I started at Dragonfly in 2021, when in-person classes reopened. I moved to Madison in summer of 2020 and was looking for a yoga studio – Dragonfly has been a great fit for me.
I practiced yoga on and off at different times in my life. I used to do yoga with my mom sometimes at home, and one of my high school teachers led a yoga class once a week before school. In college I worked yoga into my fitness routine as a way to stretch about once a week. I got really into yoga during the pandemic, mostly following Youtube videos in my apartment. I was excited to get back to in-person yoga and it’s become a much bigger part of my life (5 days a week right now) than it ever was before!
The part of yoga I enjoy most is getting into a mindset – what that is specifically depends on the class and day. Sometimes it’s feeling particularly strong and powerful in a flow, sometimes it’s getting very relaxed and out of my daily thoughts. It always makes my mind feel great to move my body. One of the teachers often says “thank your body for what it’s done for you, it’s a privilege to move this way” and I feel that deeply. It’s joyous to move through poses that are both predefined and open to individual growth, which is why I love attending.
I’ve gained so much flexibility from practicing more frequently. Before I practiced at Dragonfly, I couldn’t touch my toes; I’ve long surpassed that and am focusing on deeper flexibility. I’m also doing skills I never could before – arm balances, inversions – which has been a lot of fun and made me more confident in my practice.
I attend 7 classes a week over 5 days right now (two on Tuesdays and two on Sundays). I jump between Fitchburg, Middleton, and Downtown following the teachers and classes I like best. I tend to go for strong flows and more recently yin – Flow and Yin is probably my favorite type of class! I also like the Sunday evening classes Downtown that are an hour Flow and an hour Yin – that’s the best combo.
I always look forward to yoga (I only attend classes in the evenings) and rely on it to destress from many things. It’s a huge part of my life at this point. :)
Instructor Katie Monk: “Jonah has a consistent, curious, and calm practice. Committed to taking time for himself and his practice, Jonah is dedicated to exploring new poses and options, and does so with a grounding presence that radiates to those around him. If you are ever lucky enough to practice next to Jonah, you will benefit from his breath work, his willingness to try something new (and awareness of when to back off,) and his humility in the face of the day-to-day practice challenges. Congratulations Jonah!”
