Posts from ‘d.i.y.’
Longtime IAYB readers know that I think yoga socks (and shoes) are pretty much the most ridiculous things ever. However, at the end of a long Montreal winter and slipping around on cold apartment floors, I’m ready to accept the reality. Sometimes you just need some coverage during, before, or after practice!
So these cozy hand knit toe-less/heel-less socks from Made by Meg on Etsy are so adorable that my heart breaks a little every time I look at them. They’re wool/nylon/bamboo and available in a range of colours. And hand-knitted by some perfectly cute crafty girl in New York state!
At $35 a pair, they’re a little more pricey than the industrially-produced grippy socks – but if you’re familiar with the price of yarn (expensive!) and have any idea of the hours of labour involved, it’s a deal. You’ll also be supporting DIY talent and a home-run business.
Check out all the colours on Made by Meg’s Etsy shop. If you’re crafty and want to take on the challenge, you can find the pattern (for $5) from the Knit Cafe. And if you’re super crafty, you can eyeball the pic and figure out how to make them yourself.
In this video from TEDxRegina, Nikko Snyder talks about her transformation from habitual consumption to creative production. Starting off with a year-long challenge to buy nothing new, she went on to learn how to garden, live off the grid and help others learn how to grow their own food. In the process, she’s learned about community, collaboration and empathy.
Nikko concludes by calling for a similar project on a collective scale. She gives us a two-fold challenge: practice being more conscious in consumption (keeping it simple), and do it with attention and awareness. Nikko encourages us to listen to what’s going on in ourselves and the world, and be open to whatever we discover.
I’m going to participate in the challenge for the month of July by keeping track of the money I spend. How about you? What practice will you choose to be more conscious in your consumption?
Let us know in the comments and share your experiences!
Not all revolutions start in the streets. A revolution of the heart and mind may have more subtle origins. And sometimes you can start this revolution quietly, in your own community.
Offering yoga to underserved populations is one of the most radical things a concerned yogi can do. But how do you bring the practice of yoga to people who may not have access to it? What do you need to shine in the name of service? Here are three resources to help you start a revolution of the heart – before you jump out of the studio and into the streets.
Get Connected: Yoga Service Council Membership
The YSC has just opened membership opportunities to interested individuals and organizations. Membership will help the budding council increase connection between people in the field of yoga service, broaden its reach, and strengthen its capacity to provide leadership opportunities.
For an annual fee of $60, members receive access to a forthcoming journal, discounts for upcoming Yoga Service Conferences and the eligibility to submit for conference faculty positions.
Get Informed: Yoga Activist Website
Washington DC-based Yoga Activist is an online hub that supports connectivity across the yoga outreach community. Their website is chock full of information to help teachers prepare to offer high-quality yoga service work to their communities, track their effectiveness and connect with service providers.
Check out Yoga Activist’s trainings, resources and directories.
Get Researched: Kelly McGonigal’s DIY Research Resources
If you’re approaching organizations or have a strong interest in creating a yoga service program, you may need hard data that back up your claims about yoga’s benefits. For her presentation at the Yoga Service Conference, Kelly McGonigal compiled everything you need to know to find, do and communicate research. This research can then used to evaluate and improve programs, secure funding, and present findings to others.
Be sure to look through her slideshow from the conference and her many links to relevant resources.
image via huffingtonpost.ca
It’s May Day, and the people are calling for a General Strike, a day without the 99%.
After a winter of dormancy, the Occupy movement has been slowly awakening over the past weeks, and today there are actions planned around North America. Continue Reading
The entrance to goodyoga, at 73 Cayler Street, Brooklyn (image via Facebook)
Well, not a whole studio! The good folks at goodyoga, an “urban ashram for artists, travelers and yogis” in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighbourhood, are on a mission to raise cash for their short term operating costs. They’re also pursuing the purchase and renovation of the building that they affectionately call “goodpoint.”
From their Indiegogo page:
We need to raise at least $20,000 to cover the professional fees that are associated with the primary actions we need to take to preserve goodpoint. Lawyers, Architects, Engineers, Brokers and Inspectors all need to be paid for their services before we can even compose an offer to our Landlady. This involves a great deal of support and coordination. gooddeed llc, Flannery and Ray’s Partnership that is the current holding company for goodyoga ltd, a soon to be Benefit Corporation, is debt free and we need to keep it that way so that the company’s credit remains mint for the $5m SBA CDC-504 Loan we’ll be applying for to cover the project.
I stayed at the beautiful and sprawling goodyoga loft space a couple of years ago and have been staying connected through their weekly newsletters and social media. Ray and Flannery, the brains behind the whole good operation, are lovely and creative, and they’ve drawn a lively community into their sphere. goodyoga is more than a yoga studio – it’s a bed and breakfast, and it’s also Ray and Flannery’s home.
If you’ve ever practiced at goodyoga, live in Greenpoint/Brooklyn, or just believe in community-based, innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to yoga, then consider supporting goodyoga’s campaign!
