Virtuoso Vibes: Meet Vibe Instructor Michelle
Meet Michelle
New instructor, Michelle, teaches Sculpt and Flow classes.
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
A: I moved to Bloomington in 2022 with my husband who teaches economics at IU. I'm originally from Dubuque Iowa, but I went to college in Minnesota and most recently lived in Northeast Ohio. I'm a Midwesterner at heart. In contemplating our move here, everyone I knew who had been to Bloomington was always so excited about the town. They only had great things to say about it. So far, I think they are all true! I'm really loving Bloomington. I especially appreciate how accommodating most of the restaurants are here to food allergies, of which I have many. It's never been so easy for me to find a gluten-free, dairy-free pizza!
I really love the IU community. There are a lot of athletes who come in and it's so inspiring that they value yoga! I played volleyball in college, so I go to a lot of the IU volleyball matches. I love seeing those girls in class!
Q: When did you start practicing yoga?
A: I started practicing yoga regularly in 2007 and started teaching yoga in 2009. In my teaching, I really value the element of choice to tune into inner wisdom and step out of reactivity. Promoting inquiry within the practice and encouraging a self-directed practice helps practitioners use the tools they always have available to them and rely less on blindly following instructions.
Q: And teaching at Vibe yoga studio?
A: I chose Vibe because I appreciated their full schedule of classes, the variety of classes they offered, and I saw a potential for me to play a role in helping guide new teachers in their teacher training program, which is something I love, and I did for many years before moving to Bloomington.
I teach a variety of classes and love yoga's ability to adapt and change and meet people where they are at. For example, my personal practice was initially very active, very heating, very physical and that's just what I needed at the time. Had I taken a slow flow class initially, I would not have stayed with it! Now, however, my personal practice is quiet, meditative, and intellectual. I yearn for the slow flows and the philosophy study and the stillness. I can still teach that active side, and I do with Flow and Sculpt, but that's not how I practice these days because it's not what I need right now.
Q: Do you have any poses, messages, books, and mantras that you tend to come back to when practicing yoga and meditation?
A: I use a familiar mantra "So Ham" in my personal practice. This mantra is so powerful. With this mantra, meditation and breath become devotional. "So Ham" is often loosely translated as "I AM THAT" but the way my teacher explains the mantra is that "So" indicates all-pervasive Source which I call God, and "Ham" represents my individual experience of that Supreme Source. "So Ham" is the union of those two aspects...of me with divinity. Laid atop the breath, we inhale "So," taking in our Source, and we exhale "Ham," giving ourselves back over to that Source. It's devotional and beautiful and points to the ideas of co-creation, relationship, and a joining together of Spirit and Nature.
Q: What is some advice you would give to students at Vibe for practicing in and out of the studio to make the most out of their yoga experience,
A: Being back in a hot studio after many years away from it, I think the most important thing for students at Vibe is to take electrolytes! Electrolytes have been a game changer for me. They really helped enhance my performance on my bike ride across Iowa this summer, especially my endurance. Some days we were riding 80-90 miles in 90-degree weather which is close to 7 hours on the bike. I couldn't have done that without proper nutrition and hydration. I use either Nuun or Liquid IV depending on whether I need the sugar. They help me from feeling depleted after a hot class. I heard from one of my students after she started adding Nuun to her water that she also feels like it helps with her mood. I agree!
“The breathing practices I've cultivated through yoga helped me so much in my training. I often found that I intuitively matched my breath with the cadence of my pedaling.”
Q: How does yoga help you in other physical arenas?
A: This summer I rode 500 miles in 7 days across my home state of Iowa. The ride is called RAGBRAI, and I did it with my husband and 5 other members of my family. I trained for the ride here in Bloomington and got to explore a lot of the surrounding area by bike. It's so beautiful here! The breathing practices I've cultivated through yoga helped me so much in my training. I often found that I intuitively matched my breath with the cadence of my pedaling. 4 pedal rotations often lined up with one inhale, the next 4 rotations with the exhale. I found I was able to get into a rhythm with my breath which helped me maintain consistent speed as well. This was especially helpful when I was working on increasing my endurance.
Q: On that note, what are some things you enjoy doing outside of the studio?
A: Outside of yoga, I'm usually thinking about food, cooking food, or composting food. I especially love the mushroom vendors at Bloomington's farmers markets! I love everything outdoors, especially walking barefoot in the grass in summer and tending to my compost bin in my backyard. In the summer I bike a lot. In the winter I snowboard. Being outside completely energizes me. I almost feel like a different person after enjoying time outside.
Sign up for one of Michelle’s classes this fall here: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/mainclass?studioid=5061&tg=&vt=&lvl=&stype=-7&view=day&trn=0&page=&catid=&prodid=&date=10%2f1%2f2023&classid=0&prodGroupId=&sSU=&optForwardingLink=&qParam=&justloggedin=&nLgIn=&pMode=0&loc=1