The concept of community as a determinant of health and longevity has been discussed by researchers and scholars in everything from anthropology to industrial psychology. One of the earliest and most influential figures to specifically link community to health was Dr. Alexander Leaf.
Dr. Leaf was a physician and researcher who became famous for his studies on longevity. In 1973, Leaf’s cover story for National Geographic (1) detailed the lifestyles, diets, and—importantly—the community aspects of the world’s oldest people. He highlighted community involvement as a common trait among these long-lived populations.
Dr. Leaf’s work was pioneering at the time, because it combined medical insight with anthropological observation. Today you won’t find a book on longevity that doesn’t contain a chapter on the well documented health benefits of community.
The Unseen Threads: How Community Shapes Our Health and Longevity
Community involvement began slowly declining since the Industrial Revolution, and authentic in-person community is sharply declining in the digital age.
If you’ve been to multiple Modo studios, you may have noticed that one commonality is the large amount of space available for simply “hanging out” before and after class. This is part of the design of every studio and something that all Modo studio owners, and future Modo studio owners, must align with during the studio owner application process.
As a collective, Modo studio owners are adamant about fostering community in studio designs. In our hyper-individualized world, the notion of curating community may seem like a nod to a bygone era of barn raisings and communal harvests (we love those too!). Yet, this is precisely the vision behind Modo Yoga studios and our core pillar for the past 20 years – “Be Community.” Modern research on community echoes the ancient wisdom of the Buddha and the concept of Sangha as one of 3 jewels, and the Sanskrit concept of the Kula. But for this discussion—because sometimes it’s easier for our brains to chew on the science—let’s look at some of the reasons why community significantly boosts our health and extends our lives.
What Do We Mean By “Community?”
Community in the context of your practice can mean – sitting on the studio couch or bench and chatting with another student or teacher. It may mean coming to class with a friend. And for the introverts that don’t want to chat (takes one to know one over here) community can mean just a simple smile, recognizing someone that you practice with each week. Over time, this nurtures a feeling of belonging. A feeling that you are not alone. That you share a passion with someone else—even if it takes years before you know their name.
The Health Benefits of Being Together
Communities like those cultivated in Modo studios do more than just reduce feelings of loneliness. They encourage healthy behaviors and provide a network of support that can lead to improved health. Dan Buettner’s exploration of Blue Zones (2) shows that areas with heightened longevity often share communal activities like eating together, doing group activities or celebrating together.
Emotional and Cognitive Resilience Through Community
The emotional cushion provided by a community is perhaps its most immediate benefit. In Susan Pinker’s “The Village Effect,” (3) she outlines how face-to-face interaction can extend our lives.
Engaging in community activities can keep our minds sharp. Harvard Neuropsychologist and author Lisa Genova notes that social interaction is key in maintaining cognitive health and can even stave off neurological diseases (4).
Community By Design: The Modo Studio Philosophy
So – you’ve probably already felt this, but now you know for sure that Modo Yoga studios aren’t just spaces for physical exercise; they are designed as community hubs. Large communal areas, open spaces that encourage conversation, and class structures that emphasize group cohesion over individual performance, are all deliberate choices. These elements are grounded in the belief that physical proximity breeds community, and community fosters every aspect of health. This design philosophy mirrors the understanding that our surroundings can shape our behavior, nudging us toward community engagement and, consequently, better health.
Cultivating and Sustaining Community Connections
Building a community requires intention and effort. It starts with engaging in community spaces, participating actively, and fostering relationships, big or small. In the context of Modo, it is about deepening those connections each time one steps into a studio, not just as a space to practice yoga, but as a place to engage with others. If this is hard for you – try it anyway! You can do hard things.
Community is the invisible fabric that holds societies together, and in the case of health, it is as critical as the most potent medicine. For those of us who engage in a regular practice at places like Modo, we can know that our instincts did a good job of guiding us toward a healthy lifestyle choice. I know that I’m deeply biased here, but I also believe that our health is not just a matter of personal habit, but communal habitat as well.
Hope to see you soon in the sweaty room.
With love,
Jess
(1) Search for the Secrets of Long Life, National Geographic 1973
(2) The Blue Zones
(4) Lisa Genova’s Ted talk on Preventing Alzeimer’s Disease
Jess Robertson is Modo Yoga’s Co Founder, Senior Advisor, and Community Documentarian. She is also a writer, musician, yoga teacher and Co Founder of the New Leaf Foundation. She lives in Montreal, Canada with her 2 kids.