Norie spent the first nine years of her working life as a stockbroker, a manager in treasury services and a money market trader. Thirty years ago she became a recruiter for technical industries, and continues to work in this field. She feels that shifting her professional focus to recruiting was a big risk that opened up infinite possibilities in her life.
Currently, Norie is also a part time antique dealer with a booth in the St. Jacobs Antiques Market. Her passion for antiques began at the age of twelve, to her parents’ great surprise and has matured into a sophisticated pursuit. As a young person, her love of reading was well supported by pursuing a degree in English literature, with a major in modern languages and a minor in psychology. Norie loves to travel and with an ability to adapt quickly feels comfortable anywhere in the world. She has lived in both England and Spain. Connecting to the earth through gardening and caring for animals are also important to her.
At 61, Norie feels as if she is getting younger. She has no specific physical pain or limitation, but notices that external stress can sometimes cause a generalized feeling of tension. Once a stressor is identified, it’s released and Norie “feels reborn”. She believes that change on every level is possible when we maintain a positive, open and adaptive view toward life.
Norie began attending yoga classes at Esther Myers Yoga Studio 20 years ago because of the location, reputation of the studio and the knowledge that yoga can be healthy and helpful. She enjoys walking into a safe clean space, a space that embraces her like a child. At the Studio, she feels comfortable and relaxed. For Norie, yoga reaches far beyond the physical benefits. She describes yoga as the “dead stop”, the opportunity to do nothing, only to be. When she feels this total stop, she is incapable of thinking of anything other than the yoga; it consumes her attention completely. Norie finds that breathing, attending to the sensation of grounding, and releasing the spine invites an experience of dropping away from the day-to-day and connecting fully to something else: quiet, contentment, peace, an inner retreat.
Norie says that she will always be a beginner. She enjoys knowing that the other students in the class are having different experiences, yet all together, everyone is spending worthwhile time learning to understand themselves.
The yoga exercises can be very simple, such as massaging the feet as she does every evening, but still profoundly beneficial for anyone. This approach to yoga is positive, supportive, educational, peaceful and nurturing. All that is required is a willingness to be open.