Have you ever had the experience of wanting something, like say a new car, only to find that you're seeing the exact car that you want all over the road? There's a name for this phenomenon, I know, but for the life of me I can't remember it (anyone? anyone?). It's some sort of Law of Attraction thing, along the lines of the more you focus on something, the more it shows up in your life. I can personally vouch for this one, as it's happened in my life time and time again.
Yoga is just one example. Once I started to take an interest in the practice, things starting showing up in my life -- workshops, yoga classes, yoga studios, PBS specials, etc. All I had to do was tune into the yoga frequency and viola -- yoga showed up in various forms (and in places I had never thought to look -- often right in front of my nose). Granted, I'd probably been surrounded by yoga for years prior, but I only started noticing it once I opened my eyes to it.
With my eyes now wide open, I see yoga everywhere. Yes, it took a little trial and error to find a style of yoga that worked for me and teachers that I resonated with but all of that trial and error introduced me to a whole new world -- the world of yoga. Even though I now have a personal practice that works for me, I still like to keep my eyes open to see what's out there. Sure, I don't always agree with what I see (I'm still not a fan of yoga as exercise or one-size-fits-all yoga), but it's fun to keep and open mind and see what's out there.
If you're looking for a little yoga eye-opening, here are some ways to do it:
Free Events at the Yoga Journal Conference This Weekend
If you live in or around the NYC area and want to enjoy the NY Yoga Journal Conference without the high conference fees, take advantage of this very cool schedule of FREE events. I know, I know -- usually Yoga Journal Conferences aren't exactly a bargain, but I can honestly say that this is the best line up of free events that I've seen from the folks over at YJ. It's nice to see an exception to the "you get what you pay for" rule.
Yoga Coupons Delivered to Your Smartphone
eYogaPass brings yoga class discounts directly to your Smartphone. You choose the eYogaPass for your state and a personalized pass for your state will be emailed to your Smartphone within 48 hours along with a list of participating studios offering free first time visits, discounted classes, package specials and other great deals. Ah, the joys of technology! eYogaPasses usually run about $15 but a recent perusal of the site shows that many are on sale for $9.99. Eighteen states are currently available, so you might want to check them out if you're interested in getting yoga deals delivered directly to your phone. If you travel often, you can also buy yourself a travel version of the eYogaPass for discounts on travel outside of your local area.
Wanderlust Yoga in the City
First Sex in the City and now...Yoga in the City. Wanderlust, the yoga and music festival that originated in CA, has partnered with smartwater to create individual Yoga in the City events that offer a day full of relaxation and rejuvenation. Here are the upcoming Yoga in the City events:
May 18th AT&T Arts Center in Dallas, TX
June 2nd Piedmont Park in Atlanta, GA
June 7th Pier 63 in New York, NY
July 19th Grant Park in Chicago, IL
July 24th Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA
August 4th Space Needle Park in Seattle, WA
It looks like many of the events are free. You can find more info at the Wanderlust Facebook Page.
Taking an Energy Regeneration Day
Last month Shiva Rea launched YEA! Yoga Energy Activism, which runs through September. The goal is to turn us regular yoga-loving folks into energy activists by participating in scheduled Energy Regeneration Days that require unplugging from polluting energy and toxins. The idea is to generate energy by resting, partaking in healing practices, enjoying peace or play, natural joy, juicing up, and finding creative ways to source yourself. Simply join the Facebook Group, unplug on the days on the schedule, and post your experience on the Facebook Group. What a great way to take a break from stress, be kind to the environment, and spend some time on internal pursuits rather than external distractions. Here's a message from Shiva about this very cool challenge:
See, if you're looking, you'll find it. Have fun keeping your eyes peeled.
Namaste!