09/13/2026
Milly Jo & Her Thoughts on Yoga
In 1999, I began taking yoga after a doctor suggested that meditation and yoga might help my body.
I had no idea that two words would change my life. The instructor told us what to do, and then she said, “Or don't.” I was hooked. I had a choice. All these years later, those words remain at the heart of my yoga philosophy and practice.
I have been leading yoga classes for 23 years. I have taught several kinds of yoga in many spaces with people of different ages, body types and abilities.
My thoughts and feelings about yoga have changed over the years. I believe in the importance of the union between body, mind, and breath: feeling it, hearing it, and accepting myself as I am while continuing to change and grow with as much mindfulness as possible.
To me, yoga is—or at least includes—a curiosity about oneself.
My desire is to create a safe space where we can drop all the shoulds and have-tos. We can feel the breath in our own bodies. We can be playful and laugh—or not. Sometimes we can simply show up.
The very best part of my classes is the people in the room. The magic lies in taking whatever journey you are on beside another person on their own journey. We can support one another with a smile, words of encouragement, or space—and always with kindness.
Yoga is about strength, flexibility, and alignment—not just in the body, but also in our hearts and minds. It is about carrying these qualities into our art, work, and relationships with our families and communities.
If we can find a few moments of peace in our practice, we know it is possible to find that peace again—and perhaps even cultivate it.
