July 28, 2010

It’s just starting to look like summer, here in the Pacific Northwest. The sun is shining, the rain clouds are mostly in hiding, and we’re finally pulling out our hot weather yoga gear! To celebrate the changing season, we thought we would pass along a few of our picks for these warmer days…

The OMgirl Practice Shorts are a long-time favorite of yogis practicing Bikram, Ashtanga, and Hot Yoga. They’re also perfect for those hot and humid days when you just don’t feel like pulling on capris or pants. They have a gusseted crotch for comfort and a roll-top waist for style. Plus, they’re embellished with an OM symbol on the hip. They do run a tad small, so we recommend ordering a size up, if you’re between sizes.

In the photo above, the Practice Shorts are paired with one of our best-selling camisoles. This organic cotton Practice Cami is available in a wide array of solid colors, as well as this Aura Wash version. It has criss-cross straps, a beautiful neckline (not too high or too low), and a built-in shelf bra. It is so cute and comfortable, Barefoot Yoga staff are often found wearing it to work as a base layer (and to yoga class after work, of course!).

If you’re not into the short shorts, OMgirl has produced a longer OM Short that’s ideal for yoga class. They hit around the mid-to-lower thigh and feature a super soft cotton mesh around the side of the knee for breathability and style. So far, we’ve gotten rave reviews!

In addition to yoga practice clothing, we also carry several yoga lifestyle pieces that are perfect for summer. A new one this season is OMgirl’s Resort Dress – a sexy and extremely comfortable piece that can be dressed up or down in a number of ways (it can also be used as a swimsuit cover up for beach time!). It’s made from a mix of modal and the amazingly soft and high-quality pima cotton.

We’re also liking some of the recent Prana skirts, including the Louisa and the Sugar Mini Skirt. The Louisa is made from 100% organic cotton and features really sweet embroidered flowers and pick stitching. The Sugar Mini can be worn casually, but also acts as a jogging skirt (a wonderful phenomenon that’s quickly gaining popularity). The Mini has a gusseted crotch and built-in short for total comfort.

Finally, though we too adore easy beach reads, why not complement your yoga practice by mixing in a couple of yoga-oriented books? Here are a few of our picks for this summer:

• A Path with Heart
• Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul
• Bhagavad Gita
• Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life

For those of you in the northern hemisphere – Happy Summer 2010! As always, let us know if you have any questions. Email us at info@barefootyoga.com or call 1-877-227-3366.

Namaste!

June 11, 2010

“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”  ~B.K.S. Iyengar

Iyengar is one of many styles of yoga practiced around the world today. It was developed by Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar who was born in Karnataka, India in 1918. Having practiced yoga for most of his life,  Iyengar is certainly one of the most renowned teachers of our time. He has written a handful of books, including “Light on Life“, “Light on Yoga“, and “The Tree of Yoga“. There are also many books about Iyengar’s style of yoga; “Yoga the Iyengar Way” by Silva, Mira & Shyam Mehta is a popular one that’s endorsed by the yogi himself. His daughter, Geeta Iyengar, has also written a book about the style that is specific for women called “Yoga: A Gem for Women“.

The Iyengar style is rooted in the eight limbs of yoga, which are described at length in the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali“.  It’s a form of Hatha Yoga that puts focus on strength, endurance, balance, and alignment. The style also stresses the benefits of concentration and meditation in body, mind and spirit. A series of asanas and pranayama, Iyengar yoga involves several standing poses and the use of multiple props to assist in achieving correct alignment in postures. Commonly used Iyengar props are hard Foam Blocks, Practice Straps, and Yoga Blankets.

One may experience far more adjustments in Iyengar yoga than in other styles, since Iyengar highly stresses that anatomical correctness is essential to balancing all aspects of our being. Sequencing of the asanas varies from practice to practice, in order to challenge the body. Also, a decent amount of time is spent in each asana to allow time for the fine adjustments and to fully benefit from the posture. Iyengar yoga really delves into the mind and spirit aspect – it is not merely a physical practice.

Though Iyengar himself teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune, India, there are hundreds of Iyengar certified instructors in the United States and around the world. The Iyengar Yoga: National Association of the United States is a great resource for Iyengar teachers and studios across the country.

Namaste!

May 17, 2010

Welcome to our first “studio spotlight” post! Recently, we asked studio owners around the world how they make their studios more eco-friendly. One of the responses we received was from the owner of Heaven Meets Earth, Lisa Faremouth Weber.

Opened five years ago in Evanston, Illinois, Lisa’s vision for Heaven Meets Earth was to have an easily accessible studio for both kids and adults. She discovered a great spot in a residential part of town that was ideal for students to walk or bike to class. She also had the vision of creating an eco-friendly studio and chose to use all sustainable building materials for the construction, despite the higher costs. The studio has bamboo floors and low-to-no VOC paint. Water is available for students to fill their reusable water bottles and all paper products are made from recycled paper. Currently, Heaven Meets Earth is partnering with other businesses in Evanston to replace the older exit signs with LED signs.

The entire staff of the studio makes a conscious effort to turn off lights, whenever possible. They are also educated in eco-friendly practices, such as veganism, and share this knowledge with the community. Heaven Meets Earth has an Eco-Boutique that offers a wide array of products and uses email technology for receipts, rather than waste paper. As Lisa puts it, “Together we are creating community and setting an example of ways to care for the Earth and each other.”

We’re so inspired by the eco-efforts of studios around the world. We love to hear from studios and students, so feel free to send us an email about how your studio inspires you! Emails can be sent to info@barefootyoga.com.

~Namaste~

April 23, 2010

We recently came across a great posting on the Consumer Reports Health Blog about choosing eco-friendly mats for your yoga practice. The article may be from 2008, but it’s certainly still relevant and worth sharing!

The posting makes a good point about how eco-friendliness can range from mat to mat, as can the price, due to the cost of materials used. Some mats are certainly more eco-friendly than others, though all are considered better for the environment and your body than mats made from PVC.

At Barefoot Yoga Co., we strive to offer a wide array of possibilities, from the extremely environmentally friendly “Original Eco Yoga Mat” to mats made from TPE and PER. We also offer other alternatives, such as our Mysore Practice Rugs.

We encourage our customers to buy “green” whenever possible and to find a yoga mat that works for your practice. Feel free to contact us at info@barefootyoga.com or by calling 877-227-3366. We are happy to answer any questions about our products.

Namaste!