Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld Talks Modo Yoga
Inside of Modo Yoga’s newest studio, located in Brooklyn. (Photo: Modo Yoga)
So it’s already the middle of January (how did that happen?) and if you’re anything like me, you haven’t really gotten around to that list of resolutions. On my list? Do more yoga. That’s where Arcade Fire’s Sarah Neufeld comes in. She’s a yoga junkie, the co-founder of Modo Yoga in New York City, and my inspiration for getting back on the mat.
Neufeld fell in love with Modo Yoga (called Moksha in Canada), a style of yoga that is taught in a heated room and is focused on postures that work to strengthen, loosen, and tone muscles, while living in Montreal.“What drew me to the Moksha sequence was that it was a really strengthening and invigorating yet totally peaceful and accessible style of yoga to practice in the heat,” Neufeld tells Yahoo Beauty. “It is taught in such a mindful, peaceful way.”
Modo Yoga co-founder Sarah Neufeld at her newest studio. (Photo: Jen Ballard)
In 2009 she finished her teacher training and with the help of a friend, dreamed up the idea of creating a studio in New York City. In 2012, the first Modo Yoga opened in the West Village and in January of this year (just in time for those resolutions!) they opened a second location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The new studio space embraces the industrial feel of Williamsburg (think high ceilings, bright light) with cool green elements like cork studio floors and a living wall in the lobby.
A studio space at the new Modo Yoga in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Photo: Modo Yoga)
Whether you put yoga on your list of resolutions or not, Neufeld does offer up some great advice when it comes to getting the most out of your practice. “I think it can be really great to take it slow,” she says. “Sometimes when we go to a dance class and everything happens really quickly, we can get overwhelmed or hurt ourselves.” She suggests taking a beginner class whenever you visit a new studio, just to keep yourself in check and assess what feels good. Neufeld also recognizes the value of routine. Despite often being on tour, making time for a daily practice is a good way to “check in with yourself” everyday. Another tip? Keep your eyes to yourself. “We are in a room full of our peers or strangers and that can be a challenge not to go there, but it is really rewarding to dive into your own practice and not worry about what else is happening around you.”
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