Category: hot yoga

Compassionate Practice

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Compassion for others begins with kindness for ourselves. -Pema Chodron

I have been reflecting lately. As I look back on the last year, I strongly suspect that the theme of my 28th rotation around the sun was the realization that we’re all just trying to be our best selves using what we have. I feel as if that’s true enough statement for most of us. When I use the term ‘best’, it’s really just a quick and easy way of describing a state in my body, mind and heart that is safe, content and calm: like my own brand of homeostasis. It’s not just on a chemical or physiological level, it’s on a mental, emotional, physical and long-term sustainability level, too.  My ‘best’ state is my most ideal way of being, if you will.

 

I think a lot of people struggle not only to achieve their best state, but to even try to wrestle with what it means to be their best self. It’s such a unique thing, person to person, day to day. How am I supposed to know what that even is or looks like and how do I even begin to deal with maintaining it because it’s constantly changing? Eep. Just eep!

 

The last few years have seen the rise of trends such as mindfulness. The idea of being awakened, the rise and popularization of positivity as an often stringent mindset (Good Vibes Only!).  There is a proliferation of ideas relating to self-care: anything from the ‘Art of Tidying’ (thank you, Mari Kondo), to the increase of therapeutic strategies and concepts, due in large part to social media.

These include things like self-parenting, self-soothing, care relating to triggers, creating and maintaining boundaries, cultivating a practice of self-awareness or checking in. The list goes on and on, but at the core, aren’t these practices really things that people subscribe to or adopt in an attempt to deal with their lives? Or to try to find and ultimately maintain a state of calm, contentedness, safety, support and joy? 

The above are by and large coping mechanisms or mentalities that people adopt in order to make sense of this world, to better manage the anxieties and challenges that come with modern living. Are they bad? Are they good? Does it matter? At the end of the day, aren’t we all just gunning towards being able to feel healthy, happy, safe and confident in our own skins and within the constraints that create the lives we lead by doing what we can, when we can do it?  

Isn’t this all about trying to just be our best selves?

I can’t begin to describe what the point of life is. I don’t know the answer. I don’t even know what my own calling or purpose is, what my life is meant for.  Maybe that’s for me to discover during my 29th rotation around the sun. We are all muddling through life.  I am muddling through too and I can’t claim to be able to plot a trajectory or a course of action that works for everyone.

Like everyone else, I  cope with life in ways that are a unique blend of the resources that I have at my disposal and the concessions I’m willing to make to feel good in my body and in my mind while also maintaining an economic position that makes me feel safe in general, ultimately affording me the ability to worry less about actual resources and focus more on how I am really feeling. Priorities, resources and goal differ for each individual.

What is an effective way for me to achieve my ‘best’ is not the same for others. I’m a workaholic; it’s true. I don’t encourage anyone else to select that particular path, but it’s one that presently works for me. Will that always be the case? Only time will tell.

What I can say more broadly, though, is that when I realized that we’re all just literally trying to live our best lives, it allowed me to become more compassionate. I may not understand your choices, your rationalities or your decisions but frankly, it’s none of my business. I may not know your struggles or your challenges, but I can appreciate that life is hard, the struggle is real, and that given what you have, you’re doing your best.  When I am seeing that, feeling that, knowing that, then I can certainly do my best to try to be more understanding, more accepting, and more supportive. While I don’t know your specifics, I do believe in my bones that you’re doing your best. And that’s enough, valid and amazing.

 

Here’s some real talk now:

When we step onto our mats, when we enter the hot room or any type of practice space, we’re making a commitment to become a healthier version of ourselves: mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. This is a fact. We acknowledge the feelings in our bones; the tightness or stiffness of our joints or the fluidity of the muscles as they move against one another.  We are assessing our bodies and we’re taking inventory on what we have to work with in that moment, on any given day.

When we modify a posture or take a child’s pose, when we try a new pose for the first time, fail, try again, when we nail that posture for the first time, when we pause to take a breath, give ourselves permission to take a sip of water, ask for help, reach for a block to make a pose more accessible or when we look for options that suit us more and take those alternative poses because they serve us better even though no one else is, we’re acknowledging the resources we have at our disposal. We are recognizing our capabilities. We’re doing our best with what we have in that moment, in that day. Acknowledging that is a way of expressing compassion to ourselves.

When you allow that compassion to show up in your practice, when you let yourself make adjustments or pause to just breathe even at times when you’re not on your yoga mat, you’ll start to be more compassionate to yourself in general as a result. Not just in the practice, but for moments in your day. In practicing compassion for yourself, you’ll likely be more compassionate to those around you. We can really help each other by being supportive in the ways that we can, knowing what we have to give in the moment. Or learning to communicate better during the times when we can’t. Maybe that’s a step towards understanding. Maybe that’s a step towards connection. And maybe, just maybe, that’s how you build community.

 

With love, Rose

Why I Chose (Choose) a Heated Practice… all year ‘round!

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It was the summer of 2012 and I was in Montreal for five weeks. If you’ve never been to Montreal in the summer (or at all for that matter), Montreal summers tend to be hot (averaging around the 36 to 40 range).   By virtue of location they end up quite humid at any time during the year, hovering around the 60% mark for ambient humidity.

To give you an idea of scale, our hot room’s average temperature is steady at about 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, and the humidity tends to fluctuate based on time of day, outside temperature and humidity, the amount of practicing bodies in the hot room prior to and at the time, etc. Generally, the hot room humidity trends from 20% (first thing in the morning) to about 45-50% later in the day. During the summer months or after particularly rainy days the humidity may climb higher, although we do our best to keep it steady.

Montreal 2012 was like walking around in a hot room except there was no exiting the room after an hour to a nice shower. Rather, it was a lot like waking up in the hot room, and eating and working in the hot room, and then sleeping in the hot room… and waking up as a hot sweaty mess to start it all over again. 

Really glamourous, right? 

At some point someone had made the passing remark that ‘if you practice hot yoga, the heat outside won’t bother you as much.’ And that, my friends, spawned something else entirely.

I started practicing yoga at Moksha Yoga NDG and went a hand full of times before coming home – just imagine my surprise when I realised that ‘home’ was also the same ‘home’ shared by Moksha Yoga Saskatoon, the only Moksha studio in the province of Saskatchewan? 

Practicing in the summer is Saskatoon is a different experience from Montreal, but still similar in all the best ways… and arguably the reasons are even juicier here.

… I mean that very literally. While the ambient humidity in Montreal is high, I think anyone who has been to or has the pleasure of calling this sweet province home knows that we’re not exactly known for our luscious sea air. We’re a dry province. The hot room is not a dry space. This is a good thing. Because humans are primarily made of water.

Practicing in the summer in Saskatoon does wonders for reminding my body what it feels like to not always be dry. It also has a really great perk of reminding me to keep a close eye on my hydration day to day, something that I lacked prior to taking up a regular practice.

I find a summer practice to be favourable also because it does actually make the outside temperature seem less intense and I believe this is so for a few reasons –

  1. Hydration is key
  2. It makes me a more efficient sweater (in part due to hydration), but it’s almost as if my body is more familiar with the idea. Sweat, believe it or not, a normal bodily function and is one of the main ways that your body cools itself when it overheats. It’s a good thing.
  3. It makes me more efficient at breathing and it also makes me more cognizant of the pace of my breath, my heart, how much activity I’ve had, when to rest, when to nourish and eat, etc. Being more mindful of the breath opens up doors to other ways that the body operates to keep you healthy, whole and hale- especially in the summer heat, which is a good thing when activities pick up and you’re running around in ‘go’ mode
  4. It also serves as justification for a nice cold treat. 2012 also happened to coincide with the frozen yogurt boom, and I have no regrets about the amount of frozen yogurt I consumed that year. 

A heated practice (specifically here at Modo) is a great idea in the summer because (and this is Modo’s best kept secret I’m about to let you in on…) the classes are less rambunctious, hot room real estate is suddenly wide open – you can take up as much space as you want. 

You want three blocks? You take three blocks. 

Maybe even four. 

You can use the wall space fairly easily for modifications, whereas in the height of the winter months, it might not be possible. There’s more parking. The sun still shines when you leave, even when you leave at the end of the last class of the day- do your yoga, eat the ice cream and watch the sunset. Dreamy, right? 

Fast forward to summer 2019.

The heat doesn’t bother me much these days and the practice is much more familiar today than in 2012. And although it’s been 7 years of a set series, the practice is never boring (a question I get asked every so often). Modo is a practice that remains something interesting to watch even after seven years (and here’s hoping they’ll be many more), whether it’s summer or winter, night or morning, week day or weekend. 

No man (or woman in my case, but really any person or thing) walks in the same river twice – and this is a theory in practice every single day I come to my mat. 

Thank goodness for steamy Montreal.

Love, Rose

Listen to Your Teacher

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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.

“Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” – Dean Jackson

by Joanna Thurlow of Modo Yoga Halifax

Hands-On Yoga Adjustments: Communicating Information through Touch

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What is the purpose of a hands-on adjustment in a Modo Class?

I once read in an article that through hands-on adjustment, the teacher’s goal is to transmit information to the student using their hands. Just like with a verbal adjustment, the teacher is attempting to tell you something about your body in relation to the posture you are performing. While practising yoga, we can’t always see what we’re doing in each pose, and until we develop body awareness, we may not even be able to feel what we’re doing. I can’t tell you how many times I thought my shoulders were relaxed, only to realize I had been tensing muscles when an instructor touched my shoulders and guided them an inch down my back. When an instructor physically touches you, the intention is always to create some sort of benefit for the student. The reason for the physical touch can vary:

• An attempt to adjust the student into a more efficient or beneficial version on the posture: Like I said before, we can’t always see what we are doing in the yoga room. Sure, there is a mirror, but depending on which posture you’re performing, you may not get the best angle to check your alignment. When a teacher approaches you in a posture and guides your torso or limbs into a certain position, they are trying to pass their knowledge on to you by showing how to do the pose in a more beneficial way. Sometimes that might make the pose easier, or it may challenge you to practice more muscular containment instead of collapsing in to the shape of the posture.

• To assist the student into a deeper expression of the pose: As the body becomes stronger and more knowledge is developed in regards to the postures, we tend to settle into habits of practising: only placing the body in the place that feels most comfortable. While the intention is never to feel pain in a yoga class, staying well inside your comfort zone inhibits growth. Sometimes, the skillfully placed hands of a teacher can guide your body deeper into a posture. They are simply helping to show you the space you already have or the expression you are capable of exploring . We often create limitations for ourselves and our bodies that are not truly reflective of our capabilities. You may be surprised at the strength and flexibility of your own body when you are encouraged to test your boundaries under trusted guidance.

• Sharing the power of touch: There is a powerful connection created through physical touch. When a teacher provides a hands-on adjustment, their intention is always to create a positive and beneficial experience. For some, simply being touched is a way to affirm that you are noticed in class; that your teacher sees your practice and wants to give you some special attention. If you are someone who has a hard time relaxing, touch can help bring attention to areas you unknowingly tense up, helping you to become more aware of your patterns of holding, and soften. And all self-consciousness aside, sometimes a foot rub just feels amazing!

At MYS we love hands-on adjustments, but we also want to create a safe and comfortable space for everyone. That is why we have implemented the Adjustment Chip system.  Please grab a chip on your way in to class even if you don’t intend to be touched, it will help to eliminate uncertainty.  If you are open to being adjusted or assisted in your postures, place the chip face up. It will give the teacher the green light to guide you in your postures with physical touch. If you would rather not, place the chip face down. Maybe what you need or prefer will change from day to day, and that’s okay! Teachers don`t need to know why, and would never be offended by a face down chip. The most important thing to your teacher is that you feel safe in our studio to move through your yoga practice and get the benefits you need.

with love,

Sarah

Intention Setting-Elevate Your Practice

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Have you heard your instructor offer an intention at the beginning of your yoga class? Perhaps the instructor has given you a moment to set your own intention. What is intention setting and how can it enhance your yoga practice?

You may recall when you first began to practice yoga and the simple intention was just to make it through the class. This experience is widely shared: where participating in every posture or staying in the room for the entire class is cause to celebrate. But as your practice evolves, intention setting can become a useful tool to keep you inspired and showing up on your mat.

There are a few different ways of approaching this concept of ‘an intention’. The first could be a focus on a particular body part; drawing awareness to any areas that you feel need attention. For example, if you don’t feel connected to your core muscles, you could begin a class setting the intention to check in with the belly as you arrive in each posture. Maybe it’s trying to be more aware of grounding; paying attention to whatever area of your body is touching the ground to help you feel supported in your postures.

Beyond the physical, setting an intention is a good way to focus awareness inside and to be introspective about any unwanted thought patterns that arise during your practice. The simplest approach is to try and focus on the breath, being mindful and deliberate with each inhalation and each exhalation. Not as easy as it sounds, but with practice breath awareness becomes an amazing tool helping to cultivate presence in the moment.

The idea that you should be able to create a quiet mind through yoga, one that is totally free from all thoughts, can be discouraging. If you’ve ever tried it, you know it’s not only hard but damn-near impossible. I don’t know if it’s officially ‘yogi kosher’, but I’ve developed a little technique that helps me to stay focused while I practice. On those days when my brain won’t shut up, I shift my intention from quieting the thoughts to changing them. Whenever I notice a thought of judgment, comparison, or negative self-talk I flip it. I flood my mind with thoughts that make me happy; my personal go-to is puppies, but find what works for you. After any negativity is carried away with those happy thoughts I’m left with the quiet. I repeat every few breaths as necessary.

Another way to infuse your practice with meaning and focus is to dedicate your class to another person. I like to think of people in my life who need yoga, but would never go. Maybe you could choose someone who needs yoga, but might feel that they are unable to because of limitations. In this way, your practice can become an opportunity to cultivate good vibes and send them to the people you love! I think we have all had the experience where you call someone and the first thing they say is, “I was JUST thinking that I should call you!” Maybe it’s not so far-fetched that they could pick up on your intangible yoga love-bombs, too! 🙂

Remember, yoga is and always will be a practice. Some days you show up to your mat and set a beautiful intention but forget it within 10 minutes. But other days you can nurture your intention during your practice, and when you do it is such a beautiful reminder of what you’re capable of, both on and off the mat.

Stay inspired!

Modo Family Student Spotlight- Crystal

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Crystal is so wonderful! Always smiling ear to ear when she greets us at the front desk. She knows how to put together a rocking 80’s out fit for our special teacher takeover classes, she doesn’t miss an opportunity to roll out her mat and sweat like she means it! She let us know why Modo is home away from home and why she loves the Modo practice. Meet our dear Modo family member Crystal!

What are you passionate about outside of yoga?

I am passionate about connecting with people, and the world around me! Travelling is my favourite thing to do and am humbled and fascinated each time I have the opportunity to spend time experiencing cultures and traditions from around the world. Closer to home, I work as a Recreation Therapist and I love the work I do.  I feel extremely grateful to help others heal and find meaning and joy in life through leisure!

What is your favorite posture?

Right now, I’m loving trikonasana and the space that it allows me to find throughout my entire body.

What do you love about the Modo Series?

The thoughtfulness and the thoroughness in the design of the Modo Series. When I practice the series, I leave feeling well-balanced in body and mind.

What is the most important thing you have learned in a yoga class?

Breathe, breathe, breathe! It took me almost a year to learn to align my breath with my practice, and to prioritize quality of breath over depth of the posture. Once I made the breath the central focus on the mat, I was amazed at the ease that everything else followed with.

What is your favorite animal, and why?

I am so obsessed with dogs! Particularly I am  fond of my rescued pitbull, Valentine. I love her because despite all the stereotypes she faces, she greets everyone she meets pure love and affection. It’s a wonderful thing to have people realize that they shouldn’t always judge a book by it’s cover.

What is your favourite thing about being a part of the Modo community?

When I walk in the door, I am greeted as if I’m family, and I truly do feel that way. Between the teachers and my fellow students, it is inspiring to be surrounded by, and share my practice with a community full of like-minded individuals.

Modo Family Spotlight- Maddy

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What are you passionate about outside of yoga?

I am passionate about health, wellness and the amazing ability our bodies have to heal themselves under the proper guidance.  I’m passionate about travel, getting outside your comfort zone and challenging myself to continue to grow and learn. I’m passionate about the oneness that encompasses all beings, that makes our earth a haven for us all to live and co-exist in.

What is your favorite book and why?

Ever since I read Wild, I can’t get that crazy woman’s words out of my head! Cheryl Strayed’s journey to find her purpose is not only inspiring but also unbelievably mirroring of the rut that many of us fall into living our lives. It can be easy to just coast the sails of life and not take a hold of your destiny, but HEY… when you get tired of that and you do take the reigns of your life, it can lead to amazing things you couldn’t have even imagined could be your reality.

What was your ultimate traveling experience and why?

I recently just took a month off of “real life” and spent a month in Costa Rica & Nicaragua! And what an amazing adventure it was! Spending a month dedicated to yoga, surfing, feeling, being and allowing myself to be fully present to all the healing nature around me made me feel so alive!

What do you love about the Modo Series?

What I love about the Modo series is that every single time you come to your mat, even if the postures are the same – there is something COMPLETELY different that either you need, is being offered or that you’re taking away with you. It’s in the daily routines, in our daily lives that we can find the light to illuminate our most destined path.

What posture do you struggle with?

I struggle physically with half locus; in the 60 minute Modo it is usually the one posture to get skipped, but in the 75 minute and 90 minute Modo’s it’s a pretty big staple. It’s a toughie for me because you can’t see your legs lift you can only do you best to feel them… sensation and visualization, key parts of a practice.

What is the one thing you can’t say no to?

Hmmm… Homebrewed Kombucha; if anyone has been to Hawaii, you know exactly what I’m talking about! Its everywhere and its so fresh and delicious and did I mention amazing for your belly and immune system?! UNREAL!

What is your favorite thing about teaching yoga?

My ultimate favourite moments when I’m teaching are made up of all the opportunities to see and hear and experience when cues, analogies, jokes or knowledge lands in someone else’s body. It’s like this visual and energetic AH-HA moment that is beyond priceless to experience as a teacher.

What are your favorite things about home, and also what are your favorite things about Saskatoon?

My favourite thing about HOME, Toronto – is a place called the Evergreen Brickworks; an old quarry that has been repurposed into walking trails, a Saturday market, quaint restaurant, brewery and amazing lookout point of my city. I love going here ALL times of year – but fall is the very best, when the leaves are colourful and the warm sun shines.

My favourite thing about HOME, Saskatoon – is the foodie/coffee scene! Its amazing here… Some great locally run places that have such authentic Saskatoon vibes. A few faves: Leyda’s, The Citizen Café, Thrive, Collective Coffee and the Night Oven, just to name a few.

Learning to grieve with a little help from my friend- Yoga

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I’ve been wondering how to start this post for awhile now. How do I explain how yoga can help people grieve? How it can help people process. How it can help someone come out of the tunnel and not only see the light, but move in to and through the light. I finally realized I can’t talk about how it can help other, because everyone grieves differently. However, I can explain how it has helped me.

My family has unfortunately experienced two losses which have hit close to home. We lost a child to miscarriage at 14 weeks, and most recently experienced a stillbirth close to 22 weeks. The term ‘stillborn’ still doesn’t feel right to me, but clinically there’s no better term. Our son Watson was born with a beating heart, but lungs too immature to allow him to breathe. He was born just shy of the 23 1/2 week ‘cut-off’ for hospital staff to jump in and help him breathe, providing support until his lungs were strong enough to take the job over for themselves. He was born beautiful, with a chest that I saw move with each heartbeat, with a heart that I felt beat through the tips of my fingers, with an arm that he curled up in to his chest as he laid in my arms. He looked like his dad, he had toes like his sister, he had a nose like his mom.

This was a child that danced in my belly when I practiced yoga. While in the hospital for over 2 weeks I would be asked several times a day if I felt much movement. My answer was always “a little bit”, but nothing compared to what I felt before I had arrived there. You see, it was when I practiced yoga that he practiced moving his little body the most.

When Watson died a piece of my heart shattered. I came home and tried to settle in to my new life – a new life because of large piece of me had been lost to never return. I would never be the same. It took me a week to return to my mat at home. For the first week of practice, I would settle in to childs pose and cry. Eventually I was able to extend one leg back into pigeon, then the other. It’s amazing how the body moves to what it needs the most. Most of my practice that first month was a tribute to hip openers. Heart always closed over my mat I would allow my hips, which have always held emotion, to open. The more they opened, the more it hurt… the more I cried.  Then one day, my sweet little beacon of light walked up to me as I was in melting heart, and said “Mommy, look!”. She was in tree pose. This amazing little soul, who intuitively knows so much, showed me where I had to go. I pulled myself up and stood in tree with her. She looked up at me with innocent eyes and a brilliant smile, and I smiled back. I smiled as I stood tall, confident, and strong. Without thinking I swept my arms up overhead, and Norah followed as she always does. We moved in to crescent moon. I felt my ribs expand and my breath instantly began to deepen. I knew in that instant what I had to do. Just as Watson had learned to move his little body when I practiced, I had to re-learn my life as I knew best – with movement.

When I started to return to Modo Yoga Cambridge I would find a spot near the back, behind someone else’s mat. Though I had once again become comfortable moving within my body, I wasn’t comfortable seeing myself in the mirror. It was difficult going from looking at myself in the studio with a noticeably pregnant belly to seeing myself postpartum. So, I hid. When I taught, I would stand at the front of the room, and look everywhere except at my reflection. I wasn’t ready.

On a particularly emotional day, without thinking about my actions, I arrived at the studio. It was empty, as I knew it would be, and I found myself standing alone in 1500 square feet of silence, two feet from the mirror, on my mat. Chin lifted, I looked in my eyes and started to move. I started with my breath and allowed that breath to carry me through 1 hour of heat, sweat, cries and flow. My practice that day ended with a supported savasana, shoulders back, chest open to the heavens, hands over heart, tears streaming down my face. I cried not tears of sadness, though those do come and go, but tears of acceptance. Yes, our Watson died and it is incredibly sad, but a piece of the heartache chipped away that day making room for love. Love for myself, my husband, my Norah, my family and friends.

I rolled up my mat that day a different person than who I was when I unrolled it an hour prior. Losing Watson will always hurt. I will always miss who he was when he was with me, and the hopes I had for who he would become. I find comfort knowing that every time I step on my mat, he is there with me. His spirit moves and breathes with me now as his body did while he was living inside of me.

There is no end to the grieving process, at least not mine. I have great happy days, sad days, and in-between days.The studio has offered me a healing space where I can be myself and let my emotions roll as they will. Why not? We have all suffered some loss. We all experience some sadness and heartache. The Moksha community I continue to return to has proven that we are there for one another in happiness and sadness, and most importantly that it is okay to be human – because we all are.

So here I am, 4 days shy of 7 months after his birth, a new person. A new mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and business partner. Most importantly, a person whose reflection I can look at and know that while it carries a story, it carries love.

Christine Grant runs Modo Yoga Cambridge with her wonderful partners, Emily & Wendy Dwornikiewicz. She spends her days dreaming, teaching, exploring the outdoors with her pooches, and going on adventures with her sweet little tyke. As the sun starts to set she is likely to be enjoying a backyard BBQ, some good cheese, and a great glass of wine. Follow Christine on Instagram – @trueyogamom
 

Why participate in a 30 day Challenge?

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1. What is a 30 Day Challenge?

A 30 Day Challenge is an event hosted by Modo Yoga studios.  Participants in a 30 Day Challenge dedicate themselves to practice yoga every day for 30 consecutive days.

2. Why Participate in the 30 day challenge?

There are many reasons to participate in the 30 Day Challenge!

The 30 Day Challenge provides participants with the support and motivation of community.  As a group, participants are united and driven by their common goal.

The studio provides an orientation, tips, and workshops to assist you. Teachers and staff are available to address concerns, advice, or simply listen.

Yoga has many benefits – physiological, mental and emotional.  By committing to a daily practice, those benefits unfold at a more rapid rate.

3. What are the benefits of a regular hot yoga practice?

Yoga involves stretching, strengthening, and elongating the spine for proper alignment of the vertebrae.  The breathing techniques and relaxation lower blood pressure, increase cardio-vascular health, increase lung capacity, release tension and stress, and teach us to relax and enjoy life.

Other benefits of yoga include:

  • Cardiovascular efficiency increases
  • Respiratory efficiency increases
  • Gastrointestinal function normalizes
  • Endocrine function normalizes
  • Musculoskeletal flexibility and joint range of motion increase
  • Posture improves
  • Strength and resiliency increase
  • Endurance increases
  • Energy level increases
  • Sleep improves
  • Immunity increases
  • Balance improves
  • Awareness increases
  • Mood improves and subjective well-being increases
  • Self-acceptance and self-actualization increase
  • Concentration improves

4. Is it healthy to practice hot yoga daily?

Traditionally, yoga was meant as a daily practice.  In taking on a daily practice safely, there are some key things to take note of:Listen to your body.

Respond to your body’s signals.  If you increase body awareness, and your ability to listen to that awareness, the 30 days will be a great success!

Pace yourself.

Ask teachers about adjustments for specific needs (injuries, using props, etc).

Take savasana before and after class for at least 5 minutes.

Stay hydrated.

Replenish your electrolytes.

Get lots of sleep.

Have fun! Let go of judgment or evaluation, and invite a sense of levity to your challenge.

5. I will be away during the 30 day challenge. What happens if I miss a class?

You have a number of options in the event that you miss a class.  You may double-up another day to make up for missed classes.  You can practice at another studio.  Or, being a personal challenge, you can accept the missed class and continue on.

6. Can participation in class at another studio count for the challenge?

The majority of the classes must be done at Modo Yoga Saskatoon.  However, classes done at other studios will count towards the challenge.

7. Can I do any class?

You may participate in any class on the schedule.

8. Should I set an intention?

It is best to set an intention for your challenge. Why are you doing it?  What is it that you want to come of the challenge?

Plan what classes fit into your regular schedule.  Identify possible obstacles, and pre-plan your strategy for overcoming these obstacles.

Tell your close friends and family about your challenge.  Get them on board to offer support and motivation.

9. How do I sign up for the challenge?

You can sign up online or in studio!  If you have any questions, please call us at 306.649.2424 or email @ info@modoyogasaskatoon.com.

Modo Student Spotlight- Jamie

Posted on by admin

What are you passionate about outside of yoga?

Hmmm…. that is a loaded question!  I am passionate about anything to do with animals. I love almost anything with 4 legs! I have a big ol goofy 110lb Great Pyrenees named Maximus and a very loud and obnoxious 14 year old cat. (Whom I secretly also love dearly) I am also hugely passionate about working with people with intellectual and physical disabilities. I love advocating for others, assisting them achieve their goals and live out the best possible life they can dream for themselves.

What was your first yoga experience like?

My first yoga experience was almost 4 years ago now…. wow…. crazy how time flies! It was a Yin Class and I remember thinking to myself “how is humanely possible for people to move this slowly and stay still for so long? Haha! Little did I know at the time that Yin was the embodiment of what I needed most. I quickly learned that there are so many layers to this practice. I started to get to know myself physically  and mentally in ways that I never had before. I was hooked!

What do you love about the Modo Series?

This is an ever evolving question. My answer would have been different even a few short months ago. I love the familiarity of the sequence, but the fact that it never becomes stagnant or boring to me. Once I learned to drop my preconceptions about what I felt my practice should look like, a whole new experience opened up for me. New dimensions, new feelings, new depths. I have in turn discovered a more balanced side of myself.

What posture do you struggle with?

I would have said Camel Pose not too long ago, but I had a “light bulb” moment in practice that changed that for me.  Now I  embrace it!  Currently I would have to say I struggle with Prayer Twist the most. We have a love-hate relationship. I truly believe there is something in this pose that is working to reveal itself to me.  I just haven’t quite discovered what that is yet.  It will come with time, patience, and practice.  I am sure of that!