Happy Spring!

Welcome, springtime! It's so good to have you here (officially). I feel the warm air is charged with new energy, and I am more at peace when the sun shines all day and I can keep the windows open at night. Plus, I'm a big fan of iced coffee, green leaves, blossoming flowers, and the sense of renewal and hope that spring offers. :)

The world feels alive with possibility at this time of year, and for that I am grateful.

I'll be posting more soon about my lovely weekend away and how I've returned refreshed and ready for some springtime cleaning and detoxing in my yoga practice. How is your first week of spring going, readers?

All photos via Pinterest.

Sweaty Betty Sale

Photo illustration by me; product images from Sweaty Betty.

Hey friends! Hope you're enjoying a beautiful spring week. I can't believe how warm it is here in Chicagoland... last night as I rode home from yoga, it was 80 degrees outside!


Speaking of warm temperatures... I wanted to remind you that Sweaty Betty is having a lovely weekend sale starting today and running through Monday, March 19th. You can save up to half off of some awesome yoga wear, running clothes, and more.

Sweaty Betty Online Sale - Up To 50% Off

 

Hope you'll check it out, my fashionable yoginis! XO

PS Here's my review of Sweaty Betty if you haven't read it yet.

Learning How To Be Alone

Photo via Pinterest.

Being alone is one of those things that sometimes comes naturally to me, but not always. I enjoy a little time to myself then and again: I feel pretty good taking solitary walks, or sitting in a coffee shop, or being home alone and writing or doing yoga.


As a yogi, I am grateful that the practice of asana and of meditation have taught me how to feel comfortable in my own body. Yoga has helped me learn to accept myself for who I am.

Photo via Andrew and Carissa.

But occasionally I feel it's easy to get lonely. Even though I'm an introvert, I don't want to be the only one in the room.


I want the comfort of a close friend, or a hug. I want a shoulder to cry on, or maybe someone silly to laugh with. I just don't want to feel alone.

Photo via Pinterest.

Do you get lonely sometimes? What helps you through?

PS Wouldn't it be daring to take a vacation by yourself? I loved this Cup of Jo post about taking a trip solo. I think I would enjoy it (at least, if there were beaches!). Here's another awesome video about how to enjoy solitude. 

Standing on My Own Two Feet

 Photos by Tyler Branch.

I am continuously inspired by what's real, and by what on the surface seems ordinary.


A daydream, a glimmer of hope. Light through a window. A few minutes on my yoga mat. The heart opening forward as the spine arches backward. Balance, synchronicity.


Coming to terms with my own needs, my strange desires and dreams. Letting others in, little by little. Learning to let go.

Photo via Pinterest.

Finding the way forward: half the time by suprise, the other half by accident.


Sometimes I am amazed by how easily I can stand on my own two feet.

Photo by me.

Sweaty Betty Yoga Wear

Photos by me.

Sweaty Betty is a women's fitness clothing company based in the UK. They make beautiful women's athletic wear, including clothing for yoga, running, gym workouts, swimming, tennis and even skiing. I recently had the pleasure of testing out their lovely ballerina cami and kriya tights.

 

Both the tank and the leggings fit like a dream. Sweaty Betty's fabrics are high-quality, stretchy, and super soft, which left me feeling cozy and comfortable throughout my workout.  

And get this: the cami has a built-in bra and is made with natural, anti-bacterial bamboo which actually helps prevent odor. Not to mention the back has a criss-cross design with interlaced straps that totally show off my tattoo. It's basically my new favorite yoga top :)

 

Not only did I not have to worry about wearing a sports bra while doing yoga at home, but I also discovered that the ballerina cami doubles as an awesome undershirt for everyday styles, like at the office! 

I am totally wearing this shirt while out and about again soon, and may just have to keep it as my #1 pick for days when I'm going straight to yoga after work.

Overall I am very pleased with both the ballerina cami top and the kriya tights. Wearing them makes me feel energized, empowered, and stylish. I'll admit: now, before I even start my yoga routine, I dance around my living room a bit when I've got them on, reliving my days of doing leaps and turns on my high school dance team :)

I encourage all you beautiful yoginis to check out Sweaty Betty's latest offerings. As you may know, I'm an affiliate with them and hope you'll place orders through Alive in the Fire as a way of supporting the blog. Simply click any of the links in this post, or use the right-side Sweaty Betty banner on the homepage to get to their site. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Namaste!

Be a Yoga Pro at SweatyBetty.com

Thanks for Listening

Photo via Leigh Ferrara Yoga.

Lately I have had a few serendipitous interactions that have made me realize how much I appreciate having a blog space where I am free to share my thoughts with you.


One conversation was with a long lost friend who shares my love of yoga and my love of writing (we've known each other since high school journalism), and the other was with a lady I just met through the blogosphere (she blogs about Bikram yoga, too).

Photo by me.

Both of these women reminded me that the writing I do here matters. Their appreciation motivates me and humbles me at the same time, and I am so grateful to be reminded that there are real people out there, like you, who are inspired by this little blog.


It just goes to show: whenever I get to a point with my blogging that I feel unimaginative, or unsure of whether it's all worth it, I get a reminder from lovely people who have such wonderful things to say about Alive in the Fire!

Photo via Tyler Branch.

I just wanted to take a moment to honor all of you readers out there. It's because of you that I do what I do, and share the little stories I share here on the blog. I am so grateful for your listening, for your feedback, and for sharing in the universal yoga journey with me.

THANK YOU for reading along.

And don't forget how much I love to hear from you! As always, feel free to drop me a line. XO

Photo by me.

A heartfelt Namaste,

Rachel

Square 36: A Yoga Mat to Remember

Photos by me.

It's larger than life. It will transform your living room into a workout arena. It will take your partner yoga practice to a whole new level. And it's kid friendly too...

Meet: Square 36, the world's coolest over-size yoga mat!

The concept behind these mats is genius: instead of using a standard-size yoga mat, you've got 36 square feet of space to use. Square 36 is a perfect fit for yogis like me who enjoy having the ability to move freely throughout a practice; I love how I can face any direction in the room and still have the same amount of mat coverage all around as I transition from pose to pose.

It also comes in very handy you want to do a partner class - there's plenty of room for two!

Plus, the Square 36 mat works well for P90X or Crossfit, at-home weight lifting, and even allowing your kid to run around and play on.

 

I have to say, I've fallen in love with my 6' x 6' mat even after only having it for a few weeks. It was hilarious when I picked it up at the post office down the street and the mail carrier at the counter said, "What is this?!" as he handed it to me.

Then, I somehow managed to ride home on my bike carrying it. I'm pretty sure a couple of drivers riding by figured I was practicing for a jousting match :) Too bad there's no photo of that to share with you, but at least there's the one of me jumping for joy that I made it home! 

Anyway, I rolled out the mat in my living room and haven't looked back since. Now when I want a serious at-home workout, I'll get out my Square 36, pump up some tunes, and either practice yoga, jump rope, do calisthenics, try a Bodyrock or Gaiam TV video, or stretch.

At first I was concerned that the large mat would be a bit of overkill, but I actually love having the space. It makes my feel freer to move, really stretch to my maximum, and dance around more, too!

If you're interested in trying the Square 36 mat, I've got great news: Alive in the Fire readers get free shipping (a $24.95 value) on their orders!  Simply visit Square36.com and upon checking out, enter this code in the coupon box: alive36. Be sure to click "apply coupon," and you're all set! Bonus: 

Square 36 also offers a 60-day money back guarantee.

 

  

I highly recommend that all you yogis with a home practice check it out. And if you're a personal trainer or yoga studio owner, this is a workout tool that you shouldn't pass up. You can quickly and conveniently transform a room into the workout space you need, and the mat is strong, comfortable, durable and made with high-quality, non-toxic materials.

Here's to using Square 36 for some awesome at-home workouts, and the best savasanas you've ever had. To learn more, connect with Square 36 on Facebook and Twitter or check out the Square 36 blog.

Open Hands

 

Your hand opens and closes and opens and closes.
If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralyzed.
Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as bird wings.

-Rumi

Photos via Pinterest and Flickr.

Spring Peeking Through

Photos via Pinterest.

I'm getting antsy for spring to arrive in full swing. Here in Chicagoland, we keep getting hints of the goodness to come: blue skies, warmer temperatures, more people wandering in the streets with shorter sleeves on.


I cherish this time of year, when things feel new and fresh.

As though they've just arrived. The world is pure, authentic, brighter than it has been. Green feels greener than it has in months.

Yoga in spring seems to have a similar feel. As though I'm waking up from a long hibernation. There's new energy in the body and mind. New possibility.

I'm going to try a new studio this weekend. The little mantra on their website has inspired me. It says, "Be receptive. All is within." I think that phrase beautifully captures what I tend to forget during the winter months... that I still hold within me the power to be fully present, awake, and whole -- as long as I'm open to what's real, in the moment.

Flow

Photo via Pure Souls.

Yoga allows us to be free spirits within our own bodies. Bone, muscle, filament, thought, nerve, imagination: all coming together in the movements I need...

Arms lifted above the head. Palms together at the heart. Toes reaching into the earth.

Where will your practice lead you?

The body frees the mind. The mind tells the heart to open. The spirit smiles, following.

Illustration by Christopher David Ryan.

Accepting What Is

Photo via Leigh Ferrara Yoga.

When we make a change, it's so easy to interpret our unsettlednes as unhappiness. Our mental and emotional states fluctuate madly when we make big changes in our lives, and some days we could tight-rope across Manhattan, and other days we are too weary to clean our teeth. This is normal. This is natural. This is change. 

-Jeanette Winterson

Yoga Champions

Photos via the New York Times by the talented Piotr Redlinski.

The New York Times provided some beautiful coverage of Sunday's 9th annual New York Regional and National Yoga Asana Championship. If you haven't yet seen the article or the slideshow, I recommend taking a quick look.

I am always so inspired by the stories of these yoga champions. They display such courage taking the stage and moving through the postures they've rehearsed over and over.

Not many sports require you to be judged on ease, patience, concentration, and grace.

There has been some controversy in the past over making yoga competitive. And while I can see where the argument is coming from (people say yoga is a personal practice, and shouldn't encourage the ego)... I have to say I side with Joseph's opinion here (quoted from the NYT article):

Will promoting asana as competitive sport distort its essence, the intent to provide healing and body-mind unification? How could an increasingly popular asana avoid being consumed and altered by a world hungry for sport as spectacle?

Joseph Encinia, 26, the current world asana champion, said the opposite would happen. “Yoga will change our view of sport itself,” he said.

What do you think? Do you support competitive yoga? 

Have you ever competed?! I'd love to hear how it went! (And hey, you should be proud. It's not easy to share your yoga in the spotlight like that.)

If you've never considered it, I encourage you to check out this blog post about the thrill of competing, or this argument from a yoga teacher who says performing yoga allows its true meaning to shine through. Or, read this: practice, not perfect execution.

Quiet Time

 Photos via Tyler Branch and Oh Darling Photo.

If you have a few minutes to yourself today, cherish them. Be authentically happy, or sad, or whatever emotion comes from your heart. 


Sit in a patch of sun and just be; don't worry about the things you have to get done. Read a book. Take a nap. Give a hug to someone you love. Love yourself, too.


You deserve it. XO

Karma Yoga Series: Ryan Garcia of 366 Random Acts

Photo illustration by me. All other photos in this post via 366 Random Acts.

The Karma Yoga series are a collection of posts on Alive in the Fire about individuals and organizations who believe in giving back to those in need. I hope this post inspires you to consider how you can share your yoga beyond the mat.

Today I bring you the story of Ryan Garcia, a blogger who is on a journey to give back by completing a random act of kindness every day this year.

Ryan's list has included quite an interesting mix of selfless actions... everything from taking a soldier and his family to a a Northwestern basketball game (pictured above) to donating diapers to a Chicago nonprofit, cleaning the house for his wife, and smiling at strangers or giving them hugs to brighten their day.

It's awesome to read about how Ryan's daily actions range from extraordinary (like registering to become an organ/tissue donor, or mentoring a child in need) to simple, everyday activities which really make a difference (like writing a poem for his mom, or shoveling all of the snow on his block for neighbors).

It's no wonder Ryan's story has been picked up by local news and written about on the web. He's one guy with a lot to give. Keep up the wonderful work, Ryan, and thanks for inspiring others to do the same. Support Ryan by liking his Facebook page and following him on Twitter; every "like" and "follow" earns 10 cents for charity!

Can you imagine what your life would be like if you approached each day as an opportunity to give freely to those around you? Talk about an inspiring way to look at the world!

Do you have a story to share in the Karma Yoga series? Write to me at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com to share your cause with this community of compassionate yogis.

Frame of Mind: Water vs. Rock

Photos via Pinterest.

Life moves quickly, changes often, is not always peaceful. Life is fluid. Life is like water.


And yet so often I approach life with my western mindset and my analytical mind, as though life were a rock. I am in the habit of thinking of life as something solid and approachable, definable, able to be categorized and controlled. I set my expectations firmly and in a way that is bound to be shattered by the reality of life's ever-shifting nature.


Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, once said, "Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it."



Water, as it turns out, is stronger than rock. Enduring, calm, peaceful, and ready for anything. I want to shift my thinking so that it is more like water than like rock. So I see the world as it is, and don't cling to the way I wish it would be.

How does yoga help you shift your thinking so that you approach the world with flexibility instead of resistance?

Yoga & Anxiety: My Guest Post on The Greatist

Photos by me.

Hey all, happy Tuesday! I hope you're having a beautiful day. I wanted to share some exciting news: I have a guest post up on The Greatist! (I am so honored to share my thoughts on their site; if you haven't checked them out before, you definitely should. They post on a variety of health, wellness and fitness topics.)

For a long time now, I've been thinking about the relationship between yoga and anxiety. Not too long ago, I discovered that yoga was actually causing me some anxiety instead of helping me feel more calm and at peace.

Has this ever happened to you? Will you please visit my guest post and share your comments? I would love to hear from you. XO

Yoga Dog

Photos via Maddie on Things.

This dog has some serious balancing skills! I recently discovered this playful blog and am in love with Maddie the coonhound's ability to perch anywhere and everywhere. 


Plus, there is just something so heartwarming and yet hilarious about the nonchalant look she has, even when standing on a fence post or set of shopping carts or neighbor's mailbox. 

Do your pets do yoga with you?

Reflections on Letting Go & How to Cry

Photos via Pinterest.

Do you ever get that lost feeling in the pit of your stomach? 

During the last week or so, I've been there a few times. It's hard to let go of negative feelings: resentment, anger, fear.

I keep offering up a prayer that my heart would open up and talk to me a little more. My mind needs to hear from you, heart. 

I have tried to lay it all out on the mat, to make space for what I'm experiencing, but sometimes I still can't move on even after a good camel pose, or an hour of sweating from jumping rope and doing crunches. Inside, I'm wondering, what else do I need? And, deeper down: Does it have to get worse before it gets better?

I want to cry -- one of those good, long bursts where by the end of it, tears are all over my face and my nose is so full of snot that I need three kleenexes before I can breathe again. But lately all I can muster are the little teardrops I get in my eyes from biking in the cold.

I blink them back and continue to pedal, taking the same route I always do. Enjoying the feeling of almost crying, wishing I could really let go and let out all the things that are on my mind.

What does it take to welcome in all the parts of me that are true? Even when some of those parts are scared, or helpless, or nervous for no reason?

Really crying means giving yourself a chance to be vulnerable. Slowing down for long enough to be where you really are, even if that place is a dark one.

What are your go-to methods for coping with stress, disappointment, or frustration? I'd love your thoughts, and your positive energy this week. :)

Dance Around & Be Curious About the World

Untitled from Anna Rummey on Vimeo.

To me, this video evokes pure joy. There is something infectious about that playful song, her flirtatious smile, and the boundless energy in those pretty pink feet as they frolic around the screen.

Sometimes we need to take a moment out of our adult lives and run around like little kids, don't you think? :)

PS Anna Rummey is one of my favorite bloggers out there (you may remember her from this post, or this one). It is so fun watching her family grow together and the photos of little baby bear always prove irresistible to me! Thank you, Anna, for sharing the essence of childhood and for being unafraid to show us the whimsical, joyous side of life. Happy Friday, all!

Twin Sister Birthday Party

Photos by me.

My birthday is coming up soon and I am heading out to North Carolina to visit my sister for a long weekend. I can't wait to see her!

It's been a while since I was in North Carolina, too. We used to go every summer to see my (late) grandma, and one Thanksgiving break during my NU days, I went out for a week. But since then, I haven't visited. I'm excited to see where my sis and her husband and little guy are living now.

 

Can't wait to see you, Hermanita! And I sure am looking forward to a relaxing weekend with pedicures, shoe shopping, and cooking at home. Maybe we'll even have a night out together on the town! XO