Namaspray: An End to Your Stinky Yoga Mat

Photo via YayEveryday.

Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Every Bikram yogi knows: the nose matters.

If your mat stinks in class, life is not good. Mostly because your face gets pretty close to your mat during a lot of the postures in both the standing series and the floor series. 

Having a clean, odor-free yoga mat is the difference between having a great class and suffering through. 


We've all been there...


You start your first week at a lovely, well-kept Bikram studio. You're rockin' your yoga and discovering new flexibility and strength that you never knew you had. Perhaps you're even losing weight, burning off toxins, and feeling better than you have in years.


But then you find out that being lazy after class doesn't serve you. You've been too tired to wipe down your mat at the end of class and by the end of only a handful of sweaty classes, your mat smells. 

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

Well, I have an easy solution for you. Check out Namaspray. This line of yoga mat disinfectant is my favorite, and comes in the best scents around. You can go for eucalyptus (my vote), minty fresh (a close second), or spicy orange (also wonderful!).

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

Namaspray is awesome because it doesn't have harsh chemicals, comes in an easy-to-carry size, and is made to be used on a wide variety of surfaces (anything from yoga mats to flip flops, gym bags, or workout machines!). For the full list of where you can put it to great use, read here.

Sweaty guys, sweaty gals: treat yourself to a little Namaspray. Your nose will thank you, and so will your Bikram yogi neighbors!

PS You can also shop for Namaspray on the Yoga With Style site, where there are hundreds of yogi-wear and yogi-accessory choices! :)

Branding images via the Namaspray site.

Parisian

I'd wear a hat like this if I lived in Paris. Photo via Emily Takes Photos. 

I had breakfast with an incredible professor of mine from Northwestern. It was so fun catching up and enjoying crepes and coffee with her. Professor Vaux is about to pack up and head to Paris for three months. She and her husband are renting a flat in the Montmartre area.


We've been working on her book about Eastwood films and theology for over a year now, and I know I'll be missing her while she's on leave. But I'm also so excited just thinking about her sitting in Parisian cafes and working on her next book :)

Photo via Emily Takes Photos. 

Wouldn't it be fun to sit in the cafes of Paris while you work on your manuscript? I can just picture her there, enjoying the afternoon sun, a good book of poetry, a tiny cup of rich espresso, or an art exhibit at the Louvre.


Would you go abroad for a long trip?


I love reading about families who do. Like Gabrielle at Design Mom (she's in France, too), and David and Sarah (they've been traveling in the Middle East). Bonjour!

Photo via Etsy.

Names to Faces

We're yogis. We blog about it.

Introducing some fiery friends. Check em out!

More information (bios and backgrounds) coming soon. 

Stay tuned.

Soap Heaven

Photo via Lauren Ross Photography.

Photo via Glen Allsop Photography.

Sometimes we need a space for escaping. A spot to relax, unwind, create, imagine. A space simply to be.

You can create such a space in your home with the right mindset, a nice candle or two, and a lovely spa in your very own bathroom.

I highly suggest soaps and dead sea salts from Sharilynn Studios on Etsy to do the trick. Shari creates dreamy handmade products that are awesome for daily use as well as for special at-home spa days. 

My husband and I have been enjoying her well-crafted, gentle, and lovely-smelling soaps for a couple of weeks now and we both love them. I also love knowing that they're made from all-natural, healthy ingredients that are great for my skin. Plus, she's got a great variety of scents that aren't overly feminine or masculine, so they are great for anyone.

Our favorites so far are the eucalyptus spearmint zen and the coconut lime verbena flavors. Amazing!

A few of Shari's amazing soap and dead sea salt products I've been trying. Love them!

On days when I feel tired or a little stressed, a bath featuring her amazing sea salts helps immensely. I can finally warm up, let go, and enjoy a good steamy bath with no distractions, no conversations, and no negative thoughts in my mind.

Sharilynn Studios also has awesome back scrubbers and pumice stones for sale, so you can get that little extra "oomph" in your cleaning routine.

I also love that Shari's site features artwork and art supplies for sale. She is a talented artist with an inspired, insightful eye for beauty. Swing by her Etsy shop to find out more-- and tell her I sent you :)  You won't be disappointed!

And believe me, when that lovely box shows up on your doorstep with goodies inside (like it did for me), you'll be on your way to luxe and joyful goodness!

Photo via Sharilynn Studios on Etsy. Artwork for sale.

The Little Ones

Photo by Anna Rummey of Rummey Bears.

Photo by Tyler Branch.

Today's post is the latest in the Beyond Childhood series, which features conversation about living love, putting your family first, and how to enjoy marriage and parenthood.

Photo (and all photos below) from the Little Sapling Toys shop.

Today I bring you Little Sapling Toys, a lovely Etsy site with all natural and safe infant and toddler toys. 


Shop owners Nick and Kimber would like to offer 10% off any order to all Alive in the Fire readers. Use the coupon code ALIVE10 when checking out (valid until February 14th).


More about the shop:
We all have a hand in design, production, business, or packaging in some way. During those necessary breaks we play hide and seek, eat, bike or jog. On Sundays we go to church, eat and play games together.

Toys: We brought life to the classic wooden teether by offering the widest selection of shapes available. We have designed and produced a solid selection of organic developmental toys and blocks. Our newest endeavor is the land of personalization with Blue, our laser engraver.

Our Philosophy: Here at LST, we are committed to quality toys and a healthy earth. We plant a tree for every toy sold, use FSC Certified hardwoods, recycled content packaging and participate in our local green power program.

Each toy is handmade in our workshop (which is in transition right now between Boise, Utah and Minnesota). We design our toys to help young children develop creativity, pattern recognition and fine motor skills. However, the most important toy any child can have is his or her caregiver. For this reason, our educational toys are most effective with interactive play.

Read more on Little Sapling Toys and keep up with their sales and giveaways on their Facebook page or their main site.


Get shoppin' for your little ones!

Check out this adorable stacking toy. And what a cute picture!

Little Sapling Toys makes a ton of cute teethers, like this guitar.

Or an airplane, if your little guy loves things that go.

Longing for London

Photos via Bikram Yoga Chiswick and Bikram Yoga Fulham / Balham studio galleries.

Holy moly, Bikram studios in London are beautiful!

I just discovered these locations:

• Chiswick
• Fulham and Balham
• West, City and North

And I'd love to come visit this afternoon for a class, please :) I mean, look at those clean zen-like spaces, talented yogis, and beautiful lighting!

I vote yes, yes, yes. I'll go book my afternoon flight...

Restful

Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Hey lovely yogis. What are you up to this weekend?

I hope you're having fun and relaxing lots. Lately I've been learning the importance of resting. There's nothing better than a lazy, rejuvenating Saturday spent with family and friends.

Even on days like today when the Hubs and I wake up early and get some chores done, it's nice to know we've earned a break after a week of hard work.

And tonight I'll be enjoying a laid-back celebration with fellow Bikram addicts at the grand opening at 105 Yoga in Oak Park, Chicago.

Good times!

Enjoy your weekend, and take a break. Clear your mind. Do your yoga.

Do those things that truly make you happy!

Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

10 Reasons to Do Your Yoga All Winter Long

I would love to do a headstand like this. Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Freezing? Tired? Feeling a little SAD this winter?

Do some yoga!

Here are ten reasons to keep up your practice, especially during the coldest months:

1. You can easily imagine yourself in a tropical paradise when it's 105 degrees and 40% humidity in the room. As my studio owner likes to say, "Perfect weather for doing yoga!"
2. Escape from the snow and wind -- the madness of the physical winter world, and the swirly snowstorm of your brain, too. Quiet the body and the mind.
3. It's your only chance to wear a bathing suit or shorts! Or adorable and sexy haute yogawear like K.Deer's line, if you are like me.
4. Improve your skin's circulation and natural health by sweating it out in the Hot Room.
5. Get flexible! Avoid stiff, sore muscles that are clenched from the cold. Relax instead.
6. Feel the relief of a peaceful meditation once you've practiced. Stay stress free so you won't get sick!
7. Enjoy interaction with friends, fellow yogis, and instructors at your studio. The best way to beat the blues is to talk through whatever's on your mind, and you will make real friends who you can trust if you open up. Adopt a 'namaste' state of mind.
8. You'll breathe deeper during the day.
9. You'll meet that new year's resolution of taking care of your body. And you'll work every muscle, tissue, organ and system you've got.
10. If you can, you must!

Mountain meditations! Photo via Coffee and Yoga.

Everywhere Yoga

Bring your yoga anywhere. Photo via FYeahYoga.

I love that you can bring your yoga anywhere. What we learn on the mat can be used at any moment: at a friend's birthday party, when you're upset with someone you love, when you've stubbed your toe or missed the bus and need to deal.


Especially in Bikram, you learn this sort of 'everywhere yoga.'


Standing face-to-face in that heat, you've got to decide not to suffer, or chances are, you will. You must ignore the rest of the room -- the day, the thoughts, the world -- and enter your meditation.


Lately I've been so grateful that since I returned from the holidays, it feels like my yoga is back. Not only while I'm practicing (and I have had two of the most electric, ecstatic classes I've ever experienced this week), but also during the small moments of my day, I am calm, at peace, in the moment.


I am patient, even during the annoying moments or when I encounter frustrations or sadness.


I am my yogi self again, finally! Body, mind, and spirit have aligned, and it feels beyond wonderful. Have you experienced this sort of interconnected joy? Once you have, losing it can be really hard. And during our travels and my hiatus from the home studio, I felt as though I had lost that self-loving, flexible, upbeat yogi me.


Well, welcome back, yogi me!

You are your meditation, not the world around you. Photo via FYeahYoga.

Today at the studio I practiced in a class of 60 people. 60 yogis! We were sardines, piled in the room. I was in the first row, on the hot side. I was a puddle before pranayama even got going! At one point, I literally felt as though I had melted. I was a wet noodle.


It was awesome.


I was definitely the flower petal blooming! I loved the warm up series, and the way my body just moved to the words, bending and opening and relaxing into each posture. There was no resistance; I could not resist any posture because I had no energy to overcome the intense heat. (Before class, I checked the little thermometer up on the teacher's podium. It read 107! And that's before everyone was in the room, working up a sweat.) Incredible. It's amazing to me what a difference those two to three degrees make!


It was a beautiful class. Such an intense mixture of concentration from the new students, as they strained their ears to listen to the words and do the postures correctly, and joy and strength from the advanced students, as though their energy and expertise were pulling the rest of the bodies through when they thought it was time to give up.


We had a fair amount of drama in class, too. During the warm up, a new guy decided he had to leave the room. He was muttering "I'll be fine, I'll be fine" as he marched out of class, our teacher desperately asking "Where are you going?!" in between sets. He did come back, which was impressive. And the yogi by the door who didn't have enough room for Triangle finally figured out that it would help to scoot up toward the mirror.


We got through. We made it. And I was actually laughing the whole way through, marveling at what an interesting psychology experiment a yoga room really can be sometimes.


The lady next to me and I were chuckling at a few points along the way, too. Right before Full Locust she put her whole arm on my arm, locking us together as if we were one strong yogini, a force to be reckoned with.


We both smiled, dripping sweat in each other's space. And then we rocked the posture.


This was truly the bliss of Bikram: to be so close to your fellow yogis, so overwhelmingly given in to the situation, so intensely and intently present in the room. Unable to resist, and not wanting to.


To be able to smile through the second set of an exhausting posture while most other yogis are cringing and letting themselves to suffer instead of relax.


To, quite simply, be there.


To be.


I felt exhilarated. I'm going back as soon as I can.

Enjoy your yoga in the everyday. Photo via FYeahYoga.

More to Win: Wednesday SPA DAY Giveaway!

Photos via Coffee and Yoga.

Ready for a spa day?

I don't know about you guys, but all that vacation has made me me ready for... another vacation :) This week's been a little tough getting back into the swing of things at work and at home. Back to cleaning the bathroom, late nights working, plans and goals galore. What about reading books on the couch by the fireplace? And long, hot baths?

In time, in time.

If you're ready for a little at-home spa treatment, this giveaway is for you!

Win this lovely spa package for a day of R&R from Alive in the Fire.

Enter below to win:

• Emollience hair and body butter (from Spiral Solutions).
• Handmade peppermint soap (from CindysSuds). Ingredients: Saponified coconut oil, organic palm oil, olive oil, peppermint essential oil and peppermint leaves.
• An Om hand towel (from Nyemay Collectibles).
• One "Lock the Knee" shirt (from Shavon at Teach Bikram or Bust).
• Peace, happiness & relaxation for the day (your prerogative, which you so deserve!)

To win, please visit all of the above shops and leave a comment below about why you could use a little rest and relaxation after the holidays. Also, please include your shirt size (S, M, or L) for the Lock the Knee shirt!

 

Here's a little more info about Shavon at Teach Bikram or Bust. I love that she is selling these fun shirts as a way to raise money for Teacher Training! Please consider supporting her in her journey by purchasing a shirt. They make great gifts for yoga friends and studio owners!

I have one, too, and am loving it :)

From Shavon: 
I started my Bikram yoga journey about seven years ago while I was living in Oakland, CA. A good friend of mine talked me into going and I'm so grateful she did. Originally, I went just to check it out, not really expecting to start a practice... but before I knew it, I was hooked. As Bikram says, "Tell them to come to class to firm up their asses. In six 6 months, their lives are changed!"  


That was definitely true for me. I found, and continue to find, everything that I didn't expect to in my practice. Bikram yoga has helped me understand grief and loss, Bikram yoga has been there through drug addiction and getting sober, and Bikram yoga has helped me love myself and the path I am on.  

I have cried in yoga, laughed in yoga, learned in yoga, been angry in yoga. I have been all of it in yoga. Yoga has taught me to let go of all of it, to love life for what it is, a moment.  

The most unexpected path I have stumbled upon during my Bikram practice is Teacher Training. The thought has crossed my mind more than once over the years, but I didn't feel "good enough" to commit to it until now. I just can't ignore that voice anymore.  

Yoga has given me so much and it is time to return the favor.  

I want to hold that space for others. Whether you want to firm your ass or explore your heart, it's all part of the process. Teach Bikram or Bust is my blog where I explore the trials and tribulations of my Teacher Training journey. I'm going to attend the fall 2011 training and have started selling shirts to help raise funds for this endeavor. To purchase shirts you can visit my Etsy shop. Shirts sell for $15/shirt or 2 for $20.

Here are some tips from Cindy at CindysSuds for yogis who want to keep clean and small nice after yoga class:

• After your yoga class, try to take a shower as soon as you are able. Not only will you want to wash off any bacteria created by sweat, but the warm water will help sooth your muscles and aid them in the "cool down" phase.
• Prior to taking a shower or bath, dry brush your body with a natural bristle body brush to remove dead skin cells and encourage new cell growth.
• Always wash your workout clothes after a class and wipe down your mat with warm soap and water regularly. It may be tempting to keep your workout clothes in your gym bag and re-wear them on another occasions, but bacterial growth runs rampant in a warm, dark gym bag that has dirty workout clothes tossed in.

Plus, a great deal exclusively for all you readers:

Use the coupon code "yoga2011" at CindysSuds and you'll save 10% on your total purchase price during the entire month of January. Happy New Year!

Photos via Coffee and Yoga.

Are you a Sexy Yogini?

Iluka Activewear in action via the company's Facebook page.

New year, new you?

Are you planning to step up your yoga practice this year? Looking forward to sweating more in Bikram, running more, or hitting the gym?

Update your wardrobe to reflect your dedication and reward your sexy self!

 

Iluka Activewear carries a wide variety of sexy yoga wear in colorful prints. Perfect for showing off your wild side in class!

Check out Iluka Activewear, a brand that was born out of a desire to combine what's functional and flattering.


Use the coupon code "ALIVE" when you're checking out, and get free shipping!

Whether spinning, running, working out in the gym, or sweating through a Bikram yoga class it is important to have comfortable activewear. Browse Iluka's large selection of tops, tanks, shorts, capris, onesies and more on their site, or connect with them on Facebook.

New year, new you! Let your yoga practice help you start transforming your body and mind from the inside out. A few cute tops along the way won't hurt either :) Namaste!