Category: Uncategorised

If you’ve been to a few classes at our studio, you’ve probably figured out that Modo Yoga is more than just our name – it’s a set sequence of yoga poses, taught mostly the same way each time, depending on the teacher and the class. People often ask us why we always practice the same sequence of poses, and why we don’t switch it up more often. Here are just a few great reasons that we believe that consistency is key:

So you can still do yoga when you’re 80. Our sequence of poses was developed with the input and wisdom of many senior yoga teachers, with the intention of creating a balanced, therapeutic sequence of poses that stretches and strengthens all the muscles in the body in a non-aggressive, non-impactful way. Sure, some of those fancy yoga poses are fun to work on, and it’s great to challenge yourself in new ways, but they may not be sustainable for your body in the long run, and we want you to still be rockin’ your practice well into your golden years!

Because the Modo series works! Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned yogi, the Modo series will kick your butt and leave you feeling clear. If you find you’re not being challenged enough, ask your teacher for some extra tips on things to focus on to make the pose tougher, and if you still find that you’re not being challenged, then it likely has nothing to do with the pose. Are you really present, focusing on your breath? Or is your mind wandering? Generally, the more attention you give to your practice, the more you will get out of it.

Because it’s boring. Yup, we said it, practicing the same series over and over again can be boring, and that’s precisely why we do it! Boredom is just another thing that comes up in practice, and how we deal with it depends entirely on how we frame it. If you look at boredom negatively, as a permanent state that should be avoided, then boredom can be killer, to a yoga practice, a relationship, a career… But yoga asks us to dig deeper, and to view everything that comes up – be it good or bad – with equanimity, without judgement. So if you get bored, well, that’s it, you’re bored. It’s not good, it’s not bad, it just is. You can choose to take the path of least resistance (aka, the easy route) and avoid boredom by moving on to the next thing (until you get bored with that, then you’ll move on again, and then again, ad infinitum), or you can choose to be okay with boredom, to commit to working through it, and to seeing it as a reason to start paying more attention. Because even on your five-thousandth Warrior II pose, there is something to learn, but you have to get there first, and then you have to pay attention once you’re there. It’s not easy, but the good stuff rarely is.

Because Modo meets you where you are. Feeling a little tired? Or maybe you’re fired up and energetic… No matter where you are physically and emotionally, the Modo series caters to that. You can approach the same poses in the same sequence in a way that’s gentle, or you can approach it with more intensity, or any variation in between. You can always walk into class knowing that you’re going to get exactly what you need from your practice, and we think that’s pretty special.

Twelve years ago today, I wandered into Modo Yoga London for my first ever hot yoga class, completely unaware of how much my life was about to change. Now, more than a decade (and countless sweaty classes!) later, my love for Modo still burns bright. Though I’m sure I still have LOTS left to learn as my practice matures even more, I’d like to share with you a few of the most important things I’ve learned so far…

Expect nothing. Just like that first class, I still have no idea what to expect when I come on to my mat. Sure, now I know the technical aspects of the class – what poses we will do, for approximately how long, and in which order – but I still have no idea how it’s really going to feel. Sometimes I am so tired I can barely find the energy to drag myself from the lobby to the hot room, but once I start moving, I feel an energy I didn’t know I had, and my practice is on fire! Other times, I’ll show up fully energized, but my body has other ideas, and I have a super mellow class. I’ve learned that having expectations of myself most often leads to disappointment, and so now I just show up, do my best in the moment, and let the proverbial chips fall where they may.

Boredom happens, and it’s okay. I used to wonder, if I weren’t a Modo Yoga studio owner, would I still be practicing Modo after all this time? Because let me tell you, there have been times where I have been capital-B Bored! I have, at times, dreaded the heat, despised the repetition and begrudged my obligation to keep doing this practice… But what I’ve learned is that boredom and resistance just show up to alert me to something else that is going on. So, when these feelings come up, I now know to just pay better attention, to dive deeper into my breath and to commit even more fully to being on my mat, because when I am clear-headed, that’s when I’m able to see what’s really up, and only then can I actually deal with it. As Winston Churchill once said, “the only way out is through.”

It feels better to work hard. Being a naturally kinda lazy person, I was delighted when I first heard my yoga teacher say that it was okay to take breaks, and that I should listen to my body and rest if I was tired. Yes! I could still enjoy all the self-satisfaction and smugness of going to yoga everyday, but I didn’t actually have to do anything when I was there! Win-win! Except that it wasn’t. Now, I’m not talking about truly listening to your body and resting when you really need it – this is a necessary part of any practice, especially in the heat. I’m talking about how I never did Camel pose for years because I didn’t want to face the discomfort it brought up, so I always chose that moment to “listen to my body” and take Child’s pose. I’m talking about how I stopped pushing myself, both physically and mentally, to deepen and grow in my practice, because I used “listening to my body” as an excuse to be lazy. But what I’ve learned is that working hard (even though it’s, um, hard) feels way better than going through the motions, and that you truly get out of this what you put into it. So now, even on my crummiest days, I still try my best. Some days, “my best” might look more impressive than other days, but no matter what, the deep knowing that I’ve done the work is the best feeling of all.

Your body will change, and so will your practice. The first time I did a yoga class after the birth of my first baby, I remember thinking “whose body is this?!?” Nothing felt the way it did before, and now, 4 years (and one more baby!) later, it still doesn’t! It’s not better or worse, it’s just different. There are things that I used to be able to do that I may never do again, and conversely, things that I can do now that I previously couldn’t have imagined. So I try to roll with that. Aging, pregnancy, injuries – all of these things have affected my body and changed my practice in their own way. Sure, sometimes it’s frustrating, but I don’t think it’s productive to fight it. Rather, I try to accept it and just keep showing up. My practice still serves me in the same way, so why does it matter what it looks like? Which leads me to…

Fancy yoga poses aren’t the point. I have, at various points over the last 12 years, done some impressive things while standing on my hands and on my head. I’ve done some crazy, super deep, super hard yoga poses. And it was fun! And it would have looked awesome on Instagram! Most of those fancy poses aren’t in my practice any more, though, either because I can’t do them now (see the previous point!), or I’m just not super interested in pursuing them. Don’t get me wrong, I still love working on new poses, but my desire to accomplish has definitely softened. What I want from my yoga practice is to be more peaceful, more grounded and more connected. I’ve learned that I can find those things by simply standing in Tadasana. One of my teachers once said something along the lines of “If you can do Scorpion pose, but you’re still an asshole, then what’s the point?” Fancy poses don’t mean anything if they don’t serve you on a deeper level than satisfying your ego.

If you’re lucky, as I have been, you’ll find a practice – be it yoga, meditation, art, music, running, whatever! – that fulfills you and grows with you in the way my Modo practice has for me. If I’m lucky, in another 12 years I’ll write another blog post (or like, zoom my thoughts into your brain through the space-age technology of 2029) about what I’ve learned after 24 years of practice… In the meantime, I wish you many happy hours of curiosity, exploration and discovery, both on and off your mat.

Have you ever taken a yoga class in which the teacher teaches something really new and fun – a different variation on a standard pose, for example – that fires you up and gets you excited, and you can’t wait to do it again the next class… But then the teacher doesn’t teach it?!?

So, you’re there, in the pose, waiting for that cue to get funky, but it doesn’t come. You think about just going ahead and doing it anyway, but you’re not sure about the etiquette in these situations… Allow me to clear that up for you!

Always, always, always listen to your teacher, even when you don’t want to. There are lots of good reasons why – here are just a few:

1) It’s a sign of respect. Back in the day, yoga teachers and students worked one-on-one, and the teacher was highly revered. The student was expected to do everything the teacher told him (yes, him – yoga was not traditionally practiced by women). Now, your teachers at MYH don’t fancy themselves to be gurus, but they are highly-trained professionals, and should be respected as such. It is simply a mark of respect to follow their guidance and do what they are asking you to do. Of course, if you need to modify for an injury, then go ahead, but it’s always a good idea to give a heads up before class so that the teacher understands why you’re doing your own thing.

2) It’s for the safety of the class. Again, all of your teachers at MYH are super well-trained, and they know what’s best for the class. They can gauge whether or not a variation is appropriate for a group, and they will teach to the ability of the class. Even if you feel you’re more advanced than other students and you feel you can safely do something different, well, see point number one! There is lots of time after class for you to work on other variations – and if you ask, your teacher will generally be more than happy to help you!

3) It helps to maintain the vibe. The best classes are the ones where everyone is in sync and feeding off one another’s energy – everyone is moving together and breathing together, and it just feels amazing… Until someone goes rogue and starts doing their own thing. Then suddenly everyone is distracted. They start looking around, wondering if they missed something, if they should try that too… And then they start comparing themselves, judging themselves and others, and then that beautiful, cohesive vibe is gone!

4) It keeps that pesky ego in check. This is probably the toughest one. Usually, when we want to do something different, it’s to do a “harder” variation. But who does that serve? No one really, except your ego. The Modo series is considered a beginner’s yoga series, and it should be practiced with what we call a “beginner’s mind.” So, while maybe you can bind your arms in triangle, or take wheel instead of bridge, it doesn’t mean you should. In fact, it is usually more challenging to hold back, to be humble, to respect what your teacher is saying, and to look for the learning opportunities that come from that. Hard, right? Yup, but worth it!

We guarantee it – you will learn more and get further in your practice by listening to your teacher, trusting in their expertise and checking your ego than you ever will by busting out into fancy yoga poses.