Amanda Flow

Amanda grew up and currently lives in Brecksville, Ohio. At the age of 20, Amanda began bartending and serving at a small, family-owned restaurant to support herself through her undergrad at the University of Akron. Though she graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, she spent many of the following years working for the same business. Her coworkers and regulars became like family, and it was difficult to leave. In fact, Amanda met her husband, Larry, at work. She was a bartender; he was a line cook. A front of the house – back of the house romance!

In summer of 2022, Amanda decided to continue her education and began classes for her master’s degree, with the goal of becoming a high school English teacher. Amanda was on track to student teach the spring semester of 2025… until she learned she was pregnant and due during finals week! Amanda is expecting her first child December 10^th; she and Larry cannot wait to meet their little one!

What inspired you to become a yoga teacher?

“Modern Yoga came to me at the perfect time, like a gift. Everything in my life was changing and it was hard. The new client special sucked me in; the studio was only four minutes away from home. I was able to develop a dedicated practice.

The more I practiced the better I began to feel mentally and emotionally. The thought came to me, seemingly from nowhere (in my training, I learned this was a moment of samadhi, or insight). I decided in the middle of a Monday morning hot power class, mid-chaturanga, that I wanted to become a yoga teacher. Yoga made me feel good, and was helping me function better in the present. It was also helping me work through the trauma of my past. I knew that the training was something I needed do for myself. Yoga was changing my life, and that I wanted to share the gift I had been given with others.”

What’s a piece of advice for your students?

“If you have the time and desire, take some time to learn more about yogic philosophy and history. In my experience, it will make your practice more personal and meaningful. Educating yourself beyond asana will give you the words and names to describe the experiences you are already having on your mat.”

What is your favorite Asana? Why?

“My favorite pose changes all the time. Currently, at nearly 8 months pregnant, my favorite poses are simple. I also love supported fish pose. It’s one of the few ways I can crack my back now. It feels amazing to open my heart. Wide-legged forward fold is awesome. Waterfall, using the wall is fantastic. These poses take some of weight off my lower back and abs and they are wonderful.

I have always loved half-moon, especially when it is combined in sequence with other balancing poses, or when we move to half-moon from a pose with momentum (like coming from a reversed warrior pose and landing in half-moon). I always feel like I’m in The Matrix when I can nail it… sometimes I can still nail it, and I’m proud of that! I can’t wait to do a lazy up-dog.”

What other passions do you have (outside of yoga)?

“Babies! I am due December 10^th… wish me luck. Right now, I am trying to read whatever I can and prepare myself for motherhood. I love to read, mostly fiction, especially science fiction.

I also love to get outside and go to the park with my dogs, Millie and Zilla. They are beasts. We like to go camping as often as possible. We have a beautiful garden and have enjoyed the learning process… though, honestly, Larry does most of the hard work and I do most of the eating. I also have two kitties, Olive and Fatso.

I really enjoy cooking, though since I became pregnant, I have been veryyy tired and busy, and if it wasn’t for my mom, baby and I would probably have starved by now. I have fantastic supportive parents, and I am so grateful for them. I love, love, love to run, and I cannot wait to get back into it after I have the baby.”

Favorite Quote...

“Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition leaving opportunities behind.”

“Lateralus”, Tool

What inspires you to get on your mat?

“When I first came to yoga, I was mostly looking for a workout; I practiced hot power, almost exclusively. I already loved to run and stretch, and hot power seemed like the perfect addition to my exercise routine, plus, the hot room felt great on my muscles. That was my motivation, and I still appreciate and value that part of the practice, although my practice started to evolve into something deeper and more meaningful.

I began to realize how much yoga impacted my emotional and mental well-being. It quieted my mind and reduced my anxiety. Anxiety had been running my life when I began my yoga journey. I was so anxious arriving at class that I would pray that no one would speak to me until after we practiced. I began to seek the feeling I had when I finished a yoga class. I was beginning to understand and develop the connection between my mind and body. I didn’t realize the link between the two was so broken. I was unaware I was existing (almost always) in an anxious state of hell… until I was able to contrast that state with something new. Yoga helped me to become more present in my life; presence is the opposite of anxiety.

When I began to learn about the body, especially the nervous system, and yogic philosophy, things just came together for me. In teacher training, I learned that yoga is an eight-limbed path to end suffering. I decide to believe in that… and I found it to be true. That truth is what gets me on my mat, as often as possible.”

Amanda's Top Yoga Reads ?

– The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (Bessel van der Kolik, M.D.) …
– Myths of the Asanas: The Stories at the Heart of the Yoga Tradition (Alanna Kaivalya, PhD & Arjuna van der Kooij) …
– Yoga Bug: Simple Poses for Little Ones (Sarah Jane Hindler) … the cutest baby book ever.