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.

Real Men Do Yoga: Rich Krzyzanowski + TruHarmony Yoga in Chicago

Next up in the Real Men Do Yoga series comes a dedicated yogi from TruHarmony in Chicago. The studio is located in River North and features heated classes based on Baron Baptiste's Vinyasa classes.

TruHarmony has been reviewed by TimeOut Chicago as offering classes that will burn more calories than other types of yoga, and Chicago Now calls it one of the best studio spaces in an office building.

Thanks to Rich for mentioning the blog at TruHarmony, I will be joining some of their talented instructors for class in the next week or so. I am stoked to meet studio owner Megan Chappell and try out a 90-minute vinyasa flow class. They've also got incredible candlelight yoga classes! Check out TruHarmony's site for more info.

Photos via this review on Chicago Now. 

Rich practices often at TruHarmony in Chicago. He is a dedicated yogi with a passion for all things yoga, and he's recently gotten more involved at the studio by working part-time to help around the space. He loves the community there, and the stellar classes that have transformed his mind and body. This is his story.

Photos courtesy of Rich Krzyzanowski, a yogi at TruHarmony studio in Chicago, Illinois.

I got involved with yoga in early August of 2010.  I practice at TruHarmony Yoga at 900 North Franklin Street in Chicago.  It is a hot vinyasa studio.  

My sister got me a mat and some private lessons for my birthday.  She and I went to the lessons and I was easily the weakest one in the room!  I was also the only male.  Needless to say, I am hooked now.   


I love to see where my body will go on any given day.  I am also really impressed with how quickly the progression from not knowing how to do anything or not being able to do anything to feeling like I can do anything has come to pass.  


I love looking at what someone is doing and being able to say, "I can do that."  I may not be able to do it right now, but I will practice some and get there when my body is ready.  

Through yoga, I have discovered meditation, too.  I am just embarking on that journey, but I am really excited about where it will go.

Namaste,
Rich