We had the good fortune of connecting with Maggie Hagemann and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maggie, every day, we hear about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
One day, a day that felt rather ordinary, I was meditating, and I had a shockingly clear vision of creating a space where children could come and be themselves. I instantly could see a whimsical community where stress, anxiety, and judgement would not be present… or rather they would be present, and they would melt away like a popsicle on a hot summer’s day. The message from that vision was profound, and I began to take action immediately. Perhaps some might think that big and heavy feelings, such as stress and anxiety, are only seen in adults, and unfortunately, this is not true. I have been an elementary educator for 10 years, and I know firsthand how cluttered and confusing children’s lives can be. By no fault of any one person, this is the reality our children are facing in this world today, and the majority of children are not receiving the social and emotional learning in school that they need to be confident, intentional, and mindful human beings. My intention is to change that through holding space for children to practice yoga, mindfulness, meditation, art, communication skills, and most importantly, through play! Pure Pahadis is dedicated to creating a world where children are empowered, enlightened and fully conscious to live extraordinary lives. No more ordinary days; only extraordinary ones!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I would like to start out by explaining the name of my business, Pure Pahadis. I chose the adjective “pure”, because what is more pure than a child? Children are our most extraordinary teachers when it comes to living a joyous life and being true to one’s nature. Children are pure, authentic, and truly see the beauty in all spaces. When it come to the word pahadis, it was recommended to me by one of my best friends, who is from India. In Hindi, pahadis means mountaineers. It is what folks in India call people who belong to the mountains. At Pure Pahadis, we are grounded like the mountains. We strive to be elevated, both in body and in mind, like the mountains. A mountain’s peak spiritually signifies the state of absolute consciousness, and at Pure Pahadis, we practice absolute consciousness daily. What sets Pure Pahadis apart is that I have yet to come across a business that does specifically what we do. I have never heard of a mindfulness center, specifically for children, in Colorado. I am often asked what I mean by mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being present to what is happening right now. Practicing mindfulness teaches children to completely enjoy the present moment without holding on to it when it ends, because it will, indeed, end. In contrast, it teaches children to powerfully be with an uncomfortable moment, and to fully understand that it won’t always feel this way. When anyone is mindful, they are in charge of their Self, and they have the tools to show up fully in their power and to create a magnificent life. The next question I am often asked is how do y0u teach mindfulness to children? We teach mindfulness by holding workshops, afterschool programs, and summer camps that integrate mindfulness skills throughout our activities. For example this summer, we are holding a “Mind”Craft Summer Camp and a Magically Mindful Summer Camp where children will do activities that are fun and exciting to them because of the theme, and they will also have many mindfulness skills incorporated into them, including, yoga, art, meditation, exploring nature, creating intentions, as well as learning how to actively listen and work as a team. Pure Pahadis believes in play-based learning, and we develop our events to be flexible, so children understand their value as leaders in any setting. It is not just our event; it is their event, too, and they matter! We also provide one-on-one mindfulness sessions, both in-person and virtually, and we also provide opportunities for educators to learn how to be more mindful and inclusive in their teaching practices, so they can show up powerfully and with limited, manageable stress every day. We can also demonstrate how to bring mindfulness practices into their classrooms to share with their students in a developmentally appropriate manner which will positively impact classroom culture, community, and classroom management by leaps and bounds! I am so proud and passionate about what we are up to at Pure Pahadis, and I look forward to continuing to see how it grows and positively impacts the Denver community in the future. We hope anyone reading this will agree that mindfulness is necessary, and often missing, in our collective culture, and we’re honored to help change that. This is powerful work!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The mountains are my happy place, so when a best friend comes to visit, we head straight to the mountains! I love to backpack, hike, and camp, and I love sharing this with others, especially those who are admittedly feeling disconnected with our Mother Earth. After some blissful nature time, my favorite place in the city is Cap Hill. I would take my friend to a yoga class at Courageous Yoga above City O’ City (check them out; they are phenomenal), and after the class, we would simply head downstairs to enjoy a delicious meal at City O’ City. Afterwards, I would suggest a stroll in Cheesman Park, one of my favorite parks in Denver that will always be dear to me. Finally, one cannot come to Denver without checking out a show at Red Rocks!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Gosh, there are so many people I could give credit to for my success, and so it is difficult to name just one. The first two people who popped in my brain are my partner, KC, who has been such an incredibly patient and persistent support in my life since we have been together the past 15 years. The other person is my friend, and fellow educator and collaborator, Caitlyn. Caitlyn loves without expectations or limits, and she has a way of helping me to always remember that I’m up to great things that will make a difference in the world of children. I am so grateful to have these two incredible humans by my side. Their support has made such a difference to me in all parts of my life, and especially in creating this business, which is my passion.

Website: www.purepahadis.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purepahadis/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purepahadismind

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0iZhpw4OQeWGtP7G3Yyh4g

Image Credits
Jennifer Blanset

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