The Yin to Your Bikram Fire

All photos are from Kelly Loves Whales' Flickr Photostream. She has a beautiful practice!

So my bold, beautiful yogi friend Lindsay and I expanded our yoga views today with a great Yin Yoga class at Heaven Meets Earth Studio in Evanston. Our teacher Ashley led with a lovely, calm, encouraging style and we were lucky to have a small and intimate 3-student class.

Heaven Meets Earth is home to a wide variety of classes, eye-opening workshops, and some really sweet retail offerings (clothing, props, mats & amazing candles that I managed to resist!). And Katie, the receptionist up front, was very friendly and welcoming. It made for an A+ experience at the studio.

Yin class is the perfect way to balance out the heat, madness, and high-energy dialogue of Bikram Yoga. To me, it felt like a refreshing yogic nap with gradually-intensifying hip openers. You spend a lot of time in postures (generally three to five minutes!) and there are a lot of calm, peaceful asanas.

Now my pigeon can fly, instead of just waddle around.

Pigeon was my favorite and I'm pretty sure I got deeper into the posture than usual, even though it was a bit chilly in the room (but then again, what isn't in comparison to Bikram's Torture Chamber?!).

Afterward, I enjoyed a lovely release of tension in my lower back, a general feeling of ease and well-being... and a delicious gluten-free cupcake at Rose's Bakery! Linds and I splurged. Their menu is delightful (I especially enjoyed fresh half-and-half from the farm!). Such a fun start to the weekend!

Mmmm, Bridge Pose. Thanks for making my lower back feel lose, easy, flexible, comfortable! And for strengthening those quads.

Legs up the wall is the most relaxing of them all.

I'm hoping the next Yin class will feature a few more advanced postures. Headstands, for example -- I could really use some work on my headstands (and conquering my fear of them!)

Leg warmers would be great in class! Toasty toes!

Nothing like some inversions to give you a new perspective on the weekend ahead.

Thanks again to Lindsay and the lovely staff at Heaven Meets Earth for such a wonderful afternoon. I'll definitely be back!

Sneak a Hug

All of these incredible photographs are by Sarah Rhoads. I'm pretty much obsessed. :)

I'm fascinated and enthralled by the way a hug can take your breath away. Often more intimate than a kiss, more comforting than words, a hug is my favorite form of closeness.

A hug protects and supports.

A hug allows two to become one in joyous, overwhelming love. 

A hug is a full expression of happiness.

What is bliss? A hug.

Bag Free @ Healthy Green Goods

Hey green Evanstonians: today's Chicago Tribune local features a story about Healthy Green Goods on Main Street and how Dr. Marny Turvill, the store's owner, has been bag-free for a year now.


"Most people don't even react," she says. "They just pick up their stuff and go."


Do you shop with your own reusable bags? Know of stores that do? Please share below.


Thanks to your smart shopping choices, Healthy Green Goods, and other earth-conscious stores, Evanston will save money and the environment.

Focus Forward Friday: Be Fearless

Happy with heights, from the Navy Pier ferris wheel. Now for calm in front of crowds...

Photo by Brandon Kidd.

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: fearlessness. We all face fears, irrational or not, in our lives. Fears of growing up. Fears of letting go. Fears of being seen for who we really are.

In the Hot Room, I often find myself building up fears instead of listening to the dialogue and taking each posture one step at a time. After Standing Separate Leg Stretching I'll feel my heart pounding and my head throbbing; sometimes, my eyesight dims and I get the sensation that I could pass out. I'll sit down immediately -- or, just as often, sit out the first set if I'm feeling scared.

Then there's Camel. I work up the posture in my mind like it's going to be the worst thing that's happened all day, when often breathing right through it helps me realize it's a huge relief. I head into Savasana feeling refreshed by new energy and a release of tension in my back.

Which postures do you sit out because of fear?

Who haven't you approached in your life because you're holding back, frightened of what might happen if you spoke your mind?

Have you thought about why your fears have the best of you?

Feeling nervous? Check out this online mag to read inspiring stories by gutsy leaders.

One talented lady I met at the Seth Godin conference publishes a fantastic magazine about individuals who refuse to give in to fear. As their site states, Fear.Less is a free online mag that empowers people through unique stories of overcoming fear. The subjects range from business leaders and artists to scientists and people who've survived extreme experiences. They understand that fear is intense. It's universal. And though it consumes us, we don't have to live with it!

I'd encourage you to check out some of the stories of bravery and daring listed on the site. You can also follow Fear.Less on Facebook and Twitter, or submit your own story.

I encourage you to take pride in facing your fears. For me, lately I've been able to move past my anxiety about public speaking. I taught a yoga class at NU to over 35 people a few weeks ago. And this week I presented to a small entrepreneurship class on marketing to promote my freelance editing company, editZING. For each, I felt calm and capable in front of the crowd. Instead of shaking in my boots, I just breathed right through it.

Share your stories of fearlessness in the comments below, and have a bold weekend!

Seth Godin, fearless Linchpin leader.

More Than a List: Reflections on Thankfulness

Hey friends, yogis, families, people! Only a week 'til the Big Family Feast. Have you started planning your menus? Did you invite friends over?

Photo by the talented Sarah Rhoads.

Have you thought about the blessings in your life?

Bright open skies, homemade food, and mittens on the cold mornings. Relaxation. The chance to clear your mind and make it blank. Dogs that thank us just for being around. Friends at work who compliment our scarves. Fuzzy covers. Cuddles, unexpected hugs, and the camera lenses that catch them.


Today, I choose to be thankful for what I have.


The hardest part about gratitude is that it demands thankfulness not only for what's beautiful, easy, predictable, fun. We must also be grateful for our troubles, our pain, our sorrow.


Each of these make us stronger. We are reminded of this every time we practice Bikram yoga.


"Choose to relax," as my studio's owner says. "What if you chose to enjoy the posture rather than suffer?"


What would happen if you chose not to suffer?

Sarah's work inspires me to think about what real love really looks like. There's not always a smile in frame.

Think of the difference it would make if we applied this philosophy to our everyday lives, our work, our relationships.


The other night I was feeling stressed about money stuff and I was cuddling with the Hubs while we talked through it. I turned to him, both of us with a look of anguish on our faces, staring into each other. What if I just let it go? I thought, realizing this was the only way out.


Today, looking back, I am grateful for the struggle. I am so glad that I have to work for what I have. I am thankful that I wasn't born a millionaire, because I enjoy the satisfaction of earning my own paycheck. And as much as it can be a challenge sometimes to make ends meet (and to resist the urge to spend on special treats), in the end, the difficulty provides the reward.


At the start of this holiday season, I am reminded that we tumble along not by luck, but by hard work, grace, and patience.


By exerting 100%, we earn the right to relax 100%.


By enduring pain, we grow stronger.


By thanking ourselves and others, we earn the right to take pride in our work (not boost our egos, but take humble pride in our effort, not only our accomplishments).


And we earn the chance to indulge ourselves. And eat a bunch of delicious food, more than our bellies are even wishing for.

My beautiful cousin Joelle took this one last year at Thanksgiving. Yum!

The Sudden Hug

There is something magical about an unexpected hug, don't you think? 

These are from around the web, including this beautiful blog.

Eventually, In the Future

 

Juliana and the Boss himself. Love those Bengal tigers!

One of my favorite parts about this blog is that it's put me in touch with some amazing Bikram yogis, teachers and bloggers out there, including the lovely Juliana, also known as Dancing J, over at Keep It Locking!

Lately I can't stop thinking about those crazy nine weeks and how excited I am for them :)

I recently chatted with J on the phone about her amazing Teacher Training experience and her transition into teaching after the nine weeks. It was lovely catching up and getting the inside story from a talented Bikram teacher on how to prepare, get the best out of training, and live a balanced life afterward. Here are some bits from our convo! 

Also, see below for some of my favorite posts on Juliana's blog.

Sweet photo from J's Teacher Training.

Juliana is a graduate of MIT (Engineering) and UCSB (grad school engineering) turned Bikram yogi. She says, "I respect myself for changing paths. It's the best decision I've made. I don't actually know any Bikram yoga teachers who set out to teach. We are all accidental yogis!"


On finding the right balance post-TT:
Teaching and freelancing is nearly ideal. It's always a game of keeping your balls in the air and juggling it all, but it's totally worth it.


On benefits of being a yoga teacher:
The best part is seeing people change. Where I'm teaching now, it's fairly small, just me and the main teacher/owner. I see people change, sometimes really quickly, and it's fun to have that. I would definitely choose a smaller studio over a place where it's more like "assembly line" yoga. This way, it's really authentic and very spiritual.


On practicing and teaching:
Keeping up with my practice has never been so hard now that I'm a teacher. It's a pain in the ass to go back to the studio after you've already taught a class or two. And during Teacher Training, your practice gets so bad! Standing head to knee? Yeah, right.


On class sizes and applying the dialogue:
During smaller classes, I really learned how to teach. You have to give real corrections. Big evening classes are so easy. They give you a lot of energy. It's tricky once it gets bigger, though. You almost don't even see everyone. If you use some peoples' names, it gives the illusion that you see everyone!


Class size makes a huge difference. You don't teach the same class to a large group as you do to a small group.


Your training doesn't end when you finish Teacher Training. It's like, 'I can say the dialogue. Now what do I do with that?!'

Juliana in Triangle in front of The Bean in Chicago's Millenium Park. Beautiful!

On her experience at TT: 
Some things get exaggerated. It's insanity at the time, sure. But I remember thinking, 'This isn't that bad.' It's no worse than being in college. For all the bitching that people do, it's good to get your asses kicked.


I got tons out of it, but it's what you make of it. It's your choice. There's nothing stopping you from sleeping through lectures.

Learning the dialogue, I looked at it like poetry. I would break it down, look for repetitions, and pay attention to the order. I'd ask myself questions like: why is this phrase being repeated? Why do the pieces have to go there? On paper, nothing makes much sense, but when you're talking to a moving body, everything becomes clear.

Killer Standing Bow + ridiculous mountains = bliss.

Favorites from Keep it Locking:
A post on amazing classes.


Thoughts on preparing for Teacher Training.


"Every moment is the peak experience of your life," says Diane from Bikram's talented staff. Here are a few of Juliana's peak experiences.


The yogi hiker and how climbing mountains will transform your practice.

Thanks again, J, for your honesty. Keep up your awesome yoga!

YogaEarth: For Rainy Days & Quiet Mornings

A lovely morning in the kitchen ends with a balancing drink from YogaEarth.

The dishwasher is humming, its cyclical rinse turning over and over.


Outside, rain patters on the windows.


The day is dark, kept, soft. It is a Saturday for small moments and hushed sounds, for making soup, for curling up and chatting with friends.


It's a peaceful, quiet morning here at home. The Hubs is off on a shoot, Nick's asleep on the couch, and I'm in the kitchen, moving effortlessly between bundt cake batter and wild rice salad, simmering homemade chicken stock on the stove as I finish up the dishes.


Before pulling on my wool socks and cowboys boots to brave the rain, I mix a quick drink. YogaEarth pre-practice mix (beet, apple & acai flavor) with goji, carrot and pineapple juice. I can picture myself on the beach in Puerto Rico. Refreshing. Their products are relaxing, nutritious, effortless.

Plus, they blog about yoga here. Thanks, YogaEarth!

Focus Forward Friday: Take Your Yoga with You!

Lindsay on top of a west-coast mountain doing Triangle. She is mighty!

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: travel! It's time to celebrate the upcoming trips I have coming up: Thanksgiving in Minneapolis, first week of December in Puerto Rico (for work), and Christmastime in California. I'm so excited!

I'm also thrilled to try some postures in exotic locations: maybe on the beach, in the woods, or even by a lake. Perhaps I can fit in a few classes at new studios.

Do you take your yoga with you when you travel?

Bailey at the beach. Love that Balancing Stick!

A graceful backbend.

My CA friend Lauren does a playful headstand overlooking San Francisco.

I love enjoying nature in an urban setting. Nice Standing Bow, lady!

Come Up Higher On the Toes

Above: my beautiful friend Bailey executing a fantastic toe stand on the beach.

Below: cowboy boots are great for tromping in leaves, but not for doing toe stand.

Toe stand is one of those crazy postures that doesn't seem possible at all when you first start Bikram yoga. I love it because the entire standing series prepares you for it: pure concentration, only the breath and the body, intense focus. 

Cowboy boots: fun to wear year round.

Toe stand: an under-appreciated master posture. It stretches the feet, the heel, the mind.

Cowboy boots: they give you incredible ass-kicking power!

How is your toe stand going? Does it make you feel powerful and centered? Which postures help calm your mind?

Change Brings New Light

Sometimes change hits us in the heart like a windstorm. We are struck by the unexpected, the abrupt, the weight of the words as we utter them, turning toward a new path.

I sold the house.

I'm closing the store.

I'm leaving, and I won't be back.

How do we survive? How do we move on?

In yoga, there are postures that make us feel as though we're ready to pass out, puke, die. Often in the standing balancing series, toward the end of a long pose, we want to come out. To give up.

We make a choice: do I surrender, or do I breathe right through it? One more breath, one more moment. And then, the posture is over.

At the beginning of class, during deep breathing, a new flow of oxygenated blood to our brains may make us feel lightheaded, dizzy, even euphoric. This signals that we are experiencing a change -- a movement into a new state, a shift into meditation, a conscious and deliberate decision to rest in the present moment. During the breathing, we feel ourselves fully within the room and within our own bodies. Centered, whole, ready.

We become the breath.

We become the change, without panic, fear or hesitation.

In yoga, it is the breath that carries us through.

In his book The Wisdom of Yoga, Stephen Cope describes the transformational inner process which yoga guides us through. He highlights a passage from the Yoga Sutras to explain the changes that take place:

Being absorbed in the play of the mind's luminosity yields insight about the subtle, hidden, and distant.

Focusing with perfect discipline on the sun yields insight about the universe.

Focusing with perfect discipline on the moon yields insight about the stars' positions. 

(3.26-28)

Yoga brings the mind into focus by using the body, by placing it in space. When we can contextualize ourselves in a physical universe, we can then begin to explore the inner world of our mind, leading to greater self-understanding. Our understanding is likened to light, and has been described by various religions as "the light within" or "the divine light." Cope goes on to describe it beautifully:

"The compelling luminosity of 'deep mind' draws the seeker's awareness increasingly inward. In the yoga tradition, this increasing interiority is seen as a developmental imperative. All adult development moves from the external to the internal. That is to say, our experience of each stage of our 'waking up' process is inevitably one of deepening interiority...Introversion draws us into an exploration of the compelling inner structures of the mind."

Change can be hard. Change can hurt or heal, it can confuse us, it can leave us gasping for breath.

But at the moment when we become fearful, bewildered, distraught -- at our greatest moment of weakness -- we must remember that this change also brings new light.

Hardcore Supplements for the Extreme Yogi

Are you one of those crazy Bikram yogis who practices five or more times a week? Do you run before class? Do you regularly do doubles?

Are you currently participating in a 30- or 60-day challenge?

I've got some hardcore supplements you should try. They will make you feel strong, hydrated, and pumped, like this:

Plus, they taste great, can be added to a variety of smoothie or drink mix recipes, and allow you to fuel your body for optimum performance.

The first is a line made by Hammer Nutrition, which I've mentioned before on Alive in the Fire. I placed an order with Hammer to try their endurolyte pills (electrolyte replenishers) and they sent me a whole package of goodies, including gel, whey mix, chocolate Recoverite drink mix, and some awesome information on all their products and the athletes who use them.

Hydration is a beautiful thing.

Hammer's got quite a variety of flavors available -- everything from your standard chocolate to espresso and apple cinnamon and Montana huckleberry. I believe they mainly target marathon runners and bikers, but their products are great for any endurance athletes. I probably wouldn't use their stuff everyday unless I was at Teacher Training or doing a challenge, but the endurolyte pills and any of the endurance products would make a double class (or triple, or whatever) a lot easier to survive.

Check out their site for more ideas on how to improve your endurance and athletic performance, the deals and programs they have going on right now, or place a quick order. Their customer service is great and you'll be set to go crazy in the heat!

I also highly recommend CeraSport which carries a line of rice-based electrolyte hydration drinks. Their powder mixes are probably my favorite, ranking up there with Ultima Replenisher and emergenC. The pomegranate acai flavor is fantastic! 

These flavors beat all the other ones I've tried so far.

Their shipment also included some detailed info on the science behind hydration. I decided to try the CeraSport with some frozen coconut water icecubes and a chunk of dark chocolate. What a tasty mid-afternoon treat! It felt tropical, too :)

Fancy and tasty. You can't go wrong there!

If you need more advice on where to shop for kick-ass supplements, I'm your girl. Hope all you Fall 2010 teacher trainees are enjoying your last few weeks of madness!


Enjoy your week and namaste.

The Secret Garden

This is Cassi, my beautiful botanist friend.

When winter temperatures hit, I sometimes dream about visiting tropical faraway lands and tromping around in beautiful, lush gardens like this.

My lovely friend Cassi, recently posted on her blog about her adventure to the Garfield Park Conservatory with her Plant Evolution & Diversity class. Looks like a pretty rockin' time to me. Thanks for sharing, Cassi!

Carboniferous creations.

Snail friend!

These flowers are alight with fire.

Zebra cacti, whoa!

A beautiful patchwork of leaves.

Yoga Champs!

Linds and I ventured into the city today for some yoga adventures. First stop: the incredible Lincoln Park Whole Foods, a mecca of organic foods and deli counters. And today, the site of the Illinois Yoga Asana Championships!

We caught the last guy competitor, the youth division, an advanced demonstration, and a few of the women yogis. Crazy awesome stuff!

Check out Kyla Crouthamel and Allan Santos from the advanced demos:

It's official now: I've seen scorpion in person. Insane!

Thanks to all of the fearless yogis who competed, and those who came out to support. I have to say, it was pretty strange watching humans on display as they twisted and contorted their bodies, and I'd have trouble getting up in front of a bunch of strangers to do that! I did appreciate that the event brings yoga to the community, though, and allows those who participate a chance to deepen their practice.

Lindsay and I chatted on the way over about how empowering it must feel to practice hard leading up to the competition. You really have to know your own body; no mirrors, just you feeling your alignment in each posture!

Would you ever compete in a yoga championship?

I know some people who are against it, saying that it can bring egoism, rivalry or obsession into yoga practice. I'm sort of on this side of the spectrum, but I have more appreciation for the contestants now after seeing the performances. Preparing for the competition must be a ton of work! And if your heart is in the right place -- you're competing with yourself, to do your best, to meet your edge -- then it's got to be worth it. Practice makes perfect!

You can hardly see the Standing Head to Knee here, but in person it was quite impressive. (Middle/ left, below the ceiling overhang.)

Our second stop in the city: Lululemon Athletica! I enjoyed checking out their super wide selection at the Lincoln Park store and helping Linds find the perfect colorful outfit for her upcoming Lulu Ambassador shoot.

Success: crazy purple and green pants, and a deep purple tank! So pretty on such a beautiful lady.

Oh, and we snacked on these tasty buttercream frosting cupcakes (aren't the little yoga mats hilarious?!):

Yum!

I'll be working off the 'lil cupcake during a special class this evening where Lindsay and I are demonstrating in the front row for a local basketball team and their coach. Fun stuff!

Thanks, Lindsay, for a wonderfully charming Saturday afternoon and here's to more adventures soon!

Focus Forward Friday: Follow the Blog!

If this were a painting, I'd call it "Illumination."

Here at Alive in the Fire, you never know when you might win something awesome just for following along.

Focus Forward Friday: A weekly ritual for deepening your Bikram practice.

Today's focus: unexpected rewards. So I recently posted on Twitter that the first person to click "Follow" on Alive in the Fire after reading the tweet would win a special surprise. Congrats, Jose Pena, you were first!

And many thanks to Christina, HealthOC, and Kate for also adding the blog to your list of reads. Welcome, lovely yogis. It's wonderful to have you here. Also, if you're not yet a regular follower, I'd love if you'd click the little button to the right and stick around. I'd also love to hear from you!

Anyway, I just wanted to show you the prize I put together for Jose. It includes a cool note:

Custom art-note, woohoo!

I also included some stellar supplements for keeping hydrated in and out of the hot room:

• Hammer Nutrition gel & fortified drink mix
• emergenC lemon/lime vitamin drink packets
• Balance and Vitality YogaEarth nutrition mixes for pre-practice and post-practice

Hopefully this little care package will inspire all of you to keep up on your electrolytes and vitamins especially as the weather turns colder. Tis the season for colds and the flu!

Also remember: you never know what benefits you might discover simply by trying something new. Next time you're in Standing Bow pose, what if you held it the whole 60 seconds? What if, in Camel, instead of getting overwhelmed, you just surrendered to the moment and enjoyed the release in your spine and neck? What if you left your water on the floor during "Party Time" and just focused on your breath instead?

Bikram says, "If you can, you must." Can you take the harder path? 

Can you love your neighbor as yourself? 

Can you let go? 

You must. And guess what? The rewards will follow.

The Pumpkin Chronicles

Hey yogis. Happy Thursday. Today I have an important question for you, though it is a couple days late. What's the best way to use a pumpkin on Halloween? 

The answer: make a luminary, of course!

Check out my sweet holiday fireplace display from last week. Luminary light is my favorite!

Oh, and check out this sweet cake I made tonight:

Pumpkin spice buttermilk bundt cake! Amaaazing. I love my new World Market bundt pan, too. I have a feeling it will get some use this winter! I'm off to enjoy a slice of cake now, actually. What are you up to tonight, yogis? Would love to hear from you. Happy almost weekend!

Illinois Yoga Asana Championships @ Whole Foods Lincoln Park on Saturday

My friend Lindsay and I are going to be checking out the Illinois Yoga Championships this weekend. Hope to see you there! I'm excited to watch the talented yogis perform! They will be doing these poses:

• Standing Forehead to Knee
• Standing Bow
• Bow
• Rabbit
• Stretching
• Two other postures based on personal preference

Judges will be looking for posture alignment, grace, movement, stability, confidence, balance, general appearance and stage presence. Whew! It's going to be intense! And, um, awesome. For more info about the event, see here.

The event is sponsored by Bikram Yoga Andersonville.

Afternoon Inspiration

If I could be anywhere, I think I'd pick these spots, shot by the talented photographer at Look Left and Look Right on Flickr. Where are you dreaming about today?

Put a Little SPA in your Week: A Review of the Best Massage Studios in Evanston

Want to feel like you're here? Try a massage after yoga class!

Busy times call for rest. 100 percent exertion demands 100 percent relaxation. In the hot room, every floor series posture earns you a 20-second savasana. In real life, you have to set time for your own time off.

The best way to relax? A massage, of course!

In the last few months, I've gone for massage therapy at several different places around town, including Flow Body Mind Connection, Egea Spa, and OmaiBodyworks. Each place has its own look and feel, and each offers incredible services.

At Flow, Raegan Ross has set up her own studio with a modern look and feel, and all is quiet and peaceful despite the location right on Dempster Street. I loved her little candles around the room, nurturing demeanor, and capable hands. The sweet, stylish wall dividers in her space also give the place a sense of regeneration and, well, flow :)

Flow is located at 609 Dempster in Evanston.

At Egea, I felt so pampered in their luxurious spot. They give you a little robe to wear, a sea salt soak for your feet that helps you feel calm and centered before the massage, and then an amazingly refreshing steam shower afterward! Heavenly. It was so nice spending the whole morning there, just lazing from one step to the next and not rushing out. A little pricey, but I hope to be back soon!

Egea is located at 1521 Sherman Ave in Evanston.

My favorite spot to get a massage, though, is located right in the heart of the building where my home studio is. My awesome friend Lindsay Paige runs her own fantastic massage business OmaiBodyworks right next door, and there's simply nothing better than a session right after yoga class. As Linds likes to say, you've still got the "yoga daze" and can relax even more fully after your muscles are warmed up. It's absolutely wonderful!

Plus, Lindsay is quite a talented Bikram teacher who I admire incredibly, with one of the strongest dialogues I've heard. She's got powerful spirit, determination and motivation in the heat and really makes class enjoyable. Whether I'm sweating through her class or enjoying great conversation with Lindsay, I absolutely love spending time with her. This weekend we're checking out the Illinois YOGA CHAMPIONSHIPS together at Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago! Should be fun.

OmaiBodyworks is located at 1840 Oak Ave in Evanston, in the basement.

But anyway, back to Omai. One of the best parts about Lindsay's practice is that she plays upbeat music instead of weird, lame new-age-y rainforest sounds, and I totally dig singing along to Feist or Jose Gonzalez in my head while she's getting all the kinks and crunches out of my neck and shoulders. Lindsay has astonishing strength and she isn't scared to beat you up a little bit, but it's the best! A firm amount of pressure is what helps me feel better the next day, and leaves me with the right kind of soreness that quickly fades to freedom. I love leaving with the feeling that I can move again!

In case you're not yet convinced of why OmaiBodyworks should be your next spot for massage, you can also consider this: Lindsay's trained in a special kind of therapy called Lypossage that helps women with cellulite reform their bodies from the inside out. It's an intensive program where you get special treatment, extra-strong massages in the areas that need attention, and you also supplement with a variety of vitamins/ body wraps/ nutrition, etc. Basically she offers an entire "body contouring" package that's about holistic wellness and transforming your body image all over, not just changing your appearance for the sake of vanity.

It totally fits with the Bikram perspective about leaving your ego at the door and instead working toward making your body healthier and whole, not just beautiful.

"Tell them to come for a firm ass, and in six months, their whole lives have changed!" Now that's one of my favorite Bikram-isms.

I've seen pictures of Lindsay's clients, though, and the results are great! It's surprising how much you can do in the short amount of time the program takes, and from what I hear it really does leave women feeling completely changed, and more confident and excited about their beautiful bodies than before. They bring new enthusiasm and energy to the hot room, too!

I'm hoping to try out one of Lindsay's body wraps in the near future (not the LypoMassage, but just an overall wrap), for the relaxation and therapeutic skin benefits that they offer. 

Bottom line? Lindsay's work + Bikram yoga = pure bliss. 

If you're interested in getting a massage with Lindsay, comment below and I can send you her contact info. She does not currently have a web site but you can check out her LinkedIn profile, or ask any yogi at Bikram Yoga Evanston who's been in her little oasis of a massage studio, and you'll hear about how remarkable she is! :)

Beautiful lady on her graduation day from Bikram Teacher Training in Mexico a couple years back. Lindsay, you are the best!

The Weepies, Live in Evanston!

The Weepies are one of my favorite bands ever. I belted out every song :)

The show last night was incredible. I am more in love with The Weepies than ever! I smiled, laughed, tapped my toes, and sang along with every tune. Deb and Steve were adorable, as usual, and the band rocked out. I was very impressed by their stage presence, spot-on vocals and silly stories.

They all came on stage dressed in crazy Halloween costumes and wigs, Deb with black lipstick on and long, black hair. Steve was hiding behind a wild side-swept wig and sunglasses, and the rest of the band was sporting awesome hats and makeup. After a couple songs Deb laughed as she introduced them as "The Creepies." It was great.

My two favorite songs were "Can't Go Back Now" from their Hideaway album, and a fantastic ballad sung by just Deb and Steve called "Sing Me to Sleep," from his first album Big Senorita. I really loved all of their charming stories about the inspiration behind songs (anything from spam porn emails to their son playing peek-a-boo to fighting with each other). It was a beautiful night and they sounded even better live than on the recorded tracks. Lovely! Beautiful! Wondrous. I am still grinning and humming their songs.

I've checked another dream off the list :)

In case you don't know The Weepies and their playful lyrics, here are a few tidbits...

Yesterday when you were young
Everything you needed done was done for you
Now you do it on your own
But you find you're all alone, what can you do?

You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
'Cause you can't go back now

-from "Can't Go Back Now," which was my personal theme song earlier this year during a hard time. It inspired me to carry on despite challenge, pain, and worry. I truly believe in the idea behind the song: sometimes, in order to grow we truly have to take steps on our own!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

And at closing time we're a nickel and a dime
In the deep back pocket of America
Trying to find wings or something to carry you home
Right now you better make the best of your situation
Escape through a hole in the conversation
The sun comes up like a revelation and I'm so lonely without you

Baby sing me to sleep turn down the covers ‘cause talk is cheap
Baby sing me to sleep ah turn out the lights
Remember the nights when the rain fell eighteen inches deep
Baby sing me to sleep

-from "Sing Me to Sleep," a tune that's beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. "A hole in the conversation?!" Brilliant.

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If you've never been to SPACE in Evanston, you should check it out. They've got one of the prettiest, classiest venues around. Delicious pizza and a warm, inviting yet modern atmosphere with gorgeous over-the-bar lights and ceiling art fans that look like jellyfish!

My view looking up at the ceiling. Jellyfish fans! They were so calming and stylish.