Student Spotlight: A Conversation with Margot Joy

Dear Yoga Community,

As part of our blog series, I wanted to begin to highlight some exceptional students at The Yoga Effect, so we can get to know our community better. This month, I would like to introduce Margot Joy as our first student highlight. It was super easy to determine who to interview when I decided to bring the student highlight back to The Yoga Effect. Sometimes in the studio, we don’t get to see the depth of the students’ practice or the impact. We get to say hello briefly, and class begins. We never know what is going on as each student turns inward or the ripples that might be created in their lives. Each person experiences something completely different in a single class, and each person found their way to a yoga practice for different reasons. Margot is a compassionate, thoughtful, and dedicated student. Her dedication is not self-serving but also collective.

Let’s get to know more about Margot!

About Margot

Anna: Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Margot: I am a business owner and consultant, spouse, mama to two (17 and 21), an auntie, and a daughter to my mom, who is in her 80s. I’m from the Midwest originally, and I am especially committed to cross-cultural, multi-lingual, and international endeavors, building on my academic background and experiences in living in Japan, Jordan and South Africa.

You might see me walking at the Grayslake Central Park or downtown, two of my favorite spots.

I am dedicated to building bridges and promoting understanding and acceptance. I am a mediator and trained peacemaker in restorative justice circles. In addition, I hold a certificate in facilitation and reflective structured dialogue through Essential Partners, and I offer a process to help give people the means to strengthen.

Finding Yoga

Anna: What first brought you to yoga?

Margot: My mom was a YMCA director, so I think I took my first class there when I was a teenager. I got into yoga regularly when I was in graduate school in Ann Arbor, MI, and I was looking for ways to manage stress. I started with Iyengar-style yoga and expanded my horizons from there. I am also part of the Accessible Yoga community (online), founded by Jivana Heyman.

The Evolution of the Practice

Anna: How has your yoga journey evolved since that first class?

Margot: Early on, I was focused more on how much I could do or not do physically. This belief has changed for me into a more introspective lens. In the past few years, I’ve had some major life challenges, and I’ve had to adjust my practice at times. Sally Gill recently said something cathartic in class, “the most advanced form of practice is listening to your body,” which resonates with me deeply. After covid and long covid affected me, I literally forgot how to breathe correctly, and yoga (along with physical therapy and other healing modalities) helped me find my breath again.

In yoga, I love that there are often varying ways to do a pose, like pigeon pose and tree pose. In 2022, my dad passed away unexpectedly and somewhat suddenly from a brain tumor. As a mathematician and what some of us would describe as a modern-day Polymath, Dad loved topology (the study of knots), fractals, chaos theory, and the power of infinity. He believed that in life and in the classroom, there is often more than one elegant way to solve a problem. I find parallels between this thinking and yoga.

Advice for Beginners

Anna: If you could offer one piece of advice to someone thinking about trying yoga for the first time, what would it be?

Margot: You don’t need to buy special clothes, look a certain way, or somehow specially prepare for class. Find a great, inclusive, and welcoming studio, like The Yoga Effect, take a breath, and enjoy. I personally would start with a chair class or a gentle or restorative class if it is your first time.

I love that The Yoga Effect offers many teachers and guest-teacher workshops. I learn something new almost every class.

What Yoga Means Today

Anna: What does yoga mean to you today?

Margot: Beyond just the asana (physical poses), it is really about how I show up for myself and others and try to take tiny steps to reduce suffering. I am deeply inspired by this quote:

“We’re in an urgent time right now, although things have always been urgent. Culture elevates some people and oppresses others. Yoga and spiritual practice are about mindfulness and how we’re behaving and thinking, how we might want to change the way we’re thinking and acting, and how we might want to shift how we’re in relationship with others.” — Michelle Cassandra Johnson

Thank you for taking the time to get to know Margot! If you see her in the studio please say hello!!!

Visit us at www.theyogaeffect.com to learn more about our classes and upcoming offerings.