From the Island: Eco-Friendly Hand-Sewn Goods

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Next up in the Winter Extravaganza is NuovoVerde from Etsy. Her shop features eco-friendly hand-sewn goods.

I love Ingrid's earthy, colorful style for her headbands, bags, clutches, business card holders/ coin purses, and hair accessories.

She is offering one lucky reader a practical and beautifully-handcrafted mini purse made with organic cotton canvas. As she says, it's a hip and modern way to carry your money or credit cards! The purse is hand-painted and made with low impact inks, so it's super green.

This is your last chance to win a handmade item from Puerto Rico, so enter now!


More from Ingrid about her shop:
NuovoVerde means "The New Green" in English. This refers to the main goal of the company: to focus on fusing ethics and aesthetics. Garments are unique or limited-edition pieces, crafted via a combination of reclaimed, recycled and organic materials mostly by me, Ingrid Iglesias in Puerto Rico (Caribbean Islands). 

Educated as an artist but with a continuous interest in all design and art themes, I've being looking forward in my creative ventures and also responding to my conscious awareness of the environment.

I have experimented with lots of materials and techniques and this shop is a reflection of that. NuovoVerde features a variety of accessories, paper goods and other cool stuff inspired by art, good design and sustainability. We're hoping to expand soon, so keep an eye out for new products in the near future!

As Ingrid says, all items in her shop are handmade, hand-painted and embellished with much love in her little studio. All pieces are unique, one-of-a-kind and are designed to express individual personalities. Maybe yours? 

Advice on what to do in Puerto Rico:
In Puerto Rico, you can't miss the beaches. Excellent beaches can be found almost all around the island, but the best for my "needs" are Gilligan's Island in Guanica (south side of the island) and Flamenco Beach on Culebra Island (one of the municipalities at the east of the island). This beach has been classified as one of the 14th best beaches in the world. 

Also, be sure to visit El Yunque rainforest, nominated as one of the seven marvels of the modern world, and finally, the walled city of Old San Juan, part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. This is a very important spot for culture, history, good food, music, and a lot of fun!

To win the coin purse, please:
  • Leave a comment below with your favorite item from NuovoVerde's Etsy shop.
  • Leave feedback and favorite the Etsy shop.
  • Add NuovoVerde on Twitter and Facebook.
  • Utilize the 15% discount in the store through January 15 by entering ALIVE12 as a coupon code when you check out.

Finally, we've got a winner for the BijouxHibou necklace! Congrats to MommyYogini. Please contact me with your email and I'll connect you with Wandie so she can mail it to you.

Longing for Home

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Photo via CoolHunting.

As beautiful as this Puerto Rico trip has been, there's a big part of me that can't wait to get home. I want to be in my PJs as much as I want, and snooze in my comfy bed.

Photo via Andrea Dicenzo.

I can't wait to be in the kitchen, cooking up some tasty, healthy homemade meals.

Photo via Andrew + Carissa.

With lots of vegetables.

Photo via Pacing the Panic Room.

And I could really use a long, hot bath...

I will miss the warm temperatures, pina coladas and spa time, but it will be lovely to get home to Evanston. What do you miss when you travel?

From the Island: Handcrafted Clay Necklaces

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Next up in the featured Puerto Rican Etsy sellers is BijouxHibou. At this shop, you can find beautiful artisan necklaces and tiles in a style described as "Raku meets tie dye."

One lucky Alive in the Fire reader will win this mango-inspired necklace.

Beautiful, right?

The pendant measures 1 1/2" in diameter and it comes with a 26" rust colored satin cord with sliding knots so you can easily adjust the length.

Wandie's description of her shop:
Painter, sculptor, animal lover, dreamer, island girl at heart.  I'm an artist + illustrator from the beautiful island of Puerto Rico and I create small, skillfully wrought, abstract pieces of art in clay. I created my shop, Bijoux Hibou, pronounced bee-zhoo ibu, which is French for Jewel Owl, as an oasis I could escape to and let my imagination and love for color run wild.

My tile pendants are created to look like natural and rustic pieces of pottery. The color and texture creates personality to bring out the best in each piece. I like to think of them as abstract pieces of art on clay. I enjoy creating a variety of color combinations and design elements that evoke emotion, self -expression and inspiration.


On enjoying the outdoors:
I love horseback riding and I took Hunter/Jumper lessons in Texas for two years and I'm a mountain biker.  Since I'm active I don't wear alot of fine jewelry but when I do, I like to wear one of my pendants while tackling some single-track on my mountain bike.


To win the necklace, please leave a comment below and check out BijouxHibou's shop on Etsy.

Also, BijouxHibou is offering a 15% off deal on all orders by Alive in the Fire readers until 12/17. Simply enter the coupon code BHSURF15 when checking out. Enjoy!


Finally, we've got a winner for the lovely silk scarf by SilkMari! Congrats to Ms. Copsey. Email me so we can coordinate getting the scarf to you.


Practicing with Pain

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Photo via cognitive.distortion on Flickr.

Recently I received an email from a reader who was wondering about how to do Bikram yoga while dealing with back and neck pain. Since I can totally relate, I thought I'd share a little post about recommendations from some of my teachers, plus a bit from The Boss himself!

Here are some basic tips to keep in mind:
  • Always speak with a teacher in person for the best advice. Don't be scared to ask; instructors are there to help! Be specific about your pain and be honest about prior injury, too.
  • Only practice with a certified Bikram instructor and always consult your doctor if you are unsure whether you should be practicing.
  • Be careful, move slowly, and stop if you experience sharp pain. Don't hurt yourself by going too far just because you see yogis around you advancing in the posture.
  • The right way is the hard way!
  • Lengthen the spine before bending it.
  • Follow the dialogue! Listen for steps and be sure to do them in the right order. For example, in Padahastasana you bring your upper body to the thighs before you lock the knees. In Separate Leg Stretching, you empty the stomach and suck it in before you stretch.
 Photo via Prana.

From Stuart, studio director at Bikram Yoga Evanston:
Try the right way and do the best you can.  It may be uncomfortable and that's OK. 

From Nancy at 105 Yoga in Oak Park, Chicago:
It's hard to assess pain for a person I haven't seen or talked to. Your best bet is to talk to your teacher in person and tell them exactly where you feel pain.

Sometimes you get a stiff neck from sleeping wrong or tweaking it somehow, in which case, Pranayama is awesome.  It will hurt and be uncomfortable but it should feel better after the breathing and definitely after class.  If this is something that is bothering you every time you do Pranayama, you might be doing it wrong.  If you've just started practicing, you might not be used to moving your head and neck that way.  If you've been practicing for a while, you might be doing it wrong. 
With all of the above said, if it's painful, definitely back off a bit.  But I would really encourage you to speak with your teachers about any pain and in order to make sure you're doing postures the right way.
Photo via Good Luck Cleo on Flickr.

From Lindsay at Bikram Yoga Evanston, 
who's also a massage therapist and owner of Omai Bodyworks:
What to do when you're experiencing discomfort depends on the quality of pain, and if you have any previous injuries. If you have some sort of osteo-arthritis or disk degeneration I would say to only go back in backbends and Pranayama to the point of pain (or keep your head upright if you can't move it backwards at all). 

If there's no previous stuff going on, my recommendation would be to try to focus on lengthening up before tilting the head back in Pranayama. A lot of people just drop the head back, which crunches the vertebrae, and it's important to never do that (in any posture). It is all about lengthening first, and then moving. 

Also, make sure the shoulders are relaxed away from the ears, as hunching the shoulders puts a lot of undue stress on the neck/shoulder/upper back region. If you are able to move the head backwards, even a little bit, you should focus on really squeezing the elbows together in front of the body (to increase the space between her shoulderblades on the backside of the body). 

Especially when you first start doing the yoga, the body hurts as it is opening and adjusting to the postures. The body will follow the path of least resistance, and a lot of these movements are completely foreign to a lot of people, so it can be painful in the beginning... The body will fight initially. But the right way is the hard way :)

Photo via Prana.

From Bikram Choudhury and the Bikram Yoga site:

Beginning with Half Moon, my series of exercises is designed to make your shocked and shriveled spine work to both sides, to the back, and then to the front. Only by exercising in all directions can your spine be healthy; and only with a healthy spine can you have a healthy nervous system.


If your chronic problem is something such as sciatic pain, lumbago, sore back muscles, whiplash, vertebrae out of line, shoulder trouble, radiating pains down the arms, tension headaches, swayback, spinal curvature, pinched nerves, or "something not quite right that the doctor said I ought to watch," stop watching. Act! Get to work on these exercises. Even those who have had spinal surgery should get to work--with their doctor's okay and a qualified teacher who can lead them in my particular series of exercises.

People with slipped disc are often in such pain that Yoga seems further torture. However, in numerous slipped disc cases, determined yoga can save the day. So endure the pain. But please note that those with slipped disc should also work under the supervision of a qualified instructor using my exact series of exercises and the safety rules laid down in the dialogue, in my book, and on my website.


Photo via Thanaruth Phomveha on Flickr.

Please follow the instructions carefully when you are doing forward bends. For example, in the half moon (Padahastasana series), the instructions are to bring your torso on your thighs, chest to the knees, no light space anywhere between the torso and the thighs. If you try to straighten your legs without having this first part accomplished, you can create pain in your lower back. Also keep in mind the instruction "360 degrees stretching." What that means is to make the stretch even throughout the whole back side of the body.

You also want to follow these guidelines in separate leg stretching. Bikram says, "Suck in your stomach and bend your upper body down from your lower spine  towards the floor." It is difficult to suck in your stomach unless you exhale, so make sure to exhale as you fold forward. When you suck in your stomach, it supports the whole pelvis to roll forwards with the rest of your spine--this eliminates strain in the lower back.

Working carefully, mindfully, allowing your breath to flow with your movement will help you to gradually deepen your experience of the postures.

Photo by Alice Beasley via A Cup of Jo.
If you have more questions or comments, please include them below. Namaste!

Coqui: Paradise Reverie

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Photo via DaydreamLily.


Paradise Reverie
a thing too perfect to be remembered:
sudden croak of the coqui


invisible and concealed
from far or from very close

in the night it is dangerous to listen     at a distance
in the night, listening becomes

living,      coming to assure me     are the sounds of 
nature speaking its name     co     qui


I was healed
free of situations
in the faraway
co     qui       co     qui  co     qui

voices stirring the sky
a strange happiness    suddenly there


sound could slip through it
co qui    binding us      to this night

From the Island: Silk Scarves

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Next up in the Winter Extravaganza are three lovely Etsy sellers from the island of Puerto Rico. 

First up is SilkMari, a shop where you can find gorgeous handmade and hand-dyed silk scarves by Marina. She's offering this dreamy blue scarf to one lucky reader.

Here's her description of the scarf :
The blues, greens, teals, sea-foam and aqua in this hand dyed silk scarf are the ocean color as seen from above our coastal waters. It is 8" x 54" chiffon silk and could be worn as a headband or around the neck tied in a bow for a sexy sultry look. Each scarf is signed on the lower left-hand corner.


About the shop:

Each of my silk scarves is individually hand-dyed and/or hand painted. Batik, tie-dye and silk painting are some of the techniques that I love to explore and use. Each scarf is unique by the process used, making it a one-of-a-kind work of art. I took a basic course in Batik and the rest is self-taught with experimenting.


  

On Living in Puerto Rico:
Although I was born in Puerto Rico, we moved to NYC when I was about five years old and did all my schooling there. I returned to Puerto Rico and have been involved with the Artisans Market for some time. I love the weather in Puerto Rico and all the wonderful natural wonders it has. The beaches are breathtaking, the rain forest a must see, we have warm water baths and outrageous caves. 

Recommendations for Travelers:
Definitely visiting the Old San Juan is number one on the list. It's referred to as the Fortress City because it is surrounded by huge imposing walls which were built to protect the city from invaders and pirates. From there you must go visit at least one beach. I recommend Luquillo Beach which is in the skirt of the rain forest.

To win the aqua scarf, please leave a comment below telling about your favorite time at the beach. Also please visit the shop at SilkMari and include in your comment which other scarf you like best.


Good luck and namaste!

Winter Wear Coupon

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Beautiful rope chain scarf from hurleysashimi on Etsy.
I just missed the big snowstorm in Chicago so I won't be needing winter gear for a few days, but I'm still thinking of all you snow bunnies out there! To celebrate, I'd like to offer all Alive in the Fire readers a 15% off coupon from lovely Etsy seller hurleysashimi who makes cozy neck warmers, hats, scarves, and these awesome hybrid beekeeper scarves + hoods. Amazing! 

Simply enter the code NAMASTE when checking out for your discount. Valid until 12/31/10. For holiday orders (guaranteed delivery by December 23), orders must be placed by 12/9/10.

Great scarves for guys and girls.
You'll be happy to know that 5% of hurleysashimi's orders are donated to charity and go to benefit communities in the Philippines via Kamay at Puso (Hand & Heart). Stay warm, celebrate, and give back! Place your order with hurleysashimi today.
The beekeepers are my favorite. Genuis!

Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Spring 2011 Dates Announced!

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Yep, that's the Boss and Elvis.
This just in: Bikram Yoga Teacher Training Spring 2011 session dates and location announced!


April 17th to June 18th, 2011
@ the Radisson Hotel in Los Angeles

More info on Bikram's site. Details on what it takes to become a teacher here. 


Are you going?

Get ready for some serious Bikram love.

Find Your Peace

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All photos are frames taken  from the film. Wondrous!

I just discovered this amazing video via YogaDork. Ever wonder what happens when a bunch of New York yogis decide to get together with the collective intention of creating more peace and happiness in the world?

Well, here you are.

Choreography and creative vision by Molly Lehman. Revery Media New York City. Song by Trevor Hall.

A pregnant woman practices on a rooftop. Two commuters stretch out before their train arrives.  A ballerina-like yogi does backbends by the water. This little film is full of beauty.

Let the Extravaganza Begin!

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Win free stuff!

Alright yogis, here we go. Today you can win a Water Bobble water purifier from Healthy Green Goods in Evanston. You can also utilize a 20% off coupon at BellaPoshPillows.


Water Bobbles offer an on-the-go filtering system for your water before, during, and after yoga class. Simply attach a filter to the bottle you own, or check out the company's 13.5 oz, 18 oz, or 34 oz bottle. They also have adorable baby bottles available. 

Drink clean, fresh water. Spend less. Be BPA free!

You can also learn more by reading these reviews from Esquire and The New York Times about Water Bobble.

To win, please enter a comment below about how much water you tend to drink before, during & after class; confirm that you are a local Evanston or Chicago resident; and note in your posting that you've added Water Bobble on Twitter and Facebook.


As well, BellaPoshPillows on Etsy is featuring a special coupon for all readers to save 20% off on any item. Check out their shop or their main website for great selection on neck pillows, eye pillows, and more. If 10 readers make a purchase, I will also feature another giveaway from their site!


To save 20%, please enter the coupon code NAMASTE at checkout for either the etsy site or main site. Update as of 12/16/10: please note that BellaPoshPillows is going to be on vacation for a few weeks at the holidays, so you'll want to wait til January to use the coupon. Thanks!


Reduce sinus pressure, puffiness, swelling or migraine pain with these easy-to-use eye and neck pillows. Simply heat them in the microwave or chill them in the refrigerator for relief and relaxation. A great stocking stuffer and must-have item for Mom at the holidays!


Finally, for all you Evanston locals, I encourage you to swing in to Healthy Green Goods on Main Street for some eco-friendly holiday shopping. The owner, Dr. Marny Turvill, is a wonderful source of wisdom when it comes to products that leave a green (or no) footprint on our planet. She's located at 702 Main and can be reached at 847.864.9098.


Healthy Green Goods is one of my favorite bag-free stores. Read another post about it here.

We Adventure and Encounter Ourselves

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These photos and their beautiful picnic ideas brought to you from this lovely blog.

Put some Tresspassers on the stereo. Breathe deep. 

Wrap up in a cardigan, your hands in your pockets. Dig your toes into the sand. Bring friends, table settings, twinkly lights.

We'll set up a beach picnic beneath the Golden Gate.

Or a rooftop celebration in the afternoon, before the sun hides away and the cold comes creeping out.


We're ready for some adventure.




Tats, Mats & Sexy Ladies @ the Women's Retreat

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Bikram babes at their finest at the 2010 Bikram Women's Retreat. Most photos taken from their Facebook page.

Classes with Raj Choudhury and Emmy Cleaves. Sunrise workshops. Surfing lessons. Parties, fancy food, and beautiful ladies. The one, the only: Bikram Yoga Women's Retreat!

Looks like the 2010 retreat was awesome. It's wonderful to see such powerful, dynamic photographs. Besides Facebook, I found these here and here.

Loving this tattoo.


Intensity meets grace.


Emmy coaches a stunning posture.


Flower petals blooming.


Catching some waves in their time out of the Torture Chamber!

Check out the ankle tattoo.

A spine made for backbends.

Taking flight.

Look at that feminine beauty! Total props to pregnant women who bring their babies to practice.

Did you or any of your friends or teachers at your studio attend? I'd love to hear your stories below. Hope to join you next year!

The Yin to Your Bikram Fire

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All photos are from Kelly Loves Whales' Flickr Photostream. She has a beautiful practice!


So my bold, beautiful yogi friend Lindsay and I expanded our yoga views today with a great Yin Yoga class at Heaven Meets Earth Studio in Evanston. Our teacher Ashley led with a lovely, calm, encouraging style and we were lucky to have a small and intimate 3-student class.

Heaven Meets Earth is home to a wide variety of classes, eye-opening workshops, and some really sweet retail offerings (clothing, props, mats & amazing candles that I managed to resist!). And Katie, the receptionist up front, was very friendly and welcoming. It made for an A+ experience at the studio.

Yin class is the perfect way to balance out the heat, madness, and high-energy dialogue of Bikram Yoga. To me, it felt like a refreshing yogic nap with gradually-intensifying hip openers. You spend a lot of time in postures (generally three to five minutes!) and there are a lot of calm, peaceful asanas.

Now my pigeon can fly, instead of just waddle around.

Pigeon was my favorite and I'm pretty sure I got deeper into the posture than usual, even though it was a bit chilly in the room (but then again, what isn't in comparison to Bikram's Torture Chamber?!).

Afterward, I enjoyed a lovely release of tension in my lower back, a general feeling of ease and well-being... and a delicious gluten-free cupcake at Rose's Bakery! Linds and I splurged. Their menu is delightful (I especially enjoyed fresh half-and-half from the farm!). Such a fun start to the weekend!

Mmmm, Bridge Pose. Thanks for making my lower back feel lose, easy, flexible, comfortable! And for strengthening those quads.

Legs up the wall is the most relaxing of them all.

I'm hoping the next Yin class will feature a few more advanced postures. Headstands, for example -- I could really use some work on my headstands (and conquering my fear of them!)

Leg warmers would be great in class! Toasty toes!

Nothing like some inversions to give you a new perspective on the weekend ahead.

Thanks again to Lindsay and the lovely staff at Heaven Meets Earth for such a wonderful afternoon. I'll definitely be back!

Sneak a Hug

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All of these incredible photographs are by Sarah Rhoads. I'm pretty much obsessed. :)

I'm fascinated and enthralled by the way a hug can take your breath away. Often more intimate than a kiss, more comforting than words, a hug is my favorite form of closeness.



A hug protects and supports.

A hug allows two to become one in joyous, overwhelming love. 

A hug is a full expression of happiness.




What is bliss? A hug.

Bag Free @ Healthy Green Goods

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Hey green Evanstonians: today's Chicago Tribune local features a story about Healthy Green Goods on Main Street and how Dr. Marny Turvill, the store's owner, has been bag-free for a year now.


"Most people don't even react," she says. "They just pick up their stuff and go."


Do you shop with your own reusable bags? Know of stores that do? Please share below.


Thanks to your smart shopping choices, Healthy Green Goods, and other earth-conscious stores, Evanston will save money and the environment.

Focus Forward Friday: Be Fearless

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Happy with heights, from the Navy Pier ferris wheel. Now for calm in front of crowds...

Photo by Brandon Kidd.
Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: fearlessness. We all face fears, irrational or not, in our lives. Fears of growing up. Fears of letting go. Fears of being seen for who we really are.

In the Hot Room, I often find myself building up fears instead of listening to the dialogue and taking each posture one step at a time. After Standing Separate Leg Stretching I'll feel my heart pounding and my head throbbing; sometimes, my eyesight dims and I get the sensation that I could pass out. I'll sit down immediately -- or, just as often, sit out the first set if I'm feeling scared.

Then there's Camel. I work up the posture in my mind like it's going to be the worst thing that's happened all day, when often breathing right through it helps me realize it's a huge relief. I head into Savasana feeling refreshed by new energy and a release of tension in my back.

Which postures do you sit out because of fear?

Who haven't you approached in your life because you're holding back, frightened of what might happen if you spoke your mind?

Have you thought about why your fears have the best of you?

Feeling nervous? Check out this online mag to read inspiring stories by gutsy leaders.

One talented lady I met at the Seth Godin conference publishes a fantastic magazine about individuals who refuse to give in to fear. As their site states, Fear.Less is a free online mag that empowers people through unique stories of overcoming fear. The subjects range from business leaders and artists to scientists and people who've survived extreme experiences. They understand that fear is intense. It's universal. And though it consumes us, we don't have to live with it!

I'd encourage you to check out some of the stories of bravery and daring listed on the site. You can also follow Fear.Less on Facebook and Twitter, or submit your own story.

I encourage you to take pride in facing your fears. For me, lately I've been able to move past my anxiety about public speaking. I taught a yoga class at NU to over 35 people a few weeks ago. And this week I presented to a small entrepreneurship class on marketing to promote my freelance editing company, editZING. For each, I felt calm and capable in front of the crowd. Instead of shaking in my boots, I just breathed right through it.

Share your stories of fearlessness in the comments below, and have a bold weekend!

Seth Godin, fearless Linchpin leader.

More Than a List: Reflections on Thankfulness

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Hey friends, yogis, families, people! Only a week 'til the Big Family Feast. Have you started planning your menus? Did you invite friends over?


Photo by the talented Sarah Rhoads.

Have you thought about the blessings in your life?

Bright open skies, homemade food, and mittens on the cold mornings. Relaxation. The chance to clear your mind and make it blank. Dogs that thank us just for being around. Friends at work who compliment our scarves. Fuzzy covers. Cuddles, unexpected hugs, and the camera lenses that catch them.


Today, I choose to be thankful for what I have.


The hardest part about gratitude is that it demands thankfulness not only for what's beautiful, easy, predictable, fun. We must also be grateful for our troubles, our pain, our sorrow.


Each of these make us stronger. We are reminded of this every time we practice Bikram yoga.


"Choose to relax," as my studio's owner says. "What if you chose to enjoy the posture rather than suffer?"


What would happen if you chose not to suffer?


Sarah's work inspires me to think about what real love really looks like. There's not always a smile in frame.

Think of the difference it would make if we applied this philosophy to our everyday lives, our work, our relationships.


The other night I was feeling stressed about money stuff and I was cuddling with the Hubs while we talked through it. I turned to him, both of us with a look of anguish on our faces, staring into each other. What if I just let it go? I thought, realizing this was the only way out.


Today, looking back, I am grateful for the struggle. I am so glad that I have to work for what I have. I am thankful that I wasn't born a millionaire, because I enjoy the satisfaction of earning my own paycheck. And as much as it can be a challenge sometimes to make ends meet (and to resist the urge to spend on special treats), in the end, the difficulty provides the reward.


At the start of this holiday season, I am reminded that we tumble along not by luck, but by hard work, grace, and patience.


By exerting 100%, we earn the right to relax 100%.


By enduring pain, we grow stronger.


By thanking ourselves and others, we earn the right to take pride in our work (not boost our egos, but take humble pride in our effort, not only our accomplishments).


And we earn the chance to indulge ourselves. And eat a bunch of delicious food, more than our bellies are even wishing for.


My beautiful cousin Joelle took this one last year at Thanksgiving. Yum!