Miami, FL – January 15, 2020 – Myk Likhov is the founder of Modern ŌM, Miami’s leading Mindful community. He has been a Wellness entrepreneur and pioneer for over twelve years, inspired by his personal mission of helping people find greater ease inside themselves, so that they may lead greater lives. 

Myk started his career in venture capital before attending The Wharton School, out of which he launched the premier yoga studio brand in South Florida, Green Monkey. Myk has been recognized as Miami’s foremost leader in Mindfulness by the Miami Herald, Well & Good, and was one of Miami Magazine’s 2018 Men of the Moment. 

We met up with Myk in Palm Court, located in the heart of Miami Design District, for Modern ŌM’s Cushion Crawl, a special meditation in front of SAMADHI, an Antuan and Luchi art collaboration with Modern ŌM. Read the full Q&A below.

By Marissa Scarpulla

WRE: You’re known as a wellness entrepreneur, investor and pioneer. What inspired you to start this journey? 

Myk Likhov: It’s been quite a long road for me. Twelve years ago, I started a yoga company, Green Monkey, directly out of my MBA from Wharton. I was looking to do something meaningful that felt big. What I didn’t know at the time is that would start my path of personal discovery… that now informs all that I do. Crazy to think, that as interested in ’spirituality’ as I was then, that my commitment would deepen. And wherever I am now, will continue to evolve for ever. A finance guy-turned-mindfulness-pusher since 26!

WRE: What’s your favorite part about practicing meditation and yoga?

ML: Honestly, I find it practical. One hundred percent of us have habits we’d love to shift, reoccurring patterns that don’t serve us, or just want a deeper sense of meaning. Doing this inner work is really the way to improve our quality of life. No amount of talking to friends or going to self-help seminars will enhance your outer world as much as digging into your inner universe.

WRE: You’re the founder of Modern ŌM, Miami’s leading mindful community. What does Modern ŌM offer to the Miami community?

ML: We’ve realized that we’re a community more than a meditation offering. We serve our members, and all those interested in going deeper inward. Towards this end, we offer weekly meditations across Miami for $39 unlimited – it’s so reasonable because we don’t have physical locations… meaning we can pass our lower expenses to our community. We have intentional products, all designed by my mother and handmade in the US… which are dope. We also have master classes, which are deep dives into topics like money, sound healing, and sacred medicines. Basically, we seek to provide conscious people with community, experiences, education, and physical reminders all around how they seek to live.

WRE: Who is your biggest inspiration?

ML: Honestly, it’s the community. To see how knowledgeable and kind-hearted our facilitators are… they inspire me to be more. And it’s unreal how nice and authentic the student community is — just that humbles me and motivates me to work towards making Modern ŌM more valuable to them. I used to be driven by metrics or milestones that benefit me, but now I’m inspired by the response I feel in the community. To see people coming back because it’s important to them… that’s true inspiration.

WRE: What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

ML: This may be a weird answer, but my biggest achievement by far, is to realize that the game of life is played out within me. Only recently have I truly grasped (not intellectually, but I feel it) that I’m creating my external world. To realize this is huge, the biggest thing, because it means I now understand how to create the biggest life possible. And it starts with refining what goes on inside me. Everything else flourishes from that space.

Modern ŌM is a community more than a meditation offering… we seek to provide conscious people with community, experiences, education, and physical reminders all around how they seek to live.

Myk Likhov

WRE: People are often intimidated by practicing meditation, what is your best piece of advice for someone to start practicing? 

ML: Come to a group class. It’s one thing to read about meditation or watch a teacher on YouTube, but showing up to a session is so useful. It demystifies the practice — when you realize how simple (and powerful) going inward is, you’re empowered to do it regularly on your own time. When you come to a group session, you have both the teacher and other people to learn from, plus it’s more fun. If you don’t have the chance to practice in a group, one of the many apps work well too. But better than an app is your breath. Just a few minutes of attention on your breath is enough to feel something. And when you feel something, you’ll want more of it I promise.

WRE: Tell us more about SAMADHI? 

ML: SAMADHI is an art project designed to connect people to themselves. It’s a sculptural representation of each of us sitting as our highest selves. SAMADHI name refers to the final state of meditation, where the mind becomes still. From this seat (vibrationally, and now physically) we are our limitless selves – infinite, powerful, and bigger than our egos or problems. There is no pain, or lack, or suffering from here. Everything is perfect, as it is. SAMADHI’s message is simple: remember who you are. I want to get this sculpture into as many public spaces as possible, to inspire people to the best versions of themselves. It’s a continuation of our work as Modern ŌM.

I used to be driven by metrics or milestones that benefit me, but now I’m inspired by the response I feel in the community. To see people coming back because it’s important to them… that’s true inspiration.

Myk Likhov