Summer in Full Swing

Photos from Nevada, taken by yours truly.

Hey there, yogis!

Happy summer!

I'm a little behind on the blogging front, but I believe when the sun is out, it's best to get outside and escape the screen for a bit :)

What have y'all been up to? Any fun 4th of July plans in the works?

Here are some other summery adventures I'm looking forward to: 

• Doing yoga in Chicago's beautiful Grant Park with friends from work as part of Wanderlust's traveling yoga fest

• Helping out on the set of an independent feature film (you should all check it out and support the film -- it's hilarious!)

• Visiting with my mom while she's in town in August (pedicures, anyone?)

• Cooking new summery recipes, making fruit smoothies, and dipping my toes in the fountains around Evanston

• New bike rides, new tan lines

• Listening to thunderstorms

• Continuing to write like crazy for the book project

• Attending weekly classes at Grateful Yoga in Evanston as part of their summer intensive (the relaxing and restorative poses have been helping so much!)

Happy summer, all! I hope you are well.

Congrats to all the 2011 NU Graduates!

 Photos via the Northwestern broadcast of today's graduation. Check it out: Stephen Colbert!

Northwestern's class of 2011 is graduating today! A big hug goes out to all you hardworking grads who are now free to live, work, and play in the world. Get out there -- enjoy it!

I can't believe it's been a year since I walked the stage. Feels like forever ago :) It's fun to remember back to that day and to celebrate again with everyone who's earned their degree this year.

A heartfelt namaste to you all!

The podium.

Go grads!

NU President Morty Schapiro.

Wandering in the Day

What a beautiful day! We are heading out to the farmer's market in a bit, and I've got my summery dress on. After that? Massages!

Heavenly :) I am so grateful for this trip.

It's so wonderful being able to wander through the day and relax. What are you up to?

The Quiet of the Day

Photos by yours truly. Check out these beautiful Vegas digs!

I'm enjoying a blissful vacation so far in Las Vegas. It's been so relaxing lounging around in the pool, walking slowly everywhere, enjoying this beautiful house, sipping green tea, and spending time with my lovely friend Ash and her mom.

This morning we did a little kundalini yoga in the living room and then went for a swim. There is something so calm about the space here -- the way you can see the rolling outline of hills in the distance, the warmth of the sun on your skin. I breathe deeply here, and do very little.

Isn't it wonderful when you can leave empty spaces in your day and do nothing but be present to the moment?

Peace abounds. :)

Rediscovering Lost Things

  Above photo via I Can Read on Tumblr. Below photo via Threading in the Choirs.

Reflecting on the way things used to be -- 

and the way they are now --

where they could get to

eventually, in the future...

There is a certain art to that thinking.

By planting a seed in our mind, we can change the future.

By owning up to our past, we can change ourselves for the better.

Is Route 66 Dead? Rediscovering America's Lost Highway from Christian Gideon on Vimeo.

Catchin' Some Waves

GoPro HD bodyboarding latest mix from goosesPOV on Vimeo. Found via Prana.

Any of you yogis surf?

After watching this video, I really want to learn. :)

It's the Fear

All photos in this post via Fashion Toast.

At some point in life, we choose who we want to be. Some choose by not choosing. Others race ahead and wait to see how things will shake out.

Seth had a really great post yesterday about some of the ways we hold ourselves back. 

Sometimes it's fear of judgment from others; sometimes it's lack of knowledge or power.

For me, more often than not, it's the fear.

Buzzing at the edges of my consciousness. Deeper down than thoughts, emotions, sensation.

Tonight on a bike ride, I wondered what it might feel like to let the sun set on my fear. How free could I be without it?

Free as a little bird.

From behind my new sunglasses, I watched the world blaze by, seeing the possibilities.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

namaste,

rachel

Getting Away

Photos by Alex Innocent.

A while ago I posted about this northern California photographer. Today I have a few more of his images to share.

They make me think about the value in being in wide open spaces.

The beauty in imperfection.

My need for the quiet.

Las Vegas

Hey readers, I'd love your advice. I'm headed to Vegas this week. Do you know of any artsy happenings going on over the weekend?


What's your favorite thing to do out there?


If you know of any hiking or biking spots which shouldn't be missed, please do let me know :)


Thanks and namaste!
Rachel

Changes

Welcome to the new 
Alive in the Fire.

I've been listening to a song by the Weepies lately. It's about the way things shift over time -- and yet stay the same. When I listen to it, the song makes me think about how there is a steadiness to life if we live it through love.

Do you live actively, with compassion and balance?

I'm starting to, and I feel more at home within myself than ever before.

The lyrics of the song go like this:

And everyone says
This love will change you
Well I ask, does anything ever stay the same?
No, no, no
Just same.... changes

-The Weepies, "Same Changes"

click the link to hear the song :)

In an effort to keep my blog aligned with who I am and where I'm coming from, I've changed the tagline from "at home within the hot room" to "at home within the self."

I believe yoga helps us discover who we truly are -- in our deepest corners of the heart, at the very foundation of who we are meant to become. Yoga encourages us to be patient and kind people not on our mats, but in the world in which we live.

It opens doors so that we can escape into the open -- and live according to what we truly believe.

I believe in peace and in love. Through the love God has given me, I can truly love others. As I do that, I am at peace with myself and with the world around me. 

That is the true meaning of my namaste.

Photos via Coffee and Yoga, Age Old Tree, Dudes Doing Yoga on Tumblr, and Tyler Branch.

Happy Saturday!

 

Happy Saturday, yogis! What are you up to?

I'm enjoying a laid-back day of hanging with friends and wandering around in Evanston. I had fun finding some apple butter at the farmer's market this morning, then sipped iced green tea and chatted with some friends over lunch. I'm also making some beef stroganoff for dinner in the crock pot while I work on some writing. And tonight: a student film premiere over at Northwestern!

Tomorrow: more writing and yoga (possibly with my sister over Skype!).

It's been a lovely weekend so far, and I can only see it getting better. :)

Hope you are having a relaxing Saturday. Namaste.

Calling All Chicago Bookworms: Check Out Printer's Row Lit Fest This Weekend

Hey again. A quick follow up to my last post -- are you more of a reader than a lover of sketch comedy shows? You should totally check out Printer's Row Lit Fest in Chicago this weekend.


My friend Veronica Roth, who just published the YA dystopian thriller Divergent, will be there. 


Want to know more about her incredible book? This interview is a great start. Or this one on Amazon, where you can also buy the book.


V, so proud of you and this insightful story. :) Enjoy the festivities!

Friday Night Sketch Comedy in Chicago: Cause and Affection at Second City

Cause and Affection - Sketch Comedy Revue from Whit Conway on Vimeo.

Hey Chicagoans, have any plans on Friday night?

If not, I've got something fun for you to check out. Tonight -- or on any Friday night this month -- you can check out this hilarious sketch comedy show at Second City. Buy tickets here.

See you there for some deep belly laughs :)

Happy Friday, all!

Tattoos in the Blogosphere

All photos in this post courtesy of Alive in the Fire readers who are inked. 

Many thanks to all who shared!

Ever wondered what sorts of tattoos yogis have? I posed that question a while back on the blog and through Twitter, and received some fascinating photos.

Take a look!

Just as we are on our mats, these yogis are a diverse and colorful group.

I wanted to share some great links from around the web, too. I read some other blogs written by those who share a passion for body art :) You can find tattoos all over the place...

• The blog Sometimes Sweet runs a weekly feature called Tattoo Tuesday highlighting some incredible bloggers and their tats. I love reading the meaning behind certain symbols and seeing all of the close up shots.
• Tattoologist is a tattoo blog with an artful approach. Most of the tattoos I've seen there seem to have an effortlessness and a lightness about them (not a whole lot of sleeves or intense color). If you're into tattoos with text or interesting typeface samples, be sure to check this one out. 

• Needles and Sins is a tattoo blog that tracks news and trends. With a wicked name like that, it's hard to resist swinging by :)
• Even on some wedding blogs, such as A Practical Wedding, you can find posts about how tattoos are everywhere.
• So Fawned is another of my favorite blogs. When I spotted these sleeves, I ooohed and aaaahhhed at the screen. Aren't they breathtaking? 

• A post from the cooking blog Sweet Paul featuring the funniest guy tattoo I've ever seen. You've got to be a serious crafter to sport that tat! Do you guys know anyone with comical tattoos?
• A post from Not Your Average Ordinary on script tattoos. Elegant and eloquent. If you got a word on your wrist, what would it be?

There's always a story behind getting inked. Coming soon: my story on the new tattoo I've got big summer plans for! :)