Yogi-in-love

I have been an educator at lululemon athletica for three months now: the job is lots of fun and the people I work with are truly amazing.

That being said, the best part about working @ lulu is inspiring and educating. Inspiring people to try yoga, hoping that they will fall in love as I did 4 years ago. For the ones already enamoured, I love chatting them up, finding out what they love about it, what type they practice and its benefits.

Educating guests about our product: helping them find clothing and accessories that will be functional as well as fashionable is easy, because I whole-heartedly believe in the product.

Seeing women in my yoga class that I had helped in the fitting rooms the previous day is rewarding; I understand that sometimes all it takes to motivate you to get up early on a Sunday morning and get to a class is a new workout outfit.

In the locker room after wards, when I overhear her telling her friend all about their latest purchase, explaining all the features and useful compartments of the endeavor duffel bag ("they thought of everything!"), or the perfect amount of suppurt of her built in bra in her power Y tank, I cannot help but crack a smile. I have done my job.

Just last week, I myself fell in love... with a tank that is. The no-limit tank is perfect for a demanding hot flow yoga class, it's like a power Y bra and a circle-mesh tank all in one fabulous shirt! The bra is medium support, ideal for yoga, and offers a full range of motion, while the tank is quick-wicking and fast drying, the flowing style hides any tummy bulge you may still have from holiday gluttony.

I've been to yoga 4 times this past week, taking every opportunity I can to spend with my loves ;)

Peace. Love. Namaste.

Fun ways to keep your NY resolution.

It's that time of year: the season of over-indulgence has passed and is followed with the time for resolutions. If you are among the many who have vowed that 2011 is the year you will be more active, in an effort to shed those extra pounds you are not alone. Getting fit and losing weight are among the top New Year's resolutions made. They are also often broken by January 15th.

Although hitting the gym might seem like your best bet to get fit and slim down, pumping iron isn't for everyone. You will find more success if you find an activity that you actually enjoy and that you will stick to. Here are some ways to keep your resolution without having to set foot in a gym.

Join a team. Re-discover your favorite sport, or try something something new. Team sports are a great way to be active without it feeling like a chore. Check out the Winter Leisure guide for ideas.

(www.winnipeg.ca/cms/Leisure/pdfs/LG_W11_online.pdf)

Heat thing up. Hot yoga is an increasingly popular way to get your sweat on. A series of yoga poses are practiced in a heated room, increasing flexibility, building strength and toning the muscles while detoxifying the body. A great way to get in shape, and to thaw out in the chilly winter months.

Moksha Yoga offers classes for all skill levels, at all times of day, at it's three Winnipeg locations. Introductory rate of $20 for one week unlimited classes, $40 for one month unlimited. (www.mokshayogawinnipeg.com)

Climb the walls. Indoor rock climbing is physically and mentally challenging, a fun way to get fit. Rock climbing is a great way to build strength in your upper body, back and core while building your agility and endurance. A great activity to do with friends.

-Vertical Adventures, located 77 Paramount Road, offers Indoor rock climbing facilities for all sill levels, a day pass is $14, with harness and shoe rental an extra $3 each. (www.verticaladventures.ca)

Dance the night away. A salsa dancing classes is like a great aerobics class, only spicier. Salsa dancing is a cardiovascular workout and will tone and define your arms, back, legs, and butt. Olé!

Ted Motyka Dance school, (460 Main St) offers Salsa classes open to all skill levels (no partner required) on Wednesday nights 8 - 9 pm with open salsa practice to follow for $8. (www.teddancestudio.com/)

The benefits to being active are aplenty: more energy, stronger muscles, and a sunnier disposition from all those great endorphins that are released when you break a sweat. So get out there and be a happier, healthier you in 2011.

The holiday season is upon us...

'Tis the season of stress.

With so much going on in this time of celebration, family. friends and finals for all the students out there, it is so important to take some time for you.

After a terrible day, no matter what the reason: a never-ending pile of work, a heavy heart, a miscommunication, a bruised ego, whatever... yoga is the best therapy. An intense practice forces you to exercise, breathe, meditate and sweat it out!

This past weekend, I had one of those days: all of the above. My first reaction was to drink some wine while sharing some giggles with friends. Great distractions, yes, but only for a moment.

The next day not only was my head throbbing, but I hadn't dealt with my emotions. I felt even worse. It had been a just over a week since the last time on the mat, I needed to get back.

One of the greatest advice that one of my yogi mentors has taught me is in is that when a feeling or an emotion comes up, to simply take note of that feeling, exhale, and let it go. This is great advice in practice and in life.

Hips are the storage containers for repressed emotions, so when you are feeling down & out, try a hip-opening pose like half pigeon pose. This pose is a great stretch for the groin, chest, and back. My favorite thing about the pose is it's difficulty lies in the patience that it takes. During a deep hip opening stretch like this, feelings of negativity and discomfort are bound to come up, and you must breathe in and be patient. Exhale and let it go. AHHHHHH.....

Open hips = happy you.

Click here for for step-by-step instructions.

So this holiday season, remember to take the time to do something for yourself.

Make time to get to your favorite yoga class. It will have you feeling amazing and also help you get a head-start on dealing with that holiday bulge. :D

Namaste

This beautiful space on the world wide web is dedicated to yoga yoga yoga!!! Enjoy this week's story, written for my creative writing class. Check back every week for more yoga stories, tips, and lulu love.

Namaste

It's early, too early for a Saturday morning. I consider ignoring my alarm and falling back into a beautiful, dreamy sleep that would surely lead to a wonderful sleep-in. Instead I reluctantly get out of the warm comfort of my duvet and get dressed. Within minutes, I am out the door. My mind races during the drive to my hot yoga studio. All the ‘to-do's' of my day running through my head: groceries, laundry, homework... life. Auto-pilot takes over, and I mindlessly maneuver all the twists and turns that have me pulling into the parking lot before I know it. My muscles quiver at the thought of the intense physical activity to come. It's been over a week since I have gone to a class and I have started to get soft and squishy already. Am wishing I had stayed in bed...

In the studio, I set my mat near the front of the class; I lie down and bask in the heat of the room. The instructor enters, he is new to the studio and I haven't taken a class of his yet. I am surprised by his appearance; he looks nothing like a typical yoga instructor. He is a big and tall, round asian man with circular glasses, spiky hair, and braces. He begins the class by instructing us to take a deep breath and clear our minds. I am unsuccessful in doing so, thinking instead of his uncanny resemblance to an animated Japanese blowfish, with legs and arms attached, of course.

He leads us through the opening pranavama breathing exercises and I decide that I like him; he has a good tone to his voice, he doesn't sound like a cartoon character at all. He also seems to know what he is doing, and I feel guilty for having judged him. Breathe in, breathe out. I cannot clear my mind and focus.

During the intense warrior series of postures, my arms are heavy and feel like jelly. I am regretting that third glass of wine I had with dinner last night. With each breath, I am attempting to focus, to let go of my thoughts and concentrate on this breath, to live in this moment. I notice the girl behind me is doing her tree pose all wrong; it must be her first class. Inhale. Exhale. Focus. I ponder what flavor of smoothie I will get from the studio’s cafe after class. Hmmmm.... My eyes start searching the room for a distraction, and I see the anime-yogi-blowfish instructor coming over to me, as if being able to sense my frantic mind.

While resting in child's' pose, he places his hands on my back, encouraging me to take full, soothing breaths. It works, and I finally am able to be mindful of my breathing. Deep inhales, long, slow exhales. Like waves coming into shore and back out into the ocean. His touch helps calm my mind, finally allowing me to focus. The rest of the practice flows seamlessly, almost effortlessly, without any thought or interruption. My clear breath leads me through the remaining balancing and spine strengthening series. By the final posture, savasana, my heart beat is the only thing I hear. Boom. Boom. Boom. Amazing vibes flow from the tips of my baby toes to the top of my forehead. Bliss. I take in a final deep inhalation through my nose, filling my lungs to the brim with fresh oxygen, and letting it all out. Ahhhhhhhh! I walk out of the class, ready to face the day ahead with the clear mind that a great yoga practice brings.

I pass the instructor on my way out, and I place my hands in prayer at my heart center and bow to him in gratitude, I say: "The divine in me bows to the divine in you.” It's the English translation of the Sanskrit word ‘namaste’, used at the end of class to close a yoga practice. He smiles widely; a massive piece of spinach is caught in his braces.

I cannot stop smiling for the rest of the day.

Check out LuluLemon's Hot Racer Bra.
It's barely-there back and breathe-ability makes it one of my faves for an intense hot yoga practice!