Posts from ‘yoga’
I can’t resist handcrafted cuteness, so when I discovered Une Belle Energie’s Etsy shop and saw her adorable yoga mat bags, I was smitten. Made from burlap and muslin cotton, the bag has a natural, earthy look. The interior can hold a large yoga mat, and there’s ample room for a change of clothes or a post-yoga snack. The bag fits comfortably over one shoulder and the weight of the yoga mat felt evenly distributed. What sets the bag apart, however, is the hand-stitched felt detail. It’s playful and fun, and definitely projects “une belle energie” (which is French for “good energy”).
Hayley Swinson, the girl behind Une Belle Energie, answered a few questions for me about her delightful yoga mat bags. She’s a multi-talented girl, so learn more about her on her website and check out her other creations on Tumblr.
How did you decide to start making yoga mat bags?
I have always been interested in yoga, but it wasn’t until last winter in Montreal that I started taking regular classes. In class, I saw many people coming in with generic mat bags that were more utilitarian than aesthetically pleasing. It wasn’t until I started working at Yoga-à-Porter in May, however, that the idea came to me to create my own. At the store, we sold a couple different bags, but none of them was particularly unique or interesting. My boss, Caroline, knew I was into sewing and crafting, and one day suggested that I try creating my own bag. I took home one of the bags at the store for sizing, came up with my design and went from there. Continue Reading
I stumbled across this video and hoped to get some insights into running a profitable global yoga brand. But alas, all John Friend talked about was love.
He claims that many people “disassociate business or the production of a marketable product with the heart.” They think “there’s love and then there’s business.”
Personally, I find love a little intangible, and am more interested in business practices based in ethics, respect and transparency.
What do you think: can we be in business relationships that arise out of love? Can we work together for the highest intention?
And can you trust an ad for yoga products masquerading as a reflection on yogic business practices?
At the beginning of January, the New York Times published an article called “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body,” which set the online yoga world on fire. Well, that was an excerpt from a book The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards, by William J. Broad. The rest of the book is now ready for the world.
I’ve seen this book referred to as “a book about yoga injuries,” but that’s hardly the case. The topic of injuries only amounts to one chapter (obviously, falling under the category of “risk”). Rather, the book is a meticulous look at a century and a half of scientific research on how yoga affects general health and healing, moods, sex and creativity. Much of this research has been ignored; Broad’s task was to bring it to light.
In the introduction, Broad states his research process and his initial surprise at what he discovered about yoga. “Overall, the risks and benefits turned out to be far greater than anything I ever imagined. Yoga can kill and maim – or save your life and make you feel like a god.”
Judging by initial responses to the NYT article excerpt, many people are perceiving this book as a threat to yoga. However, the book actually addresses a very real threat that yoga practitioners face right now – the lack of reliable information about the benefits and risks of the practice. Continue Reading
Imagining a safe, accessible, ethical world for the future of yoga (image via metrolpolismag.com)
What does the future of yoga hold? Flying yoga mats? Hologram instructors? Geodesic dome studio/community spaces? Yoga vacations to the moon?
A little post on the Huffington Post last week looked into the crystal ball and asked about “The Future of Yoga in America” (I just have to say that nothing irritates me more than references to “yoga in America” – yoga happens in countries besides the USA and at a similar rate).
After sketching “a brief outline of the evolution of yoga” (in three paragraphs!), yoga teacher and therapist Ira Israel looks at the divide that has emerged between “spiritual” and “non-spiritual” yoga, and credits increased property values and rent with the proliferation of yoga teacher trainings. He also uses examples from his experience in becoming a licensed therapist, offering a possible model to ensure that yoga teachers go through the proper channels and can “do no harm.” Continue Reading
Yoga Without Borders, a Toronto-based yoga service organization dedicated to social change, is hosting its first Take Action summit on Saturday, January 28. With only 60 available spots, the event is already sold out, but it will be streamed online at livestream.com/yogawithoutborders.
The idea behind the summit is to bring together yoga organizations committed to social service and grassroots activism along with experts in networking and fundraising to help get their message out. Networking guru Donna Messer and social media expert Syerah Virani will be among the speakers.
“The idea is to gather and pool our resources,” says Salimah Kassim-Lakha [the director of Yoga Without Borders], calling it an opportunity to create a network that will be supportive and motivating.
“A lot of times grassroots activists stay within their own circles and don’t hear about what others are doing. We end up reinventing the wheel, over and over again.”
Among the seven organizations participating are: Freeing the Human Spirit, which has created a yoga program for Canadian inmates; Off the Mat into the World, which has recently focused on raising funds for Haiti; and Sangha of Hope, which uses trauma-sensitive yoga to help female survivors of physical, mental and sexual violence. (via healthzone.ca)
Facebook Like Box
