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.

Announcing the Sponsored Yogis for 2011!

 

The decision was hard. The applications were incredible. A big thanks to all who entered!

And now, Alive in the Fire would like to introduce the blog's sponsored yogis for this year...

Emily Berna,

Nicole Crist,

and

Hans Park!

along with an extraordinarily awesome guest post team: 

Dana Almdale

Richard Krzyzanowski

Beth Morey

Annie Sullivan

 Emily Taggart

This is me, shouting a much deserved: CONGRAAAAAAATS!

In the weeks and months to come, you'll be hearing from these yogis who are located all around the country and who practice a variety of yoga styles ranging from Bikram to Vinyasa to Anusara and Yin, and more.

They are teachers and students.

Men and women with compassion.

Brilliant writers, designers and thinkers who are ready to share their reflections on life as it's lived both on and off the mat.

I couldn't be more excited to have them on board!

I'd also like to send out a personal thank you to every blog reader who entered the sponsorship program. I hope the application process was fulfilling and helped you learn more about yourself and your yoga practice.


I couldn't be more stoked to share some of your stories in the weeks to come, too. I value and appreciate your feedback and your ideas about the blog.


Thanks to you and your honest input, you can expect to see some exciting changes around here at Alive in the Fire, including:

• new design
• more continuity 
• a new series or two
• some new personal posts
• advice on specific postures, plus a comprehensive guide to every Bikram asana in the 26-posture series
• more info for yogis who don't practice Bikram
• more info for guys who yoga

Thanks to you, the blog is better and it's growing. I hope you'll stay tuned for some lovely input from the sponsored team, starting with their bios next week (plus the cutest bio video ever!).


And once again, a big fat congrats to the sponsored yogis, guest bloggers, and to every applicant who submitted. You are amazing!

A new day, a new dawn (on the blog). Beautiful! Photo via One Love Photography.

Sponsored Yogis Coming Soon!

Photo via Dudes Doing Yoga on Tumblr.

Happy Friday, yogis! I hope you're celebrating the weekend already.

Anyone have any fun Super Bowl plans? Amazing appetizers you're planning to make for friends and family when they come over to watch the game?

The Hubs and I aren't sure of our plans yet, but there very well could be some tasty hot wings involved. And definitely guac. :)

Just wanted to share a little update with you on the Alive in the Fire Yogi Sponsorship 2011 program. I've been receiving all sorts of amazing applications and I can't wait to share the results very soon!

Photo via Dudes Doing Yoga on Tumblr.

I hope to have an announcement for you on Monday. It's going to be a tough decision to say the least!

A big thank you to all of the applicants and to upcoming sponsors. You guys are the best! And I hope that regardless of the results, you've been learning more about your practice and what yoga means to you. That's the whole point of the process, and I hope it's been rewarding.

Photo via FYeahYoga on Tumblr.

In the days and weeks to come, you can expect to see a lot of awesome stuff going on around here at Alive in the Fire. I will be incorporating a ton of new ideas from applicants, including guest posts, some re-design, and the start of a new series or two. (And don't worry, Real Men Do Yoga and Beyond Childhood certainly aren't over! Neither is the Everyday photographer series either.)

The best part? You're going to be getting a lot of quality info about yoga and hearing from some new voices. These sponsored yogis are passionate about their practice. They've got inspiration to share.

They are fiery, fun, and super creative and insightful. I can't wait for you to meet them!

Keep an eye out and get excited. More to come very soon.

PS. In other news, I've written over 300 posts! Eeps, how exciting :) Oh, and keep those followers coming... we're almost to our 100 party!

Photo via FYeahYoga on Tumblr.

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.

You Need to Say It

Photo via FYeahYoga.

Chances are, you need to say it again. To your husband, to your family, to your friends.

I love you; I always will. I forgive you for making mistakes. I missed you while you went to the bathroom just now. I missed you yesterday all day while we were at work. I want to spend more time with you, not my computer screen. I need you. I need to be held by you. I need to be close to you.

I love you. I always will.

A lot of the time we get by in the day-to-day without really ever connecting with those around us. Without connecting to our own emotions, fears, and needs.

We hardly take time to stop and notice what we're feeling, much less communicate it to those who need to know.

There's a difference between thinking it and saying it.

I urge you -- however lonely you are, however upset, or angry inside -- to show it today. Reach out to someone who can help you, or talk to you. Tell him you love him. Ask him if you can make a plan to spend more time together. You need it.

He deserves to know, as much as you deserve to tell. To let go.

Bikram Yoga Time Lapse

Ever wondered what a Bikram class would look like on fast forward?

You're in luck. I just discovered this amusing time lapse video via Being. Love it! Sort of makes you aware of how little time you actually spend in the posture, huh?

How to Make a Happy Yogi: Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Awkward Friends & Downward Dogs

Time to glow. Photo via Scout and Catalogue.

 

All tangled? Simple gift ideas here. Photo via Wikstenmade.

Still shopping?

Here are some quick ideas for what to get your yogi friends, and your not-yet-yogi friends who need converting.


And a holiday reminder to all: it's about the love, not the cash you spend!

• A Pranayama breathing app. Ever wished you could take a moment to breathe and not freak out? Well, here you are. Yoga breathing techniques on-the-go. Recently reviewed over at Daily Cup of Yoga.

• Cozy things from Wiksten like this chunky scarf, or these boot socks.

• Red Leaf bar soap for guys. This Etsy shop has the best masculine suds around. Packaging comes in holiday colors, too!

• For those first-row kind of sexy Bikram girls you know: a ruffle bra from Need Supply Co! This looks super comfy, too.

Photo via Couture Boudoir.

•  A sexy boudoir session from a local Chicago photographer like Couture Boudoir, Laura Meyer or Kara Schultz. Give your man some sexy photos as a surprise!
• Grey bootie shoes from Osborn that make a comfortable and cozy alternative to winter boots.

• A beautiful Le Creuset french oven pan for the foodies you love (and love to invite over for potlucks!) via Cookware.

• A yoga music CD.
• A yoga shirt for your puppy, and a visit to this dog-friendly studio / cafe. I wasn't kidding about the gift ideas for your downward dogs thing! :)

• A gift certificate to your favorite studio so you and your friends can yoga together.
• Some VitaCoco, Ultima Replenisher and Kashi bars for a pre- or post-workout snack that replenishes and rehydrates.

What yogi gifts are on your wish list this year?

Snuggle up out there! Photo via Scout and Catalogue.

Puerto Rican Paradise

It's heavenly here.

Finally, a few pictures! I took these on my lunch break today, before heading to the pool for some yoga photos (see below). More with the Hubs coming soon!

Palm paradise!

Ridin' in the elevator.

From below, looking up at the main resort.

Flora.

Near our room.

There's nothing better than finding your peace by the water and getting some sun.

Ahhhh.

Fave.

Right before the egret walked behind me.

Now that's a Japanese Ham Sandwich. Not to be confused with the Cubano I had for lunch yesterday! :)

Lots of love from Puerto Rico!

Ooh, and we have a winner for the lovely earwarmer. Congrats to Cassi! Next up, local vendors. Stay tuned.

Focus Forward Friday: Follow the Blog!

If this were a painting, I'd call it "Illumination."

Here at Alive in the Fire, you never know when you might win something awesome just for following along.

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

Today's focus: unexpected rewards. So I recently posted on Twitter that the first person to click "Follow" on Alive in the Fire after reading the tweet would win a special surprise. Congrats, Jose Pena, you were first!

And many thanks to Christina, HealthOC, and Kate for also adding the blog to your list of reads. Welcome, lovely yogis. It's wonderful to have you here. Also, if you're not yet a regular follower, I'd love if you'd click the little button to the right and stick around. I'd also love to hear from you!

Anyway, I just wanted to show you the prize I put together for Jose. It includes a cool note:

Custom art-note, woohoo!

I also included some stellar supplements for keeping hydrated in and out of the hot room:

• Hammer Nutrition gel & fortified drink mix
• emergenC lemon/lime vitamin drink packets
• Balance and Vitality YogaEarth nutrition mixes for pre-practice and post-practice

Hopefully this little care package will inspire all of you to keep up on your electrolytes and vitamins especially as the weather turns colder. Tis the season for colds and the flu!

Also remember: you never know what benefits you might discover simply by trying something new. Next time you're in Standing Bow pose, what if you held it the whole 60 seconds? What if, in Camel, instead of getting overwhelmed, you just surrendered to the moment and enjoyed the release in your spine and neck? What if you left your water on the floor during "Party Time" and just focused on your breath instead?

Bikram says, "If you can, you must." Can you take the harder path? 

Can you love your neighbor as yourself? 

Can you let go? 

You must. And guess what? The rewards will follow.

Put a Little SPA in your Week: A Review of the Best Massage Studios in Evanston

Want to feel like you're here? Try a massage after yoga class!

Busy times call for rest. 100 percent exertion demands 100 percent relaxation. In the hot room, every floor series posture earns you a 20-second savasana. In real life, you have to set time for your own time off.

The best way to relax? A massage, of course!

In the last few months, I've gone for massage therapy at several different places around town, including Flow Body Mind Connection, Egea Spa, and OmaiBodyworks. Each place has its own look and feel, and each offers incredible services.

At Flow, Raegan Ross has set up her own studio with a modern look and feel, and all is quiet and peaceful despite the location right on Dempster Street. I loved her little candles around the room, nurturing demeanor, and capable hands. The sweet, stylish wall dividers in her space also give the place a sense of regeneration and, well, flow :)

Flow is located at 609 Dempster in Evanston.

At Egea, I felt so pampered in their luxurious spot. They give you a little robe to wear, a sea salt soak for your feet that helps you feel calm and centered before the massage, and then an amazingly refreshing steam shower afterward! Heavenly. It was so nice spending the whole morning there, just lazing from one step to the next and not rushing out. A little pricey, but I hope to be back soon!

Egea is located at 1521 Sherman Ave in Evanston.

My favorite spot to get a massage, though, is located right in the heart of the building where my home studio is. My awesome friend Lindsay Paige runs her own fantastic massage business OmaiBodyworks right next door, and there's simply nothing better than a session right after yoga class. As Linds likes to say, you've still got the "yoga daze" and can relax even more fully after your muscles are warmed up. It's absolutely wonderful!

Plus, Lindsay is quite a talented Bikram teacher who I admire incredibly, with one of the strongest dialogues I've heard. She's got powerful spirit, determination and motivation in the heat and really makes class enjoyable. Whether I'm sweating through her class or enjoying great conversation with Lindsay, I absolutely love spending time with her. This weekend we're checking out the Illinois YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPS together at Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago! Should be fun.

OmaiBodyworks is located at 1840 Oak Ave in Evanston, in the basement.

But anyway, back to Omai. One of the best parts about Lindsay's practice is that she plays upbeat music instead of weird, lame new-age-y rainforest sounds, and I totally dig singing along to Feist or Jose Gonzalez in my head while she's getting all the kinks and crunches out of my neck and shoulders. Lindsay has astonishing strength and she isn't scared to beat you up a little bit, but it's the best! A firm amount of pressure is what helps me feel better the next day, and leaves me with the right kind of soreness that quickly fades to freedom. I love leaving with the feeling that I can move again!

In case you're not yet convinced of why OmaiBodyworks should be your next spot for massage, you can also consider this: Lindsay's trained in a special kind of therapy called Lypossage that helps women with cellulite reform their bodies from the inside out. It's an intensive program where you get special treatment, extra-strong massages in the areas that need attention, and you also supplement with a variety of vitamins/ body wraps/ nutrition, etc. Basically she offers an entire "body contouring" package that's about holistic wellness and transforming your body image all over, not just changing your appearance for the sake of vanity.

It totally fits with the Bikram perspective about leaving your ego at the door and instead working toward making your body healthier and whole, not just beautiful.

"Tell them to come for a firm ass, and in six months, their whole lives have changed!" Now that's one of my favorite Bikram-isms.

I've seen pictures of Lindsay's clients, though, and the results are great! It's surprising how much you can do in the short amount of time the program takes, and from what I hear it really does leave women feeling completely changed, and more confident and excited about their beautiful bodies than before. They bring new enthusiasm and energy to the hot room, too!

I'm hoping to try out one of Lindsay's body wraps in the near future (not the LypoMassage, but just an overall wrap), for the relaxation and therapeutic skin benefits that they offer. 

Bottom line? Lindsay's work + Bikram yoga = pure bliss. 

If you're interested in getting a massage with Lindsay, comment below and I can send you her contact info. She does not currently have a web site but you can check out her LinkedIn profile, or ask any yogi at Bikram Yoga Evanston who's been in her little oasis of a massage studio, and you'll hear about how remarkable she is! :)

Beautiful lady on her graduation day from Bikram Teacher Training in Mexico a couple years back. Lindsay, you are the best!