Category: Featured Humans of MYS

We are honored to introduce you to this month’s Featured Human of MYS – Stacy Andrews! This bright light is not only a student here at Modo, but a dedicated Energy Exchanger as well. You may recognize her from the Sunday morning desk shift where she welcomes all with her smile and endless compassion. After dabbling in her practice here when we first opened in 2014, she feels her practice really started with her first 30-Day Challenge in 2017. We are so fortunate to have this caring soul support our community as well as being an active part of it. She has shared some of her humble journey with us and we couldn’t be more blessed than to be able to share it with you.

So Stacy, what do you remember about the first time you tried yoga?

I remember being incredibly nervous and uncertain about how it was going to go as I walked to MYS for my first day of the challenge. I was greeted by really nice, warm and welcoming people at the desk. There were so many happy and smiley people in the lobby, and I really wanted to make friends there and be a part of that.

You have really dived into your practice. How do you feel is has impacted your life?

My practice has taught me that I am capable of doing really hard and uncomfortable things, and that those hard and uncomfortable things are always going to come up. It has also taught me how to sit with myself and the sweetness of silence.

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice?

I will never forget the day Jen gave me permission to give myself permission to have a full practice of savasana. Every time she said breath in, I did, and every time she said breath out I did. It was hard and uncomfortable, but it truly changed my practice.

If you’re feeling powerful or need to work off some of your day, seek your edge. If you’re overwhelmed or exhausted, it’s completely okay to have a practice filled with savasana. The hot room is always welcoming, no matter what you’re bringing.

Brandon and Kylie often remind us that yoga makes the impossible possible. Would you share an experience from your life that you feel yoga helped support?

I’m proud of the progress I’ve made toward finding value in myself. It’s something I have, I am, and I will continue to work on.

Upheld in the Modo Live to Learn Pillar, Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. Do you have a book or documentary that you think everyone should experience? Why?

I recommend everyone take a moment to watch the documentary ON YOGA: The Architecture of Peace, a documentary by Michael O’Neill. It is beautifully shot, thought provoking, and has the power to change your perspective with your practice.

We are thrilled to introduce you to this month’s inspiring human, Meg Coyle! Meg first joined us in April 2018 when a day of skiing left her sore and in need of some rest and recovery. We’re grateful to say she’s been sweating with us several times a week ever since! Her dedication to self-care so she can remain active and in full enjoyment of life is a thing to behold. Meg won’t let anything hold her back and we’re sure you’ll find her story an inspiration for keeping you ready for anything an active lifestyle may dish out.

So Meg, what do you remember about the first time you tried yoga?

I was living in California when I first tried yoga.  I was an avid runner at the time and wasn’t sure I would have the patience or concentration to “stretch” for a whole class.  I had no idea it would become an integral part of my long distance training for its strengthening and mind altering benefits.

How has your practice influenced your life?

My recent practice through Modo Yoga has helped to remind me how important it is to take care of myself and how when I care for myself and listen to my body I am better able to care for all the people in my life.  This practice has helped me feel strong in body and spirit, and honestly it has slowed my mind down and helped me to approach my life in a more calm and thoughtful way. Every time I step in the hot room I am inspired by the teachers and the community – the hot room feels like a very safe place.

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice?

I’m not best with words of wisdom, but for me surrendering and committing to the practice by concentrating on allowing the 60 minutes in the hot room to be time for me (this is still difficult), listening to my body, listening to my inner self, and believing in the medicine of the poses has proved to be more therapeutic (for both mind and body) than anything else.

The Yoga Sutras teach us that yoga makes the impossible possible. Would you share an experience from your life that you feel yoga helped support?

My most important job for the last 21 years has been that of mom.  Sometimes in this role we are faced with challenges for which we have absolutely no training, and while we are completely compromised by love and adoration we are ultimately in charge.  Through the practice of yoga we are reminded of our strengths, our weaknesses and how to breathe our way through the hard parts.

Upheld in the Modo Live to Learn Pillar, Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. Have you read or watched anything recently that you think we should all checkout?

Hmm…I read a lot of fiction, but I really enjoyed a series on Netflix called Losers which “profiles athletes who have turned the agony of defeat into human triumph.”   I loved learning about the flexibility and resilience of the human spirit through the stories of seemingly insurmountable failures transformed into brand new lives.

We are honored this month to introduce you to not only our Featured Human, but our new Weekend Manager! Meet Emily Higgins, dedicated yogini, loving mother, and kick-ass human. You might recognize her from our weekend support team where she serves as Weekend Manager, but she’s so much more than that to us here at Modo and we couldn’t be more thrilled to share a bit of her journey with you!

We feel like you’ve been a part of us forever, but it’s only been since March 2018! What brought you here?

After moving to the neighborhood, I was searching for a new home studio and, with the help of a gift from a friend, I signed up for the Intro Month.

You have a strong practice that began before you ever crossed our threshold. What do you remember about the first time you tried yoga? 

Although I was initially introduced to yoga during my teen years through a friend’s mom, I wouldn’t say I really tried yoga until years later when the same friend invited me to a Bikram class. I thought I was going to die and that some of the poses must be impossible, but I was also hooked and looked forward to returning to my mat. I also couldn’t drink enough water, and the water couldn’t be cold enough.

How has your practice influenced your life beyond the asana?

Yoga has helped me learn that I deserve to be taken care of and to notice what I need to do to take care of myself: staying hydrated, eating healthily, carving out time for myself. It has helped me learn how to be patient with myself and others, and how to give myself grace knowing that it is always a practice and it’s okay that I’m not always patient.

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice whether here at Modo or elsewhere?

I have received an endless stream of wisdom from each of the wonderful teachers at Modo that makes it difficult to know where to start and how not to include all that I can recall. There are countless times it seemed like the inspiration the teacher provided during class was being directed specifically to me and what I was going through that day. The one I most often share with others is that it’s like they tell you on the airplane that you need to put your oxygen mask on first before you help anyone else. If you don’t take care of yourself you can’t take care of anyone else.  Other gems I enjoy hearing and need to hear are “You can”, “Simple isn’t always easy”, and “You are whole, complete, and perfect just as you are”. I could go on forever, but I won’t 😉

The sutras teach us that yoga makes the impossible possible. Would you share an experience from your life that you feel yoga helped support?

From a very young age I felt out of place, like I needed to be someone else in order to fit in. From the first time I walked into Modo I felt welcomed and accepted, and like I had finally come home. I never thought I would experience inclusion in a community where I could completely be myself and not feel rejected.

Upheld in the Modo Live to Learn Pillar, Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. Do you have a favorite book that you think everyone should read?

I really enjoyed The Yamas & Niyamas by Deborah Adele. The book dedicates a chapter to each part of the first two limbs of yoga (Svadyaya being the fourth piece of the Niyamas), and the end of each chapter provides a list of questions/exercises to guide reflection for the next four weeks – so it took me 10 months to complete the book. This book crossed my path while I was preparing for a 200-hour Vinyasa and Yin yoga teacher training I took in Thailand in February 2019, and it worked out to where I was reading and reflecting on the chapter about Svadyaya during my training *perfect*

Please allow me to introduce you to Joanne Peterson, our Featured Human for the month of September! After moving from Ballard to Greenlake in 2017, Joanne needed a new home for her practice and gave Modo Yoga Seattle a try.  We could not be more thankful that she did! Joanne’s quiet comings and goings from the studio might have gone unnoticed except for her near daily practice. She encourages us all not to take life or ourselves too seriously while keeping self-judgment low and self-respect high. We could all learn a thing or two from this inspiring yogi!

Hey Joanne, what do you remember about the first time you tried yoga?

I actually remember really wanting to quit. I had signed up for an 8 class intro series with my mom in 2015 thinking that it would be easy, but I wasn’t prepared for the physical and emotional challenge it presented. At that time I often had the mindset of, “If I’m not perfect at it the first time, then I don’t want to try.” Thankfully my mom kept pushing me to go and the rest is history!

Wow, thanks Mom! So how would you say your practice has influenced your life beyond simply poses?

Yoga has changed my life & my mindset in so many ways, the list could go on! I still sometimes find myself with the thought of needing to be perfect, but yoga is always there to humble me, ground me, and remind me that ‘perfection’ isn’t real, but you are perfect as you are. In yoga I feel I can be myself without any judgment, and I try to take that mindset off the mat and not judge myself or others in my day to day life. On a more physical note, yoga has become my primary workout. I struggled to find a form of exercise that I enjoyed and that wasn’t painful for my body & joints, and I found that in yoga.

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your personal practice?

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Try to be present every day, and if you find yourself not being present, you have a wonderful opportunity to try again in that moment. Do what feels good for you, which might not be what feels good for others. And lastly always treat yourself & others with love, kindness, & respect 🙂

Kylie often reminds us how yoga makes the impossible possible. Would you share an experience or achievement from your life that you feel your practice helped support?

I started practicing yoga around the same time I started nursing school, and I think many of the lessons I took away from yoga/practicing yoga itself helped me get through and become the nurse I am today. It taught me to be confident in myself, how to relate to others, and to always be kind. Plus yoga was and still is an outlet to relieve my stress when it becomes too overwhelming.

Upheld in the Modo Live to Learn Pillar, Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. Do you have a favorite book that you think everyone should read?

I love to read, and while I would love to share a self-help or enlightening book, the truth is that I love fiction & novels. So, while it might not help you learn about our world, The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss is composed of 2 of my favorite books, and they made me very happy, which I think is enough! 🙂

Darn right, Joanne. You are always enough, and I dare say the things that bring us happiness are more than enough. Thank you for sharing and thank you for your practice!

It is with great joy that I introduce you to August’s Feature Human of MYS – Julianne Dinallo! Julianne first visited us in December 2017 after her curiosity was piqued while driving passed. Since that humble beginning, she has hit her mat here at Modo Yoga Seattle over 260 times. Her dedication to her practice and self-care is something to behold. We’ve asked Julianne to share a bit of her journey and how she’s used her breath to find patience and calm anxiety. Be sure to greet this inspiring yogi when next you see her around the studio!

 

What do you remember about the first time you tried yoga?

My sister Nicole, took me to my first yoga class in Cleveland six years ago and I walked out craving more. I felt a sense of calmness that I had never felt before and I needed more. I am forever grateful that Nicole brought me along.

 

How has your practice influenced your life off your mat?

Yoga has helped influence a relationship of self-love and care for myself. Through yoga I am learning to love myself first and take time to care for myself before others. It is definitely not an easy lesson to learn. The influence of yoga is also teaching me that it’s okay to land on my mat for 60 minutes without feeling guilty.

 

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice?

To be patient and loving with yourself on and off your mat. Most importantly, follow your breath and smile when the times are tough.

 

Yoga makes the impossible possible. Would you share an experience or achievement from your life that you feel yoga helped support?

Yoga has had an amazing affect on my anxiety. I have learned to sit with my emotions and to be patient with them…when it becomes too mucky I follow my breath. With the practice of yoga I’m learning to become a better person for myself physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 

Upheld in the Modo Live to Learn Pillar, Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. What is your favorite book or documentary that you think everyone should read? Why?

I just started, Perfectly Imperfect by Baron Baptiste. The book is helping me understand what happens mentally when the pose gets challenging. It allows you to see where the transformation begins. I suggest the book because it allows you to understand why you may have plateaued in class or had this amazing emotional breakthrough.

Day in and day out we here at Modo Yoga Seattle get to meet some amazing people. We’d love to share all of their stories with you…and maybe one day we will…but for now we’ll share one of them; meet Austin Fravel. This kind and quiet soul is a steadfast member of our Energy Exchange program and a dedicated student of his practice. He warms our hearts every time he enters the space as he leads by good example, always happy to help in anyway he can! We think he is pretty swell and would love to share a bit of his story with you. Then once you know him like we do, be sure to say hello next time you see him around the studio!

 

So Austin, what brought you to Modo for the first time back in August 2018?

I was looking for something to help get me in better shape while focusing on flexibility. Then I made friends with Naomi Lindsey and she suggested I come try a class. I did, and I loved it.

 

Friends are the best – especially when they suggest yoga! Could you tell me what you remember about the first time you tried yoga?

The first time I attempted to do yoga was in the hot room at Modo. The class was a Modo flow taught by Jen. I didn’t have a mat towel with me, which made it really slippery and nearly impossible to focus on my practice. Jen noticed my struggles and brought one over to me. After that class I couldn’t stop thinking about how it made my mind and body feel, and I have been drawn to it ever since.

 

How has your practice influenced your life?

Before Modo I had never even been aware of what yoga could do for you, not just physically, but mentally also. My yoga practice has transformed my life. If I keep it, a constant practice, it helps me be able to perform my job better and more efficiently all while still being able to push myself in my free time doing the activities I love. Yoga has taught me that you are able to strengthen mental capabilities, which allows me to better define myself and I am able to integrate that into every interaction I have with people. Lastly, yoga has brought some amazing people into my life just by teaching me to be more present and aware of my own intuition and having the faith to act on that feeling.

 

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice?

Since I started practicing I have learned to make it my own practice and to go easy on myself. I know the teachers say it all the time, but it took some time for me to actually be able to do that. When I started I wanted to be able to do everything I saw everyone else doing, but I was far from that, and when I couldn’t mimic what I thought was the right way, I would transfer focus away from my practice to judge myself. It taught me everyone is unique in their own way, especially myself which means that sometimes what your body needs most is modifications to poses, blocks, and straps to really get the most out of the practice and to keep the body healthy.

 

It’s clear that your practice has made a substantial impact on your life. Could you share an experience from your life that you feel yoga helped support?

I can’t really share just one goal that yoga has helped me achieve. The experience that I believe yoga has had the most influence in would probably be my performance at my job. I’m the youngest person on a 6 man varnishing crew. I don’t have the least amount of experience, but am treated and looked at as such. I have been able to compose myself differently in the sense that I am able to be more present with my thoughts and feelings which allows me to better articulate those feelings – therefore have better communication about what I see and how I can help. I have been able to find my place here and they look at me differently because of that. I have found a way to use my experience to build infrastructure, introduce new protocols, write a training manual, change old traditional habits, and really make a difference that the whole crew can appreciate. The fact that I am able to do that makes me really happy because I have always had a hard time articulating my thoughts/feelings and communicating them with people.

Yoga has also helped me reach many other short terms goals in all things i have set my mind to; whether it be climbing, slack lining, snowboarding/skiing, relationships, etc.

 

Svadyaya is the yoga practice of self-study and present in the Modo Pillar Live to Learn. We flex our curiosity to learn about ourselves and learn about our world. What is your favorite book or documentary that you think everyone should read? Why?

The topic of my choice for things I read/listen to is about our past as humans and where we are headed next and how we can achieve peace with nature and humanity. The Celestine Prophecy is a book about how presence and appreciation can affect your flow of energy with fellow humans and nature, how to be aware of that flow of energy, and how love directly affects everything we see and understand.

This month we are honored to introduce you to our Featured Human, Victoria Bohanan! Relatively new to Modo Yoga Seattle, Victoria joined us in January 2019, but she has already made quite the impression on our hearts her dedication to her practice and her personal wellness journey. Her willingness to be present with each moment and make the best of it whatever it may hold continuously reminds us what this yoga thing is all about. We hope you’ll see why we love this yogini as you read a bit of her story – and be sure to say hello when next you see her! If you’re lucky…she may even bake you chocolate cookies sometime.

 

What brought you here?

When I moved to Seattle, I looked for a studio for quite a while and decided to go with Modo after reading glowing reviews and really loving the overall feel of the space.

 

How has your practice influenced/changed your life?

Daily practice has really been transformational for me. Taking one hour a day just for myself has become a new ritual, even if that means an hour of meditation to reflect on my thoughts at home. Somehow, the teachers always have something insightful to say in every practice that really resonates with me. It’s helped me better connect and love myself.

 

Could you share some words of wisdom that you have gained from your practice?

Every day is different! One day I can do a crow pose, and the next I struggle to balance during a tree pose. I’ve learned to listen to my body and understand that every practice is a new experience.

 

Can you share an achievement from your life that you feel yoga helped make possible?

Over the past few years, I’ve lost over 100 pounds. Before starting at Modo, I found myself in a bit of a lull in my weight loss journey. Since then, I’ve found renewed success and, more importantly, I’ve learned that it’s okay to love the body you’re in now and not just the body you’re constantly striving towards.

 

What is your favorite book or documentary that you think everyone should read?

Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg. Pete is an incredible human who cares passionately about bettering society.