto: 27:48

I use cacao from Guatemala. And this flower from Guatemala is no longer Melinda is root similar to UK but it's a gluten free flour. And they buy from this farm. And it's just really good. Yeah, that sounds I don't really have time to cook. But when I do it, well.

Todd McLaughlin: 28:09

Amazing. I love banana bread. Much a huge fan of banana bread. Sounds amazing. Yeah, the book I was thinking about the author Terence McKenna. And I believe it was food of the gods or something of that nature. I can't remember the the title, but he gave that whole he gave a little bit of a historical breakdown on the theory behind monkeys apes ingesting psilocybin and here we are today. I thought home Wow, that's a that's a pretty interesting theory. Oh, yeah. Can you tell me a little bit about the conference that you're taking part in Miami that I can't remember what it's titled, but it looks like something in that genre.

Mariane Pinto: 29:00

So it's called microdosing Wonderland. It's it's a conference based on psychedelics for longevity and mental health. So there is a lot of interesting and powerful people being part of it's not like a bunch of Yogi's offering. I know I'm one of them. But I say it's not just a bunch of like people saying like, they say, Oh, it's just a bunch of people. Talking about psychedelic isn't getting high. No, there's like scientists and doctors and people talking about all different things about psychedelic psychedelic is embedded in the psychedelic investments because psychedelics, high psychedelics, can you know help people with the STD and all that sort of stuff like and then I you're going to be teaching yoga and sound healing at some point. And then I wonder is Something about the importance of non psychedelic modality with psychedelic use, which is the things that I preach which is meditation, yoga, sound healing, and also trying new experience trying new activities which was That's why I try to offer my retreat like surf lat I'd like I offer surf lessons I we go hack a volcano, we're gonna you know, like really challenging your your human self to do different things so we can get out of your comfort zone. And, and, and I think that sometimes people can get caught up. I think psychedelics are amazing. And I microdose and I love going on trips, like the Schumann trip into the forest. I like taking acid when I go to a concert, you know, like, but very mindful. But at the same time, I think it's important to not rely on any medicine to be able to feel better. I think at some point in my life, I'm not going to be taking psychedelics, I think I'm gonna learn from what I need to learn from and it's really powerful to be with yourself without any substance. So I think that these no psychedelic modalities really help you get to the state.

Todd McLaughlin: 31:19

Yeah, I agree with you, Marianne, I'm, I'm older than you. I, I agree with you. 100%. It's, it's transitioned for me as well, to where I don't feel like I need any of that anymore. I don't have a strong desire for it. But um, I definitely see its role in evolution of consciousness and development. 100%. Yeah, as long as there as long as people are really safe, and they do it with guidance, and if there is mental illness, psychosis, that there's a strong sense of safety and or done with a professional who really knows what's going on and is careful. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's cool. Have you um, you said that the style of yoga teacher training that you did was prana vinyasa and that's under Shiva. Ray, have you had a chance to practice with Shiva Ray?

Mariane Pinto: 32:22

Yeah, she was a guest, my teacher trainees and I have been to my living in California, I have practiced with her so many times. And I just practice with her at bhakti fest

Todd McLaughlin: 32:32

nice. When you teach class, are you teaching Shiva Ray style, like a static dance movement type of no form, just do whatever you want to do? Approach

Mariane Pinto: 32:47

the sequence. I teach you the sequence. And I do facilitate some static dance. I haven't facilitated the many workshops, but I done some that we start with you again. And we finish with free movement. But when I teach at the studio, where I teach and others definitely a sequence is either we call it their lunar or solar solar will be like more activated and then linear, a little bit more subtle.

Todd McLaughlin: 33:15

If you would you call it vinyasa, like movement coordination. Yeah. Yeah. As a flow. Yeah. And do what type of demographic do you typically teach to in terms of like people, younger folk, elderly? Do you get a mixture?

Mariane Pinto: 33:34

I've been getting everything actually. I just had, I also started taking. I actually teach this class that it's not much coming at us, but I call it gentle flowing Thai Yoga teacher, Mondays and Tuesdays, and it's a slow flow. It has a little bit of a bit of vinyasa, but I I'll put the class in different positions, and I will go around doing time massaging everybody.

Todd McLaughlin: 34:01

Nice. Very cool.

Mariane Pinto: 34:03

I mean, Thai massage, it teaches to be a great hands on just

Todd McLaughlin: 34:07

do you notice. Yes. And so obviously, you are using hands on assists in your classes. It sounds like very regularly. Yeah, yeah. Do you? Do you have a protocol for just making sure that everybody the people that you work with actually are open and wanting you to touch them? Do you have any sort of like, permission at the beginning of the class? I haven't had anybody to say no yet. Yeah. Everybody wants to be touched. I hear Yeah. Yeah. If you have some skill, every now and again, I'll get I'll have people that say no, but it's very rare.

Mariane Pinto: 34:47

Yeah, it is. I haven't got any one yet. But our studio also just opened and it was low season so I'm sure I'd get class get hard like I'm and it's also the bigger class. The harder it is to get to everybody.

Todd McLaughlin: 35:03

Yeah, good point. Yeah, there's that element of trying to keep it balanced where, you know, you're not just touching me. Yeah. And having everybody else go What about me? Where's my turn? Yeah.

Mariane Pinto: 35:18

But usually I try to go for someone that is struggling, you know? Yeah. Like with their alignment stuff.

Todd McLaughlin: 35:23

Yeah. Have you? Have you had any situations where you've gone too far with assisting and or Thai massage where the next day somebody said that was too much. Have you had any of those situations? Or is it been pretty chill so far?

Mariane Pinto: 35:41

During the massage, I will be stretching someone's leg. And they'll be like, this is a little bit too much for now. Yeah. But nine class?

Todd McLaughlin: 35:48

Yeah. Yeah.

Mariane Pinto: 35:50

But 101 massages is just communication is just

Todd McLaughlin: 35:54

Yes.

Mariane Pinto: 35:56

And also like, yeah, the right side can be more flexible than the left side. But also, I think it's important to help go deeper with your receivers. Otherwise, there's not going to be any, any change, you're just lifting someone's leg, you know, you got to make an impact and like, help people just breathe a little bit deeper. It's not paying, it's just discomfort, you know, like encouraging them to breathe deeper, because that's when transformation happens.

Todd McLaughlin: 36:23

Yeah. Great point. Marianne, you mentioned that you have a marketing background or that you work with companies and marketing and I saw that you also you said you were a little too busy for it now, but that you're a photographer, can you tell me a little bit about your background with marketing and photography?

Mariane Pinto: 36:48

Yeah, so I mean, I was like, taking photos and stuff and I think that I would have studied something more related to art in school or even like something more related to the body. I do love a passion for both I, I like I like being creative. And I also like being health and fitness, let's say but I study. When I study, I study Healthcare Administration, it's too late to change my major. So I got a minor in marketing. And during taking marketing class, I had to get internship so I started working for some nonprofits in healthcare, and then in their marketing, just helping do some social media and then I was looking for part time work in marketing and then I got my first job, we'd see Coca Cola water, like when I was 20, I did college a little late like I graduated, I was 27 I took a break and which I'm done weaving I think it was great. I think everybody should take it, think more through it. And then I ended up with that got the gig, I was driving a Zico coconut water car going around, I live in California at the time, so I was going to send them money convenience and just giving free coconut water, but also managing a warehouse with products and and then from there, I started meeting other people other brands and then my network just started growing growing this was eight years ago. So right now I have like an extensive extensive network of marketing agents who have clients of people that I work with that I'm able to having had a full time job in the last eight years I just work contract work for a short short amount of time but I'm getting to a point in my life where I don't I don't mind working for other brands I called Bridge jobs is just making extra money but I want to work with brands that I believe in and want to work with brands that and also I'm getting more busy doing time massage now and I don't have time to do all of it. Yeah, so that's what I said about fulfilling my dime I really feel I'm getting to a place where I'm initially starting know for certain things to create space for the things I do want to do even though I make a little bit of a lot of money you know what I mean?

Todd McLaughlin: 39:18

Yes, I do. I'm really curious to for say any budding yoga teacher massage therapist that might be listening that feels like they need to improve their marketing like maybe they feel like they're not getting enough business and need to do something to try to get a little bit more clientele and or business. Is there any specific Avenue within the whole marketing world that you think is really worthwhile putting time in because like there's so many different things we can do these days, whether it's video or audio or social media or email marketing or word of mouth marketing What what do you think the current trend is for something that if someone had to pick something, one of those many things, just to get started would be a good place to start.

Mariane Pinto: 40:14

I think you got to find your niche where your clients are. If, because massage is not like something you sell online, it's a personal experience. It's a physical personal experience in person. And I think that for me, Instagram works, the best email marketing, not so much, like, mostly for my retreats. But I also say to people, like, you got to post your craft, whatever channel you do every day, you got to talk to people, if you meet new people tell them what do you do all the time, because even though if some people get in the way of you sharing your stuff all the time, that's not your people, you know, like the people that love your hours gonna support you. And if you're not being seen, you're not people are not gonna have they're gonna find out about you. You know, there's so many people there. But there's enough people for everybody. That's the thing like that people are like, oh, there's a lot of yoga teacher, there's a lot of people doing Thai massage. Yes, but there's also in other industries, there's also the thing is like, when you were in this world, when you were doing Tai massage yoga retreats, many you will follow people that are doing the same thing as you right? And then you think, oh, there's other people then there's a lot of people that are not doing that and they're looking for someone like you, you know, like today just before the podcast, I literally got a text message somebody booked a time massage at 1pm and I didn't even do anything I was just through the website that they put up with a wellness but my my information their website and they have I had Friday available but I forgot to change my schedule saying that I was not available because I have a lot of going and then I we text the person we call them like saying look we love you. If we can rebook you to another day that was inconvenience I'm sorry to create tell you this, but if you like we can refund you Okay, now they're like, No, totally fine. Let's do Sunday. Cool, you know, and also I mean, we can I also got my moon like, I'm on my period to that yesterday, and I'm not fully able to give it to someone today. And I was just being completely honest, emotive when you're bowing real. You are the mark, we're gonna relate to you. Good point. Do you now?

Todd McLaughlin: 42:43

Yeah, do Do you have a like? So the fact that you said you have to post every single day, do you have a way to keep that momentum going, like, first thing in the morning when you wake up, you write down an idea, or

Mariane Pinto: 43:00

I needed a break day. I just didn't I we had actually a Thai massage, photoshoot booked to do it. So I can promote create some fires. And my photography couldn't come last minute. So I decided to take the day off. You know, I left my phone charging. I was just in the sauna. relaxing and just seemed joy were at work without working. You know, it felt like I was reading my book. And I just pulled I try to post in the morning when I'm mostly active and more aware. You don't have to do a post you can just put in your stories. I tried to ask friends to share like I found you. You know, I asked Shana to share a post like can you share this. And then they're used people that are willing to like help you. And then there's also friends that see your posts don't care and they'll say anything. And then there's friends that say congratulations, you're doing awesome, but then they never show up to your craft, you know? Yeah. So then, but then the more you do your craft and more you align and people that do like your craft, like I met a girl I was doing Thai massage at a CoCo market in their rates like this cool yoga event that happens once every first Sunday of every month. And they put a tent there. I make candles as well. So I was like selling my candles. I put my Thai back there that I was just offering 30 minute sessions try to get some new clients before I found Pura Vida wellness. And I met this girl and then she does like sugar scrubs and yoga nidra pillows. She's amazing. And we became friends and we did our social media giveaway and she comes to my yoga classes she you know she comes hang out and we vibe and and that's just the way it is. You know, like the more you are yourself, the more you're gonna align with people and it doesn't mean that other people are not great, but they're just not a space to support you. You know like they're young. Other places in their life, you know?

Todd McLaughlin: 45:01

Yeah, I like what you're saying. I feel like um, you're giving me encouragement to, to keep keep pushing for it to keep pushing forward with all the marketing stuff that goes on, like personally having a yoga studio, and which is requires paying rent every month and being, you know, really responsible and consistent. Day after day, 365 days a year, sometimes I get a little like, Ah, man, like, this is so much work, right? But I like what you're saying in relation to just that fearless quality of like, don't worry so much about what people are gonna think or say, or if they respond or don't respond, just like, get your face in there and just start talking about what you love or do you know, show so I really I like that I like, I like your

Mariane Pinto: 45:48

advice, and I relate to you trust me, even if it's just one person at least you made a difference in one person's life, you know? Yeah, yeah, we don't.

Todd McLaughlin: 45:56

Do you think? Do you think it's possible?

Mariane Pinto: 45:58

If you remember, I can't even remember like, 100 people's like, if I have 100 likes no photo, do you know, I know those 100 people are their names. I don't but if you know what I mean. Yeah, like you gotta believe in yourself. Because it and I did struggle with that for many years after my divorce, like, you know, my weaknesses and stuff. And but now I'm like, I have one life to live. You know, and I'm never be this young again. So I so I say Let's go baby. Creating retreats. I don't know if people are gonna say not for my retreats. You know, like, I'm to be honest, like, I don't even make that much profit right now. I don't think people tell me I don't charge enough. But I'm like, Yeah, but I'm not like, I've been this will come. Once I, you know, it's a process of learning, creating, and then you see what works. You see what doesn't work. You see, what do you need to cut off? And then it is just a process of doing it. The more you do the better. Yeah,

Todd McLaughlin: 46:57

yeah. Great point. I remember the first time my wife and I led a retreat down in Costa Rica we did at Bodhi tree in Nosara. And, yeah, it's really beautiful. And it required a fairly hefty deposit to sign up to say, Yes, I'm committing to this time. And I remember at the time gone, what if people don't sign up and I put this big deposit down, and I don't break even. And you know, I was a little bit nervous about it. It was the first time we had done it. And it did go great. We had an incredible attendance. It was so amazing. But I remember having that apprehension of just like committing to it. I'm so excited to see that you've broken through that apprehension, you have two incredible retreats signed lined up already like to be able to go to Puerto Escondido and also to Guatemala is like two pretty amazing places. So I just want to give you a little bit of kudos for following through and doing it because it is it's a big deal.

Mariane Pinto: 48:02

This is my last time in Mexico for now.

Todd McLaughlin: 48:05

It's the last time you're gonna go to Mexico for a while. Um, I think so. How come

Mariane Pinto: 48:12

I can only handle as many as the treats I can't like it's a lot of work. So I I want to have three a year now. So next year, I'm doing I'm gonna keep the one Guatemala every year because that one is just so special. Yeah, we're gonna move to the environment, which we to Costa Rica next year. Nice. And June 26th. Already have the dates summer. Cool. And then I am actually going to do in in Brazil as well.

Todd McLaughlin: 48:41

Very cool.

Mariane Pinto: 48:44

I grew up. So it's going to be that's going to be the end of 2024. I'm actually going to need yours to Brazil, with call Yoga Day Floripa. And it was this guy that I met in Guatemala. He's in Brazil and he does big retreats in Brazil, so I'm going to his retreat so we can plan our retreat. That makes sense. It does work. It's like a work trip.

Todd McLaughlin: 49:07

Florida is that are you from Flora Annapolis.

Mariane Pinto: 49:11

I'm from Cali Chiba which is one state over but I grew up going to those beaches as a child like my parents would take their we would spend our summer vacations there and stuff.

Todd McLaughlin: 49:23

It sounds so beautiful. I was talking with someone there's an island I guess off of Florianopolis. It's like they're very few people live there, but you can get over there. Do you know which island it might be? I can't even think of the name of the I only know. Honey Island. Okay.

Mariane Pinto: 49:40

It's often my it's not fully but it's more like a little bit more north. Eric cool.

Todd McLaughlin: 49:50

I've never been to Brazil, but I want to go so bad. It looks so beautiful. Looks amazing.

Mariane Pinto: 49:56

Yeah, it's actually really expensive to travel with in Brazil. And it's like the it's takes eight to 12 hours to get there. So that's why I want to do at least a whole week at least eight days. So people, you know, take the time to for the retreat and stuff. So yes. That's why I'm going to plan it right now. I don't have to. It's like I had some people that reach out to me like, you want to do me tweeting in Greece in the sailboat, it looks amazing. But like, I have no connection with, you know, I'm sure it's beautiful. But I have no connection. I have never been there. So I like creating experiences to a place I like before I did my retreat in Mexico and Puerto Escondido. I went to a surf trip there. And that's how I create. Yeah, you know what I mean? It makes such a difference to have a connection with the place.

Todd McLaughlin: 50:51

Oh, man, that's a really great plan. I remember before we took a group to Costa Rica, I got really nervous the night before, because I had this like fear. I had actually done the same thing you did, I thought, let me travel to Costa Rica first actually travel around the country see where I'd like to do it, that type of thing. But I remember I got nervous because I had this feeling of like, I'm responsible for this group of people like what if? I mean, I know this is a really probably paranoid thought, but like, what if our bus gets hijacked and like, like, everyone? Here's a bunch of like, you know, people coming from America that have no idea what they're getting involved in, like, you know, other family members saying, Well, who are you going with? And I would be responsible. Have you ever had that feeling? Leading retreat of like, what if I'm held responsible in a situation that's really heavy or challenging? Or it might just being overly cautious? Oh, all

Mariane Pinto: 51:51

the time. I have the feeling all the time. I have inside all the time. You know, things change. You gotta be resilient. You gotta be open. You gotta be a good communicator. You gotta just trust everything's gonna work out. Yeah, yeah. So I've been going a week or any two parties continue to, for no reason. No, it's not like, I'm just going to show up there and everything happens.

Todd McLaughlin: 52:15

You get to kind of get dialed in. Yeah. Interesting. That's cool. I had somebody asked us recently to lead a retreat to India, and I love India. And I've had amazing travels to India. But India is like one of those places that I feel like it's so I get challenged so much that I don't want to be responsible for other people. But I feel like places like, it sounds like like you're doing a lot of that work of of getting comfortable with his with a place first, which I think would make or have a profound impact for the people that are actually participating in your retreat, versus just willy nilly picking a spot and ever going and then bringing a group and being unprepared. I like hearing that you put so much thought into cultivating

Mariane Pinto: 53:07

relationships with the people that are also collaborating with you.

Todd McLaughlin: 53:10

Yeah. Good point. Can you talk a little bit about how you do your collaborations in relation to your retreat organization?

Mariane Pinto: 53:19

Oh, well, I live in Guatemala. So I know like the boat drivers. I know the drivers or the van that pick people up at the airport. I know the people that are all the girls I'm collaborating with. And my Guatemala retreat we live together and this mushroom communities California Academy. So everybody I have had a personal experience with you know, yeah, the same with Mexico. Like I did the same retreat last year. So I have had I know the owner of the facility. So but who knows, you know, I might be popping up another Mexico retreat again next year. People want to you know, like, I don't know. You might happen might not but the focus is move on to Costa Rica and Brazil next year.

Todd McLaughlin: 54:05

That's cool. I'm that sounds like three amazing locations. So if you can pull all three of those off, that would be a big deal.

Mariane Pinto: 54:13

No, I think I can. That's the thing. Yeah, I

Todd McLaughlin: 54:16

think you can. I can. Yeah. Oh, Marianne. Man, I'm so thankful for you to take time out of your day to speak with me. I hope those of you listening, get a chance to follow Marianne on Instagram. And also check her out on her website to stay posted. And if you're interested in traveling to some of the locations that Marian is speaking about, you know, she would be a great person to go practice and study with Marianne, are there any other tidbits of info and or words of parting wisdom that you'd like to share with us before? We let you go to the grand opening of the new yoga studio that you're going to be teaching? Yeah, sure.

Mariane Pinto: 54:57

I always say we all walking I love This quote, a lot of people have heard before from Rome that we all walk each other home from around us, you know, like I doing my best that I can to be a guy to be inspiring and and it's literally what I do right now is just literally my life lessons that I turned into a retreat or things that I teach in yoga things that helped me my healing journey. And I'm sure I'm with others who help them so like, you know, we all learn we grow and then we teach others and yeah, just keep showing up for healing the eventually you when they realize why things happen the way happen.

Todd McLaughlin: 55:42

Well said, Marianne,

Mariane Pinto: 55:44

thank you so much for having me.

Todd McLaughlin: 55:46

Thank you. I'll see you soon. I'll see you soon. Bye bye. Native yoga podcast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you liked this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com. And hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends, rate it and review and join us next time