Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Stillo.
Hi Dawn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I realize now how much I take after my late father. I embodied his spirit of “this body has to move!” Movement has always been my way to express inner creativity, the best and only therapy I instinctively engaged in. Ice skating, diving, softball, volleyball, settling on dance, and alot of tennis. I was introduced to Buddhism at age 23, and still practice strong today, it just works for me.
After marrying, then raising two young men, which are my biggest source of pride, at age 50 I asked myself what do I want to do for me? I sat with that question, I loved two things, tennis and yoga. Yoga had become a therapeutic type of dance for me, but this time incorporating the breath was a gamechanger.
So in answer to my question, I decided to gift myself a 200 hr. yoga teacher training. I loved practicing yoga so much, I did not go into the training with the purpose of becoming a teacher, but rather to understand yoga on a deeper level. Upon graduating a friend asked me to sign-up for the follow -up 300hr training. I was reluctant, but because of her encouragement, I did.
I then auditioned to teach for Yogaworks, they failed me. I would not accept those results, I invited the manager to a class I was teaching in Calabasas for a type of re-do. I asked a few of my friends to show up, and to compliment my teaching after class in front of the manager. It worked, I was hired as a teacher for Yogaworks.
Referencing my dad again, my work ethic is strong, I rose up the ranks after keeping up my study of yoga and then teaching 16-20 classes per week, way too many. I got recognized by Lululemon who asked if I would be an ambassador. This is when Calabasas was the only Lulu around. Lululemon supported 2 huge community events, Rock it to the Core, on the football field at Calabasas HIgh. It was a yoga festival, and music concert, raising money for meaningful charities. Marianne Williamson asked me if she could participate! Artists such as Aloe Black, Andra Day, and 7 Lions performed, they were in my eyes epic events.
A manager at Lululemon, who is still a dear friend, nominated me to teach at Wanderlust in Aspen. Out of 100 applicants I was one of 2 they chose. At that point, teaching at a Wanderlust festival was too big to conceive of. It was a huge week for me teach in front of hundreds of people, one class was black light, I was reluctant, but went all in, still one of my favorite moments teaching, no inhibitons.
At this point, I had found myself a yoga mentor who still brings me to tears when I think of her, Maty Ezraty. My buddhist practice has taught me to never give up on my dreams, it was my dream to assist Maty. After having to “prove” myself , my practice, and my dedication, I became Maty’s assistant for the last 4 years of her life. Maty had encouraged me to study mindfulness with Jack Kornfield and become an Iyengar teacher. I have done both, she was a visionary, she was right. She is still a guardian angel in my life. I am now a Level 2 certified Iyengar teacher, studying toward my Level 3.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I expect setbacks and struggles. There is a buddhist saying upon hitting challenges “the foolish will retreat, the wise will rejoice”.
It’s tapas, burning enthusiasm, burning karma, to never give up. My Buddhist mentor says “What gratification, for instance, could a sumo wrestler derive from defeating a child? Only when one fights and wins over dire circumstances will one’s victory shine brilliantly in history”. There has been oppositon every step of the way. Luckily i know the metaphor of a ship moving forward, the waves lap up higher to break the inertia. It’s proof your life is moving forward when obstacles arise.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I believe teaching yoga is an art. I have been to India 4 times. Mainly to study at the Iyengar Institute in Pune. To go through the rigorous certification processes of becoming an Iyengar teacher is no small feet. To remain so interested, so passionately sincere in learning the beautiful facets of yoga is a life long endeavor. That I get to share the teachings has become my absolute dharma.
I am so proud to teach Iyengar Yoga in my community at 2 studios, Westlake Yoga CO, who has a beautiful Iyengar room equipt with a wrap around rope wall, and Soul Ride Yoga and Wellness in Agoura (formerly known as Agoura Power of Yoga)
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I never walked normal, I was doing cartwheels.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dawnstillo.com
- Instagram: dawn_stillo
- Facebook: Dawn Stillo
Image Credits
@kellyfogelphotography
