Happy St. Patrick's

Photo via YogaDork's St. Patty's post from last year.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, all!

Careful if you're planning to practice Irish yoga. :)

Enjoy getting your green on. And check out this hilarious post on FailBlog.

Photo via Glen Allsop.

This photo and the two below via The Vagabond Bond.

Introducing Emily

emily, a love story. from emily berna on Vimeo.

Next up in the Sponsored Yogis, I'd like to introduce you to Emily Berna. She is one creative lady who totally blew me away with this sweet video in her application for the sponsorship program. 

Isn't it adorable?! Totally demonstrates her passion for cool digital media and for yoga. A wonderful mix if you ask me :)

Photos courtesy of Emily.

Here's a bit more from Emily on her background and yoga:

I teach high school chemistry on the south side of Chicago.  I used to work in environmental consulting, but didn't love it, so I decided to teach.  In addition to yoga I love cooking, photography, gardening, knitting, reading, and avoiding housework.  


I'm excited for the sponsorship because I'm so new to yoga I haven't had much chance to explore all the different styles and meet all the different people who practice yoga.  I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences and learning from others about anything related to yoga.  

Introducing Beth

Photo via Vagabond Bond.

Morning, yogis! Hope you're having a bright start to the day. The Hubs and I were up super early today since he's off on a shoot for work, so I'm enjoying a hot cup of coffee and a quiet office.

What are you up to today? Are you on the mat? Already working? I hope whatever you're up to, you're living your yoga!

Over the next few days, I'd like to introduce you to the sponsored yogis team.

You're going to be hearing from them often and I have high hopes for the mix of voices that you'll be able to read on the blog. More than ever, Alive in the Fire will represent a community of yogis of all ages and all styles. I challenge you to get in touch with us -- send your thoughts, opinions and feedback our way! I'm looking forward to the great conversation, and couldn't be more excited to welcome these new writers.

Without further ado, first up: Beth Morey!

Photos courtesy of Beth Morey.

Beth is a writer living in western Montana with her husband and three dogs. Even just from reading a few entries on her blog, I can tell that Beth has a kind heart and loving soul. She is honest, moves through life with integrity and purpose, and takes time to enjoy the small joys in life. Plus, she hula hoops! So she has a great sense for how to make time for herself and have fun doing the things she loves.

Beth also posted about her excitement for the Alive in the Fire sponsorship on her blog today. Do check it out!

More from Beth:

When I’m not crafting novels (or pulling out my hair over said novels), I enjoy hula hoop dance, photography, board games, alpacas, and the great outdoors (in addition to yoga, of course!).  I also write the balanced living blog, To the Fullest.  

I have been practicing yoga off and on since 2003, and love a vigorous vinyasa class.  Thrilled to receive an Alive in the Fire sponsorship, I hope that it will both deepen my practice and help combat recent health issues, weight gain, and an ongoing eating disorder battle.  I believe that yoga helps with everything!  

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.

Winners!

Apologies for the delays on these! We've got a winner for both the Transform Your Space (round two) and the Spa Day giveaways!


A big congrats to Sara Selle, who wins the Violintide print, om magnets from OmMama and Naturcraft incense. Please send me an email at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com so I can put you in touch with the sellers!


Also congrats to Laura, my twin sis, for winning the Spa Day items! And just to prove I didn't cheat, here's the photo from the randomizer I entered the names in:

Hope you lucky ladies -- and all the readers out there -- have a beautiful day. I'll leave you with a Tracol quote from one of my favorite yoga bloggers, Julia Yee:

"The deliberate attempt to produce moments of clear, undistorted perceptions - and sustain them and deepen them - is the first line of work."

May your mind be clear and your heart open today.

Sneak a Hug

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.

A View of Love

All of these incredible photos, except the last one, are from Michele M. Waite Photography.

It's amazing to think about love from a perspective you've never experienced. Check out these breathtaking views of the best moment of a lifetime.

This photo was taken by the talented Stephanie Williams. More on her blog here.

Sometimes all I want is to put on my white dress again and relive The Big Day... and when I do, all I can think about how lucky, happy, and in love I am with my Hubs! Thank you for cuddles. Thank you for being my everything.

The Pumpkin Chronicles

Hey yogis. Happy Thursday. Today I have an important question for you, though it is a couple days late. What's the best way to use a pumpkin on Halloween? 

The answer: make a luminary, of course!

Check out our sweet holiday fireplace display from last week. Luminary light is my favorite!

My guys dressed up as... video gamers! :) Hehe. Just kiddin'. But they did enjoy a nice Saturday afternoon round of LOL.

Oh, and check out this sweet cake I made tonight:

Pumpkin spice buttermilk bundt cake! Amaaazing. I love my new World Market bundt pan, too. I have a feeling it will get some use this winter! I'm off to enjoy a slice of cake now, actually. What are you up to tonight, yogis? Would love to hear from you. Happy almost weekend!

Mini Yoga Class @ NU

• Yogis in Evanston, I'm going to teach a mini-class in a couple of weeks! Please attend, invite your friends, and come enjoy some awesome meditation and relaxation postures. I'd love to hear from you if you're planning on being there, just to get a general sense of how many people will be coming!
  Here's the info...
  
  
  

  Love yoga? Interested in the ways that yoga postures connect with spirituality and offer the body and mind relaxation?
  Come to YOGA SHABBAT!
  Friday November 12 from 6:15pm to 7:30pm in the basement of Hillel
  @ 629 Foster St. Evanston, IL 60201
  An event sponsored by Northwestern Hillel andEnvironmental Campus Outreach (ECO).
• I'll be teaching a 35-minute yoga class focused on postures which promote relaxation and rest. There will be a good series to get your heart rate up, and then ample time for cool down and meditation toward the end.
•  
• We won't be in the heat, but I guarantee it'll be a perfect marriage of the heart and lungs, good for every muscle, tissue and system in your body. A good chance to practice a great mantra: "If you can, you must!"
• Please bring a mat, towel & water and wear comfortable stretchy clothes. 

• Open to all individuals of all backgrounds, fitness levels, faiths, and ages. Invite your friends!

  I will be around before and after class to answer any questions you may have and will offer some resources on yoga & local studios. If you're new around here, FYI I practice regularly at Bikram Yoga Evanston and I'm planning to do Bikram Teacher Training next spring.  (*Note: As you also know, I am not certified and will not be held liable for injuries resulting from class. Please listen to your body and move slowly so that you don't get hurt! Thanks.)

  Namaste and see you soon.

  

105 Yoga Opening in Oak Park, Chicago

Hey friends. So I've got some exciting news to announce for local yogis in the Chicago area. Want to try Bikram? Are you a regular and want to try a new studio?


105 Yoga is opening soon in Oak Park, Chicago!


One of my favorite teachers from Bikram Yoga Evanston has branched out and is taking the leap to start her own space. I'm so proud of her!


Nancy is a compassionate, smart, and superbly motivating teacher who really knows her stuff and sticks to the foundations of Bikram's teachings. She delivers a stellar and dynamic dialogue, and is one of those naturals who can pick up on everyone's name even if it's your first class. My favorite is when she reminds us to quiet the Monkey Mind, that ever-present nagging voice in the back of our head that makes us crazy all the time.


In Nancy's classes, you find stillness and peace and you end up proud of yourself for the work you've done in the heat. As she once reminded us in class, "You're worth more than a hundred bucks!"


I love 105 Yoga's look & feel, and the yoga quotes that Nancy shares on the site. Here's one:

"Faithfulness in the performance of small duties gives us strength to adhere to difficult determinations that life will someday force us to make." 

-Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)

This is so true! Only when we stick it out, when we suffer through the pain, when we let go -- only then can we truly be healed and become stronger in ourselves.

Another one she shared:

"I will be calmly active, actively calm. I am a prince of peace, sitting on the throne of poise, directing the kingdom of my activity." 

-Paramahansa Yogananda (1893 - 1952)

This is beautiful. Can you picture yourself a prince of peace next time you're in class doing one of the harder postures? How about a peaceful Triangle pose? Can you relax even in the struggle?


Try it. Challenge yourself. You may just be surprised by what you find.


Keep up with 105 Yoga's site for their progress, class schedule, and pricing. If you need more info on why it'd be great to try the yoga, go here.


And of course feel free to contact Nancy directly.


Oh, and enjoy all of the photos on the site -- they feature yogis at Bikram Yoga Evanston! (No, I'm not in there. But Nancy is, along with some of my favorite people ever!) Strong postures, peaceful people. That's the yoga.

Namaste, Nancy. Congrats and best wishes on your beautiful studio!

Feels Like Summer: A Guest Post from a Friend who Attended The Renegade Craft Fair

All photos and review below by the talented Sarah Klein, a friend of mine who's livin' it up in Chi-town. And about to start Bikram too!

So a few weeks back I hoped to make it down to the lovely Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago, but I missed out. My hubs and I were super busy all weekend...but fortunately a talented and gracious friend of mine, Sarah, checked it out and took some beautiful photos to prove it!

Here's her stellar review.

The Renegade Craft Fair Chicago

A Review by Sarah Klein

Division street was packed. I've honestly never seen so many indie-artistic-looking 20-somethings in one place. Walking around, I was greeted by colorful pottery and screen prints, the smell of funnel cake and lemonade, multi-colored sunglasses, and a girl creating giant bubbles with a bubble wand. It felt like summer.

What struck me was how many of the products were recycled and re-purposed material... jewelry made from old maps and typewriter keys, bags and clothing made from reused plastic and wool, and stand upon stand of recycled paper goods. The first stand i went into was full of hand-made cards and journals with quirky prints on the covers. I bought myself a journal with two purple upside down octopuses on the cover.

There is something very satisfying about buying a craft straight from an artist, even if it's only a silly journal. I spent a few hours wandering around, taking pictures, and people watching. I ended the day with a funnel cake and a sleepy bus ride home. Yay local crafts!

Focus Forward Friday: Love, Love, Love

Focus Forward Friday: 
A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: letting your love flow. Yoga is not just a series of asanas to be completed in isolation. It's not just about changing your body; it's about changing your life. Your perspective on how to accept others, cherish your relationships, improve your ability to love and to show compassion to those around you. If you're smiling in class, but scowling as you walk around in the studio lobby, what are you practicing?

If the teachers at your studio pass each other and hardly speak, or their relationship their students ends when the final breathing exercise is over, what is your studio practicing?

Bikram is about community. About opening up. Moving beyond our fears, our loneliness. In the heat, we are one warrior.

My challenge to you on this beautiful fall Friday would be to open up, let go of your ego, and get to know some of those other yogis wandering around your studio, your neighborhood, your city. Hey, you could start by contributing a comment to this blog! Contribute to the community here, whether you are a regular reader or just topped by today.

Oh, and also be sure to have a lovely holiday weekend, get your Bikram on or get outta town, and hug your loved ones! FYI I will be celebrating in Indiana with some friends on their rockin' estate/ lake/ boat and although I may practice some headstands on my own (using the new iPhone app I just got for a free review!), chances are you won't hear from me for a couple days.

In the meantime you can enjoy the big Wedding Day Yoga post! Comment, share your stories, enjoy. Namaste!