Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacqueline Moran, Toni Visone.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jacqueline , Toni. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Do you believe in Divine Intervention? There is never a moment more right than “NOW”. No perfect moment, but just going with the flow and riding the wave of life all the way to destiny. The Salty Buddha was born when two seemingly seperate paths cross one another. Those paths were not paved nor were they easy, but when the Universe decides its the right time, its time.
We (co-owners Jacqueline & Toni) met after years of growing up just a city apart, but never having crossed paths until the practice that changed both our lives seperately brought us together. We both grew up in the North Shore area and if we had alot more time & space to write wed fill you in on both our back stories. We’ll spare you the tears, drama and teen angst for now.
Long story short Jacqueline is from Lynn, Toni is from Lynnfield and if you dont know this area we’ll just say that the two places border eachother but could not be further apart in alot of ways. Thats one of the reasons we both left the area, we needed a change. Both feeling a little out of place at that moment.
Jacqueline is a 31 year old mum of 4y0 wild man Bodhi Canon, oldest of 7, Yoga Alliance certified Kripalu YT, certified childrensYT, BUTI Yoga certified, Ashtanga trained, Reiki 1, designer and co-founder/creator of The Salty Buddha!
Toni is a 29 year old doggy mum to Mila, only child, Yoga Alliance certified, TIMBO certified, Reiki 1, newly minted lawyer in the state of Massachusetts!!! , and of course co-founder/creator of The Salty Buddha!
Life happened as it does, we went through growing pains learning who we “were” and who we “weren’t”, moving away, traveling, school, work, just rididng the wave you know? Then, somehow in 2016 the wave led us to our next part of the journey, meeting eachother. When we met there was an instant karmic connection, like we’d met before. Both of us were lifelong cheerleaders, dancers and athletes of one kind or another getting into yoga early on with a more competetive mindset and means to tune our bodies, and it gradually became a way for us to tune into our higher selves. We quickly began to realize we had something greater in common, our teaching philosiphies and vision. Our passion is to deliver a sustainable yogic lifestyle, a practical yet light hearted approach, in an open environment & airy space with an empasis on; personal growth, teacher individuality, creativity and all without a hardline aesthetic or single philosiphy. We truly wanted to create a lifestyle and community, not just a yoga studio.
Teaching around the North Shore in various spots, our chance meeting happened in a studio we were mutually teaching at. There was a spark, we started practicing together and something compelled us to offer a free yoga class at Pickering Wharf in Salem. We shared a mutual love of salem stemming back to our earliest days. Jacqueline was born in Salem and Toni connected through family, there is just an undeniable energy here that draws you in.
Salem is also right on the water in all of it beautiful historical saltiness. Even the air is salty, and we consider that one of its best qualiites. Around here being salty is a lifestyle. We know the term “salty” has been used lately to describe someone in a negative manner, but we decided to own it and use it in a lighthearted way. Salt plays a crucial role in maintianing human health, its a part of our everyday life, and its interwoven in myth and magic throughout history especially here in Salem with a past so closely tied to witchcraft.
Once our free classes started filling up on a weekly basis we realized we had something special going on. We needed a name to go by, something different, that makes people smile when they hear it, and one they wont forget! Brainstorming, we started discussing our zodiac signs and discovered were both of the water element, Toni is a pisces and Jacqueline is a scorpio which makes a great pairing. Ok, so we have water in common, we’re from Ma., love and respect the ocean, are surrounded by it and encountered a little saltiness along the way. we had to use the word salty somehow. So, we had our adjective lol, we needed a noun. There were a few things thrown around until we started talking about yogic qualities, the word Buddha came up. The Buddha stands for loving kindness, ethical morality and patience. In Buddhist philosiphy attaching happiness to outside factors like material objects and money will actually make us unhappy. Aha!! The Salty Buddha. As soon as we said it out loud we knew that was it. It fit our philosiphy and alternative outlook like a good pair of yoga pants.
At first it was just the classes, then we started getting requests for more, and then the question,” When are you gals opening a studio? We felt like there was something missing, a void we needed to fill, in ourselves and our local yoga community. We rode that wave all the way to where we are today and havent looked back since…
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A smooth road? I guess that depends on the perspective. We try to always keep our view postive but there were definitely some bumps and a little saltiness (not the good kind) along the way. Struggle is an unavoidable part of entrepeneaurship, and building your dreams come with a price and a lot of hard work.
All funds were out of pocket, and there was a lot of on site learning. The business side of yoga was challenging because that material and language was new to us. The difficulty of learning a business (especially if you come from a creative background) can be daunting, but with persistence, a vision and a pinch of salt anything is possible. Our support system was also very strong, we were lucky to have the people around us that we did.
Like any other partnership this requires work, but two heads are always better than one, and you know the other has your back. Building our team was also crucial to our success, we’re only as good as the yogis that surround us. We knew we couldnt teach all the classes ourselves, so making sure we have the highest quality teachers, the right mixture of energy and people who would care just as much as we did was of the utmost importance. Our teachers are now more like family and we are filled with an abundance of grattitude to be surrounded by such beautiful human beings.
All that being said everything happens for a reason and all of it was part of riding the wave, living and learning. The struggle was real and that makes where we are today that much more fullfilling.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Salty Buddha – what should we know?
Our business is one of self-discovery an opportunity for untiy, a chance to connect to your true self and love yourself on a deeper leve, a support system if you will. Many of our students come to us with anxiety, depression, low-self esteem all stemming from a scociety obsessed with the external. People are suffering from feelings of not being good enough, harsh judgements, unattainable deadlines, constant nagging to do more, buy more, make more money. Our job is to help the student realize you already have everything you need inside you, you are more than enough and the world needs you to share that. Our mission is to help people take off the mask, peel back their layers and heal from the inside out. The (asanas) phyical postures can look incredibly beautiful, we see them all over instagram, we have personally posted a yoga pic we were really proud of, but yoga is not just physical, it is an internal practice that touches the depths of the soul. Every practice is unique, every body is unique and every yogis journey is unique. All this stuff can be heavy, so we try to deliver this in a way thats fresh, more welcoming, non judgemental and light hearted.
TSB offers an assortment of regularly scheduled classes and workshops, private yoga and healing sessions, private events and corporate yoga, all with the intention to connect a little deeper, love ourselves a little more and lighten up!
Class names directly reflect the style vinyasa, yin, restorative, gentle, moon salutations, power etc. to make it a little easier and more inclusive for the new student who may not know what the traditional names are. For ex: Zen Buddha- a blend of yin, gentle and restorative will leave you feeling just as it sounds, Zen AF. All of our classes are a blend of style, flow & music with an individualized intention and message. Some of our teachers lean towards the traditional and others more eclectic, and our students seem to love them all.
We also offer more esoteric and spiritually expanding workshops including reiki, tarot, astrology, belly dancing, medatation, healings, yogic philosophy, artistry, wild crafting, moon circles, self love, intimacy, crystals yoga therapy and more. All of our guest teachers are highly qualified and masters of their craft, and they really enrich our space with their knowlwedge spirit and energy. It also allows us to reach a broader audience and introduce our space to those who may not have come otherwise. One of our most popular offerings is Buddha Budz, and its actaully hosted outside the studio do to the large number of people, more than our humble space could hold. It is a space where yoga, cannabis and community are not only accepted but celebrated. Held at Witch Dr. in Salem Ma., healthy goodies supplied by Salem Juice Barn, and live magical beats provided by our friend and DJ Kapha Music. After a B.Y.O.W ritual, we flow into a mindfully curated, intoxicating blend of 420 infused relaxation, breathwork and smooth playful yoga flow all topped off with guided mediation and a visual expereience to lead us to a higher conciousness. A judgement freee space where adults of all ages (21+) and backgrounds come together in harmony.
Our hope is to spread this event, our workshops, our message of coming together and our studio far beyond Salem. We have spme big dreams and big plans for The Salty Buddha!
What sets us apart? Well, we practice yoga like any other studio, we om like other yogis, drink green juice and offer crystals, we have early morning and late evening classes like the others but what sets us apart are the people who make up our community, our salty family. The teachers, the students, the supporters, family, friends, neighbors that continue to invest in their personal growth and our mission. Our class size, individual approach and light hearted spirit is what makes us special, you dont just come in do yoga and leave, unless you want to, and if you do it wont be that way for long! We know your name when you walk in, and if we dont we will soon learn it, we will stay for hours after class to play, or be a listening ear or shoulder to cry on. We as owners will be dedicated to everyone, each and every person that steps foot in our studio. We are a family here and that is what sets us apart
Proud is probably not the best way to describe how we feel, but getting to wake up everyday, doing something meaningful, helping others feel good, walking a life path of giving and being a part of the community we love and helped build makes us feel blessed.
Come as you are, do what serves your practice and whatever that may be know youre supported in your journey.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
For us sucess is not a destination, but a continuous process. That idea in itself has contributed to our continued growth. We started doing free yoga with a couple of mats, a handmade sign and a vision. We got here through love, dedication, perserverance and of course a pinch of salt!
Pricing:
- New Student Special $30 unlimted 2 weeks of yoga
- TSB Membership (Auto Pay) $118 Includes unltd classes, TSB discount on retail and workshops, priority reservations, TSB Buddy Pass 2x, Exclusive deals on private sessions, healings and more!
- Student Drop In $10 (student membership rates available)
- Drop In $16
Contact Info:
- Address: 201 Washington St. Salem Ma, STE 206
- Website: www.thesaltybuddha.com
- Phone: (978) 414-5097
- Email: info@thesaltybuddha.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.salty.buddha/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesaltybuddhayoga/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-salty-buddha-salem
Image Credit:
Josh Norton of Tanner Videos
Jess McDougall Photography
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