A very yogi christmas!

It is a poorly kept secret of mine that I absolutely LOVE christmas. To give you an idea of how much I love it, I have been listening to christmas songs since November - as I do every year (this was a rule imposed by my dad - because otherwise we would start listening to them in, like, July).

So you might be thinking (hopefully) what would a yogi like me (and especially me) want to receive under his or her christmas tree? Well, you are in luck!!! Because this post is totally dedicated to helping you pick the perfect gift for the yogi in your life!

And if you think that this is a carefully constructed ruse to give a massive hint to people re what *I* would like for christmas? Yeah - you are probably right. But hopefully it helps some others out too. I live to serve after all.

1. Yogeeks Apparel - all the things!

I have only recently found out about Yogeeks Apparel - one of the owners of this awesome yoga and vegan friendly clothing line is involved in a new project that I am part of, Yoga in the Park. They are a Sydney-based business that makes wicked-cool clothes for yogis. Just reading their mission statement makes me swoon:

"We’re all about making compassion fashionable. We test our yoga clothing on yogis, not animals & are dedicated practitioners of ahimsa (non-harming) in our own lives & throughout every stage of our design & production process."

Awesome, right? There are so many things that I want on their website. But to get the most bang for your buck, how about spoiling your yogi with a multi-pack? My choice is the muscle tee multi pack (4 muscle tees in the latest, coolest prints) but there are tank and singlet multipacks too. What better way to start off what will no doubt be a long term affair with this ethical, kickass design house? 

2. Namaste, b*tches!  

Not for every yogi, but I think this tote (available through Cafe Press) is rad. 

3. The ultimate mat

I have more than one mat already. So technically, I don't need another one. BUT if you really, really wanted to buy me (sorry - your "friend") a new mat, please let it be this one. And in Acai purple, please. Thaaaaaanks!

This is a Manduka Eko - it is like the legendary Manduka PRO and is uber durable and grippy but made from sustainable, eco-friendly  natural rubber. Plus, purple! 

4. Flop your flips to class

What better way to get to class than in a pair of flip flops that are made from yoga mats? Yep - Sanuk Yoga Mat flip flops are made from yoga mats, are vegan and are THE most comfortable flip flops I have ever worn (and as an Australian who lived most of her life on the coast, I am somewhat of a flip flop aka thongs connoisseur). I bought a pair in Hawaii but if you would really like to buy me (I mean your friend!!) a pair, this pair in brown look FAB!

5. Your in-house yogalebrity

I know - in an ideal world, you would like to be able to give your friend me for christmas (meaning private yoga classes with me, of course!) But the next best thing is surely to do yoga in the lounge room with yogi extraordinaire, Tara Stiles. Easy-peasy. And relatively cheap too!

I was lucky enough to do a class with Tara when I was in New York earlier this year and visited her beautiful studio, Strala Yoga. Her feel-good flowing classes are all centred around the idea of moving with ease - something I have focussed on in my own practice and teaching since. Her DVDs are an excellent way to bring some of this sweetness into a home practice and are ideal for someone who is just getting started. So if you are buying for a yogi newbie, this set of 4 DVDs is the ticket!

6. Super hot pants

Sexy pants make yoga more fun. Sexy pants made from recycled water bottles make yoga fun and lets you feel super-smug because not only are you a sexy yogi, you are also environmentally friendly. Doesn't your yogi loved-one deserve to feel sexy, fun and smug? Yeah? Then grab them a pair of these Teeki pants!

I have a couple of pairs and I LOVE them. They feel amazing, fit great, are a flattering cut, super comfortable and always elicit lovely compliments from my fellow yogis. I have the Clouds Hot Pant and Mermaid Goddess Capris, but this cheetah print (called Awakening) is the next on my wish-list. I am sure yogi in your life would love them too!

7. Ahimsa* assistance

Shopping for a vegan or vegan-curious yoga buddy? Give them a helping hand by buying them a gorgeous vegan cook book! There are heaps out there, but I am going to suggest this new one, Veganissimo, by Sydney-based vegan cook, Leigh Drew. I picked it because I have been lucky enough to have eaten Leigh's yummo vegan cooking before and can attest that it is AMAZING!

*Not sure what Ahimsa is or what is so yogi about it? Well, ahimsa is one of the five yamas or restrictions that form the first of the eight limbs of yoga. It essentially translates to "non-violence" and while it encompasses many practices such as abstaining from violence in all forms (i.e. violent actions, words and even thoughts), it is often interpreted as not only meaning you should not harm other humans, but also not harming all other animals too. Which is why many yogis are also vegetarian or vegan.

8. The "Ohmygoddess I love you more than my Lululemon Wunder Under pants" gift 

This is the absolute ultimate yogi gift. Like, you will get so many karma credits for this puppy that you could probably get away with killing someone and still be in the black. Well not really because ahimsa, you guys! But you get my point. This is pretty massive.

The yoga retreat!!!

There are many of these, but I would LOVE to go to this one in Ubud, Bali next year which is being put on by my fave yoga studio, House of Yoga. A week long retreat of yoga goodness at Michael Franti's Soulshine Oasis Retreat Centre.

Drool. I can't imagine anything more magical!


But remember, while all these gifts are shiny and pretty (and feel free to buy me ANY of them!) christmas is a perfect time to celebrate all of the gifts that you already have - because you already have everything you need to be happy residing within you. So surround yourself with love, be grateful for everything this beautiful life bestows on us, and smile a lot. It will give you so much more than even a week in paradise can! (Although, there is nothing to say that you can't practice gratitude and smile lots while at a retreat wearing sexy pants and practicing asana on your lovely new mat... arm, right?"

xox Namaste! ;)

What's your dream?

My yoga teacher training has finally started - yay!

Today was day two. I was incredibly anxious before starting - but that is nothing unusual for me. Anything that is unfamiliar and involves lots of other people makes me nervous. My belly was all full of butterflies and it felt like the first day of school. Which I guess it kind of was.

I had the usual first day worries: Like what if no one likes me? What if I'm not good enough? What if I fail? What if I don't enjoy it and it is all a waste of money and time? Blah, blah, blah.

But so far, so good! Everyone is lovely, I don't feel like I am in over my head and I am really loving it.

One thing that has become clear though is that the course involves more than just learning the skills to become a teacher. It is going to be quite a personal journey too with a lot of digging deep. And it is definitely looking beyond just the physical side of yoga - the asanas. We are gaining an understanding of all of the elements and how they can be integrated so that we can achieve increased flow throughout the body and a quietened mind. It is heavy but amazing stuff.

Today, a relatively simple exercise left me feeling a bit lost and, as a result, quite introspective. We were asked to discuss in small groups what our dream life would look like if there were no obstacles. Basically, let our minds go wild and put out to the world our greatest fantasies for an ideal life. What could be easier?

Some people seemed to have no trouble at all. They could articulate beautifully what their perfect life would be like down to the finest detail. And it was out-there stuff too. Global empires and what not.

Me? Well, I came up with some cool stuff, I guess. A house in the rainforest but also near the sea - perhaps in Bangalow. But I wouldn't live there all the time. Nooo. Because I would still have to keep my job, wouldn't I? I would work in the city and then, when I needed to escape, I could go to the house in Bangalow. Oh and I would have a dog in addition to my two cats.

Seriously. I let my mind run wild and that is the best I could do!?! A holiday home and a dog? Thing is, every time I thought of something cool - like living on a tropical island, teaching yoga and looking after stray kittens and puppies - this voice would come into my head saying "But you have to be realistic! Otherwise, you are being silly!"

It didn't seem to matter to me that the aim exercise wasn't to think about what I could realistically achieve. I was meant to be thinking big, thinking outside what might seem possible. I was allowed to be silly!

I found this to be really confronting. Like if I said something crazy, I would be ridiculed if I then failed to achieve it. Which is daft, really. Because when others shared their awesome hopes and dreams, my instinct was not to ridicule them. It was to encourage them. Their dreams sounded great. And I wanted to think of ways that they could actually achieve maybe even just one small part of their dream to help them on their way.

But I was still unable to think of anything for myself. I am just not sure what my real dream is. There is definitely a lot of work for me to do around this.

Hmmm...

So day two and I am already feeling challenged. Imagine where I will be by the end of the year!!