July 17, 2015

Day 26

On vacation. Ahhh, sweet summertime in my East Coast homelands of Connecticut and New York.

I’m happy to say – more than halfway into week 4 of my commitment to “regular” yoga – I am still committed. I will admit, week 2 I did yoga 5 days instead of 6, between travel days, and celebrating my daughter’s 8th birthday on the Fourth of July. But I managed 6 days of yoga during week 3, with a little added time to compensate for my missed day in week 2.

In the name of traveling light, I did not bring such luxurious props as my Barefoot Yoga Zafu meditation pillow. A couple of evenings I found myself full of dinner, and still with no practice under my belt. I stacked a bunch of pillows which squashed down when I sat on them. Although this did not provide the comfort I’m used to from my mediation throne at home (a Zafu on top of a zabuton) – it definitely sufficed.

At this point in my “yoga revival” I have become much better about getting up early, and doing a morning asana practice – which is sometimes still difficult to motivate myself for – but seems to be getting easier. I have found rolling out a mat, setting my watch to 30 or 35 minutes, and just starting it without thinking too much about it works best. Also, I have done many of these practices outdoors, and have reconnected to the joy of yoga in nature. In a few instances, when I took my almost 90 year-old mother to her 3 day a week work out at the hospital, I walked to a small park/playground a few minutes away, and practiced on a nice flat patch of grass. I am looking forward to visiting this spot for a final time tomorrow.

I have also enjoyed yoga on the beach for the past two days. One of my favorite spots to meditate is where the water hits the beach, and creates a shelf. As one who has always been stiff in the hip and groins – a lift for my seat is a necessity for comfortable meditation, and the natural lift I get on the side of a hill, or the shelf on the beach works perfectly. I believe the roar of the ocean is as good a background sound for yoga/meditation as I have found, although birds chirping the sound of breeze in the trees is pretty darn nice too.

During some of these asana and meditation practices I have felt elation. I have felt increasing strength, and uplift. At other times, I have had to push myself to keep going. But in every case, I have felt better, more balanced, more even-keeled as a result of my almost daily practice.

Normally I accompany my words with pictures of various yoga tools our 17 year-old company Barefoot Yoga offers. Today, I’m providing a picture of me meditating on the naturally formed cushion that is without question one of my favorite for meditation. As we at Barefoot Yoga have said from the start, we offer these products as tools to help achieve more peace and stillness through the practice of yoga when there is restlessness of the mind, intellect and spirit. These tools are only external props that we have personally enjoyed in our experiences. The true pathway is within yourself.

July 16, 2015

With all the awesome clothes and beautiful props we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by everyday, we couldn’t help but spend some time thinking of our perfect summertime look from top to bottom– whether it’s for going to class and just hanging out with friends!

The Look: On the Way to Class

If you’re heading out to class, you want to feel comfy, grounded and ready for any pose! (And, it doesn’t hurt to feel put together enough to stop by the grocery store on the way home, either!)

OMgirl Vitality Racer paired with the Alignment Bra and Hatha Capri

The Vitality Racer offers a relaxed and easy-to-wear racerback style, and we adore it paired with the simple yet eye catching design of the Alignment Bra. Add the supremely comfy Hatha Capri for a look that’s just breezy enough to keep you cool during hotter summer temperatures while providing enough coverage and flexibility for any class! (Going to a hot yoga class? Toss the tank into your mat bag and just go with the bra to keep extra cool!)

And, if you’re like us and find the ease of a yoga mat bag hard to beat, we love the look above paired with the bright, sunny colors of the Mysore Pattern Mat Bag.

Wondering what’s in our yoga mat bag on the way to class? Try an Original Eco Mat, strap, and eye pillow!

The Look: Day to Night

This is our current fav for a casual, comfortable look that works for grabbing a coffee and some local produce at the farmers market before having your closest pals over for a home cooked meal.

OMgirl Goddess Tank paired with the Asana Bra and Fresh Skirt in Paradise Palm

We couldn’t help but fall in love with the breezy, tropical feel of this patterned skirt, especially when combined with the flattering, form fitting look of the Goddess Tank. Try wearing it over the classic Asana Bra for optimal coverage and support (we found the tank a bit sheer to wear all on its own!).

Then, when it rolls around to dinnertime we love using the Mandala Embroidered Zafu for a comfortable and intimate way to dine with friends. This is especially convenient if you’re having a larger number of people over, or if you’re a city dweller whose coffee table doubles as a dining one!

Want to take a look online to put together your own favorite ensembles? Come visit us at barefootyoga.com! We’ve got you covered – no matter the sporty, cute, or casual style you’re looking for!

July 14, 2015

Founded in 2000, Yoga Center of Minneapolis has become an important fixture in the city’s yoga community. Their mission is “to make yoga accessible to everyone at every stage of life,” and they truly deliver on this goal by offering classes ranging from their Absolute Beginner Class to advanced teacher training.

They have a number of specialty programs, including a class for plus-size men and women which was created by Yoga Center’s founder, Jennifer Gray. The class promotes the idea that “Every Body is a Yoga Body,” and helps students to gain confidence and reduce anxiety. Another fun and popular class is Happy Hour Yoga, a one hour slow flow Vinyasa class for only $8.00!

Yoga Center of Minneapolis gives back to their community through the Karma Yoga Fund, which raises money via weekly donation-based classes. These funds go towards providing yoga classes to those facing life-threatening illness and economic disadvantage. They also encourage their teacher trainees to make it a priority to donate their time and energy to bring yoga to those who need it.

Barefoot Yoga has been proud to call Yoga Center of Minneapolis a valued customer for over a decade, and you can find a number of our products at Yoga Center’s boutique, including our Hybrid Eco Mats, Yoga Mat Bags and Zafus.