Wanted: Crazy Awesome Yogis (Get Sponsored by Alive in the Fire!)

Photo by Ron Sombilon. View his amazing photography here, or check him out on Flickr.

Readers, I have some exciting news!


This year, I am going to sponsor two or three yogis of any type of yoga and help them get started on a life-changing year of detox, relaxation, meditation, and incredible confidence-boosting yoga.


Are you a new yogi with an interest in yoga but you need help getting started?


Perhaps you need help finding a studio, a mat, some yoga wear, and the motivation to try the heat. Maybe you are feeling low, in need of self-esteem, or out of shape but don't know how to make a change.

Photo by Mika Yoga Wear.

Do you fear yoga because you are inflexible? Or because you feel judged in a room full of other more practiced yogis?


Or maybe you are an active biker or runner who wants to expand your fitness to include yoga. You might be a full-time parent that struggles to fit in a workout, and you want an incentive to treat your body better. 


Like a lot of us, you could be looking to lose weight in the new year or simply turn your body around from blah to rockin' so you feel great when you look in the mirror each day.


Finally, experienced yogis who have been practicing for awhile: I haven't forgotten about you! Maybe you are ready to step up your practice to the next level, or you are preparing for any type of Teacher Training this year. Are you ready to track your progress in each posture more clearly, or add other changes to your life to improve your yoga? I'm talking better nutrition, hydration, wellness, mental health, and overall practices for your ultimate health.

Photo by Ron Sombilon.

If you're interested, please apply to be a sponsored yogi of Alive in the Fire and email me at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com for the application. 


The process will be simple: I'll require you to write a short bio and a couple paragraphs on why you would be a great fit for the blog. You are free to send along photos, too. Whatever helps you express and communicate your strong interest in yoga and your willingness to dedicate your year to it, I want to hear it!


I will also ask that you commit to writing for the blog at various points in your journey as well as promoting the blog to others in your yoga community and your life. Our relationship will be one that is collaborative, creative and ongoing.


The rewards will be great: I will sponsor some of your yoga practice for the year; I will provide you consistent support, advice, and quick feedback on your questions and concerns; I will offer you perks and promotional yoga-related products to try; I will check in with you and hold you accountable; I will put you in touch with some of the most talented and experienced yogis and studios in the nation; and I will push you to do your best, both on and off the mat.


Together, our mantra will be what Bikram says: "If you can, you must!" (But again, this is open to any type of yoga, just for clarification!)


We will also adopt the philosophy of starting small and keeping it simple. We'll keep your personal goals, my goals, and our collective goals in mind as we move forward.


Sound like an amazing deal? (It is!) Go for it. Apply to be a sponsored yogi of the blog. Email me at aliveinthefire at gmail dot com and we'll get started.


Namaste,
Rachel and the Alive in the Fire community
Note: accepting applications through the end of the month. Apply today!

Photo by Ron Sombilon.

Oak Park Chicago Yogis: Win Free Bikram!

Photo via Dudes Doing Yoga.

Yogis and yoginis of Chicago, I know you want free Bikram. 

I know you do. So leave a little comment in the box below and you could win!

I never heard from the lady who was picked for this giveaway, so I'm reopening it. 

Get a whole free week of Bikram at 105 Yoga in Oak Park by leaving a comment below with your favorite posture. Then dance and jump for joy like this, because you could win!

Photo via Hello Mr. Fox.

Almost forgot. We've got a winner for the lovely White Iguana leggings and fun Clive Does Yoga print. (Can you tell it's giveaway fever around here at Alive in the Fire?! I feel like my brains are on fire with giveaway excitement on a daily basis.) 

Anyway! Congrats to Pam. Please contact me with your email and I'll put you in touch with the sellers!

Saturday Giveaway: Sexy Yoga Wear & Sudsy Soap

 

High-performance, stylish yoga wear from Iluka Activewear. Win it!

It's the Saturday before Christmas. Crazy! That means: time to win more stuff for the Winter Extravaganza here on Alive in the Fire, of course!


Strapped for cash but don't want to ask for fancy yoga outfits (again) from your man? Craving  something stylish and practical in the Hot Room?


Hello, Iluka Activewear! Iluka was born out of the desire to create a line of products for yogis who want functional and flattering outfits while working out whether they are doing Bikram, spinning, running, or hitting up the gym.


For today's Winter Extravaganza giveaway, Alive in the Fire is offering a lucky reader the above Bellissima Tie Side Shorts (in Bettie Wild print) and the Phat Buddha Lace Back Bra in black (more than a $100 deal!). I know, I know: you're beaming. :)


Go ahead, check out what size you'd need here and leave a comment below! Be sure to check out PS Products from Etsy too.

Stylish soap to rinse off with after class! Mmm, and it's peppermint.

So of course after you've taken class in your stylish Iluka wear, you'll want to rinse off with something equally as awesome. Hello, PS Products soap! Parish Studio Products carries a bunch of delicious holiday flavors including this peppermint creme (with dish) which you can win.

Each soap is about 2.5 oz and they make great stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and guest soaps. Plus, you can keep these lovely little ones dry by using one of these well draining soap dishes! Each soap dish is 3.5" x 4.5" and is made out of reclaimed cedar and finished with linseed oil and is cut to allow water to drain through the dish and away from your soap so it will last longer. 

More from Tara, the owner of PS Products, about her soaps: 

I started making soap about a year ago when my Mom told me she would like to start making them, but didn't have the time with all of her other crafty hobbies.  At the same time my husband and I had been using a very expensive soap that we both loved but could no longer afford and couldn't find a cheaper alternative that lived up to our standards.  So, that's when I decided that even if I started making soap and it wasn't a hit, I would be filling a need for me and my husband as well as some family members who thought homemade soap was a great idea! I made and sold soap for a while to family and friends and then put the project on the back burner to welcome our son Asher in May of this year.  

Now that I'm a stay-at-home mom I really saw the benefit to opening an Etsy shop to help supplement our income as well as having a creative outlet and fulfilling a need that everybody has! I love to create, and I hope to add some things to my Etsy shop in the near future that show some of my other creative outlets.  

To win the super sexy outfit and sudsy peppermint soap, please check out Iluka Activewear and PS Products on Etsy and leave a comment below about how you'd enjoy each.

Sexy yoga. Photos via Brandy Lyn Winfield who teaches at Bikram Yoga Summerlin.

Thursday Giveaway: Yoga Leggings & A Zany Print

These Steven Brahms prints in his "Evasion" series are crazy awesome and quite manly.

To continue our week of all things masculine, for today's giveaway Alive in the Fire brings you some awesome White Iguana sport leggings and a clever "Clive Does Yoga" photo print from BAClori on Etsy. 

These White Iguana Apparel leggings are great for yoga, running, biking and more.

To win both, see below for more info! Both guys and girls are encouraged to enter (ladies, these would be a wonderful holiday gift for your man!).

Three "Clive Does Yoga" 5x7 prints from BAClori on Etsy.

Allie Yoko, the owner of White Iguana Apparel, started the sport clothing line based on her passion for living an eco-friendly lifestyle. As said in one of the company's press releases, "What started out as a class project turned into a real-life career calling for graphic design student-turned athletic apparel entrepreneur, Allie Yoko. The 24-year old Chicago resident has taken her eye for design and her passion for an eco-friendly lifestyle and turned it into one of the country’s first bamboo-made line of athletic clothing.

'I loved the idea of bamboo clothing,' says Allie, 'but hated the thought of having it manufactured overseas, so I was determined to find domestic manufacturer.'

Mission accomplished, White Iguana Apparel is not only eco-friendly but it is 100% made in the U.S.A.

Armed with a passion for fashion and a desire to help others find easy ways to make their lives more eco-friendly, Allie was determined to make her dream a reality."

In the company's stylish logo, you can see Allie's creative eye for design.

More from Allie on her products:

Our leggings are designed to keep you comfortable while living your life. They are lightweight and will keep you warm while resisting odor and wicking away moisture. The leggings are full-length and fit closely to your body to keep you feeling warm and dry without itching or chafing. You hardly notice that you have them on but will feel incredibly fresh all day and night since our organic microfiber bamboo leggings are also naturally antimicrobial. They provide excellent breathability and you wont get an ugly red rash that inexpensive competitors' leggings give you. They are the perfect base layer for biking, hiking, snow sports, running, dancing, working out, yoga and wearing under a dress for a night on the town. Our leggings are made from 94% viscose from organic bamboo and 6% spandex, which makes them amazingly soft. This moisture management fabric keeps you dry and comfortable.

On the company's environmentally-friendly approach and holiday plans:

Basically, we are a company that cares about the environment, about being healthy and being active and we wanted to create a product that would help others in doing the same!

For the holidays, we just want our product to be shared with as many people as possible. We have great products and we want everyone to get to experience them. We plan on having sales (going on right now) to make things even more affordable for people holiday shopping!

In the coming year, we hope to get our products in more stores and out to as many customers as possible. We are looking forward to continue growing our brand and sharing it with the world.

Enjoy connecting with Allie and the White Iguana brand by visiting their store for some shopping, connecting on Facebook or Twitter, or reading their stellar blog.

Also, be sure to check out the store's great sale items!

Next in the giveaway is a group of photographs by artsy Etsy seller BAClori featuring Clive the yoga model in a set of three 5x7 photos.

Her description of the fun and wacky pictures:

"Clive Does Yoga" is a group of photographs using a relatively posable art model doll that I have dubbed "Clive" as he works his way through a series of basic yoga poses.  I find the series to be quite calming and soothing, mostly because when you look at Clive, you don't assign an instant judgement to a figure who has no expression making it easier to enjoy the poses (even if they are a bit rigid!).  

Lori's description of the shop:

Basement Art Creations is original photography by Lori O'Connor shaped by imagination, inspiration, exhilaration, procrastination, distraction and a pretty good sized slice of insomnia!

A few other prints from the shop.

Lori on what inspires her photography:

I enjoy having to scoot right up to an object and take a closer look.  I admire detail.  I like finding something brilliant from the simple and uncluttered.  I feel I have found my niche taking photos of things that you might not normally look at twice, but when photographed, you may want them hanging on your wall just so you can smile at them!  

On her yoga practice:

Like Clive, I am also quite stiff at times as I stretch to learn new poses... but I enjoy the calm and meditative state you can find when you quiet your mind and body!

I love Lori's unique and witty style and her willingness to turn the mundane into something playful. Pair these photos up with the pair of athletic leggings and you'll be super inspired to practice yoga through the new year!

To enter the giveaway contest, please:

• Check out White Iguana Apparel and BAClori's shops.
• Consider buying a workout shirt for your friend and sending it with a holiday snowman card, or other great sale and holiday items.
• Double your chances of winning by connecting with White Iguana and visiting Lori's other main shop.

Also, please tell your guy friends to enter and be sure to check out our Real Men Do Yoga series and consider submitting your story. Many thanks to Whit Conway, my desk neighbor at work, for putting me in touch with Allie. Namaste!

Congrats to Catherine for winning the lovely duende74 party top and the Lindsay Satchell scorpion print. Will be emailing you shortly to put you in touch with the vendors!

Minneapolis Giveaway: Soulful Soap

 

More intriguing photos by Minneapolis photographer Alec Soth.

Our other Minneapolis giveaway features Sacred Suds soaps. You can find them on Etsy as well as their main website products page.

The shop owner Andrea is offering one reader an Om orange, mandarin and cedar soap.

Tune in. Transcend worldly worries and attune with universal bliss with this soap inspired by Om (or Aum), sacred Hindu syllable representing the Absolute. When intoned, Om connects our deepest self to the All, the world-soul. This soap is crafted using the hot process method of soap making, and as with all of our yoga soaps, the glycerin and skin-conditioning oils contained in the Om bar create a luxurious lather that will leave your skin soft, supple, and deliciously moisturized. This soap is a favorite for meditation and yoga practice, and is a suitable unisex soap for both men and women.

Andrea's description of the shop:

Sacred Suds is inspired by my belief that by giving something our attention, either through prayer, meditation, or the simple ritual of mindful bathing, we give it power to grow and manifest in our lives. My mission with Sacred Suds is to provide soulful soaps that help channel positive energies into our customers' lives. I craft the soaps with intention using cues, like scent and colored labels, to help tune in to certain feelings, like joy, passion, and confidence. In harmony with the sacred intent of the soaps, I am committed to non-violence in the crafting of our products. Sacred Suds soaps are earth-friendly, cruelty-free, detergent-free, and dye-free, and I am proud that our soaps now contain organic, orangutan-safe palm oil.

More on yoga and what inspires Andrea to create:

When I lived in Florida, I had an incredible yoga instructor, and her class was the highlight of my week.  She taught a Power Yoga class that pulled from Ashtanga, and I am now hooked on the powerful progression of that Vinyasa style.  During Savasana, she would rub her hands with peppermint oil and come around to each of us to smooth our brows and give a quick temple massage.  That peppermint oil compelled me to breathe deeply, and it inspired the Prana soap.  More soaps soon followed, including Om, Ganesha, Laughing Buddha, and Kuan Yin.  I have created all of these soaps with the hope that they will help you carry the benefits of Yoga from your mat into your life. 

I have not yet found another instructor now that I've moved to the Twin Cities, so if anyone has any ideas, I'm open to them!  I currently practice at home using some of my favorite DVD's (Yoga Shakti with Shiva Rea, Total Yoga with Ganga White and Tracey Rich, and Power Yoga with Beryl Bender Birch), but I hope to find another class.  Being in class with an instructor and other students is so much more exciting and energizing than doing the same DVDs over and over again.  

Andrea's tips for keeping clean and smelling great after a sweaty yoga class:  

• I like to use a wonderful deodorant that my husband makes at home by mixing 1 part baking soda with 6 parts cornstarch.  I apply it using a cosmetic brush, but you could also use a cotton ball or other applicator.  You only need a light dusting, it goes on invisible, it is all natural, and it doesn't stain clothing.  

• For both your mat and your body, you can make a super easy spray by filling a spray bottle with water and adding 10 to 15 drops of your favorite essential oil.  Lavender, peppermint, pine, and orange essential oils are all very pleasant, cleansing, and energizing.  You can spritz your body if you can't get into the shower right away, and you can also use the spray to spritz your mat and wipe it down after practice.

• Yoga practice is very purifying to me, and after sweating out all of those impurities, I think it's important to rinse them away in order to retain the cleansing aspect of yoga.  To me, the synthetic detergents and fragrances found in most commercial soaps feel and smell unnatural, and they feel like contaminants.  To maintain the pure feeling that yoga imparts, I recommend using natural handmade soaps, which retain the glycerin of the soap-making process, and that are scented primarily with natural essential oils.  Because essential oils carry aroma therapeutic properties, using soaps scented with essential oils can reinforce the lessons from yoga practice and help smooth the transition from yoga to life.  

To win the Om soap, please:

• Leave a comment below listing your favorite soap from Sacred Suds.
• Add Andrea on Twitter and send her a little message.
• Add Sacred Suds on Facebook.
• Leave a comment on Andrea's lovely blog.
• If you go above and beyond by offering Andrea a suggestion for where to practice yoga in Minneapolis, you'll triple your chance to win!

Domestic shipping only. Good luck!

• 
  

Minneapolis Giveaway: iPhone / iPod Touch Case

 Top photos by Alec Soth.

His "From Here to There" show is being featured at the Minneapolis Walker Art Center 'til January. If you go, write me a guest post!

Happy December, Minneapolis! I'm sad to hear about the Metrodome cave-in, but here's a little something to cheer you up. As a tribute to the Twin Cities, my wonderful cousins and our lovely Thanksgiving trip to MN, I'm featuring TWO giveaways from the land of 10,000 lakes.


What do you love about Minneapolis? 


Our first MN giveaway comes from the hip Etsy seller LandmarksAndLions. Canyon Crosby of Landmarks and Lions is giving away this iPhone/ iPod Touch case of of a wonderfully soft wool blend felt. See below for contest details!

More about the iPhone / iPod Touch case from Canyon:

The idea for this case was to create something that was not simply functional, but vibrant and fun as well. Not only does the iPhone and iPod Touch fit perfectly snug in the case, but there is another space designed for business cards, credit cards, or whatever else can be slipped in. The wool felt makes it comfortable and easy to handle, while also providing protection against the environment. 


About Canyon:

Landmarks and Lions came to life as a result of lots of planning for my upcoming wedding next year. We are having a destination wedding in Italy and so the original thought was to design a few things that my fiancée and I could use during our travels. I started out with totes, which led me to iPhone cases, and so on. Then at some point my fiancée suggested I design collections of these items, create an Etsy account, and see what happens. Well, here we are and I am having a great time. 

My sole inspiration is the Mediterranean and the dreams we have had when planning for this experience, and so I like to use a more lively color theme in the design process because I feel it suits the place and lifestyle perfectly. Each accessory is handmade from our home / studio here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where I design, cut, sew, and photograph everything you see.

On her goals for next year:

My primary focus is on the wedding. We have been looking forward to this for a long time now, and it is going to be one of those amazing experiences that we will be able to share with our family and friends. I am also really looking forward to creating more collections for Landmarks and Lions and seeing it grow into something that I could transition into full-time. I would be thrilled to see it become successful and to have the opportunity to work for myself.

To enter the contest, please:

• Follow Alive in the Fire.
• Leave a comment below describing your favorite item from LandmarksAndLions on Etsy. 
• Check out Landmarks and Lions' main site. 

Shipping for the contest is international, so anyone can apply!


If you choose to do any of these, your chances double... you can contact Canyon here. See more shopping options. Add Landmarks and Lions on Facebook. Be sure to let me know to enter your name twice in the drawing. 

Finally, we have a winner for the 105 Yoga giveaway! Congrats to Dre. Please contact me with your email address so I can put you in touch with Nancy. Thanks!

From the Island: Handcrafted Clay Necklaces

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.