On Break

Photo via Hearts Expanding, my new favorite yoga blog.

Hey readers, hope you're having a great week! What are you up to?

I wanted to let you know I'm taking a little blogging break. 

As hard as it is sometimes to set our priorities in order, I'm realizing right now I need my yoga more than I need my writing about it :)

In the meantime, I encourage you to check out this yoga blog I just discovered (where all these beautiful photos are from), and to:

• practice your headstands and handstands
• look forward to my post about the Mr. Yoga workshop I took at TruHarmony (where I conquered my fear of headstands and arm balances!)
• let go while you're in Camel pose and see how it can transform your practice, and any fear you carry in your life
• look forward to some posts about yoga wear and meditation CDs that are rocking my world and the way positive tools are helping me learn compassion for myself & others
• eat home-grown or organic, healthy, wholesome foods that you've bought at the farmer's market (and be grateful for springtime!)
• celebrate your blessings!

Namaste.

PS As always, feel free to reach me at aliveinthefire@gmail.com and thanks for reading!

Happy Earth Day!

Photo via Yoga Dudes on Tumblr. 

Ironically, I'm a bit under the weather on Earth Day... but wanted to share some wonderful reading from around the web. Here are some Earth Day Posts you won't want to miss! 
Note: photos are from the links below them. Enjoy!


First, a list of cool stuff you could do today to celebrate our great, green planet.

From Anthology: sweet moss art by Anna Garforth.

Julia Yee Yoga's post on grasshopper. I really want to practice with her in that little garden of space! It always feels so sacred and quiet when I see the photos :)

From Pacing the Panic Room: Ryan's tribute to raising kids who understand that raising food is a real, physical process. So beautiful. I can't wait to have a big garden someday!

OnceWed has some incredible ideas in this post on how to make art out of corks! What a fun and creative way to decorate for a wedding.

PrAna brings some reflections on Food, Inc., one of my favorite docs out there.

"Be Brave and Revise (Or, Alternately, My Struggle with Fear) by Veronia Roth. Great friend, beautiful lady, amazing writer. She has inspired me in many ways over the years we've known each other, and this essay is a big addition to that list. If you've ever dealt with anxiety or writing before, you'll want to read this! (And do check out Veronica's book Divergent; it's incredible.) 

Also, I loved this visual reflection from I Can Read on Tumblr on why worrying gets you nowhere :)

And, for those needing a laugh, a hilarious comic from xkcd (click to enlarge photo):

Note: the rollover reads: "You're a turtle!" :)

Enjoy the world, yogis!

Momentum

Photos via FYeahYoga on Tumblr.

I've been feeling a lot of momentum going on this week: at work, at yoga, in my creative projects, relationships, thought processes throughout the day. It's great to be on the move.


It's also amazing to reflect on the way a consistent practice on the mat can really catapult you to new places. Yoga is transformative. Transformational. 


It's all about the process.


J over at Lock the Knee said it beautifully in a quote from one of her students in a recent post:


[Bikram yoga can make you a] different person - body changed, personality changed, attitude changed, everything changed.  


[As a yogi, you realize:] I don't have to prepare to practice, I just have to come in and practice... I am just keeping myself open to feedback, just listen, adjust, and change... If you think you're 'perfect,' if you're always 'doing it right,' then you can't learn, but if you're just 'practicing,' then you can keep adjusting and taking in new information. 


I'm so glad I found the momentum to start practicing again, not worrying about getting it right. It's such a relief! (And thanks to Juliana's student for describing this concept so beautifully.)


See you in the Hot Room for a Bikram class tomorrow? And at the arm balances and inversions workshop with Mr. Yoga down at TruHarmony on Saturday, if you're going!

A Tribute to Bikram Yoga Evanston, My Home Studio (Plus NBC Chicago's Video About Us!)

All images are screenshots taken from the NBC Chicago video. Apologies for the low res!

Yogis, check it out! A couple weeks ago NBC Chicago did a video feature about Bikram Yoga Evanston, my home studio. It's fun seeing our director, Stuart Getz, chat about the awesome physical and mental benefits of the practice and watching some of my yoga friends do some beautiful postures.

You guys are all rockin' it, fellow BYE-ers. I know I haven't met all of you around the studio, but I'm proud of the way you bring yourselves to class, share your practices wholeheartedly, and engage in the supportive community that's present at our studio. I have to say: we have the best teachers and the best yogis around!

I love the solid dialogue, the willingness to fight for discipline in the room, and the positive attitude that our teachers bring to class (and that students adopt as they move throughout the postures and breathing exercises). I also love that our fearless leaders can sometimes be sarcastic (hilariously so), fun-loving, imaginative, and poetic, even, in class. 

It makes the experience of yoga just that -- an experience that's worthwhile and enjoyable, not just a task on a to-do list for the day. Many thanks to the yogis who aren't afraid to fall out, laugh at themselves in the mirror, and grow together as silly things happen during the yoga.

Not to mention, it's wonderful being taught to do the postures right and being surrounded by yogis who aren't willing to sacrifice quality for depth. When the alignment is right and the mental approach is calm and focused, the benefits are endless!

Lots of love and a big namaste to everyone on staff at BYE, and to all of my fellow yogis.

Our little family is a fun mix that I enjoy being a part of each time I practice. I love you guys.

To the retired all-star athletes (like Mike Adamle, who used to play for the Chicago Bears)... to the currently-active all-star athletes (especially the local high school basketball teams, and Chicago Bulls players who come to class)... to the Northwestern students looking to reduce your stress levels (been there, and I'm so glad you're taking Bikram!)... and to all the other awesome moms and dads, families and kids, hardworking people who come to the studio for rest, relaxation and time in the best Torture Chamber around...

Thank you. You, my yogis, are incredible.

You Are Not Alone

 

Photos from a while back.

Anyone else out there listen to Josh Ritter? He's amazing. I was listening to some of his songs last night and feeling nostalgic. Reflecting on old memories, playing these moments in my head again and again. Like the lyrics of the song go:

Lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness

I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest

-from "Bone of Song," by folk artist Josh Ritter

I met Josh Ritter a while back, and he's as awesome as his music is beautiful.

Sometimes we are surprised, astonished even, by what we find when we look backward. The amount of love that can linger for a person we hadn't thought of in a while, or hadn't taken the time to reach out to.

Wistful -- bracing -- effortless -- those are the words that come to mind. The way two people can find a way to fill up space without even trying. We were in a place, a time, a togetherness I have yet to find again. Words of my own float through my head when I listen to those songs.

There is a lot of value in taking the time to reflect. Meditation is not nothing.

Meditation is not for nothing.

Take the time you need to reflect on the experiences you have, the people you know, the love you can give that you haven't offered yet.

Look through the old photographs. Listen to the songs. Write down the music you didn't know you had inside. Then give them all away. 

Bikram says it too: if you can, you must.

Photo here and all below by Joelle Waskey, my lovely cousin.

Beautiful, Simple Things

What tasty treats are you eating this spring? Photo via A Desert Fete.

Happy Monday, all! Did you have a fun weekend?

Mine was wonderful and filled with many simple moments worth savoring. Friday night, my long lost box from the post office arrived, with a bunch of goodies from my parents for Valentine's, Easter and my birthday combined. I was also able to send off some treats to a few of the sponsored yogis, so now they're now rocking Onzie gear in yoga class and drinking YogaEarth to stay hydrated (score!)

It's so fun to send snail mail sometimes, I say.

I love mailing off letters and packages. Photo via A Desert Fete.

On Saturday, I worked on decorating my apartment and hanging up some photography. I also made a tasty potato soup for our dinner with a friend.

And yesterday I took part in an amazing yoga retreat led by Nick and Lela Beem of Grateful Yoga in Evanston. It was a relaxing day of two yoga classes combined with seated meditation, walking meditation, and a mindful eating practice at lunch. I feel so refreshed and rejuvenated! And sore :) More to come on that in a future post. 

Weekends on your feet are the best: walking, yoga, cooking in the kitchen.

 

A friend from work got married this weekend and I can't wait to hear about the excitement. :)

Springtime abounds! Feet photos via Sarah Rhoads.

Did you guys enjoy a peaceful weekend?

Bikram Yoga Bloggers and Teacher Training

Photo via The Hot Yoga Girl, a Bikram blog I just discovered.

Are any of you blog readers gearing up to become Bikram teachers starting next week? I'm getting excited to follow the stories of some very soon-to-be teachers-in-training.

I love reading Bikram blogs. It's fun to learn how other yogis interpret some of the madness we encounter in the hot room. Sometimes enlightening, always entertaining, you can discover a lot of Bikram blogging goodness on my blogroll, listed below and to the right.

Photo via a post by @NancyChloe on Twitter. She's here in southern CA for the spring 2011 Bikram Teacher Training!

While I do primarily practice Bikram and hope to teach it one day, I also follow some yoga bloggers who love other styles. I also keep fitness, style, cooking, and wedding blogs in my reader. I think it's important to consider a variety of voices and opinions on yoga (and life in general), and it's great to keep an open mind when reading or writing about a personal yoga practice. I hope that this approach keeps things fresh around here at Alive in the Fire!

If you'd enjoy more Bikram-related content, I'd encourage you to check out these three sites. As always, feel free to drop me a line if you discover a beautiful blog or wild posture photos you think I might like. Happy reading!

Sweat Your Heart Out: This is a Bikram blog by Jacob, a yogi who hopes to teach one day. His posts are reflective and thoughtful and he has a great grasp on how and why Bikram yoga is such a healing practice.

Bikram Infinity: Greg blogs about his Bikram adventures by sharing incredible posture discussions, thoughts on how to build great habits in the Torture Chamber, and meditations on how you can apply your yoga to life off the mat.

 The Hot Yoga Girl: Tiffany's blog reads like the inside of a yogini's diary, featuring down-to-earth post-it notes with inspirational quotes, messages from family members, or little reminders written on them. Her thoughts give a positive, passionate look at some reasons to consider going to training.

Focus Forward Friday: Sing It

Official music video: Jai Uttal - "DOWN ON MY KNEES" from notthisbody on Vimeo.

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: song. Here's a little tune with a beautiful music video to go along with your Friday afternoon. May it bring you some calm thoughts, a positive outlook, and a great start to the weekend! 

Namaste, all.

PS What artists are you guys listening to lately, in and out of the yoga room?

More about the music video:
Artist: Jai Uttal 
Album: Thunder Love
With: Nubia Teixeira, Ezra Gopal and Jai Uttal
Directed by Notthisbody
Director of Photography: Jason Joseffer 

Onzie Yoga Wear: Like a Little Honeymoon For Your Yoga or Swim Practice

 

Photo via Onzie, my new favorite yoga wear.

Sometimes we get stuck in a rut: with relationships, with our diet, with our yoga practice. Every now and then, we need a kick-start to get a boost of fresh air or a spark of new energy.

Since it's officially springtime now (we had our first 80-degree day here on Sunday!), I'm ready to celebrate. And I've got an inspiring yoga wear company for you to check out. They're called Onzie.

This shop features not only high-performance gear that feels great to wear to the hot room, but it's also perfect for your trip to the beach, a swim at a neighborhood pool, even your favorite pilates class. When I first saw the site, the two thoughts that came to mind were:

• Sweet! There's enough variety here so that everyone can find a fit that flatters and is comfortable. That way, the last thing on your mind while you yoga is what you're wearing. What you wear to yoga shouldn't be about impressing others or trying to look sexy, it should be about feeling great and not being distracted by your outfit!
• Plus, getting one of these no-frills, sleek-lookin' outfits is kind of like an investment for your spring and summer, not just your yoga. The way I pictured it: it's like a little honeymoon you can treat yourself to, and feel great wearing year-round. :)

Great times on the lake last summer. This summer, I'll be wearing Onzie! :)

It's pretty rare that a product -- even a yoga one, that's got namaste written all over it -- can make me feel that excited!

Which is the first reason why I realized Onzie is a rare gem. The second? When Kimberly, Onzie's President and and fearless leader, reached out to me and offered to collaborate through the blog, I knew this would be a great fit.

Beautiful yoga wear? Check. Kind heart and generous spirit? Double check. 

Kimberly and the Onzie team quickly offered to donate gear not only to me to test, but also to each of the sponsored yogis who were interested in trying it out. In a matter of days, she had shipped leotards, shorts, capris, you name it -- all over the country.

And the sacrifice she made hasn't gone unnoticed. The team and I plan to blog about Onzie in the days and weeks to come, not only because we think it'd be a great idea for you to check out their shop and consider making a purchase... but mostly because Onzie's approach to yoga wear hits the mark.

Photo via Onzie. Hope it inspires you to perfect your Standing Bow to this degree of excellence!

As their web site reads:

At Onzie our philosophy is "keep your practice challenging, and your wardrobe simple!" 

Onzie's no-frills one-pieces and separates are best worn while sweating, swimming, or simply lounging around. In keeping with the principle of being inclusive, rather than exclusive, Onzie is affordably-priced and suitable for all activities and practices. 

Photo via Onzie, the yoga wear that doubles as beach wear!

I hope, as always, that you understand the top-priority goal behind any content published here at Alive in the Fire isn't to make a buck or sell a product, it's to help you better your yoga practice. Finding awesome gear is an important part of that.

As a blogger, it can often be hard to find a sponsor that matches happily with your writing goals and your blogging philosophy. I'm excited to announce that Onzie is a perfect fit here. Pun intended!

Mr. Yoga Workshop @ TruHarmony in Chicago

Photo via the Mr. Yoga site.

Hey yogis, have you heard of Mr. Yoga? Also known as Daniel Lacerda, this super-strong yogi is somewhat of a teacher celebrity, and I'm excited to announce that he's coming to Chicago!

If you're interested in meeting Mr. Yoga and taking a killer workshop, check out the info below about TruHarmony Yoga in the city's weekend with him coming up on April 22nd and 23rd. I'm hoping to attend, but if I can't make it, you may see an update from sponsored yogi Rich since TruHarmony is his home studio. 

If you do go, be sure to leave me a comment or drop me a line at aliveinthefire@gmail.com with your thoughts! :)

Photo via this review.

Mr. Yoga  Weekend

When: April 22nd and 23rd

Where: TruHarmony Yoga, 900 N. Franklin, 5th Floor

The Schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Friday, April 22nd:

6-7:30pm: Mr. Yoga Workout

Followed by reception at the studio!

Saturday, April 23rd:

9-10:30am: Mr. Yoga Workout

11:00-1:00pm: Inversion and Arm Balances Workshop

2:00-3:30pm: Mr. Yoga Workout

Followed by a meet and greet with Mr. Yoga! 

To register for a spot, please go to TruHarmony's scheduling website. Log in with your User Name and Password, then visit their Workshops Tab. From there you can select which session(s) you would like to attend and submit your reservation and payment online. Please note that all  payments and reservations are final.  

For more information about TruHarmony Yoga, check out this post. It's a beautiful studio with a friendly staff located in the heart of Chicago, and this is a workshop you won't want to miss! 

Milk Bubbles

The Milk Mason from The Panic Room Videos on Vimeo.

Hey all, Happy Tuesday!


In case you need a little break from your adult life, I have just the video to share on this beautiful, bright Tuesday morning. It's been a while since I posted to the Beyond Childhood series, and I couldn't resist sharing this clip; it's a perfect example of what the series is all about: letting loose your inner child no matter your age!


Meet Tessa, the lovely daughter of Cole and Ryan over at Pacing the Panic Room. PTPR has always been one of my favorite blogs, and for reasons like this.


Ryan has a talented eye for catching the tiny moments that shouldn't be forgotten -- like the way sunlight hits a jar of milk bubbles, or the fragile allure of a child's hands moving, or the pure joy of raw curiosity. The eagerness behind her eyes. The love in her eyes as she glances off-screen at her parents. Best of all: the sound of laughter, on-camera and off, and the way it reminds us to be real people.

Enjoy, and namaste!

Where's Your Weekend?

 

Lately I've been pondering the value of rest.

It's so important! Every week I look forward to the weekend and can't wait to relax, play, and be with friends.

This weekend, I challenge you to take the time off you need and have some fun. I was looking through some old pictures (look how long my hair is!) and it inspired me to share a list of ideas with you guys for silly things to do if you're bored. 

Just in case you were planning to have a weekend that was only about productivity... cancel your plans instead! :)

And do these:

1. Let a balloon go from off a balcony.

2. Go for a photo shoot in the park. Play with focus.  

3. Cook a yummy breakfast on Saturday or Sunday morning, like poached eggs on toast.

4. Give smooches. And laugh at funny pictures, too, of course!

5. Climb, be a kid, enjoy the world from a new perspective. 

6. Visit an art gallery together. Again, laugh at funny pictures :)

7. Pursue your creative passions.  

8. Plan your next trip somewhere. 

 

9. Light some candles. Watch the sun set.