Beauty Behind the Brand: Laura B. Shanley

Laura B. Shanley, founder of Modestine®

Laura and I met on Instagram a few years ago, and our spirits instantly connected. It’s such a joy to work alongside her, and become part of the Modestine® Tea community. Throughout this interview, Laura shares from the heart - opening up about the rich tapestry of her grandmother Modestine’s legacy, radical self-love, holistic well-being, and leaning into the grounding, restorative power of nature.

As we celebrate Earth Day, her words remind each of us to work towards a world where liberation and beloved community reign. Get cozy and breathe in Laura’s wisdom. Meet the beauty behind the brand!

I love that Modestine® Tea is rooted in the richness of your family tradition, and the ritual of tea sipping as a daily wellness practice. What inspired you to take those early lessons from your grandmother, Modestine, and transform them into a company and growing online community?

In more ways than one, the family tradition was a huge part of my everyday life, as an adult.

Coming from the Caribbean, where community is sacred and celebrated, I longed to feel that sense of belonging, here, in the U.S. Everyone seemed so far apart, and so fearful of each other. The ritual of tea became the calming catalyst, the ceremony that brought people in my community together. This, ultimately transitioning itself into a brand.

How has running Modestine® Tea expanded your understanding of wellness and helped you evolve as an entrepreneur?

Prior to creating the brand, I was not as super tuned in to intuitive/energetic healing, as a form of wellness, as I am, now. Being the captain of the ship at Modestine®, has helped me to tap into these modalities.

In all honesty, I had no idea that using these healing modalities was a gift my grandmother gave to me. As an entrepreneur, I’m able to apply these practices to my own daily life when I’m overwhelmed and in need of spiritual healing and balance.

You have said nature is a huge source of inspiration. Can you share more about why, and if there are specific elements of nature (trees, clouds, flowers, etc.) which fuel your creativity?

I grew up around women whose lives were cyclical by nature. Everything my grandmother and her sisters did revolved around nature/earth. Lunar cycles determined planting seasons, harvesting crops, rolling the land, etc. As young girls, my cousins and I monthly moon cycles occurred at the same time. At the beginning of each cycle, we would offer back our release to Mother Earth. Everything involved nature and the land. In understanding ourselves, we understood our very own connection to nature.

Because this wisdom was so deeply steeped into my being, it created a natural backdrop for my relationship with nature. Interesting that you mention trees and clouds; I have a magical connection with both.

I cannot live anywhere too far away from trees, as I tend to feel very unbalanced, especially trees that have very buttress roots. There is something about them that gives me absolute grounding, stability and freedom.

As for clouds, there are days when they appear at arms reach. I remember the first time that happened I was a bit scared, but because I was open the magic continued to reveal itself to me. Without nature, I would not be able to practice this kind of innate healing; my relationship to wellness would not be as authentic as it is. It’s the roots of the tradition that has travelled so deeply within me. It’s also the legacy, the work my grandmother was forbidden to do, as it was once seen as bad.

One of the things I love about Modestine® Tea is instead of telling us to lean into the practice of sipping tea mindfully to fix something within us (which is common in wellness spaces), you encourage celebration of ourselves and the present moment! It's a challenging place to arrive at in a world where everything is a commodity. When did you make this shift in your own consciousness, and what wellness practices do you lean into as a way of staying rooted?

Shifting to this kind of consciousness happened during the time I was a volunteer at Rikers Island jail. Intially, it felt like we were supposed to help fix something in the inmates. Spending time with them week after week started to work on my psyche. Questions flooded my thoughts with no answers to solidify the experience. It was then that the magic of centering in celebration of who and what you are emerged - owning your authenticity, mistakes, triumphs, and weaknesses, etc.

There was a healing that connected itself to this realization during my volunteer work. Looking back, the whole experience was setting me up for the Modestine® journey; the path that aims to see every person lean into loving himself/herself, despite what the world may say about him/her.

So much of my own wellness practices revolves around self-love. I’ve sat through journeying sessions with my grandmother, so I lean heavily into that practice. Being able to travel within to make connection with my highest self through the art of drumming is my number one way to remain grounded. I also spend hours, on end, in nature.

I have to be able to make connection with the elements. Walking bare feet or sitting on the bare ground often keeps me centered. I also Loove listening to music. I lean heavily into Tibetan Healing Sounds, Healing Sounds of The Orishas, conscious music by Caribbean legends - Bob Marley and Buju Banton, and a mix of Snatam Kaur and her daughter, Jap Preet Kaur and Sam Garrett. I tend to reread certain books over and over, again: The Alchemist and the Untethered Soul are my top two.

Often as entrepreneurs we are so focused on moving forward, we do not stop to acknowledge the wins. How do you stop to celebrate your breakthrough moments?

You’re so right about that. We’re often on the go, on to the next. I give thanks each day for my family. It’s their celebration of my breakthroughs that encourages me to celebrate. They never cease to let me know how happy and how proud they are of me. Calling my aunt in London, or my Mom back home is usually the start to my celebration. My ideal celebration is retreading back to my Sanctuary to review, observe and give thanks. It’s where I meet my grandmother.

The fact that she trusted me to do the things that she couldn’t means a lot. My wins are a result of her, so my celebration begins and ends with a gratitude ritual to her. It can get very sappy, lol, cause the tears never stop flowing.

It’s also been a blessing to be recognized for my work in publications like ShoutOut Miami and on Facebook (Women’s History Month Shop Collection and Black Friday). You can also now find our products in an array of stores. Steeping in the states of gratitude, that’s my celebration!

You are always adding new products to the shop! As we head into the 2nd business quarter of 2021, what are you envisioning for Modestine® Tea in the months ahead?

I have been summoned to celebrate the healing modalities my grandmother once practiced. To this end, another aspect of Modestine® will soon unfold. I’ve turned my back away from my shamanic healing heritage. The call has come! The time is now, and I’m ready. Stay tuned, friends!