when harry met brigette

Good thing the Boston event was so worth while.... because when it was over, we had to go all the way back to the south.  Our next event was in Austin, TX.  This time, a 30 hour drive!  Yikes!

I wasn't so lucky to have the opportunity to take the car again, since I had it last time.  That meant I was at the discretion of the rest of our crew for this jaunt.  It wasn't so bad, though.  The first night we stopped in Toledo, Ohio, where my tour manager's parents live.  His family treated us to dinner and we headed out early the next morning.  Lucky for me, St. Louis was also on the way, so I was able to stop for a night back home.  I stayed at my parent's house and spent some much needed time with my fam.  Its funny, because now that the end is near, I was totally ready for my travels to be over.  Its hard to stay focused on what's right in front of you, when you are ready for the next step.  Once we got to Austin, though, I was able to come back to the "now."

Austin was a really cool city.  We were excited for this event, because some folks from Kashi headquarters were going to be in town to catch up and talk about the future of the tour.  After being part of something so meaningful, I was eager to discuss possibilities of this venture for years to come.  For me, this tour was a one time deal.  But, I still care a great deal about its effectiveness for next time around.  The Kashi team is very passionate about what they do.  No one who works there is just there to collect a paycheck.  People work there because they are on a mission to provide the best product possible and help educate people along the way to lead healthy & happy lives.  Its pretty impressive, actually.  We went out to dinner as a group and shared ideas, feedback and memorable moments of this year's tour.  It was great to celebrate our journey thus far.

As far as the event, this time we were at a LIVESTRONG event.  It was our first indoor event, but given that Boston was so damn cold, we were all ok with that... even though Austin isn't cold.  It was the principle.  This event was very moving.  Many folks had been training for months to participate in the charity ride on Sunday.  There were several different options for distance, but the longest ride was a whopping 90 miles!  Lance Armstrong himself was there participating with the best of them.  It was cool to see him in action and hear him speak to the crowd with such eloquent words of wisdom about living.  

In addition to the excitement around Lance, there were also other celebrities at this event.  My personal favorite, Evan Handler (aka: Harry from Sex in the City).  Apparently, he had leukemia twice in his mid-twenties and successfully beat it both times.  He was at the event promoting his new book, "Its Only Temporary."  The book is a great read.  Its a light-hearted, yet respectful approach to continuing to live your life, even when you have no idea of the outcome in the near future.  He has a very interesting perspective to battling cancer.  I highly recommend the book, for sure.  I made friends with "Harry" at the event and tried my best to get him to do a yoga class with me.  He wasn't so sure his first yoga class should be in public, since he was expecting the worst.  I let up on him, after a few attempts.  He is a very nice man, though.  He seems to be a genuinely caring person, even in the Hollywood spotlight.  It was refreshing to see someone in his scene with such a down-to-earth attitude.  If you read his book, let me know what you think.  

The rest of the event was a lot of fun, too.  The last day, we were set up near the finish line of the ride, so I got to work with the cyclists as they came off their ride.  Working with athletes is a whole new ball game, when it comes to yoga.  They have very strong, fierce bodies, but very strong, fierce minds to go right along with it.  They are conditioned to compete... so, that's just what they do, even on the yoga mat.  Yoga is so good for athletes, but I had to be very careful to keep the class at the same level (as much as possible) so no one gets hurt.  To anyone who regularly attends yoga classes, you know how difficult this task may be.  It may seem a little odd, since part of yoga is learning that everyone is going to look different on their mat.  But, we are talkin' baby steps here.  I had less than 30 minutes with each of them.  My goal was to teach them a few alignment principals they could use during their warm ups and cool down and keep them safe.   It was fun, but it was a challenge!  We had a lot of fun that day!

After Austin, we were originally scheduled for an event in Houston.  Since the hurricane hit so hard in Houston, our event there was cancelled.  Way too much damage... so sad.  With that being said, we had to work in another event to take its place.  To my surprise, we were headed to Springfield, MO!  I was thrilled with this news.  It was on our way back to st. louis AND I was eager to get back to Missouri.  What a great last stop this was going to be :)

Lance Armstrong.

LIVESTRONG Charity Ride.

When Harry met Brigette...hehe.

Kashi's own, Dave Lamb (this is the guy in their TV commercial).

road trip into fall

The bad news, we had a 24 hour drive ahead... the good news, I had some fun stops to make along the way.  

Going from Sarasota to Boston was a long haul!  The total drive time was 24 hours, and that doesn't count stopping here and there.  After reviewing our route options to get from point A to point B, I realized I had two choices, (1) dread the drive... or (2) make it one of the most fun weeks yet.  As you may have guessed, I chose the later of the two options :)

I broke off from the rest of my crew for this little road trip I had planned.  Fortunately, we have a chase car (the kashimobile).  I was able to take the car on my own this time and was free to make stops wherever I saw fit.  

My first destination was Durham, NC.  My friends Katie and Doug have lived there for a few years, now, and I had yet to visit.  Perfect opportunity!  Katie and I met several years ago in my advertising days at Zipatoni.  I made so many great friends at that job.  Katie and I have a very unique relationship where we can tell each other absolutely anything without even questioning judgement.  She is one of those friends that is a lifer, from the start.  Probably one of the sweetest people I know.  I was thrilled to see her and her husband, Doug, in the place they now call home.  As expected, their house was as warm and welcoming as they are.  They have a guest bedroom set up that was more accommodating than any hotel or bed & breakfast I've ever experienced.  Plus, being Katie's home, it was automatically fabulous.  The three of us went out to dinner, had great food and great wine and caught up.  In order to make it to Boston in time for work, I only had time to stay one evening with Katie and Doug.  But, we all made it well worth our time.  It was so good to see them.  It proved to me (once again) that true friendships never fail.  We had such a good time, with the little time we had.  I am so glad I got to see their happy life together in NC.  I am blessed to have people in my life like Katie and Doug.  Good people.

The next day, I took off when Katie left for work to head toward NYC to see another friend, Jess.  Spring semester of 2002, I studied abroad in London, England.  I enrolled in the program with several friends from Drury, but ended up meeting Jess there.  We were instant friends, similar to the instant friendship I had with Katie.  Sometimes you just get people right away.  Jess and I  hung out together a lot while we were in London.  She is a total foodie, so there was always a new restaurant to try or a new dessert shop to check out.  Even outside of London, we would travel to certain countries just to check out a restaurant or a certain cuisine.  Good way to travel!  Jess has an incredible sense of softness about her... a very nurturing spirit.  Back in our London days, we would sit at a little European cafe, dream about our dreams, talk about the past... we pretty much covered everything when it came to girl talk.  After our semester abroad, we were really good at keeping in touch.  We didn't talk all the time or anything, but we would find time to catch up, every so often, so we could stay up on each other's lives.  We took turns going to visit each other and made it a point to keep our friendship strong.  As with many situations like this, time had passed and passed...and passed, and Jess and I kinda lost touch.  We always knew how to get in contact with each other, but sometimes so much time passes, you feel like you don't know where to start when you do talk.  Luckily, Jess and I both knew we could pick up where we last left off, at any given moment.  Its just that our lives were growing in two separate directions (geographically) and it was getting difficult to keep up.  As soon as I figured out I could stop in NYC and see Jess, it was a plan.  The email barely even left my outbox when I received a response from Jess making plans for my visit there.  Jess is a total city girl.  I couldn't wait to see what she had in store for the night.  Once I got in town, we ventured off to SOHO for dinner with Jess' boyfriend (Matt) and her brother (Eric).  It was like we were living a scene from Sex and the City.  May seem silly to many of you, I know... but to us, it was a blast!  After dinner, Jess and I broke off on our own to have a martini and catch up.  Again, it was like time stood still.  Both of our lives have changed so much since we last met, yet our friendship was as true as can be.  I am so lucky that I got to see Jess and spend time seeing her life in NYC.  She is just as happy and bright eyed as I remembered.  

Similar to the day before, I left NYC when Jess left for work in the morning.  I timed it just right to end up in Norwalk, CT, in time for Mitchel Bleier's Advanced class on Wed.  Just like last time I was there, I decided to pop in unexpectedly.  Given that I had never taken such a long road trip, I didn't want to over commit and make plans I couldn't live up to.  This way, it was just a bonus to my trip if I made it there in time for class.  I did just that.  I got to Norwalk a little early, even.  I stopped in the coffee shop below their studio to find Mitchel with his adorable baby boy, Beck.  We had a bit of time to chat before class.  We have all sorts of fun ideas cooking for St. Louis in 2009.  Just you wait!  It's gonna be huge :)  Anyway, we went upstairs for class and enjoyed a vigorous practice.  True to Mitchel's style.  In this particular class, we worked toward headstand drop backs.  So much fun.  I will have to play with this with my st. louis yogis during my new class, "The Practice."  With the right tools, it can be a lot of fun.  I can't wait to see where we can take things back home at STY.  There is so much potential with a yoga practice.  One of the things Mitchel teaches me over and over again is to work toward your full potential.  Try new things.  See how it pans out.  I love this idea.  He is such a great teacher.  Definitely someone who inspires me beyond expectations I could ever imagine.  What a powerful teacher!

After class, I had just a few hours left until I hit Boston... FINALLY.  I was really excited to be in Boston for a few days.  It was a total different scene than what we had been around the last several months.  The south is great, don't get me wrong, but it was time for Fall.  The drive there was amazing.  Probably the most colorful beauty I've ever laid eyes on.  When the leaves change, its amazing how beautiful they get just before they die off.  Just one more example of how everything in nature pulses together.  Just like an inhale reaches its peak before you exhale.  Like a wave that gets to its highest point before it falls.  How fruit becomes so ripe and sweet before falling from a tree.  Its all the same.  We are all the same, yet all so unique.  Its amazing how perfect this world is.  

In Boston, we stayed right in the heart of Brookline.  Sunie used to live in that area, so we had her pick the hotel.  She did an excellent job!  I had been to Boston once before, but I spent most of my time in downtown Boston.  This area had so much character.  I loved that you could walk everywhere and bump into all sorts of fun coffee shops, restaurants and bookshops.  It felt the the epitome of "New England."  We had some great food in the area.

The event in Boston was packed.  We were at the Head of the Charles rowing event on the Harvard campus.  What a cool part of town.  The area we were set up was right on the water and just blocks from Harvard Square.  The rowing event in itself was pretty cool.  I had never been to anything like it.  Made me want to join a rowing team... but I quickly let go of that idea when I remembered I live in St. Louis, MO :)  There were tons of students and families around and everyone was more than eager to do yoga with me.  I had classes so full that I practically had to scream, "BREATHE."  I kinda felt like a boot camp instructor at one point...but a much nicer one, of course!  I can't complain when there are too many people wanting to do yoga.  It was a phenomenal event for us.  

Lucky for me, Jess informed me of the new Wagamama in Harvard Square.  I made sure to head in that direction for lunch on Saturday.  Wagamama is this great noodle bar chain that we discovered in London.  Its slowly, but surely, making its way to the US.  Awesome food.  Check it out, if you ever see one!

So, this week was one to remember.  There were so many exciting adventures throughout the week, that I can hardly put my finger on my favorite aspect.  Each day was completely different.  Each experience was sweet and memorable.  Once again, this week reminded me how wonderful life can be... you just have to open your eyes and see what's there.

Katie and I by my trusty Kashimobile.

Jess and me out in SOHO.

Scoping out the book scene in Brookline.

ROW!

Happy camper outside Wagamama.

YUUUUMMMMMM!

the calm after the storm

After last week in New Orleans, we were ready for a break.  We were excited for the nice relaxing week by the beach, ahead.  Sunie's family was in town visiting her and I was lucky enough to join them for an adventure exploring the Florida coast. 

Monday evening, we all met in Perdido Key, FL.  Sunie's cousin, Hampton, is very familiar with that part of Florida, so he knew all the ins and outs of the area.  We had planned to camp the first night, then head to Grayton Beach State Park to stay in cabins for the next two nights.  When we got to Perdido Key, it was sunset.  I had never camped on the actual beach, so I didn't know what to expect.  We drove up to the beach, unloaded our tents and other camp gear, and headed a few miles down the beach on foot.  Our camp site was like no other I have experienced... when I say campsite, I mean miles and miles of quartz crystal white sandy beaches.  It was pretty amazing.  By the time we reached our destination, the sun had set.  It took a while for the darkness to settle in, but by the time we cracked open a bottle of wine and sat down to eat a late dinner, the only light was the reflection of the moonlight on the water.  Our tents were staked, the ocean waves were roaring and we were happy campers.    

Around 11:30 pm, I turned in for bed.  After such a long week of craziness in New Orleans, I was more than grateful to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean on a bed of soft sand... so I thought!  Somewhere around 1:00 am, I woke up to sand hitting my face.  There winds were picking up so high that sand was coming inside our tent from underneath the rain jacket covering it.  I crawled out of the tent and attempted to restake our tent to alleviate the problem... no luck.  The winds were too strong.  I looked around for a minute or two, wondering what I would do if a bad storm rolled in while we were out there.  No shelter, other than our tents.  No where to run to, within a few minutes.  I stood there for a moment wondering what the hell I was doing camping right on the ocean in such an unfamiliar area.  It also registered that we were miles away from solid ground.  Hiking a few miles down the beach seemed to be a great idea, at the time.  I figured I was over reacting and if I just got back inside the tent, I could fall asleep and forget I even had that thought.  So that's what I did.  About an hour later, the rain started.  Then the thunder, then lightning, oh yeah... then hail.  Yep, great night at the beach!  At first, I thought the rain would be a good thing because the sand would get wet and stop blowing in our tent.  Well, that would be a good thing, if we were talking nice soft rain showers!   That wasn't the case, here.

So, Sunie and I woke up in puddles.  You see, having a tent with a waterproof bottom is a good thing, if you are keeping water out of your tent from underneath you.  When you are camping in sand and the rain jacket isn't keeping the water from seeping in the sides, not such a good thing.  The water started filling our tent like a pool.  The winds were pushing in both sides of my poor little pup tent.  We were holding the tent up with our backs pressing up against each side wall, from the inside.  At first, the water wasn't that bad, because we thought the storm would pass and everything would be fine.  About 3 to 4 hours later it wasn't so fine.  Because we had been wet for such a long time, we started to get cold.  The storm grew stronger and stronger.  We kept looking out to see what the rest of our group was doing, but no sign of anyone taking action.  Sunie's cousin's tent was flattened, but we weren't sure if they were inside or had left the campsite all together.  We had no where to go, if we got out of the tent, so we just stuck it out a bit longer.  Somewhere around 4:00 am, we heard people out and about near our tent. We were relieved to see the fire department had been sent to rescue all the campers off the beach.  You see, when we checked in, we had to sign our names at the front gate.  When you leave, you sign out.  That way, they know who is out there and who made it back safely.  Good thing we signed in because that's how they knew to come get us.  They drove vehicles down the beach and took us back to the parking lot we started from.  We left our tents and gear... at that point, I didn't even care about the stupid tent.  I was just happy to get off the beach.  The next morning, we went back for our stuff.  Surprisingly enough, it was all still there.  We didn't tough it out, but my tent sure did!  It was standing strong, still staked and everything.   What a trooper...the tent, not me :)

That day, we happily drove to Grayton Beach and stayed the next two nights in dry cabins.  We cooked meals and stayed in.  I took the longest hot shower of my life.  We did yoga in the sun room.  It still rained the next few days, but we didn't care.  We just stayed under a dry roof and enjoyed each other's company.  It was so nice to get to know Sunie's family and enjoy a bit of down time.  No Internet.  Nowhere to be.  Nowhere to go.  I like that feeling sometimes.  Sunie's family is great.  I am so happy I got the chance to get to know them and spend the week in family mode.  Lots of love, there.

Thursday we took off for Sarasota.  Sunie and I had to come back to reality and get to work.  I was very excited to get to Sarasota because one of my teachers, Desiree Rumbaugh, was holding a weekend workshop at Betsey Downing's studio (Garden of the Heart).  I was able to attend 2 sessions on Friday.  Since there was a break in between the two sessions, I got to grab a bit to eat and spend some time with Desiree and a few Sarasota folks.  It was nice to get to know some of the Anusara Kula in that area.  Such a cool part about joining yoga communities all over the nation... all of them open their arms to travelers.  All of them have been more than welcoming.  I like getting to know each city through the yogis.  Such a bright viewpoint to see.  The workshop was pretty amazing, as usual.  Desiree is complete entertainment, not to mention a wealth of knowledge.  Never a dull moment with her.  I can't wait to work with her again this February.  I am attending her next teacher training in AZ.  She has so much to offer, I can't wait to soak it all up.

The event in Sarasota was nice.  It was hot as hell, but that's expected... we were in Florida, after all.  It was another art festival.  After a while, they all seem the same.  The thing that stood out the most in Sarasota is all the nice people.  Everyone was so friendly and happy, all the time... everyone is also retired, though.  I am sure that has something to do with everyone's good mood :)  Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining!  It was a good weekend.  

After a week of rain, hot weather and lots of retired folks, we were off to Boston for the next event.  Long drive, but a fun route.  I made plans to stop and see a few old friends along the way.  Fun road trip ahead.  Stay tuned...

soaked in our tent.

after the rescue :)

breakfast with Sunie's family. 

gorgeous sunset at grayton beach.

enjoying family time with Sunie's family.

 

all that jazz

After our last event in Tampa (which I failed to even mention in my last blog), we drove to New Orleans for the week.  I was pretty excited to go to New Orleans, again.  I had been there a couple of times before, once in college for an impromptu Mardi Gras road trip and again for a work trip when I worked in the advertising industry.  This was totally different, because I had almost an entire week to explore the city, before our event.

When we first arrived, Sunie and I spent time walking the streets of the French Quarter and getting to know the city.  We popped in and out of shops - trying on hats, stopped for coffee at the corner coffee house, enjoyed dinner and drinks... it was Sunie's birthday on Tuesday, so we made sure to celebrate accordingly :)  The city is so much different in the daylight... that place has character!  The architecture, the music, the streets of n'awlens sure are alive!  Our main goal this week was to find good jazz and eat yummy Cajun food - so we did just that!  We spent some time on Frenchmen Street listening to live jazz.  I didn't realize how much fun live jazz can be!  At one point, we were enjoying the music of a 6 piece band - stand up bass, horns, washboard and spoons, the list of instruments went on and on.  And, they didn't use microphones in this place, they just sung their hearts out, loud enough for the whole bar to hear.  It was really cool.  There weren't too many lyrics anyway, but when they sung, you definitely heard it.    The best part about listening to good jazz is watching the enjoyment of the musicians.   It's not like they are out to get famous or try to be well known.  I think they just really love playing jazz music.  We had a blast watching them play the nights away...

Another evening, a few of us went to Jacques Imos for Cajun food.  This place was recommended to us by several people, so we had to go check it out.  As soon as we walked in the door, something seemed familiar... I had been to this very same restaurant years before!  The food was as authentic as can be and the decor hadn't changed a bit.  There were colored lights, crazy objects hanging from the walls and ceiling, and they led us right through the kitchen to reach the dinning room area in the back of the restaurant.  You feel a bit like you are eating in someones living room, there.  Our meals were great, just as I remembered.  

Surprisingly enough, there are some great Anusara instructors in New Orleans... Thursday afternoon, I went to Cat McCarthy's class at Swan River Yoga.  Cat is the local Anusara-certified teacher and has been a student of John Friend since 2002.  She has also studied extensively with some of my favorite teachers, including Amy Ippoliti.  I was excited to experience her class.  We worked up to one of my all time favorite poses, full vasisthasana.  There is something about the strength and openness required to get into this pose that makes it feel so good.  Cat's approach is pretty fluid, with lots of clear alignment instruction and precise demonstrations.  I had a lot of fun, getting to know her, throughout the class.   It was nice to experience the yoga community, in New Orleans.  Pretty different than my past experiences in that city!

Friday night, Sunie and I ventured off to a Burlesque show on Bourbon Street.  Once we found out that Burlesque was originated in New Orleans, we had to check it out straight from the source.  I had only been to one Burlesque show previously, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  Plus, you have to remember, we were in New Orleans for heavens sake!  The show was at the Royale Sonesta Hotel right in the heart of all the Bourbon St. action.  The venue was up close and personal, so there wasn't a bad seat in the house.  True to Burlesque tradition, the show was full of sparkly costumes, comic skits, and lots of singing and dancing... oh yeah, and a bit of strip tease.  I have to admit, there were moments where I felt like I was at a classy strip club (if that even exists), but, it was a fun experience.  While traveling, I try and find things to do that are true to the culture of the city I am in... this show was definitely New Orleans at its best!  We had a really good time.  After the show, Sunie and I took off to walk down Bourbon St.  We ended up in an empty piano bar, with less than 10 patrons and a young guy on the keys.  Before we knew it, we were singing and dancing up a storm and the bar was packed.  It was definitely a night to remember...or not :)

Our event in New Orleans was quite different than most... we were the event.  Usually, we are part of a larger scale event, like an art fair or sporting event.  Not this time.  We were set up by the Riverwalk in the Spanish Plaza.  Foot traffic was ok, but people were more interested in the daiquiri bar across the square, than a yoga class.  To pick up the action, I taught a few classes to our staff, so people could at least watch a yoga class and maybe pick up a thing or two.  Needless to say, time crept by at this particular event.  It was a good effort, just not our most well-attended event.

After a week in New Orleans, all I wanted to do was sleep, sleep, sleep.  Saturday night, I think I slept 15 hours, or something crazy like that.  That city is exhausting!  Don't get me wrong, I did it to myself, but how can you miss all the action in a place like this!  We had a lot of fun - we saw the sights, danced to the jazz, and soaked up every bit of the action on the wild streets of this Cajun city.  It was a good time, to say the least.

As usual, I was more than ready for the next stop... Florida beaches here we come!  Hanging out in a place where the biggest party animals are 70+ years old, sounded A-OK to me!   I needed some rest...

night night!

Hat time!

Jazz on Frenchmen Street.

Jacques Imos

Cat and I at Swan River Yoga.

Sporting our new hats :)

Burlesque Show (with clothes on).

Apparently, I wanted to be the piano man!

yoga haven

About a month ago, I was very lucky to receive notice that I was moved off the waiting list for the Yoga Journal Anusara conference, in Estes Park.  Since the start of this tour, I've been very fortunate to attend classes and workshops with over 15 Anusara-certified instructors, across the country.  This conference felt like the pinnacle of those experiences, wrapped into 3 days.  I was thrilled with the idea of being surrounded by 800+ Anusara Yogis at once, including John Friend's select top teachers! 

On top of the excitement of being around so many new friends, I was also anticipating seeing some of St. Louis' own top yogis. Jan and Mitch Herzog, Jill Dunlap, Jenn Tara Ward and Keith Mitchel, were attending this event, as well.  I was proud to be a part of the St. Louis Anusara Kula.  It gave me a little taste of home, while I was there.  Not to mention, great company!

A huge part of the week's excitement stems from John Friend's vision of Anusara Yoga and the community he draws.  This was my 3rd time studying with John, and it truly gets better every time. His approach is so down to earth, yet extremely intelligent.  One of my favorite things about him is his sense of humor.  Just when you are working your very hardest and taking the practice too seriously, he always seems to crack a joke at the perfect moment.  Its the balance between taking things serious when needed, but knowing how to laugh and have fun along the way - I love that about John as a teacher.  I am very grateful that he is so dedicated to sharing his knowledge and good experiences through yoga.  He works really hard to offer up the most precise teachings and train the most highly skilled teachers in the nation.  He attracts like-hearted, yet diverse students and teachers, all over the world.  Its no surprise that the week was full of hard work, new perspectives and down right fun... John would have it no other way!

There is something interesting about the Anusara community and our love for John Friend, as a founder and teacher.  I know it can come off like everyone just follows John Friend around taking his every word as gold... that is not necessarily the case.  The thing about John Friend is that he doesn't act like he is higher up or better than any of his students.  He sees himself as a regular guy, who is among friends.  May sound cheesy, but its true.  He just takes his knowledge, experience and hard work, and gives it back to the Kula with deep gratitude.  He is very humble.  He is not out trying to make a quick buck or get famous, he is just sharing what he has found works in his life and offering it up to those interested.  The cool thing is that a whole heck of a lot of folks are interested in what he has to say.  He is just one of the lucky ones who gets to make a living off what he loves... he is fair, works hard and has good work ethic, so things just fall into place for him.  Anusara Yoga is spreading like wild fire!  I am so happy John Friend does what he does.  I think the more people bringing Anusara Yoga into their lives, the better.  It really does change everything, your perspective, your body, your relationships.... Just ask Keith :) All those heart-centered alignment teachings really do work!  You learn how to align with the divine nature in all aspects. 

Over the course of the 3 days, each day started with John's master class.  We had all sorts of experience levels in the room.  The energy was amazing... and by energy, I don't mean something "new agey"... I mean you could feel the excitement, the dedication and the love within the entire room.  It was a great feeling.  There is a great quote, "You are the company you keep, so keep great company."  This experience was the epitome of what that quote means.  People who are drawn to this practice really do embrace the tantric philosophy of finding the good in everything.  It was so refreshing to spend a week with people that truly see beauty in all things, in a genuine manner.  That made classes a lot of fun.  John's classes were pretty basic, but we broke down the principles and were able to get deeper into our practice, each day.  The first day, the theme was focused around being grounded and knowing how to feel at home wherever you go.  I loved this theme, it was so perfect for what was going through my head, on an emotional level.  The asana practice was a full-spectrum potpourri sequence, with a strong focus on hip openers to ground us on a physical level.  The second day was about playfulness, also very appropriate.  By the second day, everyone was much more relaxed and ready to work hard.  Whenever you work hard with John Friend, you also play hard.  He set the theme and stuck with it.  We were all laughing and having a blast, then entire class that day.  Of course, handstands took flight.  The practice was fiery and fun.   The last master class with John was a bit more focused...the theme was centered around bhakti, which is mostly about love and devotion.  At the start of the class, he asked that everyone dedicate their practice to someone who means a lot to you, someone who helped you get to where you are today.  This was our last day together as an Anusara group, before the rest of the Yoga Journal Conference started.  Don't get me wrong, being around any yogi is wonderful, but being with all Anusara Yogis was very special.  We had developed a deep bond among 800 people.  Hard to imagine, but its true.  Throughout the practice on the last day, there were many times the practice almost brought tears to many eyes in the room.  A devotional practice can be pretty moving, if you let it.   Collectively, the master classes with John were a great representation of what Anusara Yoga encompasses... a strong physical practice, full of love and dedication, with the ability to be serious and fun-loving, all at once.  Pretty darn amazing!

In addition to John's master classes, we had breakout sessions to choose from each afternoon.  I was so overwhelmed with the options available at registration, that ended up changing my mind once I got there.  I saw some of my favorite senior teachers and couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend my afternoons with them.  

Day 1, I went to a study of the bhagavagita from a tantric approach, with Douglas Brooks.  Douglas Brooks is one of 3 tantric philosophers in the county.  He works very closely with John Friend in the evolution of Anusara Yoga.  For once in my life, philosophy became fun to me.  It was pretty crazy, to be honest.  I've always had a hard time getting my head around most of this stuff, but listening to Douglas speak made things so much clearer.  Douglas is also Mitchel Bleier's long-time friend and teacher.  It was really cool to see so much of Douglas in Mitchel's teachings.  Being with my teacher's teacher, really.  

Day 2, I spent the afternoon with the lovely (and hilarious) Desiree Rumbaugh. It was an advanced back bending class titled, "Hearts of Courage."  Some teachers just make things seem so simple, Desiree is one of those teachers.  She is so much fun to be around.  I love her wild spirit.  Don't get me wrong, though,  she puts you to work!  We were doing things I didn't know I was physically capable of doing...until she taught me how :)  Being around Desiree is always fun and inspiring.  She is one of those people you just want to follow around and soak up everything she has to offer.  

Day 3, my afternoon session was with Amy Ippoliti, "The Kula that plays together, stays together."  To clarify, the word "Kula" refers to the community.  It has much deeper meaning, but that is the main just of it.  Its a community of people you choose to be around, all committed to the same goal.  Its a group of people that learn and grow together and are able to support each other along the way.  In Anusara, the word Kula is used when referencing the yogis who are committed to their practice and community as one.  In Amy's afternoon session, she taught us a lot about what Kula means to her and how important it is to build and stay committed to your local Kula.  One of the main take aways I learned that day from Amy is to keep things fun and challenging within your personal practice, through your community.... meaning, practice with your Kula, stay committed and find new ways to connect.  Coincidentally, Mitch Herzog and Jill Dugan (from st. louis) happened to be in this session, as well.  Out of all the sessions we could have picked from, we were all drawn to this one.  It was a lot of fun to practice with them, while learning and discussing our own Kula, back home.  Amy so easy to learn from, because she is so full of joy within her practice and teachings.  She has been with John Friend since day one.  She built an Anusara Kula in New York City, all by herself.  She was the only one... and now things are booming there.  Now, she lives in Boulder and has one of the strongest Kulas around.  It was inspiring to hear her stories of building communities through yoga.  I learned a lot that day.

Gosh, I could practically write a book about these 3 days in Estes Park.  There is so much more to tell... In between the actual classes, there were so many unique experiences every day.  The food was all vegetarian, which was nice because I didn't even have to ask or look for vegetarian options.  I could eat anything there!  The best thing about meal time was the people... the event was at the YMCA of the Rockies, so the dinning hall was huge.  Each meal, Keith and I would find a new table to sit at, and meet new friends.  Everyone was welcoming, all the time.  Conversations were never dull and new bonds were made every meal.  It's cool to meet people from all over the country, who have spent so much time with the very same teachers as I have, only at a different time and place.  I also was able to connect with some teachers who live in the next few cities I am visiting on the Kashi tour.  I get to see a few of them in Boston, in a short while.  I am making friends all over the country!

Let's see, what else... at night, we also had activities to choose from.  The first night was a panel discussion with the tantric scholars Douglas Brooks, Sally Kempton and Bill Mahony - moderated by John Friend.  It was a very interesting discussion to hear their perspectives of topics like Shakti, Kula and Adhikara.  Hearing them speak is so much more interesting and captivating than reading about this stuff in a book.  The second evening there was a Kirtan with Shantala, which quickly turned into a dance party :)  Everyone in the house was moving or singing along.  Even if you didn't want to dance, your body didn't give you a choice.  Anusara Yogis sure are full of joy!  Its like it was bursting from each and every person there.  This night was full of bliss.  The last night was a talent show...which was hilarious.  Some people had something cute or smart to perform, but for the most part, I was laughing so hard I was crying.  I wish I had taken video or something to show everyone some of these acts.  I am not sure words can do it justice.  Being our last night together, the end was a little hard to swallow.  Its a good feeling when no one is ready to leave and we all want more of such a good thing.  The week together left us all very satisfied, but excited about more to come in the near future.  

On Thursday, Keith and I decided to make a pit stop in Boulder on our way to the airport.  We both love it there, and wanted to soak up as much as possible before passing through town.  We stopped for coffee, visited Om Time (my favorite local yoga studio) and walked along boulder creek path.  We daydreamed about what it would be like to live there, as we wondered around the neighborhoods picking out our favorite houses in the area.  I love everything about Boulder.  Its such a magical little place.  Just being there for a few hours, fed my soul.

So, that's my week in Colorado at the Anusara Grand Gathering...in a nut shell :)  Sometimes its hard to put experiences into words, but I did my best to paint the picture.  I can honestly say, this experience was something that will stick with me for a lifetime.  It was good to take a step away from the tour, and come back to my mat.  I found a little bit of stability again.  I was able to remember where I came from and where I want to go.  I walked away with an abundant source of inspiration,  deeply established friendships with my Kula from home and just an overall sense of peace inside.  I am so grateful I was able to attend this conference and walk away with experiences that continue to mold and shape who I am today.  

Most of all.... I can't wait to bring this all back to St. Louis!!!  We have so much playing to do on our mats, when I get home!  I dying to spread this bliss!  After this week in Colorado, I realized I am ready to be home again soon.  I am so excited to bring all these experiences back home and start my life back up in st. louis.  There is still so much ahead in the next month, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't ready to be home.  It's a good feeling.  Traveling has been a blast, but I am also very happy it will come to an end soon.  I need to put my feet back on solid ground again!

Until next time...

Much love to all,

Brigette

the view from our room, 6:30 am.

YMCA of the Rockies campus.

these are our Elk friends that wonder around the park.

cooling down in John's master class.

the St. Louis Kula :)

lunchtime play outside (yes, that is John Friend with a hula hoop!).

Yoga Slackers - basically, these guys are rock climbers who like to do yoga on a slack line. crazy stuff!

Acro Yogis - twisted crow ON SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS!!!  so cool.

John Friend with Shantala at the Kirtan.

thanks to Desiree, I am addicted to drop backs...get ready!

Keith and I have a new found love, its called cartwheel handstands - this is what happens when yogis play in the grass :)

Pearl Street in sweet Boulder.

the best book store (this one is for Ellen).

my pretend home in Boulder.

Boulder Creek. 

Keith and I in Boulder.

Autumn never looked so good.