Leading fitness expert and entrepreneur Beth Shaw finds her own wellness in giving back. Yoga itself changed her own life at an early age. As a child she used it in combination with mediation to manage paniful migraines. Her passion for the practice of Yoga grew from there, and through Beth, yoga has changed hundreds of thousands more lives.
In 1974, Beth founded YogaFit, Inc., the largest yoga training school in North America. Despite market saturation, her organization thrives by honing in on safety and inclusiveness.
“Our initial trainings were very safety and fitness oriented. We have since taken yoga to a next level, branching out in various ways to meet the needs of many populations.”
For example, the “YogaFit for Warriors” program helps bring relief to anyone suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Beth also mentions “Yoga HealthCare”, the company's 1000-hour yoga therapy program for health and wellness. Also available are certifications for diabetes management, heart health, mood balancing and more.
“We are one stop for anything anyone would need for yoga.”
Her business isn't the only place where she practices inclusivity. In 2005, Beth launched her non-profit, “Visionary Women in Fitness”, to work with underprivileged women in different franchised areas and to provide scholarships. Through mentoring and coaching, the goal is to encourage them to pursue higher education.
Animal advocacy is a huge passion for Beth. She serves on the Board of Directors for “The Animal Museum” which recently opened in Los Angeles. She's dedicated much time and effort to the spaying and neutering of pets.
“We euthanize over ten million dogs and cats a year, and it costs taxpayers over $100 million annually. My goal is to get ride of puppy mills, make spaying and neutering mandatory and have people adopt the animals siting in shelters, cold, hungry and waiting for a home.”
Philanthropy is a big component of YogaFit's training, and is one of Beth's most proud initiatives.
“Students must do eight hours of community service work, teaching yoga to communities that normally wouldn't have access.”
This requirement has resulted in more than one million hours of free yoga to individuals in need. Shaw explains
“Helping others is the most important work I can do on this planet. ”
This is just one of the duties she believes we have as humans. Another is to take care of ourselves.
“Listen to your bodies. Remember they were meant to move. Everybody should spend time every day doing something good for their health.”
For her, this means walking as much as possible, eating clean, working out, meditating and being mindful. She advises anyone wanting to improve their health to start by eliminating one thing you know isn't good for you, weather eating dairy despite an intolerance or indulging in an extra cocktail.
Beth discloses more helpful information in her three books, available in bookstores, at YogaFit.com and Amazon. She also presents at YogaFit conferences worldwide and is available for public speaking engagements. Additional details can be found at BethShaw.com.
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jessica Cantignani
- Photography
- Tiffany Frances
