Category Archives: Yoga

Want to Rock the Park this Summer?

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I have been pretty busy over the last few months doing what I love working with amazing people doing and making cool things to make the world a better place (seriously, loving it; who wouldn’t?). If you have never heard of Yoga Rocks The Park I’ll introduce you via the words of my friend and founder, Erik.

“Yoga Rocks the Park is not just a weekly event, it’s a movement to bring a sense of peace and joy to communities throughout the country. We want to celebrate communities that are thriving in a unified sense of family and wellness, and are having fun doing it.” - Erik Vienneau, YRP’s Founder. What’s better than that?

I am not only working with this incredible company, but our team from Live Weal is also supporting the Yoga Rocks The Park in San Diego and San Francisco this year. We are incredibly excited to say the least.

So now for a little something cool for my friends. We have teamed up with Yoganonymous (btw- did you see that video on there with the mom and her kids doing yoga? watch now. You might cry) and prAna (Just visited their offices in SD. beyond amazing. I might actually work in an actual cubicle again if I worked there) to offer 5 people season passes to one of the 12 cities around the country where YRP is happening this summer. Plus, each winner receives 1 item of their choice from the prANa website. I love them. 

  • Kansas City (Sundays May 5-June 30, 2013)
  • Chicago (Select Sundays May 26-July 28,2013)
  • Denver (Select Sundays May 26-Sept 22, 2013)
  • Omaha (Sundays May 26-July 14, 2013)
  • Cleveland (Select Sat & Sun’s from June 2-Sept 22, 2013)
  • Boulder (Saturdays June 22-July 27, 2013)
  • St. Louis (Sundays June 30 – August 18, 2013)
  • Milwaukee (Sundays June 30-Sept 8, 2013)
  • St. Paul (Saturdays July 6-Aug 31, 2013)
  • Portland (Select Saturdays July 13-Sept 14, 2013)
  • San Francisco (Saturdays from Aug 3-Sept 14, 2013)
  • San Diego (Sundays from August 4-Sept 8, 2013)

You have until Friday to enter, but might as well just do it now and knock it off your to do list. Enter now and I look forward to seeing you this summer. I’ll keep you posted on the inside track to some other cool things coming soon! Learn more about Yoga Rocks the Park at www.yogarocksthepark.com.

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Free Music Download + Introducing A Very Cool East Coast Yoga Festival

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Free Download courtesy of the Nantucket Yoga Festival (July 12-14, 2013) and Yogi Tunes.

About the Nantucket Yoga Festival: The island of Nantucket has a unique vibration that has consistently inspired conscious living, the independent spirit and creative collaboration. Join us on this very special island July 12-14, 2013 for the second annual Nantucket Yoga Festival. The festival brings together the very best world class yoga instructors, wellness experts and healthy living guides Featuring legendary yoga master; Dharma Mittra, Sadie Nardini, YogaSlackers and more than 20 inspiring instructors. With a one of a kind opening night, fantastic vendor market place, and a farm to table dinner. It is going to be one inspiring weekend. You do not want to miss this!

http://nantucketyogafestival.com/

Seriously, is it really possible to escape your cubicle and create a job you love every day?

Posted on by • Posted in Abundance, Being Alive, Business, Music, Yoga • Tagged , , , , , , , , • 2 Comments
Photo: Jill Sutherland

Photo: Jill Sutherland

I love hearing and sharing stories of people who have found a way to marry their passion and business— without compromise.

Check out my recent conversation with one of the grooviest, mellowest businessmen I know, Alex King-Harris (a.k.a Rara Avis), CEO and Co-Founder of Yogi Tunes, now on elephant journal. 

The only way to live.

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Yesterday was one of those perfect Saturday’s with no plan. It started with yoga with an incredibly inspiring class with MC Yoga ~ nbd (www.mcyogi.com) in Port Reyes Station (in my opinion, one of the world’s cutest towns) and lead us through the mountains, forests and to the beach.

Seriously friends, I know this blog is “going with the flow” but sometimes it’s easy to take this concept for granted.

It’s days like this that really remind me, it’s the only way to live.

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Yes, you can have it all, it just takes practice.

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This picture just popped up on my computer as I sit here working, contemplating if I should skip yoga and not go up to Los Angeles to see my friend because I have too much work to do. I love when these beautiful little reminders come at the perfect moment. Yes, you can have it all, it just takes practice and a little bit of harmony.

“Discover the delicate balance between creating meaningful relationships and sustaining them while maintaining your independence; equalize the mind and body.” 

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“In My World, It Is As Essential As Oxygen And Water” … Mine too!

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Hi friends! If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that yoga and traveling are a big part of my life. I love the concept of the newly launched hitPLAYyoga that allows you to access “YogaCasts” and practice no matter where you travel (no more excuses). I am also able to take classes from my teacher friends, even if they live 3000 miles away. I love that there are also 5-10 minute classes when I just want a little bit of yoga on those days when I am so stressed out and about to throw my computer out the window. This only happens about once a month. ;) I have provided the information below if you would like to check it out. Namaste! Traci

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“Like so many others, I fell in love with yoga. It’s like an old friend that I am always happy to see. No matter how busy my day gets, or where I travel, I wanted to make sure I had access to yoga. In my world, it is as essential as oxygen and water. I knew there were others out there like me and I truly believe that everybody should have access to yoga no matter their location or the time of day. So, I created hitPLAYyoga.” - Diana Hudson, Co-creator of hitPLAYyoga.

hitPLAYyoga announced today the official global launch of their virtual online community and library of streaming audio yoga classes called “YogaCasts.” The online community is located at http://www.hitPLAYyoga.com where members gain access to unlimited power vinyasa yoga and meditation classes instructed by a worldwide network of teachers via monthly membership dues. Classes range from 5 to 90 minutes and are suitable for beginners all the way to advanced yogis.

hitPLAYyoga, is on a mission to raise the vibration of this planet by creating community and connection and empowering people to do more yoga around the world. Students can take their favorite teachers with them anywhere and practice anytime or gain exposure to a bevy of new inspirational teachers throughout the world.

africa-proj-1The community will also be raising awareness for various causes throughout the world via the hitPLAYyoga Empowerment Fund. Every month a portion of each member’s monthly dues will be deposited in this fund and donated to various causes throughout the year. In the upcoming year, members will have opportunities to be directly involved in choosing the funds beneficiaries.

Currently, hitPLAYyoga is proud to be supporting the Africa Yoga Project, (www.africayogaproject.org) a grassroots organization that has introduced thousands of students in Kenya to the practice of yoga, as well provides educational scholarships, job training, food stipends, temporary housing and health services.

“We are thrilled with how many teachers from around the world have already shared their inspiration and classes via our online community. We look forward to continuing to create a community where students and teachers can come together to empower themselves and inspire others through the power of giving, the sharing of classes and of course the practice of yoga.” said Kerry Armstrong, Co-creator of hitPLAYyoga.

hitPLAYyoga is currently offering free previews of any of their classes and offering 25% off the first month membership to celebrate their launch. New members can access this discount by entering HPYLIVE at their checkout. In addition to unlimited online YogaCasts, members can also create their own class schedules, and set and track personal goals on their hitPLAYyoga profile page.

The community also offers special promotions for yoga teachers and studios throughout the world. For more information, visit http://www.hitPLAYyoga.com or email HPY at info@hitPLAYyoga.com.

About hitPLAYyoga
hitPLAYyoga is an online library of streaming audio power vinyasa yoga classes called “YogaCasts”. Classes are taught by powerful teachers worldwide who work to spread the love and joy of yoga. At hitPLAYyoga, Power Vinyasa yoga classes are served up around the clock, globally – so members can hit PLAY, anytime, anywhere!

www.hitPLAYyoga.com / www.facebook.com/hitplayyoga

Thursday was my first time.

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I have done it before. With my friends, in private settings, with a few people, but this was my first time with so many people.

Thursday I taught my own yoga class. I know, it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, but there was something stopping me from doing it for a while and it was time. And if you have ever taught your first yoga class, as funny as it is, because it’s yoga for God’s sake… It’s scary.

What’s interesting is I also had another first last week (my first workshop with Live Weal). Both firsts, as they often do, come with butterflies and thoughts of fear … but is it really fear?

We have all heard a lot of cool quotes in our life. Some that really stick and become a part of you in a way and it’s usually the most simple of reminders that can have the biggest impact. For instance: “Fear is simply excitement without breath.”  Ah-ha. You are so right Mr. Robert Heller. I love this, and if you are friends with me, there is a good chance I may have recited this during a seemingly scary moment.

The morning of both of these events, I had those moments of insecurity in the potential of failure that comes any time you are about to get up in front of a bunch of people, but then I reminded myself of the great power that comes from doing something for the first time. The realization, that today you get the opportunity to do something you have never done before. Something new means something is changing. That’s not scary, that’s kind of exciting (o.k. maybe a little scary). But even if there is fear, today is the day you get to conquer it … and it will never be your first time again. It will only get better from here. There is a certain comfort in this thought, I promise. Yes, sometimes you may have to tell yourself this 100x, but it is true.

So, how can you apply what you read in that quote into action and not have a panic attack at the thought of getting up in a bunch of people who will be listening to you for the next hour? First of all, don’t drink 5 cups of coffee. Secondly, what I usually do is I ask myself “am I breathing.” Usually when I check in, I find that my breathing kind of all over the place. I then sit down and get thing breathing thing under control. “Ahhh. Much better.”

Excitement and fear have a lot of the same physical reactions and so your body is just trying to help you by stimulating your nervous system to respond to fear. Unfortunately, this causes those feelings of panic, you forget everything you know, and feeling like you are going pass out (this happened to me at my first corporate job before my first presentation… not good) and have thoughts like “I cannot do this.” By paying attention to your breathing, you tell your nervous system, “I got this … chill out. Today is just a first, we’re excited, not scared … no one in the yoga class that is going to kill us. It’s yoga (or a presentation, or a webinar, or a job interview for a new job, or the first time you run a marathon, whatever). There is no need to freak out.”  Tell that to your body that is reacting as if someone in the yoga class is going to kill you … seriously, tell it.

The next time you have a first, rather than studying your notes, or taking one last lap around the block, stop. Sit down. Breathe. You are about to have ‘a first’, enjoy it, only happens once … and remember‘firsts’ are an indication that things are changing. Things are happening. Pretty exciting right? Just breathe through it so you don’t pass out.  ;)

Namaste.

Off to Maui

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Headed to Maui tomorrow for Yoga Aid Maui!

Yogis will unite in one single expression of intention on September 9, 2012 for the Yoga Aid World Challenge starting in Australia for a 24-hour yoga relay around the world with 100% of the proceeds benefiting causes throughout the globe. 

Participating countries include:  Australia, USA, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Samoa, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Curacao, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, & Zambia. 

Yoga Aid Maui: If you happened to be in Maui on Sunday, please come join us at Lumeria Maui from 3pm-5pm for Yoga Aid Maui. Visit YAWC Maui on Facebook or www.yogaaid.com for complete details. To join in the challenge and donate to one of Yoga Aid USA’s six great causes please visit Yoga Aid Maui ♥

Sending love and thanks to all of my friends and family who donated!