CO YOGA + Life® | Summer + Fall 2021 by YOGA + Life® Magazines

L I F E S T Y L E • C O M M U N I T Y • W E L L N E S S • N AT U R E • M O V E M E N T • A D V E N T U R E

SUMMER + FALL 2021

VITALITY

Libraries ARE NOT JUST ABOUT

books

EVENINGS OF ENGAGEMENT

Evenings of Engagement is a series aimed at adults, with the purpose of offering exciting, interesting, fun, or educational experiences. Join us this summer on our back lawn for our outdoor concerts offered on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. Bring your own chair (all our events are held outdoors). See the summer lineup and RSVP for a concert at vaillibrary.com/eoe.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SERIES

Vail Public Library’s Healthy Lifestyle Series, an extension of our “Evenings of Engagement,” features programs that focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Programs include healthy habits for both the mind and body. Email Sandy at SRivera@vailgov.com to receive an invitation to the Zoom meetings for classes. VIRTUAL GENTLE YOGA

WALKING BOOK CLUB

EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY | 11:30 A.M.

SECOND FRIDAY OF THE MONTH | 11:30 A.M.

Virtual Gentle Yoga with instructor, Anne Anderson, is a fan favorite at Vail Public Library! This class is appropriate for those who want a softer, nurturing, slow-paced, well-supported and relaxing practice.

Walking Book Club continues through the summer and autumn months, June through September. No grass grows under this group’s feet. They’re a walking, talking book club, and a fun, social outing. Come even if you have not read this month’s title. Instead, share what you are reading with the group. We will meet in the library’s galleria and head out for our discussion.

VIRTUAL ZUMBA

StoryWalk™

EVERY MONDAY | 5:30 P.M. Zumba® is perfect for everybody and every body! Get your body moving to the beat of Zumba with Maria Sugiedy Rivera. Each class is designed to bring people together to sweat it on. We’ll be together in spirit but safe at home!

A StoryWalk™ is an outdoor reading experience whereby a children’s book is deconstructed, and the pages of the book are laminated and placed on wooden stakes along the walking trail at Bighorn Park in East Vail. The featured book changes with each season. The new title displayed this summer is “I Know the River Loves Me” by Maya Christina Gonzalez.

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 292 West Meadow Drive, Vail CO 970.479.2184 / vaillibrary.com

Lifestyle magazines that

INFORM + INSPIRE!

the explore issue

EAT CLEAN

RECIPES FROM THE CONSCIOUS CLEANSE

HIT THE ROAD

COLORADO + BEYOND

YOGA FOR YOUR DOSHA

AYURVEDA WITH JULIA CLARKE

rock your world

ALWAYS LIVE EXTRAORDINARILY

INSPIRATION FROM OLYMPIAN GRETCHEN BLEILER

HOW TO SOFTEN STRESS

Unleash Your Inner Rock 'N' Roller

AND BEAT THE WINTER BLUES

Nurture Your Inner Gardener

grow issue

LIFESTYLE • COMMUNITY • WELLNESS • NATURE • MOVEMENT • ADVENTURE

ERIC ROONEY TRAVEL

+ TELLURIDE + GARDEN OF THE GODS + AFRICA

SUP ROUNDUP GEAR FOR THE WATER

L I F E S T Y L E • C O M M U N I T Y • W E L L N E S S • N AT U R E • M O V E M E N T • A D V E N T U R E

shine issue Illuminate Your Authenticity

IN THE PRACTICE

THE SCIENCE OF STRETCHING

TRAVEL

NOEMI NUñEZ

+ INDIA + CALIFORNIA + OREGON

CREATES CULTURAL BRIDGE

HUT TRIP ROUNDUP

WINTER BACKCOUNTRY GEAR L I F E S T Y L E • C O M M U N I T Y • W E L L N E S S • N AT U R E • M O V E M E N T • A D V E N T U R E

WINTER + SPRING 2018 -19

WITH RESTORATIVE YOGA

BLOOMS IN DENVER

SUMMER + FALL 2018

COOL SUMMER’S HEAT

WINTER + SPRING 2017–18

LIFESTYLE • COMMUNITY • WELLNESS • NATURE • MOVEMENT • ADVENTURE

SCOTTY STOUGHTON

MUSIC, CONSCIOUSNESS + COMMUNITY

SUMMER + FALL 2017

issue

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SUMMER + FALL 2019

unity issue

L I F E S T Y L E • C O M M U N I T Y • W E L L N E S S • N AT U R E • M O V E M E N T • A D V E N T U R E

Subscribe to SPOKE+BLOSSOM Magazine in print + get it via email: spokeandblossom.com/store Order CO YOGA + Life® Magazine to your door + to your inbox: yogalifelive.com/cosubscribe/

COLORADO IS PART OF THE YOGA + Life® FAMILY OF MAGAZINES.

PUBLISHER Jaunt Media Collective The paper content of this publication has been certifiably reforested via PrintReleaf – the world’s first platform to measure paper consumption and automate reforestation

YOGA + Life® OWNER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kim Fuller YOGA + Life® OWNER + DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS Bobby L'Heureux

across a global network of reforestation projects.

YOGA + Life® MAGAZINES FOUNDER Juli Rathke

LEARN MORE AT PRINTRELEAF.COM

YOGA + Life® CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chelsea Connolly YOGA + Life® MANAGING EDITOR Lexi Reich

photo: flickr.com/nicholas_t | CC BY

YOGA + Life® ASSISTANT EDITOR Lauren Farrauto CONTRIBUTORS Lexi Reich, Kim Fuller, Bobby L’Heureux, Shenna Jean, Lauren Farrauto, Sandy Ferguson Fuller, Wendy Wilkinson, Julia Clarke, Marisol Cruz, Oliva Lyda, Ange Katz, Anna Laird Barto, Becca Saulsberry, Claire Kiewatt, Colleen Smith, Jayme Henderson, Jenna Kretchman, Kaitlin Emig, Kali Basman, Karstee Davis, Katie Coakley, Kimberly Nicoletti, Mary Gavin, Mogan Kulas, Rachel Glowacki, Sarah Jane Sandy, Shaina Maytum, Teresa Adele, Toni Viney

PHOTOGRAPHY + ART Shannon Kennedy, Becca Saulsberry, Claire Kiewatt, Martha Kirby, Tina Hangerling, Latitude Studio, Jeremy Hoffeld, Alie Mahoney, Martha Russo, Kevin Hoth, Lexi Reich, Federico Pagola, Kristina Wood Photography, Fabio Comparelli, Linus Mimietz, Street Fraternity, Boulder County Farmers Markets, Zach Mahone, Molly McCormick, Jack Affleck, Elias Maurer, Ava Sol, Mia Carduno, Aron Blanco Tejedor, Morgan Kulas, Jayme Henderson, Vail Symposium, Geert Pieters

REGIONAL SALES Bobby L’Heureux NATIONAL SALES Juli Rathke, Bobby L'Heureux SUBSCRIPTIONS Please subscribe to our magazine at yogalifelive.com/cosubscribe/ ADVERTISING National Office: 860.230.8650 bobby@coyogalifemag.com | yogalifelive.com FEATURES YOGA + Life® Magazine kim@coyogalifemag.com | yogalifelive.com AFFILIATE OPPORTUNITIES YOGA + Life® bobby@coyogalifemag.com | 815.414.YOGA (9642) yogalifelive.com COVER Cover art by Shannon Kennedy 2021 YOGA + Life® Magazines. All rights reserved. No portion may be duplicated, in whole or in part, without the written consent of its publishers. Every effort has been make to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. The publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of information or omissions from the material provided. Company cannot be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services rendered by the advertisers published in this magazine.

Letter from the editor / Summer + Fall

DEAR READERS,

very corner of every country has dealt with hardship and heaviness this past year. We have endured a pandemic of suffering that continues to leave fear and confusion in its wake. Throughout 2020 and now into another year, we have continued to print this magazine to honor the commitment we have to its existence. As much as vitality is the spark of life, it is also the drive to survive. We see vitality as energy illuminated — pulses of passion and vigor, sparkles of zeal and gusto. Vitality is the morning sunshine warming cold earth; it’s a radiant full moon giving light to the darkness. Vitality in you is your spirit alive; vitality in us is hope for a world that can be brighter. This issue is a celebration of what’s possible on the path of vitality. There are stories

of resilience and empowerment, community and sustainability. The inspiration on these pages is rooted in the vital culture of Colorado. In every season here we’re reminded of this special place where we get to live, work and play. What an honor it is to bring this state to life from the hearts of storytellers and into your hands now. We print these pages because we know they help inspire that brighter world. Every action has energy, and we choose to put our energy in the direction of vitality. Thank you for walking this path, too. In Gratitude,

Kim Fuller, Owner + Editor-In-Chief YOGA + Life® Magazines kim@coyogalifemag.com

photos by Nick Junker; Kim Fuller

Based in Vail, Colorado, KIM FULLER is a freelance writer, editor and photojournalist in addition to her role at YOGA + Life®. She is co-founder of In Your Element, a yoga and outdoor adventure company, and a board member for the nonprofit Big Heart Big Hands. Kim has been published in a number of national publications and is the co-founder of Jaunt Media Collective, the publishing company behind YOGA + Life® and Spoke+Blossom. When she is not diligently writing and editing in her mountain nook, teaching yoga around town or finding a new adventure, find Kim at a local cafe or craft brewery where she enjoys the more indulgent side of inspiration. See more of her work at kimfullerink.com and follow her on Instagram @lifeinfull.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

contents / Sumer + Fall 2021

CONTENTS

VITALITY 5

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Spread vitality

ABOUT THE COVER

Artist Shannon Kennedy

10 TEAM YOGA + LIFE

The people behind the publication

PROFILES

CO influencers // teachers + leaders // studios

12 COLORADO INFLUENCER

Mary Beth LaRue

14 TEACHERS + LEADERS

Deborah Baker; Skip Hudson

17 STUDIOS

Ridgway Yoga Shala; Inner Peace Yoga Therapy

LIFESTYLE

books // art // community // travel // what we love

20 “IF YOU COME TO EARTH” BY SOPHIA BLACKALL

Vitality of life on this planet

+ “LONELY PLANET’S GUIDE TO LIFE”

Reviews by Sandy Ferguson Fuller

22 VITALITY THROUGH ART

Jeremy Hoffeld

24 THOUGHTS FROM CO ARTISTS

How to spark creativity

26 X DENVER + COWORKING

Remote work’s new look

28 BE A GOOD PERSON

Lifestyle apparel brand in Denver

Table Mountain Inn, Golden

32 TRAVEL

Tailwind Jungle Lodge, Mexico

34 NEW ZEALAND SUMMER FESTIVALS

Alive + thriving

36 WHAT WE LOVE

Essential products for summer + fall

38 SOLANDRA SOAP

Have a spa day every day

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

photo courtesy of Alie Mahoney ; Photo by martha kirby

30 CO ESCAPE

WELLNESS

ayurveda // health // inspiration // food

58 OJAS

YOGA + FITNESS

movement // in the practice // seva

40 YOGA IS YOUR SUPERPOWER

A practice for empowerment

42 KIDNEY CHI

The yin organ of vitality

44 PRANAYAMA

The energy management system

46 KEY TO LIFELONG VITALITY?

Five Tibetan Rites

48 STREET FRATERNITY

A sanctuary in Denver

OUTSIDE

fresh air // environment // adventure // gear

50 TIMBERLEAF TRAILERS

Plan your next escape

52 ROOM FOR GROWTH

Create the perfect vegetable garden

53 RIVERWONDERGRASS photo by Zach Mahone

Float trips this summer

54 HONOR YOUR FOOD SYSTEM

Q&A with Brian Coppom

56 GEAR GUIDE

Goods for summer + fall

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Cultivate sustainable vitality

60 BREATH

The sacred. The science. The practice.

62 SUPPORT YOUR GUT HEALTH

Mental, physical + sexual energy

66 TUNE INTO YOUR CYCLES

In the flow with nature

68 VITALITY IN HEALING

The path to a better world

70 VISUALIZATION

The new meditation

72 RECIPES

Balance body, mind + spirit

74 REFRESHMENT FOR THE SEASON

Summertime garden juleps

EVENTS + DISTRIBUTION

gatherings // community listings // ambassadors // partners

75 VAIL SYMPOSIUM

50 years in the Vail Valley

76 EVENTS THIS SEASON

June through November 2021

78 YOGA + LIFE AMBASSADORS

Meet these inspiring individuals

80 DIRECTORY

YOGA + Life Annual Partners

82 NAMASTE

profiles / About the Cover

Q +A Winner

Purchase any of the finalists’ prints at yogalifelive.com.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Photo courtesy of Shannon Kennedy

SHANNON KENNEDY

he winner of CO YOGA + Life’s cover contest, Shannon Kennedy works as a designer from her Eagle, Colorado home. As a Vail Valley local, she helps clients with branding and design. Having worked at a social media company, a ski company and an apparel company, she is well-versed in many creative mediums. Born and raised in Minnesota, today Kennedy lives with her husband and two pitties, where she gets to stare at Castle Peak while working from home. WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND CREATING THE ARTWORK FOR THIS COVER? My inspiration for this artwork was the environment in which I live. The mountains are full of life and movement between the wildlife, the changing of the seasons, the melting snow into the flowing rivers and the

people enjoying the mountains. I wanted to represent the energy that thrives in this beautiful valley. YOU MAKE CREATIVE CONTENT ALL THE TIME — HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED? I am very lucky to work on many different types of projects and each client inspires me in different ways. If I am ever feeling uninspired, I will blast some music, take a walk outside or peruse Pinterest. ANY PROJECTS YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT CURRENTLY? Currently, I am excited about working on some new apparel for RiverWonderGrass (and I'm equally excited for some music on the river)! I have some exciting branding projects in the works, and one that I recently wrapped up was for Dancing Snowflake — an amazing woman that does breathwork and intuitive healing. I am also

Finalist

CLAIRE KIEWATT

BECCA SAULSBERRY

“My illustration background is in portraiture, so I created a portrait of 'vitality' as a person, smiling in the light of the setting sun.” YOGALIFELIVE.COM

so excited about live music and festivals returning, and I'm thrilled to be working on the art for WinterWonderGrass, Borderlands Festival and some exciting events in Beaver Creek Village. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR FREE TIME? In my free time I enjoy snowboarding, hiking, practicing yoga, getting on the river, walking my dogs, going to concerts, hanging out with friends and my newest hobby — roller skating! FOR THE VITALITY ISSUE OF CO YOGA + LIFE, PLEASE SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CREATE VITALITY IN YOUR LIFE: I create vitality in my life by spending time in nature, eating a plant-based diet, being active, taking time to do self-work and, most importantly (to me), sleeping. +

“I decided that an aspen tree was an accurate depiction of vitality, of strength, energy and life, while also resonating with our Coloradan audience.” 9

profiles / Behind the Pages

YOGA + Life®

meet the team 1. KIM FULLER Owner + Editor-In-Chief

3. JULI RATHKE YOGA + Life® Founder

5. LEXI REICH Managing Editor

Juli is a multi-passionate entrepreneur and has been publishing magazines since 2002. She is the creator and founder of the YOGA + Life® brand. She is a multifaceted business woman, author, teacher and influencer bridging the gap between the yoga and business worlds while remaining a fearless optimist for the human condition. Join Juli on Y+L’s new online platform called, “The Practice,” with her weekly classes and musings. Juli is also completing her first book which provides a road map for success in life and business while navigating those constant obstacles. Julirathke.com

After experiencing a yoga ashram nestled in the mountains of Colorado, Lexi became enthralled in the practice of yoga and meditation, and earned her yoga teacher training at the sacred space. Originally from Chicago, Lexi loves the holistic lifestyle she found in Colorado, and combining this passion with her writing is what makes her truly happy. Outside of her role as managing editor at Jaunt Media Collective, the publishing company behind YOGA + Life® and Spoke+Blossom, Lexi spends most of her time freelancing and leading yoga classes. Besides this, you can find her hiking or daydreaming about traveling. Learn more at lexireich.com

2. BOBBY L’HEUREUX Owner + Director of Partnerships At the heart of his work, Bobby thrives on community and connection. As cofounder of Jaunt Media Collective, the company behind YOGA + Life® and Spoke+Blossom, Bobby successfully develops and sustains collaborations with entrepreneurs and businesses all over Colorado and beyond. Bobby lives in the Vail Valley where he teaches yoga and runs Big Heart Big Hands, a non-profit that supports mountain safety and awareness. He is an ambassador for Lululemon and Lolë, and his yoga classes are always led with a big smile and a relaxed demeanor. jauntmediacollective.com

4. CHELSEA CONNOLLY Creative Director With a cultivated eye for design, Chelsea's work has been influencing luxury publications and brands for over a decade. Chelsea calls Breckenridge her home but the Colorado native has been shaped personally and professionally by living all over the world. In addition to designing CO YOGA + Life®, you'll find her spearheading the look and feel of awardwinning beauty brands, world-class restaurants and bespoke boutiques. In her spare time, Chelsea enjoys the Colorado outdoors, live music, yoga, entertaining, traveling the world and spending time with her husband and two young sons. Follow her on Instagram @thechelseaconnolly.

6. LAUREN FARRAUTO Assistant Editor An avid reader and writer for as long as she can remember, Lauren has always loved the power of the written word and a good story. As assistant editor for Spoke + Blossom and YOGA + Life® Magazines, her dreams of helping others craft their own stories are finally becoming a reality. Lauren is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder with a double major in English and Women and Gender Studies. When she's not knee-deep in edits for Jaunt Media Collective, Lauren can be found in her home state of California curled up with a good book.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY STARTS OFF THE MOUNTAIN

A HE

G BI

. DS

BIG HEART BIG HANDS IS A COLORADO NONPROFIT THAT RAISES MONEY FOR MOUNTAIN RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, SUPPORTS THE AWARENESS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF MOUNTAIN SAFETY EDUCATION, AND PROVIDES FREE TRAUMA HELP FOR THOSE IN NEED. WHEN BACKCOUNTRY ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND RESCUES OCCUR, IT IS OFTEN THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA THAT IS THE LONGEST LASTING IMPACT TO INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BIG HEART BIG HANDS OFFERS FREE COUNSELING TO THOSE IMPACTED BY BACKCOUNTRY RESCUE.

B IGHEARTBIGHANDS.ORG

profiles / Colorado Influencer

I MARY BETH LARUE

Finding Home in Colorado by Karstee Davis

n the midst of the chaos that was the year 2020, quietly and without any fuss, a yoga teacher who has graced the stage of Wanderlust festivals across the nation put down roots in the beautiful mountain town of Evergreen. I can already sense her blushing at the mention of her time on the festival circuit. Though she has landed in Colorado from the starlit city of Los Angeles, Mary Beth LaRue is humble — perhaps that can be accredited to the fact that she was born and raised in Iowa. She is a self-proclaimed introvert, and shares how moving to Colorado feels like coming home because she spent so much time here as a child. LaRue’s father had once played rugby for the Denver Barbarians and her mother went to graduate school in Fort Collins, so they spent a lot of family vacations visiting their home away from home. In fact, her parents recently put down roots here as well. Colorado had been on LaRue’s and her husband, Matt Aporta’s bucket list for a while. And so, after many delays, some due in part to the pandemic, and once they were officially the adoptive parents of their toddler, Angel (whom they had been fostering

since they picked him up from the hospital when he was born), they were able to head for the Colorado mountains (with their English bulldog Rosy in tow) to begin their new life as a forever family. So far they are all in love with the weather and the seasons. “The people here feel very grounded and have all been very welcoming,” she shares. They all have been looking forward to further growing their relationship with the earth, she adds. One way they’ve been doing this is by trying on new mountain hobbies like snowshoeing. LaRue also looks forward to going on many local road trips — Telluride and Salida are both on her bucket list. She also envisions the day where she can host yoga retreats in Buena Vista or Frisco and teach one of her greatest values: practicing and living a life that is fully embodied, an act that she gets to witness daily through her son. She says he moves through the world with such wonder, curiosity and playfulness; he is completely present, which is something we all should try to practice being. In the meantime, she is also very excited to learn from local teachers; she knows that

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

PHOTOS by Martha Kirby

by lexi reich

Colorado already has such a vibrant yoga community, and she’s excited to engage with it. LaRue took her first yoga class in the early 2000s when she was in Washington D.C. putting her journalism degree to good use at National Geographic Traveler magazine. With yoga, she found her second great passion, and over the years she has learned to marry her first passion of writing with her passion for yoga. She does this with intentionality in every word she chooses. She loves words, especially when they weave together and come from a sincere place inside. “Everything I teach, offer, do is born out of my own life and practice. I have found that slow flow yoga and embodiment practices are the medicine I need in a culture that's constantly telling me to hustle, hurry up, do more,” LaRue answers when asked what makes her voice, offerings and style stand out, “they are authentic to me and deeply needed in my own life. As the saying goes — we teach what we most need to learn. Oh, and fourteen years later I still absolutely loooove what I do.” These past 14 years have allowed LaRue to stay authentic in her growth and her following, she says, “I have taken it really slow. I remember when I started teaching Ally Hamilton of Yogis Anonymous told me that communities are built one person at a time. True connection is what I value most so, when in person, making eye contact, giving full attention and showing up with sincerity are what have created the relationships and communities I value. I've known many of my students for ten years, which is so beautiful. As far as online, same things apply. Show up authentically, sincerely and in the way you want to. An algorithm will never ever replace a relationship. I'd rather have quality over quantity, in all areas of my life.” On the word, “vitality,” LaRue says that the “recipe for vitality is different for everyone. Sometimes it looks like reading and eating Pirate’s Booty, and sometimes it looks like green juice and hiking. Vitality is whatever awakens soulfulness and sustenance within you.” LaRue was teaching live virtual yoga before the pandemic, and she continues to do so as she says it suits her introverted ways perfectly. LaRue also recently released her first set of pre-recorded classes that you can purchase from her site. +

You can find more about LaRue and all of her offerings, including a 200-hour yoga teacher training this upcoming fall, by checking out her website: marybethlarue.com or by following her on instagram: @marybethlarue

KARSTEE DAVIS is a writer and a certified yogi and Ayurveda coach. She has been published in Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love Made Me Do It anthology from Riverhead Books. She has also written for the Endometriosis Foundation of America and the Mindbody blog. You can find her at karsteedavis.com or on Instagram @karsteedavis

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profiles / Teachers + Leaders

DEBORAH BAKER

Experiencing the Gift of Vitality Through Yoga

eborah Baker understands vitality from the sage perspective of a person who lost it while battling cancer. A longtime Iyengar practitioner and instructor, she incorporated yoga into her healing regimen and continues her diligent practice and rigorous teaching schedule. “I credit my yoga practice for returning me to health after chemo and also for keeping me feeling good every day,” Baker says. “Even on the bad days, yoga makes me feel so much better.” Baker discovered yoga in the 80s while serving in the Peace Corps in Guatemala. “I got a yoga book and started stretching,” explains Baker, a former ballet dancer and runner. She began teaching yoga part-time in

1996. She opened Park Hill Yoga in Denver in 2005, resigning from her classroom teaching job in 2008 to teach yoga fulltime. All along the way, she drew from her own vitality. “I think vitality is physical or mental vigor. Vitality and resilience are synonymous,” she says. “I’ve thought about resilience so much during the pandemic, and it requires taking care of yourself and being physically and emotionally and mentally strong. It involves awareness and discipline. My yoga practice includes active and passive poses and meditation and pranayama [breathwork], too. These bring the gift of vitality to my life.” Baker intensified her vitality by studying with B.K.S. Iyengar. She traveled several times to Pune, India for extended stays to study with Iyengar — sometimes referred to

as “the pope of yoga” — and his daughter, Geeta Iyengar, both deceased yet widely revered in the yoga world. “Mr. Iyengar was the most disciplined human I’ve ever met. He embodied the yoga sutras of Patanjali. He was unswerving in his commitment, and nobody worked as hard as he did. He was on a different plane,” Baker reveals. “He was really sickly when he started practicing yoga,” she adds. “Pranayama was likely a big contributor to his vitality. I practice pranayama, and I believe it helps keep me healthy, but Iyengar practiced so much, much, much more. He had a very advanced pranayama practice, and I wonder if this had something to do with his mental sharpness and his truly happy nature, even in old age. I think of his smil-

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

PHOTO BY Tina Hangerling

by Colleen Smith

ing face. I also wonder if love contributed to his vitality. He had so many people who looked up to him and who really held him so close to their hearts.” For Baker, yoga entails much more than just the poses and pranayama. She studies the sutras, as well as the extensive writings of B.K.S. Iyengar. Her embodiment of yoga likely helped save her life when, in 2015, Baker was diagnosed with an aggressive blood cancer. She received high-dose chemotherapy for six months. “Obviously, Western medicine saved my life, but I credit my yoga practice for the remarkable recovery I have made,” she explains. “I still have follow-up care, but I feel very healthy right now. Every day is a gift.” As she recovered, Baker did not teach for about nine months. She currently teaches a free weekly yoga class for cancer patients and survivors. “I plan to teach this class for the rest of my life,” she says. “I want to give back in any way that I can because I am so grate-

ful that I am still here. My next community service goal is to begin a free yoga class taught in Spanish.” Meanwhile, Baker teaches from her Denver studio and also on Zoom due to the pandemic. “Early in the pandemic, I added poses for resilience and to get us out of our heads and out of our fear: chest-openers, standing poses, poses to boost the immune system and poses that give us the vitality to deal with so much grief associated with the pandemic,” she says. Baker considers food another source of vitality. “I know a lot about nutrition, and I’m

a very healthy eater, but I like to bake,” explains Baker, a wife and the mother of two young adult sons. “I’m not a fanatic about anything. I eat small amounts of meat. I’m not gluten-free. I eat raw every day, but I also eat cooked food. My weakness is cheese. I don’t take supplements.” Baker says yoga helps all the rest of my movement, adding to her vitality rather than depleting here energy. “I go to the mountains and hike,” she shares. "We have only one car, so I ride my bike to do errands, instead of driving. I walk my dog. I don’t take the elevator, I take the stairs.” +

COLLEEN SMITH, a yoga practitioner for almost 30 years, studies in the Iyengar tradition, but also practiced Bikram hot yoga, power yoga and Volo suspension yoga. An award-winning multi-media communicator, she’s the author of several books, a journalist, screenwriter and filmmaker. She has interviewed and written about yoga leaders including B.K.S. Iyengar and Baron Baptiste. Connect with her on Facebook at Friday Jones Publishing or visit her website: colleenwordsmith.wordpress.com.

New certification program starting in September 2021. Virtual options available.

innerpeaceyogatherapy.com YOGALIFELIVE.COM

profiles / Teachers + Leaders

An Engineer’s Journey of Teaching Self-Compassion by Jenna Kretschman

kip Hudson is a traffic engineer by trade and an instructor of mindful self-compassion by heart. Hudson’s journey from engineer to mental health educator began in 2003 when he signed up to volunteer at Mesa County Partners, an organization that matches local kids with mentor volunteers. “Kids are referred there by teachers, parents or therapists, and they get put on a waiting list and they’re waiting for someone to pick them,” Hudson says. He started a monthly activity called Partners Power Hour, intended to provide the kids on the waitlist with something to do. Hudson would teach the kids life skills, followed by playtime in the gym. “That’s when I first started doing group teaching focused on life skills,” Hudson explains. “When I worked with that group, what I discovered was not really a big discovery — it’s that they had low self-esteem. They just didn’t think much about themselves.” In 2014, Hudson became the lead instructor for the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce program Young Entrepreneurs Academy, an after-school program that teaches kids from sixth through 12th grade about business. “These are the best and brightest kids: they’re smart, they’re motivated, they’re thinking about business at a young age. When I started working with them, I noticed that all these excelling kids had the same issue as the other kids I’d worked with in the other demographic, and that is that they all had low self-esteem.” Hudson adds, “I used the academy as a vehicle to teach them about

the business stuff, but my real objective was to get them to a point where they believed in their heart that they were awesome.” With this realization, Hudson began searching for youth programs throughout Colorado that focus on building self-esteem but was unsuccessful. He took that as a sign to create his very own self-esteem building program. In his research, Hudson discovered a model by Dr. Kristin Neff called the self-compassion model. Self-compassion is different than self-esteem. Self-esteem involves competition and what psychologists call a “self-enhancement” bias — putting others down in pursuit of one’s own high self-esteem. But, self-compassion is based on kindness, acceptance, mindfulness and intrinsic self-worth. Soon enough, Hudson was on a plane heading toward Houston, Texas, on his way to a five-day-long mindful self-compassion retreat. “I did the fire hose version of learning mindful self-compassion. And, it was weird,” Hudson confesses. “One of the weirdest parts for me was flying down to Houston, and I’m thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing?

Learn more at skiphudson.com.

JENNA KRETSCHMAN is a writer based in Grand Junction, Colorado. She wrangles kittens full-time working in animal welfare and enjoys spending her free time exploring Western Colorado and hanging out with her two adorable cats.

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Photos courtesy of Skip Hudson

SKIP HUDSON

I mean, I’m an engineer! And I’m going to take this class, and there’s going to be all these touchy-feely people there and these therapists, counselors, teachers and doctors — people that have been embedded in this for their whole career.’ And I just went in there as some engineer guy. I had huge apprehension, but it was a great class.” A few months later, Hudson was certified to teach the course himself. With this new knowledge, he launched his classes in Colorado, not only for youth, but for anyone looking to learn the practice of mindful self-compassion. “I started seeing the system of who we are as humans and how our biology set us up to fail. The basic part of engineering is taking a big problem and breaking it down into a bunch of smaller problems,” Hudson says. “Traffic and transportation is by far the most humanistic of all the subcategories of civil engineering. So, many engineers don’t like traffic and transportation, because there are too many grey areas related to people, but I gravitated towards that.” Our minds and bodies, designed for life out in the savanna running from predators and gathering food, are behind the times. What used to be advantageous for survival, like remembering the past, predicting the future and expecting the worst, are now causes for emotional pain. “We have these biological challenges like wandering mind and negativity bias, and no one’s ever taught us about them or how to work with them. When I learned this toolbox, all I could think about was, ‘why didn’t somebody teach me this when I was 13 years old?’ This is basic stuff. This is how humans operate,” Hudson says. Hudson offers eight-week-long mindful self-compassion courses via Zoom, as well as one-on-one coaching, workplace wellness presentations and more for all ages. +

profiles / Studios

Ridgway

YOGA SHALA by Claire Kiewatt

Photos by Latitude Studio

hala, in Sanskrit, means home. As many of us feel disconnected right now, Ridgway Yoga Shala is a much needed home for anyone looking to reconnect and heal through community, nourishment and yoga. Ridgway Yoga Shala is a healing space dedicated to curating “a conscious lifestyle of living yoga,” with a focus on their philosophy of Shala living. The Shala was founded by owner Katie Graves to serve as a sanctuary for its guests. Even though the current times call for many doors to remain closed, the spirit of Ridgway Yoga Shala remains open. “It has been one year, two weeks and three days since we closed the doors at Ridgway Yoga Shala,” says Graves. “As yogis, we are taught the art of letting go; yet deep within us all, we knew that the space, in the heart of our small community, with its slanted floors, poor insulation and barred windows was worth fighting for.” Ridgway Yoga Shala’s team is dedicated to keeping the studio and its community alive during these unique times. Members and guests alike can join the Shala in online classes, hosted via Zoom, as well as limited in-person classes in the Shala space. With

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courses ranging from gentle yoga and gentle flow to more specialized workshops that change with the seasons, the Shala has something to offer everyone who is looking to grow, practice, learn, and heal. “Our aim is to re-open our doors to daily yoga classes starting in May. We will start slow and allow for guidance to be spoken from the teachers, students, community and from the deep inward listening. Holding space for our foundation is essential, but allowing the development of the new will be embraced,” shares Graves. “I do not hold all the answers for what is next for Ridgway Yoga Shala, as the greatest lesson we all have been given this past year is to evolve with change and live in the flow.” Ridgway Yoga Shala’s efforts to sustain

their community roots don’t stop at their classes. The studio has also opened its doors as a personal sanctuary for anyone interested in renting the space. Personal and small groups can rent out the Shala community spaces to use for their spiritual or physical practices for just $10 an hour. Both the movement studio and office space are available, so renters can use the Shala for anything they need, whether that’s a meditation sanctuary, a work space, a place to run private lessons, host your own virtual courses, or even a nook to host a weekly book club. Regardless of what it’s used for, the Shala is a space for the Ridgway community to feel at home. Graves longs for nothing more than to reopen the studio’s doors for good and bring a living energy back into the Shala, but acknowledges that the future of her yoga practice is ever-changing, and she has learned to let her practice transcend the physical. “Pressing rewind and going back to the way things were is not an option. For the yoga teachers and studios that have survived, I believe our dharma is forever transformed. Our degrees of separation got infinitely smaller this past year,” she says. “We are so much more aware that we are all one. One with each other. One with our bodies. One with our communities. One with our neighbor. One with our planet. And one with the divine. I look forward to meeting you all here.” Ridgway Yoga Shala is committed to creating a world in which ahimsa reigns and our ability to live in harmony with each other and the planet is exemplified through wisdom, acceptance, love, peace, compassion and inclusion. +

For more information about Ridgway Yoga Shala, their rental spaces, and current course offerings, visit ridgwayyogashala.com.

CLAIRE KIEWATT is is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder and a former editorial intern for YOGA + Life and Spoke+Blossom magazines. Claire studied Media Production and Design and is passionate about art, storytelling and digital media.

profiles / Studios

Inner Peace Yoga Therapy friend once told me to move through their trials and tribulations, they moved. No literally, they used movement and their active muscles to ease, and well, move, through their mental clutter. Movement, while not the answer for all, holds power for those who tend to ground themselves and slow their mind with a lively body. Yogis have experienced this firsthand, coming out of practice with mental clarity and realization that there is nothing like it. While a regular practice can provide this for some, Michelle Lawerence of Inner Peace Yoga Therapy takes this healing power to the next level with her yoga therapy school. “I am passionate about the healing power of yoga and bringing it to people,” Lawrence says. “By training yoga therapists, the reach just expands.” Inner Peace Yoga Therapy is a school for yoga therapists that provides classes and courses to engage with the healing power of yoga for client empowerment and healing. Accredited through the International Association of Yoga Therapy, this school offers the tools and the 800-hour training required to utilize yoga practices, philosophies and skill-set credentials in a professional setting. Lawrence, a yoga instructor since 2005, was drawn to the healing power of yoga since she began her practice. “It made a difference in my life personally in terms of my physical and mental wellbeing. I wanted to understand why and how,” Lawerence explains. “There weren’t that many schools of yoga therapy 10 years ago; I wanted to create my own.” Yoga therapists differ from yoga instructors in a few key ways. While yoga instructors create a general class catered towards most yogis, yoga therapists take a unique, personalized approach. In an initial session, a yoga therapist will conduct a one-on-one assessment and co-create, with the client, a therapy treatment program based on the

Olivia Lyda

individual’s goals, health challenges and unique set of circumstances. “I started to learn more about how yoga works and how it helps in terms of healing and prevention towards various different conditions,” Lawerence says. “People have dramatic shifts and changes when you take that personalized approach and see the individual as a multifaceted human being, as more than their physical body.” The Durango-based institution offers numerous courses, from their Level 1 Foundations in Yoga Therapy course to specialized workshops, in order to instruct yoga teach-

ers to become yoga therapists. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, courses are offered fully online, with scaled-back class options, foreseeable until the end of 2021. “When COVID-19 hit, we had to shift all of our training to virtual environments, it was difficult at first,” Lawrence adds. “Over the past year, we have evolved. Yoga therapy is very conducive to an online environment.” “While yes, we plan to bring back in-person instruction, we likely will offer virtual options, as that choice has led to greater access for students who could not participate before because of location,”

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Photos courtesy of Inner Peace Yoga Therapy

HEALING THROUGH YOGA

Lawrence continues. But, where Inner Peace Yoga Therapy differs from other yoga therapy schools is through their equity and access program, which offers scholarships and start-up campaigns for marginalized communities. “Our start-up campaigns supply a grant to fund those efforts and have classes for aspiring yoga therapists to provide low or no-cost services in their communities that could not otherwise afford it,” Lawrence explains. This inspiring school brings the power of healing through yoga to everyone who needs it. If you are interested in becoming a yoga therapist, look no further than Inner Peace Yoga Therapy. Everyone practices healing in their own style. But moving through your illness, trauma or other adversities with yoga therapy sets an intention to move forward, through movement. +

innerpeaceyogatherapy.com

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While yoga instructors create a general class catered towards most yogis, yoga therapists take a unique, personalized approach. In an initial session, a yoga therapist will conduct a one-onone assessment and co-create, with the client, a therapy treatment program based on the individual’s goals, health challenges and unique set of circumstances.

OLIVIA LYDA is a former editorial intern for Spoke+Blossom and YOGA + Life magazines. She is a recent graduate and studied communications, journalism and writing at the University of Colorado Boulder. Olivia is passionate about the Colorado lifestyle and works to convey this in her studies and publications.

lifestyle / Books

“If You Come to Earth” By Sophie Blackall

Fill Your Life with the Best

“Lonely Planet’s Guide to Life: Wisdom from the World’s Cultures” reviews by Sandy Ferguson Fuller

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1 "IF YOU COME TO EARTH"

“

There are lots of things I don’t know,” writes children’s author, Sophie Blackall. “I don’t know if there is life elsewhere in the universe, though I find it hard to believe we are all alone. But I do know this: Right this minute, we are all here together on this beautiful planet. It’s the only one we have, so we should take care of it. And each other. Don’t you think?” Blackall’s inspiration above for If You Come to Earth began atop a Himalayan peak in Bhutan, a fitting spot for her to reflect on the gift of life and the unknown. Where were we before we were born? Where do we go when we die? Is there life other than what we know? How do we honor our moments on Earth? How do we grow ourselves and others? If you were to write a letter to someone out there in the galaxy inviting them to join our life on Earth, how might you entice them to come? What makes up our world? How is it special? What makes life delicious or difficult? How can we make it better? That’s what a child narrator tries to express in If You Come to Earth. Sophie Blackall is an award-winning children’s book illustrator, and her new picture book showcases the stunning vitality of our life on Earth. Her vibrant drawings depict the details, the differences, the dilemmas, the infinite opportunities and the rewards that comprise living fully. There are nearly eight billion people on Earth. Blackall offers her audience 80 pages of rich and colorful illustrations of daily life on Earth, but of course, only a snapshot of reality. She portrays the infinite variety of people, flora, fauna, spaces, places, customs, activities, lifestyles and more that comprise living as we know it. If You Come to Earth is a tribute to us, how we have come to be and how we may continue. The book challenges us to gather, to nurture and to cherish what is available to us. What lends us energy, empathy, emotion, exuberance, expansion and excellence each day are the experiences we choose to embrace. If we welcome the unknown, life builds on itself. If we invite possibility, change begins. If we preserve the sacred, we enrich the spiritual. If we cultivate diversity, we combine forces. Yin and yang. We create vitality. Don’t you think? A beautiful and thoughtful reminder and gift for all ages. +

2 "LONELY PLANETS GUIDE TO LIFE: WISDOM FROM THE WORLD'S CULTURES"

hether you are a world traveler or prefer to stay close to home, this fascinating new book reveals secrets from the world over about how to live life to the fullest. Try nibbling Swiss chocolate or South Korean pickles, sipping Uzbekistan tea or dining on raw Peruvian ceviche; maybe consult with a shaman like a Russian qam or adopt the New Zealand Tiaki Promise to care for the land or engage in mindful Chinese gigong; bask in thermal springs like the Hungarians or steam away stress like the Turkish; dress for success like the Fijians; dance away the day in Sri Lanka or Slovakia or celebrate with song as in Wales; bring in light as do Hindus to expel spiritual and physical darkness; take a Spanish siesta; imbibe in Georgian wine or a wee dram of Scottish whisky; or, simply honor family, friends, good health and the gift of living with more intention. Lonely Planet’s Guide to Life is a compact coffee table book, 416 pages of text and color photography, which visits 86 countries and shares pearls of wisdom from each about living well. Each nation offers a unique perspective, showcasing the diversity yet the commonality of human experience. Many of their fun rituals or traditions are practices handed down through generations. Some are essentials which are becoming popular in our complex, modern society. Yoga is an obvious example: “India’s best-loved contribution to global culture.” Everything from favorite foods to diet, exercise and relaxation to sacred manmade or natural spaces to rites of passage or religious rituals … here is a treasure chest of ideas and inspiration. It's never too late in life to improve daily habits and self-care, to live wisely and completely. We are all different, yet we share the same desire be happy, healthy, serene and fulfilled. It would be impossible to adopt every idea or practice suggested in this book; life is too short. But even if you sample a few dozen of these thoughts or activities, certainly your life will be enriched, improved and much more interesting! This presents a new way of looking at our modern world — in its complexity lies the key to our completeness. Travel the world back and forth through these pages, return to the places, people and practices that speak most to you and always remember to invite in a wide variety enriching elements to your daily life. +

SANDY FERGUSON FULLER began her children's book career over 40 years ago as a student of Maurice Sendak at Yale University. Once introduced, the picture book genre captivated her imagination with its unique blend of story and illustration. She is an international literary agent, editorial consultant, bookseller, author and illustrator. Her life’s work has exposed her to a wealth of ideas and wonder. She hopes that her own books, as well as those she has helped others to publish, will touch many souls, young and old. alparts.com

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lifestyle / Art

JEREMY HOFFELD

Inspires Vitality Through Art by Ange Katz

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Photos courtesy Jeremy Hoffeld

s I sit in my living room, I gaze at a portrait painted of Maya Angelo by artist Jeremy Hoffeld. As Angelo’s eyes gaze deeply into my soul, her presence is known here in my home. Art has a way of speaking to us in many forms: music, poetry, photography, paintings, sculptures, wall art, sketches. Art speaks on an emotional level which encompasses a different meaning of vitality for everyone. Hoffeld, a native New Yorker now living in Maui, Hawaii, studied art history at Columbia University. He grew up in a family surrounded by the presence of art. He and his brother Noah, a Juilliard cellist, released a devotional music album together called Invoke under the band name The Mantra Brothers. Hoffeld has always been inspired by music, often listening to his favorite live jazz album while panting. “For me, paintings — abstract and figurative — have always been linked with music and literature,” he says. “The Artist Way by Julia Cameron [is] a book that guides the reader on a spiritual path to higher creativity. Writing is a really good place to get honest with yourself and explore the things that interest you.” How do we begin to connect into the creative source of art? Whether you are the artist or the observer, Hoffeld suggests, exploration is the first step in the process of opening up to the vitality and gifts in which art brings. “If you are in a stationary store and feel the call to create,” he says, “allow yourself to explore with those materials.” Hoffeld defines creative energy flow as light. “Someone may have said something about your art in your early childhood and you repressed the urge to explore your creativity, and now that door is closed, not letting the light in,” he explains. “It takes courage to open up and flow with creative energy. Each time you find it, it may look or feel different than before.” When we open ourselves to possibility, the light begins to peek in — shining through as a ball of energy lending a hand and leading us into what’s next. Hoffeld says he experienced this first hand when he was asked to fly to Maui and paint a portrait of Ram Dass in 2018.

For over a month of visiting Ram Dass in his home, he sat to paint one of his heroes, expressing how special this time was for the both of them. When Hoffeld was in school he studied the art of panting live portraits. He says that sitting live is his favorite way of painting. When I met Hoffeld, we were in Rishikesh India. I had known of his inspiring portraits of Indian saints. As he stepped barefoot into Ma Anandamayi’s temple in Haridwar, India — an eminent spiritual teacher — he was inspired to paint her. This was a step on the journey for Hoffeld as he began to paint inspiring portraits of iconic heroes and spiritual teachers featured on his Instagram page @jeremy-

When we open ourselves to possibility, the light begins to peek in ... hoffeld. Lifelike paintings of John Lennon, Nina Simone, Michelle Obama, MLK, Nelson Mandela, Helen Keller, Sri Anandamayi Ma, Sri Rama Maharshi, Neem Karoli Baba Maharaji and Sri Siddhi Ma cover his page. “The frequency of energy encapsulated within the painting or song is what may pull you towards it, capturing the essence of an inspired time and moment, which then begins a cycle of inspiration for the listener or

viewer,” says Hoffeld. "The cycle is a spiral which connects us all as humans.” I experienced this first hand when he posted this portrait of Maya Angelou (featured here). I instantly felt her energy and gravitated toward purchasing this painting. I agree with Hoffeld that the frequency of energy is encapsulated within the painting. She is here in my home, inspiring me to write every day. +

ANGE KATZ is a writer, yoga and meditation teacher and holistic yoga therapist. Ange is the founder and director of the Union Yoga School which offers yoga and meditation teacher trainings. She is also a meditation teacher on the app Insight Timer. Ange owns Sacred Devotion which hosts her, healing essential oils, reiki, astrology readings and therapy offerings. Ange sponsors the Sunrise School in Ramgarh, India in which she leads group trips to yearly. sacreddevotion.co

jaunt /jônt/ noun a journey for pleasure.

Jaunt works with a collective of professionals to connect you to the creative services you need in design, public relations, writing, editing, publishing, brand management + web development.

jauntmediacollective.com

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lifestyle / Art

FOSTER YOUR ART PRACTICE

+ Spark Creativity

Thoughts From Colorado Artists

she explains. Additionally, she jots down that we are all born makers. Mahoney adds, hen I was 5 years old, I wantnotes and sketches before bed and sets “Making art is discovering our inner and ed to be an artist. Yet, I was aside at least one day a week for art. outer universes! It is helping share a drop of consistently told, “No, you Russo similarly advocates for building the intangible with the world. It is interacting will not be able to support a customized plan, emphasizing that “the with matter and finding purpose.” Russo yourself.” 18 years later, after exploring most important thing is to figure out when goes as far as asserting art is essential to supposedly more lucrative and practical your best energy is.” Russo is the most life. It is how we communicate. It feels good possibilities, my childhood aspirations have focused and clear-headed in the morning on a biological level. not dissipated. Many, possibly most, people after some Pilates or yoga, so she reserves With an idea of why people make art and today do not identify as creators or artists this time for the studio and her “junky enerwhy it is important, I wanted to know how due to similar discouragement, but creating gy” later in the day for sitting at a computer to do it: how to make time for it, how to get is human nature. It is essential in how we to take care of business matters. ideas and what to do with them. interact with each other If ever stuck or unsure of where to beAlthough the specific and the world. by Becca Saulsberry structure of his practice varies gin, these artists recommend committing To rediscover how to time, staying curious and observant, trying depending on his teaching foster an art practice and new things and setting constraints. Russo schedule and when he has his spark creativity, I spoke reiterates that making art is a practice not daughter, Hoth dedicates time every day. with three Coloradan artists. Kevin Hoth is magic, meaning you get better at it by doing He admits sometimes that simply means a Boulder-based fine art photographer and it. According to Hoth, giving yourself time to meditating, updating a gratitude journal or educator in photography, graphic design “do nothing” and play opens you up to ideas, staring out a window, but it is all part of the and multimedia art; Alie Mahoney handso “let the universe throw things at you!” process. Having trained as a photographer, carves woodblocks with which she creates Making art comes from noticing and investihe is also always taking photos and noticprints in Breckenridge; and, from her studio gating, too. “Go outside! Listen to music. Take ing light, shadows, colors and clouds. He in Jamestown, Martha Russo works on photos of interesting patterns and textures encourages catering a practice that fits with ceramics and installations informed by her and colors,” Mahoney urges. Another way to your life and personality and assures that it background in biology. get new neural pathways firing is to try things is “worth making no matter what it is.” As a creative with a design education, I we’re not good at, says Hoth, or to have new Mahoney adapts with the seasons. “Long, occasionally grapple with the unclear purexperiences like an art residency says Russo. cold winters in the mountains are the best pose of art. If it does not serve a function, Lastly, sometimes limiting ourselves to certain times to make art. I like to hibernate at is it wasteful? Hoth, Mahoney and Russo materials, timeframes or other parameters can home when possible and carve detailed, helped paint the vitality of art by breaking motivate us to work in a fresh way. time-consuming woodblocks. Then the sumdown the benefits into those of the viewer Russo summarizes: “Stay aware, be open mers are more external, a gathering time of and those of the maker. and create parameters.” + ideas from the garden, woods and bugs,” “We’re wired to interpret the world visually. Who knows why a ballet makes us tear up? There is clearly something deeply human about it,” expresses Hoth. From Mahoney’s perspective, “Art can also BECCA SAULSBERRY coins herself as an art, design and words nerd offer [the viewer] hope in times of despair and outdoor enthusiast due to her multifaceted creativity and spunky, and reveal truths in times of lies.” For the adventure-seeking spirit. After growing up in Tennessee and Austin, Texas, Becca gained a B.S. degree in Technology, arts and media from the creator, Hoth believes making art is a “way University of Colorado at Boulder. She now works as a freelance designer, to process living and pain.” He points out illustrator and writer. Catch her in the mountains on afternoon runs or children and the prevalence of singing and weekend backpacking trips! dancing across cultures to support the idea

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Alie Mahoney hand-carves woodblocks with which she creates prints in Breckenridge.

From her studio in Jamestown, Martha Russo works on ceramics and installations informed by her background in biology.

Kevin Hoth is a Boulder-based fine art photographer and educator in photography, graphic design and multimedia art. YOGALIFELIVE.COM

lifestyle / CO Community

X Denver

Shared Community + Wellness Space by lexi reich

fully furnished options which include all the necessities, from sheets to kitchenware to waste bins. All units are complete with inunit laundry, spacious closets, downtown or mountain views and even WiFi. X Denver residents all receive a complimentary membership to the club, which hosted its grand opening in May 2021. All-access memberships are available to non-residents for $275 a month. X Denver Club features a rooftop lounge with a full-service bar and restaurant, reservable conference rooms, group fitness classes, daily wellness offerings, a fully equipped gym, private meeting pods and a rooftop pool “house” complete with a 30-person jacuzzi, cocktail bar, firepits, amphitheater seating and mountain views. “It is an absolute privilege to bring X’s spin on wellness and fitness programs to the city of Denver,” says wellness director Delise Johnson. “I’m excited to see what

kind of energy our future members bring to the gym and studio spaces.” Fitness and wellness offerings include meditation, restorative, hatha and vinyasa yoga, in addition to various strength conditioning formats like bootcamp and barre. X Denver’s membership club is looking to collaborate with local wellness-related partners for monthly wellness events. Some examples are stress management workshops, book clubs, journaling events, gardening classes, financial literacy workshops, vision boarding events and game nights. +

This unconventional members-only club, apartments and fully furnished co-living suites are an exciting addition to Denver’s strong health and wellness scene. X Denver is located at 3100 Inca Street and is currently accepting resident and club applications at xdenver.co.

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Photos courtesy of X Denver

ellness is considered a lifestyle journey. X Denver, the city’s newest wellness community, is fully equipped to provide an all-inclusive experience from physical and social health to spiritual and emotional wellness. Located within blocks of Coors Field, X Denver offers private residences and co-living suites, as well as a members-only club. Whether you’re in need of connection, workspace, a gym or simply drinks on the rooftop, this downtown building has Denverites covered. “We are thrilled to be bringing X to the mile-high city,” says CEO Noah Gottlieb. “Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was important to create a sense of ‘belonging’ since safe, social interaction is something we have all been lacking this past year.” The 813-bed apartment sector launched in late winter 2021. Most notable is their

lifestyle / CO Community

Coworking Spaces

Transform the Work-From-Anywhere Experience

hile work-from-home has become the new normal for many, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the community and amenities an office space provides. These four coworking spaces have been providing Colorado professionals and business with unique flex-office options for years. From wellness rooms to open coffee bars and networking events, coworking communities are a great way to get out of the house and work in a productive environment surrounded by like-minded individuals.

Photo courtesy of JXN Station

by lexi reich

RISE Collaborative Workspace

Kiln

JXN Station

Evolve

Boulder

Grand Junction

Crested Butte

Denver

Kiln is Boulder’s newest flex-office and coworking community. Located on Pearl Street, the 22,000-squarefoot space houses an on-site theater, refresh rooms, showers, cycling and treadmill desks, a parenting room, café, podcast studio and more. Health and wellness are at the forefront of this boutique community. Immersed in the clean and open design, members are supported in cultivating a strong work/life balance. Private office space and open desk options are available.

Grand Junction is growing in business each year, and JXN Station is a notable networking community that provides a 16-office coworking space to likeminded individuals and companies. With a communal kitchen, community events and plenty of desks to choose from, JXN Station is a great choice for local solopreneurs and small companies alike. The space prides itself on offering in-house networking through its strong and connected community.

Like many mountain towns, summer means high traffic, and Evolve is expecting their coworking space to feel no different. While social distancing measures are in place, Evolve is excited to welcome freelancers and other work-from-home professionals in its shared workspace. Located on Elk Avenue in the midst of restaurants and coffee shops, Evolve is a quiet, self-managed environment with open and dedicated desk membership options.

jxnstation.com

evolvework.co

Located in Denver, RISE is home to female entrepreneurs and professionals who not only want a beautiful space to work, but a community filled with support and connection. Members can enjoy private offices, dedicated and open desks, conference rooms, mother rooms, a coffee and snack bar and more. The nonprofit sector, RISE Society, connects high school girls with working professionals at RISE Collaborative as a part of a mentorship program. While most member-led social events are virtual for the time being, the RISE community is growing each day.

kiln.co/locations/boulder

riseworkspace.com/denver

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lifestyle / Colorado Community

BE A

good person

by Shenna Jean

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Photos courtesy of Be A Good Person

hat started over a sticker is now a full-blown movement in Denver. It’s tough to visit the mile-high city these days and not see this message everywhere. On a colorful street art mural, a hat someone is wearing at the airport, a sticker on your parking meter and endless t-shirts and hoodies around town — it’s a simple concept, yet a little reminder sometimes goes a long way. Be A Good Person (BAGP), a lifestyle apparel brand based in Denver is on a mission to spread positivity. It has a goal to celebrate people of all backgrounds while inspiring the world to act on a basic concept: being a good person. Founders Julian Donaldson and Darian Simon are creatives and friends who started the company six years ago after the popularity of the phrase on a simple square sticker started taking off. Donaldson is the designer while Simon, who went to school for photography, jumped into the driver's seat on the creative storytelling and marketing lane of the company. The BAGP flagship store is located in the heart of Denver’s Art District in RiNo. The vibe is infectious when you walk in: beats are bumping, fresh air flows from the juliette balcony that overlooks the most popular alley in the area. Donaldson is typically on the couch designing something amazing for next season; Simon is usually behind the cash wrap on his turntables, passing out stickers and chatting it up with guests. Community collaborations with local artists,

companies, non-profits, schools and parks are truly at the core of this brand, which adds to its magnetic draw. Last year, in partnership with lululemon, the BAGP team brought in Thomas Evans (aka Detour 303) to paint a mural on the Curtis Park basketball court. Detour is a well-known muralist in the area and you can find his stunning tribute portraits of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, John Lewis and many others around the city. Funds were raised for Marlee’s Smile Foundation, and BAGP brought some friends in to host a work-

out and goal setting session for neighbor kids on the newly painted court. Most recently they have partnered with Denver breakfast behemoth Snooze for a special edition t-shirt from which $10 for every shirt sold will go to No Kid Hungry to

provide 100 meals for families in need. BAGP is a brand based on a passion for positivity and a brighter future for our society, and it’s clearly reflected not just in their gear, but in their actions and collaborations as well. +

Follow along with BAGP crew on instagram at @beagoodperson and shop online at beagoodperson.com to support this Denver-based, Black-owned business that’s making waves. You’ve been warned, this brand is addictive in the best way possible, and you’ll wish you had more surface area in your life for all the amazing stickers.

SHENNA JEAN loves creating content for people, places and ideas that inspire her. Based in Denver, Colorado, she enjoys getting to the mountains as often as possible, listening to music, reading personal development books, practicing yoga, dancing around the house and playing outside.

Spoke+Blossom is a lifestyle print and digital magazine based in Western Colorado — an incredible place to live, work + play. S+B builds community by creating thought-provoking content and stunning photography that highlight a truly vibrant way of living. SPOKEANDBLOSSOM.COM

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By lexi reich

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Photos courtesy of Table Mountain Inn

lifestyle / CO Escapes

SPIRIT OF THE WEST

Table Mountain Inn Golden, Colorado

n the center of historic Golden, Colorado — just 25 minutes outside of Denver — lies a glamorous western oasis. Set amongst the Rocky Mountains and in the heart of a quaint downtown, Table Mountain Inn makes for a truly charming stay. Located at 1310 Washington Ave., the adobe-style property is an impressive display of luxury while maintaining a classic southwestern vibe. The space’s lively character warrants a unique opportunity for Coloradoans looking to book a summer or fall staycation. Since the boutique hotel first opened in 1925, it has undergone numerous changes in ownership and weathered various economic hardships; through it all, the core of western hospitality prevailed. One visit and you can almost immediately feel the undercurrents of vitality and wholehearted western warmth.

Classic Coin margarita and Table-Side Flaming Asadero Cheese appetizer are exciting must-trys. For your main course, taste the portobello fajitas or the Table Mountain Cubano, served on Navajo flatbread. The relaxed ambiance and knowledgeable servers make guests feel at home. The savory, meticulously crafted drinks and cuisine make the restaurant alone a grand slam. The next morning, swing by Café 13 just around the corner for some espresso and fully loaded avocado toast. The vegan and gluten-free options also make it a perfect choice for any diet.

SHOP As you make your way along the small but plentiful downtown strip, stop by Spinster Sisters Co. for natural bath and body products handcrafted right in the shop. Bonus tip: buy one of the herbal botanical soaks

for an unforgettable spa-like experience back at your suite.

PLAY This summer, Table Mountain Inn is hosting pop-up events like their Art, Food and Spirits Club on the Kokopelli patio where cocktails and food will be paired with work from local artists. To top it off, the artists will be in attendance, says general manager John Payne. He adds that exact dates are coming soon — check their website for details. Golden is also home to state-of-the art hikes and outdoor adventures like fishing, rafting and kayaking. For the music lover, Red Rocks Amphitheater is just a short drive away. +

tablemountaininn.com

STAY Table Mountain Inn offers 74 Spanish-style rooms that are generous in space and rich in comfort. Included in each room are Silver Canyon Coffee from Boulder, locally sourced bath products and soft, quality linens. The window and balcony views are spectacular, reminding guests of the breathtaking natural landscape surrounding them. Pleasant, cozy and authentic are the fundamentals that define the accommodation’s essence.

EAT In the past year, the hotel’s restaurant, Table Mountain Grill & Cantina, underwent a renovation that only enhanced the vibrant dining experience. The cuisine is fresh and conveniently aligns with the hotel’s Santa Fe décor. Indulge in their happy hour and be sure to stay for a flavorful dinner. The

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Y Tailwind

Jungle Lodge By Shaina Maytum

oga overlooking the ocean, stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), whale watching and plenty of time relaxing in a hammock: Tailwind Jungle Lodge in San Pancho, Mexico is an adventurous wellness seeker's paradise. Located approximately an hour north of Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Pacific coast, this sustainable eco-lodge encourages guests to “unplug, rejuvenate and explore natural paradise on the Mexican Pacific coastline.” The lodge was started and largely hand-built by “wildpreneur” Tamara Jacobi and her parents in 2007; it provides travelers with the perfect combination of adventure and relaxation. The lodge offers glamping-style accommodations ranging from the rustic to the luxurious. Guests can choose between a platform-style palapa with a composting toilet and outdoor shower or an enclosed casita or bungalow with indoor facilities and a full kitchen. Regardless of which one you choose, you are guaranteed a comfortable bed, your own hammock and a view of the jungle or ocean. Jungle lodging can accommodate solo travelers, couples and families, and the Jacobi family is happy to help travelers select the best option. Opportunities for outdoor activities and relaxation abound at Tailwind and in the

surrounding communities. A well-marked path leads to the ominously-named, but nearly private, Playa de Los Muertos (Beach of the Dead). A yoga platform with views of the jungle and ocean is available for private practice, as well as private and group classes. A small pool and plenty of hammocks allow for jungle lounging and relaxation. Those interested in venturing farther afield can sign up for guided SUP or sea kayaking tours, and nearby towns offer more beaches, whale watching (the migrations are best experienced in December), shopping, festivals and the best tacos and margaritas around. You’ll need to go into San Pancho at least once to shop for groceries, and travelers can’t help but be taken in by the town’s charming shops and restaurants. Locals and tourists alike flock to La Playa San Pancho (San Pancho Beach) to watch the sunset. For those interested in a more structured experience, Tailwind also offers yoga, Pilates, adventure and wellness retreats throughout the season; they can also help you design one for your family or group. Services include catering, adventure tours, classes and wellness treatments. They also specialize in intimate weddings and other celebrations. One of the most appealing parts of Tailwind is its commitment to sustainability

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Photos courtesy of Tailwind Jungle Lodge

lifestyle / Travel

and the health of the local community. In March 2009, the lodge became the first certified sustainable eco-lodge in Mexico. The palapas, casitas and bungalows are carefully built into the hillside to minimize disruption of the landscape, showers drain the water back into the jungle (travelers are asked to bring only biodegradable soap) and the lodge is completely off the grid without sacrificing comfort. The Jacobi family invests in the San Pancho community by employing local workers and encouraging visitors to support local businesses. San Pancho itself is known for its environmental and social initiatives, and a visit to the Entreamigos community center is a must. The center provides educational scholarships to local students and runs a recycling program, the materials from which local women make and sell jewelry. Visitors to Tailwind and San Pancho are encouraged to not just be passive tourists, but rather to engage with the environment, community and culture in meaningful ways — a perfect complement to a relaxing vacation. With so much put on hold for the last year, planning a trip to Tailwind can rejuvenate and inspire a sense of much-needed vitality. The lodge only operates from November to June, so summer and fall are the perfect time to book a trip. If this isn’t the right time for you to take a jungle vacation but you still want some inspiration, you can also check out Tamara’s recently published book Wildpreneurs, which provides a blueprint for anyone wishing to live the life they have always dreamed of. +

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For more information about Tailwind and to start planning your own jungle vacation, check out their website at tailwindjunglelodge.com.

SHAINA MAYTUM is a writer living on Colorado’s Front Range. She can regularly be found hiking, backpacking and identifying trees in the foothills of her backyard, but truly loves a good road trip or international adventure. Her writing has been featured in Backpacker magazine and she is a regular contributor to the Duct Tape Diaries, the Northwest River Supply blog. You can also find her work in a variety of regional publications, including The Colorado Sun, Spoke+Blossom and Carbondale Magazine. Read more of her work at shainamaytum.com or follow her on Instagram: @shainamaytum

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lifestyle / Travel

Alive + Thriving The Country That Didn’t Skip a Beat By Kaitlin Emig

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Photo by Federico Pagola

NEW ZEALAND SUMMER FESTIVALS

hile much of the world wore masks throughout last winter in the Northern Hemisphere, people in New Zealand dressed in costume, painted their faces and joined together for a summer of festivals. This celebration of “normal” life has given everyone watching from around the world a glimpse that this too will pass. May this give you hope for the time when traveling around the world, gathering with friends and dancing to music all night will soon be around the corner. I caught up with friends and cohorts from my time dancing barefoot in a New Zealand paddock to hear how the festival season has been alive and thriving, but also to ask why these festivals are unique compared to anywhere else. Everyone answered with similar thoughts about the smaller size and beautiful settings these camping excursions take place in. But is there something deeper within the roots of the culture that sets New Zealand festivals apart? Photographer Tim Shoultz weighed in on this matter. “One of my favorite parts about New Zealand festivals is the opening ceremony,” he says. The Maori culture is represented in a pōwhiri (traditional welcoming to a marae or meeting house) as a welcoming onto the land where guests are invited to show they come in peace, to make an offering and to pay respect to the land and ancestors. Generally, several Te Reo Maori (traditional language) blessings are said and an intention is set for the festival, Shoultz describes. The intentionality behind a reason to gather, live, love and be present warms Shoultz’s heart and provides a glimpse of how the festival community enacts a potential for what can be. “Festivals are a fulfillment of the ideal environment for love, creativity and compassion that guide our efforts into the betterment or evolution of our species by remembering our true purpose of being stewards to Mother Earth, or Papatūānuku, or Pachamama — our home,” Shoultz believes. Shoultz is originally from Alabama and has attended medium to large festivals in America, but finds their sheer size doesn’t appeal to him anymore. Since arriving in New Zealand in 2017, he has attended, volunteered and been a media coordinator at seven festivals ranging in size. He is

Photo by Federico Pagola

currently on a three-year essential skills visa while he works for a retreat center outside of Queenstown. For acrobat and fire spinner Nikita Rose, she is inspired by the New Zealand circus community and importance of play these festivals bring into her life. “I can’t describe the fire in my heart; this creative outlet allows me to explore with music, movement and community,” she explains. Rose is grateful for her unique situation that allowed her to stay in the country while living out of her van and traveling to festivals. She is originally from New Jersey and first entered New Zealand on a working holiday visa then transitioned to a tourist visa to extend her stay. The New Zealand government automatically granted tourists who arrived before their borders closed a visitor status for the past year. For Rose, this meant the ability to perform, teach and attend eleven festivals sharing her love for acroyoga and spinning fire. I, too, found the circus and fire spinning community enchanting and magical at festivals like Circulation and Autumn Arena in the South Island. Witnessing performers from around the world throw balls of fire around their bodies with grace, poise and power was exhilarating to watch. This culture of spinning originated from the Maori poi used in traditional performances of storytelling and singing. Opportunities to learn about the Maori culture, environmental issues on the small islands or engage in meaningful dialogue through workshops are also present at festivals like Luminate, Relish and NZ Spirit Festival. The element of stewardship on the land is enacted by establishing a “no rubbish"’policy at some festivals. There is a shared responsibility to leave-no-trace at your campsites and within the festival, similar to the American Burning Man principals. Multiple festivals in New Zealand capture this gifting culture by making intentional space for everyone to share and co-create. Californian photographer Jeffery Packard finds the alcohol-free festivals create a different dynamic. “There's a sense of safety present which means there are more children and families, and there's a completely different way that people act and interact throughout the day,” he says. Shoultz agrees the intimate vibe creat-

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ed by a smaller and more conscious community attending the festivals allows for deeper connections. “Sometime festivals are just a couple of hundred people and by the end of the festival you know the whole tribe” he adds. Packard who is also on an extended tourist visa thought there would be far more locals attending the festivals but found there to be a strong contingent of people from overseas still traveling the country. “It's always fun seeing faces from other festivals and other years, and the locked borders amplify this effect,” he explains. Ryan Ferris, a musician and Kiwi (native New Zealander) who has traveled to festivals around the world describes how festivals in his home country differ because of the stunning landscapes in which they are set. He explains that at some of the smaller festivals one can be within the native bush and rivers just as much as inside the festival. He adds there are two worlds to the festival scene in New Zealand — just like elsewhere. “Large festivals bring incredible music acts from around the world (except this summer) but are booze filled, while smaller ones create great principals, high quality production and amazing community,” he describes. Ferris preformed at five festivals this summer with his band Beacon Bloom. He gives reference to the traditional names when asked where he is originally from, stating Otautahi or Christchurch which are in Aotearoa and New Zealand respectively. Ferris believes having only Kiwi acts this summer helped improve the discovery of local artists, allowing crowds to be more exploratory. Local acts filled the ears of attendees and, as Shoultz explains, makes a less distracting atmosphere. “I tend to get more focused on who is playing music, so I don’t miss out, and less on just exploring the soundscape of the festival by letting my

THE AUTHOR’S TOP 3 FAVORITE NZ FESTIVALS: Relish Festival — stunning location, groovy dance floor, workshops and community kitchen.

Autumn Arena — permaculture homestead, circus and fire spinning, closing day hangi (ceremonial Maori meal). Luminiate — 8,000 person leave-notrace and alcohol free festival located on a crystal mountain.

ears guide me,” Shoultz adds. “Festivals are a great place for self-exploration with the festival as a facilitator and tool for that journey,” Shoultz says. Whether you are into large performances, thought-provoking workshops, yoga classes with a scenic view or community kitchens serving up delicious meals day and night, there is a festival in New Zealand for you. +

KAITLIN EMIG seeks adventure through mindful travel and outdoor pursuits. Her first oversees traveling experience as a teenager opened her worldview to everything beyond the rainbow. Growing up in Kansas and studying English and Writing in Iowa, she was far from the mountains that truly called her. Once moving to Colorado to teach skiing and yoga, she felt in her element. Adventure still beckoned however and for the last three years she's lived in New Zealand and British Columbia. Her goals of freelance writing to share her outdoor pursuits has led her to this internship with Jaunt Media Collective, publishers of YOGA + Life.

lifestyle / What We Love 3

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1. ECOlunchbox Tri Bento (Mandala) This lunch box is a stand-out. Not only is the beauty and bounty of a pear adorned on the lid, but the quality of the stainless steel makes it durable and easy-to-use. ECOlunchbox believes reducing your environmental footprint can be easy, and this perfectly portioned bento box is a great non-toxic buy! $35.99 ecolunchboxes.com 2. Zeal See Grass Collection The See Grass frames are the first sustainable sunglasses built from a proprietary blend of natural grasses and recycled plastic bottles. Natural grasses from agriculture byproducts (such as hay, straw and hemp) combined with the recycled plastic bottles create a durable, sustainable and timeless set of frames. Each pair is slightly different based on the composition, making it all the more a unique look! $169 zealoptics.com

3. Little Yogi Deck Perfect for the young ones in your life, acclaimed yoga teacher Crystal McCreary’s deck introduces important mindfulness topics with fun and easy to understand yoga poses. The 48-card deck is organized into eight color-coded categories ranging from anger to joy to peace. $19.95 shambhala.com 4. Astral Hemp Chukker MS This versatile shoe wears well casually, at work or during impromptu adventures. The hemp uppers on a performance midsole, combined with a sticky rubber outsole, make this classic a home run. $120 astraldesigns.com 5. Nature’s Willow Balm This blend of white willow bark and helichrysum provides natural pain relief for joints and muscles, migraines and other inflammations in the body. Give your body some botanical love and enjoy the camphor, eucalyptus, geranium oil and more. $11.99 natureswillowbalm.com

6. Royal Robbins Women’s Multi-Way Knit Tank This tank lets you pack less without sacrificing your outfit options. With four ways to wear it, the versatile style is made from sustainable fabric that is soft, breathable, quick-drying and ecoconscious. $60 royalrobbins.com 7. TriggerPoint CHANNEL Roller This foam roller’s cutting-edge shape delivers direct compression while avoiding sensitive areas like the spine and IT band to target tight and overactive muscles. Use to re-hydrate muscle tissue and improve mobility. The CHANNEL retains shape after frequent use, is easy-to-clean and sweat-resistant. $44.99 triggerpoint.implus.com 8. Royal Robbins Men’s Hempline Shortsleeve Made from a blend of hemp and recycled poly, this sustainably crafted top is comfortable across a variety of climates and boasts moisturewicking and odor resistant properties. The soft, durable, wrinkle-resistance performance shirt is YOGALIFELIVE.COM

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standard in fit and abundant in good — a portion of proceeds for this product are donated to the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund to help community-based conservation projects. $75 royalrobbins.com 9. Chaco Chillos Flip Chaco Footwear just released this new version of the Chillos — this flip sandal is ideal for sliding into your post-yoga day. Designed to be lightweight, low profile and comfortable, the Chillos feature a sweat relief for the feet, ample arch support and classic adjustable straps. $40 chacos.com 10. Solo New York Re:claim Backpack This stylish, sustainable, tech-ready backpack is great for an on-the-go lifestyle. Made out of six recycled PET bottles, this bag has a 22L capacity and features a laptop compartment, two top loops to hold a jacket or umbrella and a back strap that easily slides over a luggage handle. $64.99 solo-ny.com

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11. "When Love Comes To Light" During turbulent times, the Bhagavad Gita offers a path to compassion and love. Authors Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor guide the reader through a practical, incredibly helpful interpretation on the traditional Indian epic in a way that invites self-reflection. $19.95 shambhala.com 12. TEAKOE Strawberry Cardamon Fizzy Herbal Tea Colorado-based tea manufacturer TEAKOE recently announced their newest flavor, strawberry cardamon! Good for recovery and complexion, this caffeine-free beverage is deliciously satisfying. 12 x 12 oz cans $25 teakoe.com 13. Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn From savory to sweet to a combination of the two, Poppy is the perfect snack for yourself, friends and family. Hand-crafted and loaded with flavor, Poppy featured vegan options and premium selects, like birthday confetti or cinnamon bourbon pecan. Starts at $6.25 poppyhandcraftedpopcorn.com

14. Windward CBD Mind Body Balance Tincture Designed for athletes and those who spend the bulk of their free time in the outdoors, Windward CBD has crafted a tincture that supports both mental and physical health. The benefits of Hemp CBD are enhanced by a selection of therapeutic botanicals and adaptogens that aid in relaxation and relief. $65 windwardgoods.com 15. BRANWYN Essential Bralette Sustainable and sexy — two key words that describe this everyday bralette. The reversible straps, comfortable coverage and moisture-wicking properties make this a versatile, staple piece. Give your lady bits the gift of ethically sourced Merino wool and embrace the softness! $38 branwyn.com

BY YOGA + LIFE ® TEAM

lifestyle / What We Love

Solandra

Have a Spa Day Every Day

very morning, Cynthia Henzler puts on a long sleeve shirt, apron and goggles, and heads downstairs to her workshop in Eagle, Colorado. She prepares her curing chamber and exhaust system for the day’s work ahead. Some may call Henzler a mad chemist, others may call her a soap maker. “I always thought I was this crazy soap lady trying to make these high-quality products,” Henzler confesses. “But when my soaps leave my workshop, I know I’ve done my best.” Henzler opened Solandra LLC in December 2017 to offer Colorado-crafted, all-natural products that heal dry mountain skin. Solandra soaps and skincare products are not only environmentally friendly, but

socially conscious. Her method is self-taught. When Henzler presented her very first handcrafted soap at a family function, her brother said the soap block was too big; her sister-in-law added that the formula needed tweaking. Through sheer perseverance, batch after batch, Henzler’s products improved. In fact, her renowned lip butters started because a month into business, a friend popped into her shop to request a lavender lip product. It took a year to master the formula, but once she did, Henzler had created a chemical-free, organic lip butter that soothes the toughest of dry skin — and now it’s one of her bestsellers. “Solandra personifies who I am,” Henzler shares, explaining the name comes from

“Viking queen,” a nickname her partner had given her. Her Aloha Soap contains ginger from a friend’s farm in Kauai, Hawaii (where she lived herself for 16 years). She dries and grinds the ginger and adds it to the soap to complement the coconut and cocoa butter properties. Mountain Forrest Soap is named after her nephew, Forrest. She sprinkles the top with harvested pine needles and the sparkly green mineral, mica. The Solandra lotion bars are infused with honey from Colorado Mountain Honey. Not only do her products uphold integrity towards the environment, but also the community. Giving back is at the heart of her work with 15% of Solandra’s profits being used to donate soaps to those in need. “I think it’s really important to give back when you can. Even if just a smile, or whatever it may be,” Henzler says. “Sometimes it just becomes without realizing it, but when you bless others, you get so blessed in return.” Henzler donates her soaps to Bright Future Foundation, a nonprofit in Vail Valley dedicated to changing lives affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse, and The Salvation Army, through which she gets her products in the hands of Denver’s homeless youth. She also works with a women’s shelter in Fort Collins and another organization in California that aided firefighters this past summer. “I’m proud that you can take my products wherever you go,” she says, adding it’s due to the eco-friendly nature of her products. “Use products that are authentic, not ones that try to cover anything up.” Available online at SolandraLLC.com and local retail shops: Fill & Refill in Edwards, The Gilded Spruce in Vail, Vail Valley Pharmacy in Edwards and Knapp Harvest in Eagle. +

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOLANDRA

by lexi reich

Connect with the YOGA + Life® community!

yogalifelive.com YOGA + Life® creates connection and conversation about all things movement, wellness, travel, food, outdoors, gear, sustainable living, arts, culture and more. We are an international community containing regional yoga and lifestyle magazines — print and digital publications showcasing content that truly informs + inspires.

YOGA + FITNESS / Movement

YOGA IS YOUR

Superpower

by Toni Viney

1.UPWARD SALUTE (URDHVA HASTASANA)

HOW TO: Stand tall with your feet hipwidth apart and firmly grounded into your mat. Engage your legs and core and reach your arms up while you relax your shoulders and the muscles in your face. Feel the grounded power of this simple pose as you press down into your feet and engage even more through your legs and core. Consider your intention of expansiveness as you hold this pose to launch your practice. Notice your ribcage expand with each inhalation. Hold for two minutes as you focus on your breath. If you’re short on time, just doing this one simple pose is enough to give you a dose of empowerment. (If you’re out in public, try this pose in a bathroom stall or a quiet corner in a hallway).

2. WARRIOR II (VIRABHADRASANA II) HOW TO: With feet nearly as wide as the longest edge of your mat, turn your front foot to the top edge of your mat and align your back foot so that your arch is in the same line as the heel on your front foot. Bend your front knee to stack above your ankle and reach your arms out towards the front and back edges of your mat. Hold as you take your gaze across your front fingertips and notice the strength in your body as you actively reach in opposite directions.

TONI VINEY is a yoga instructor in northern Colorado and founder of Best Day Ever Yoga. She earned a Master’s degree in Communication Studies and works at Colorado State University as an academic advisor and program administrator. Toni is currently pursuing advanced yoga training with Tiffany Cruikshank through Yoga Medicine. Her yoga classes are intentionally sequenced around the physical and emotional needs of her students to support their wellness goals. She is energized by travel, the outdoors and spending time with her family. Learn more about her private and small group yoga offerings and virtual workshops at bestdayeveryogafc.com.

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Photos by Kristina Wood Photography

ou have a mat-inspired superpower and you may not even realize it. A typical yoga practice is packed full of what Amy Cuddy defines as power poses. Cuddy is a social psychologist who gave a famous TED Talk on how body language impacts how we think and feel about ourselves. She conducted a research study on the concept of power posing at Harvard University and revealed that people who held high-power poses (standing with their hands on their hips) had lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and higher levels of testosterone (the power hormone) compared to their counterparts who adopted low-power poses (seated with arms and legs crossed). She observed a higher level of risk tolerance, enhanced performance in job interviews and more confidence, optimism and assertiveness in individuals who held high-power poses for only two minutes as compared to those who held low-power poses. If you are gearing up for an important meeting, job interview, presentation or just need an extra dose of confidence for the day, you may want to take a few minutes to unroll your mat and activate your yoga superpower. It begins with setting an intention of expansiveness and creating a power pose-packed yoga flow. Take a look at this quick yoga practice to give yourself a boost of confidence and empowerment for your next big thing.

3. HORSE POSE (UTKATA KONASANA) TO FIVE-POINTED STAR (UTTHITA TADASANA)

HOW TO: Stand facing the side edge of your mat with feet wide and heels turned inward while you keep your toes pointing outward. Bend your knees to stack them over your ankles and squat down so that your hips are close to the same level as your knees. Begin with your hands at heart center and palms together. On your inhalation, move your arms up into a “V” shape and straighten your legs. Exhale to re-bend your knees and draw your hands back to heart center.

Photos by Kristina Wood Photography

HALF MOON (ARDHA CHANDRASANA)

HOW TO: Place one foot near the top of your mat with toes pointing to the top edge. Bring your arms into a “T” shape. Root down through your foot and lean your torso towards the front edge of the mat, allowing your back foot to lift up. Reach your front fingertips to the ground as you reach your opposite hand upwards (consider using a yoga block for support). Aim to stack your hips and shoulders to keep your body facing the side of your mat. Send energy down into the standing leg and reach the back leg back as you flex your top foot. Expand open the arms, setting your gaze at one point on the ground. YOGALIFELIVE.COM

5. SUPER COBRA (BHUJANGHASANA)

7. WIDE ANGLE SEATED FORWARD BEND

HOW TO: Begin on your belly with your feet hipwidth apart and your hands off your mat in line with your shoulders. Tent your hands by pressing down into your fingertips and drawing up through the palms of your hands. Press your pubic bone down to activate through your low back, glutes and abdomen. As you inhale, lift your chest up and forward and hold for a full breath. Release down on your next exhalation.

HOW TO: Begin in a seated position on your mat (consider sitting on a yoga blanket or towel to raise your hips slightly for better preparation for this pose). Widen your legs out into a “V” shape. Press your heels and the balls of your feet away from your torso, lengthen your spine by drawing the crown of your head high. Keep the length in your spine as you fold forward from your hips.

6. BRIDGE (SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA) HOW TO: Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms on your mat down by your sides with heels just out of reach of your fingertips. Keep your gaze straight up and ground your feet into the mat to lift your hips up. Tune into the openness in your chest and front of your hips and press your shoulders down into your mat.

(UPAVISTHA KONASANA)

8. SUPPORTED FISH (MATSYASANA) HOW TO: Place a yoga block on your mat a little more than halfway toward the top. Position yourself to lie on your mat with the yoga block meeting the bottom edge of your shoulder blades on its lowest height. Use as much space as you can comfortably take by widening your legs so that your feet meet the edges of your mat and allow your arms to extend away from your body. Invite your heart to expand on your inhalations and soften and relax the back of your body into the support of the block with each exhalation.

YOGA + FITNESS / Movement

A Three Pose Sequence for Kidney Health Invigoration, Purification + Detoxification INVIGORATE: Sphinx Pose (5 to 7 minutes) I call this the fountain of youth pose because it compresses the sacro-lumbar region of the spine where it’s said 80% of Americans find most stagnation in the low back, and where the kidney meridian tends to get most congested.

by Kali Basman

+ Tops of feet on the floor, lengthen front of ankle joint and release through soles of feet.

+ Upper inner thighs engage, slight pull in the inseam will stabilize base of spine.

+ Pubic bone as the anchor point, press

pubis into mat to create an anchor from which the spine lifts.

+ Navel lifts up and glides in toward the

spine to engage the corset of the middle abdomen and protect lower back.

+ Sternum lifts and spreads, widening

KIDNEY CHI:

The Yin Organ of Vitality

he Ancients called the kidneys “the great purifier” or “the engine of Chi.” Located below the lowest ribs on the back body, these bean shaped organs are like the reservoir of our Prana body: responsible for filtration of blood, lubrication of the tendons, ligaments and fascia, and the removal of water-soluble toxins. The kidneys hold the potential for greater immune response, maintenance of general vitality, youthfulness, creativity and sexuality. In Chinese Medicine, kidney energy controls the Chi, or essence, and thus gives stamina and vigor to the entire body and mind. The kidney meridian is the channel in which Chi nourishes the organ itself. It begins at the sole of the foot and curls

around the inner ankle before ascending up the inseam of the back of the leg. As it reaches through the inner groin and pierces the perineum, it branches up either side of the spine and chest to end just beneath the collarbones. The kidneys are our internal reservoir — this inherent resource we possess for vigor and vitality. Kidneys need deep rest to revitalize the system and to provide the luster and lusciousness we can possess: glistening eye doors, juicy joints, succulent skin, buoyancy of breath. Practice this sequence of floor poses which organizes the skeleton in specific ways to awaken and enliven the connective tissue where the kidney pathway runs.

through the distal ends of the collarbones.

+ Base of skull pulls back and wide to

prevent jutting forward of the chin and to protect the neck.

+ Crown of head lifts to refine your relationship to the upper realms.

Prana Pattern (Breath Activity): Inhale, pull the tissue behind the navel back towards the sacral plate; exhale, keep it pulled in and widen across the kidney band beneath the lowest ribs.

“Let this be enough.”

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PURIFY: Floor Frog (5 minutes) Flushing the inner leg line will lubricate the fascial planes where the kidney channel runs, eradicating obstructions, clearing the cobwebs and freeing undesirable mental objects from the mind stream.

+ Equalize weight through the femur heads as you externally rotate the thighs.

+ Tilt the pelvis forward to lift sacrum and settle onto palms or forearms. + Slight lift of kneecaps to engage the quadriceps and lengthen hamstrings.

+ Press through base of big toe — the “bubbling spring” of the kidney channel.

Prana Pattern (Breath Activity): Inhale into the root of pelvic floor to gather, exhale to distribute the Chi force swimming in and through the legs.

DETOXIFY: Supine Twist (5 minutes each side) Spinal rotations are the most effective activity I know of to reset imbalances along the vertebrae. Additionally, because suggested healthy Chi moves in spirals, this spiraling of the spine promotes vitality of the Prana vessel. It filters, it rinses and it resets. The antidote to regularized turbulence of our day.

MANAGE STRESS RELEASE TENSION INCREASE ENERGY

Acupuncture Session + Complimentary Cupping for only $99 ($179 Value)

+ As the low body rolls to one direction, let the upper body roll to the opposite.

+ Pivot from the base of the ribcage and pull collarbones out of sternum. + Back of ribcage, base of skull, root of tongue all go wide and settle down to plug into the ground.

Prana Pattern (Breath Activity): Inhale to lift the root (the perineum; the mula) up towards the belly basin, exhale twist from kidneys.

Ancient wisdom for the modern lifestyle Internationally celebrated Yin & Dharma teacher of teachers, KALI BASMAN, blends Buddhist psychology with potent rejuvenative practice to address stagnation in the bodymind and coax Chi into healing pathways. All upcoming immersions and Yintensives (virtual and inperson) at kalidurgayoga.com. Follow her on Instagram @kali_durga, Facebook @Kalidurgayinyoga and YouTube.

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2250 South Oneida Street #203 Denver, Colorado (303) 733-3030

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YOGA + FITNESS / In The Practice

PRANAYAMA: The Energy Management System

Photo by: fabio comparelli

by Teresa Adele

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ranayama, or breath manipulation exercise, is a natural energy management system that was identified in many of the first ancient yogic texts including the Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Pranayama has three aims: energizing, equalizing or relaxing. When you know how to nourish and work your prana, you can use it to help give you that extra boost you need at 3 p.m. or to help you get to sleep when your mind is racing at 3 a.m. These effects of pranayama are not only in your head. A 2006 publication in Medical Hypotheses says that slow and deep breathing engages many physiological responses associated with the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” mode. Meanwhile, controlled fast and shallow breathing has long been found to increase both heart rate and blood pressure and can make you feel more alert. Let’s practice engaging our natural energy management system through pranayama.

ENERGIZING: Kapalabhati

According to the International Journal of Yoga, the word kapalabhati is derived from two words: “kapala” meaning “skull” (and the organs inside it) and “bhati,” meaning “illuminating.” For this reason, this breathing practice is affectionately called the skull-shining breath.

+ Start in a comfortable seated position and

inhale naturally, through the nose, to begin.

+ Forcefully exhale through the nose. Notice

how the abdominal muscles contract on the exhale and how the body naturally brings air in without any effort.

+ Repeat for 50 to 100 rounds, focusing only on

+ Start in a comfortable seated position. + Bring your right hand’s peace fingers to your

third eye so your thumb is hovering above the right nostril and your ring finger is above the left nostril.

+ Release your air through both nostrils.

Blocking the right nostril with the thumb, inhale for four to six counts.

+ Switching nostrils, release the thumb and block the left side with your ring finger.

+ Exhale for four to six counts out of the left nostril.

+ Inhale four to six counts through the left. + Switch sides and exhale from the right for four to six counts.

+ Repeat for five to ten minutes. RELAXING:

Inside all of us is a powerful flow of energy, which can control

4-7-8 Breathing

This breathing pattern, created by Dr. Andrew Weil, is sometimes called the Relaxing Breath. Dr. Weil himself refers to it as, “the natural tranquilizer of the nervous system.”

+ Sitting in a comfortable position, bring your

tongue to the roof of your mouth, where your teeth meet the gum line.

+ Start with a sighing breath in through the

nose and out through the mouth, keeping the tongue at the teeth. The exhale should make a “whoosh” sound.

+ Inhale through the nose for four counts. + Hold the breath for seven counts. + Exhale through the mouth for eight counts, making the “whoosh” noise.

+ Repeat for a total of four breaths in and out. If the counts are difficult for you — for example, if you feel out of breath exhaling for eight counts — you may speed up the counting, but be sure to keep the ratio of 4-7-8. +

activity levels in both our body and our mind. Using your pranayama to engage your natural energy management system is a powerful way to get to know your body and embrace your intuitive wisdom.

forceful exhales with passive inhales.

If you get dizzy, release the manipulation of the breath. Kapalabhati breathing is different from hyperventilation and should not make you feel anxious or dizzy.

EQUALIZING: Nadi Shodhana

This is also called alternate-nostril breathing. By alternating the breath through the nostrils, the left and right nadis, or energy channels, are balanced. This breath can help you feel very calm but not sleepy.

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TERESA ADELE is a yoga teacher, writer and a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. As a teacher and coach, she focuses on selflove, body positivity and embracing challenges. She loves writing about the science behind holistic healing modalities, creative sequencing and making whole-body wellness more accessible for everybody. teresaadele.com

YOGA + FITNESS / In The Practice

by Anna Laird Barto

COULD THE

FIVE TIBETAN RITES

hen I first heard about the Five Tibetan Rites, I was intrigued that the benefits of yoga could be distilled into one daily, 10-minute practice. As much as I’d love to practice 70 minutes of vinyasa every day, it’s just not realistic with my hectic schedule. Having just turned 40, it also didn’t hurt that the Five Tibetan Rites are thought to have anti-aging effects and have even been touted as the “Tibetan Fountain of Youth.” In his 1939 book, The Eye of Revelation, American mystic Peter Kelder claims that

the rites had been passed down by an order of Tibetan lamas known for their extraordinary youthfulness and longevity. While their true origins are subject to debate, the exercises do strongly resemble some 2,500 year-old Indo-Tibetan yoga practices. More importantly, practitioners report increased energy, strength, flexibility, mental peace and clarity. After six months of practicing the rites more or less consistently, my smile lines haven’t gone anywhere. However, the practice has jump-started my morning routine, like a shot

of espresso for mind, body and spirit. I’ve also noticed an improvement in strength and stamina during my regular vinyasa practice. What makes these five simple postures so powerful? Each rite targets a different chakra system, modulating the flow of energy to the corresponding endocrine glands, which are responsible for regulating bodily processes like mood, metabolism, libido, growth and yes, aging. Start by performing each rite just two to three times. Eventually, you may work up to the recommended 21 repetitions.

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photo by linus mimietz

Be the Key to Lifelong Vitality?

CLOCKWISE SPIN — Extend your arms in a “T” and turn in a clockwise direction, palms face down. Avoid dizziness by focusing your gaze on a fixed object, such as the middle finger of your right hand.

LEG LIFTS — Begin lying face up on the mat with your arms at your sides, palms face down or under the sacrum for additional lower back support. As you inhale, tuck your chin toward your chest and raise both legs until they are perpendicular to the floor. Knees may remain bent. Exhale and return to the starting position.

KNEELING BACKBEND — Kneel with your hips and shoulders in line with your knees. Tuck your chin and press your hands to your sacrum or hamstrings. Firm your

massage

abdominals as you lean back, arching your upper back and chest toward the ceiling. Allow your head to drop back, as long as it doesn’t create discomfort in the neck. Exhale and repeat.

MOVING TABLE — Sit with your legs extended straight on the floor in front of you, feet flexed. Tuck your chin and press your palms into the floor or blocks (staff pose). With the inhale, lift your torso into a table position, allowing your head gently to drop back. Exhale as you lower to the starting position.

MOVING DOG — Start in upward dog, with toes tucked and shoulders over wrists. Exhale and push back into an inverted “V” shape, straightening your legs to the degree that’s comfortable (downward dog). Repeat. +

ANNA LAIRD BARTO is a writer and children's yoga instructor based in western Massachusetts. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and has published fiction and nonfiction in print and online. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, travel and volunteering as a Spanish-English interpreter. Visit her at annalairdbarto.com and on instagram at @annalairdbarto.

integrative bodywork

wellness

where the locals go ARE YOU READY TO EXPERIENCE THE BEST MASSAGE IN VAIL?

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YOGA + FITNESS / Seva

by Marisol Cruz

Street Fraternity: 48

courtesy of Street Fraternity

A Sanctuary in Denver’s East Colfax Neighborhood

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editation cushions, worn bookshelves, a small altar with framed photos of young men and a bubbling fish tank fill the meditation room within Street Fraternity in Denver’s East Colfax neighborhood. It is a serene, inviting setting and not something you might expect in this area of Denver. Most people pass by Street Fraternity without knowing it is there. Across the street from worn-down motels, behind a building marked “Disabled American Veterans” in faded letters, is a door with a small white sign hanging above it: “Street Fraternity” — in all block letters. Young men from the neighborhood know to knock on the door (if it is not open) to find Yoal Kidane Ghebremeskel, the co-founder and executive director of this nonprofit organization. Located in one of the most violent neighborhoods of Metro Denver, Street Fraternity provides young men with an alternative safe space to the streets and parks of East Colfax. “We know, and we understand; we need to be consistent in the lives of [our young adults] — the ones that are struggling in high school and after high school, because the mainstream pathways of education to college and/or a career aren’t working out for them,” says Ghebremeskel. The young men who come to Street Fraternity are primarily youth of color seeking a place where they can eat a hot meal, use a computer, play ping-pong, compose music or just sit in the quiet meditation room. It is often a stark contrast with what they experience in their day-to-day lives. “If not in a two-bedroom apartment with seven people, where else are you?” remarks Ghebremeskel. Monday through Thursday evenings nearly every week of the year, young men buzz about the narrow basement hallways — a place they describe as a brotherhood. In this vital space, they build relationships with caring adults who nourish their sense of well-being. Just before COVID hit, Street Fraternity hosted two healing circles in their meditation room — a new venture for the nonprofit. To the surprise of the staff, the young men sat for over an hour and a half in each other’s presence, taking time to listen to one another, sharing their stories and healing from the traumas they have experienced.

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To be in the presence of the Street Fraternity staff is to watch purpose unfold. The connection, the mutual respect and understanding that occur between the youth and the staff affirm one of the deepest needs of humanity. “Usually we don’t expect [them to sit] for even five minutes,” says Amadou Bility, co-founder and program coordinator. The staff realized that the young men truly needed the ritual of “just sitting as a community, sharing and really being able to be heard and have the chance to express themselves.” With the onset of COVID this past year, Street Fraternity had to close its basement and find other ways of serving the neighborhood. “With the exception of closing down for one week, we quickly strategized and said, ‘well, that need for food is still there.’ We are in a food desert,” says Ghebremeskel when he reflects on how they shifted their operations to providing food for the young men, their families and anyone else in need. Fulfilling the need for nourishment was a way for the staff to maintain their connection to the community. It was a way to show the young men “we are still present, even during this pandemic,” explains Ghebremeskel.

Despite having the basement officially closed, when a young person with mental health challenges shows up at the door needing assistance, the staff can guide him down to the meditation room because, “When they are in that space, they are safer than being on the street. So, we open the doors, even if it’s just one [person] in the meditation room looking at the fish and relaxing,” says Bility. It allows the young person time to regroup, and the staff can get support through their many partnerships with mental health professionals. To be in the presence of the Street Fraternity staff is to watch purpose unfold. The connection, the mutual respect and understanding that occur between the youth and the staff affirm one of the deepest needs of humanity: the desire to be seen, to be heard and to feel valued. The young men in the photos on the meditation room altar — some smiling, some serious — have all lost their lives “due to mental health issues, car accidents, drug and alcohol use, gun violence,” reveals Ghebremeskel. Their faces and their stories are reminders of why Street Fraternity exists — why the anchor of safety, positivity and brotherhood is so vital to the community. As a small, grassroots nonprofit, Street Fraternity depends on outside support to pay its rent and continue its operations. Without individual donations, this organization — this haven — would not exist. Street Fraternity was founded out of love and compassion for the young people that it serves, and love and compassion from others are what sustain its mission. +

Learn more and donate at streetfraternity.org.

For over 10 years, MARISOL CRUZ has practiced yoga for its profound healing and revelatory qualities. She believes that yoga is a tool for gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves and the way we relate to the world. In her classes, Marisol focuses on pranayama breathing exercises and vinyasa practice to guide students through their own personal experiences. When she is not practicing yoga, Marisol dedicates her days to serving the community through her work with nonprofits. She lives in Denver with her husband and two little boys.

Outside / Fresh Air

Timberleaf Trailers Plan Your Next Escape

ot yet ready for retirement, an older man with early onset Alzheimer’s from Dallas had a dream of living on the road fulltime, and part of his bucket list consisted of buying a Timberleaf Trailer in late 2015. With a great attitude about his predicament, he was able to travel for a year and a half before settling down, driving between tailgates at Yale with his son and exploring the vast Rocky Mountains. “We’re building the vehicle to make their stories fun,” shares Kevin Molick, founder and owner of Timberleaf Trailers in Grand Junction. Founded in 2015, the company’s teardrop trailers add a dose of convenience and luxury to any outdoor experience. Thanks to Timberleaf, a newlywed couple from a small town in Georgia clocked in 40,000 miles over the course of a year by living fulltime

in their teardrop trailer. They traveled to all but four states, and the husband ended up working for Timberleaf for two years because of how much he loved the company. Timberleaf’s headquarters moved from Denver to Grand Junction in March 2018. For adventure seekers looking to get a trailer of their own, it’s nice to know that it’s not a long process — each TImberleaf Trailer takes only three to four weeks of total build time. “It’s fun to watch when we deliver a trailer,” Kevin says. “Our guys talk to the clients and it’s ultimately like giving birth — the trailers being born and going out the door and having those experiences.” Their trailers are unique because of the design — the finish, detailing and accessories. It’s small enough, rugged enough and aesthetically pleasing. Anyone with a Subaru to a truck can use it to complement their outdoor excursions.

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Photos courtesy of Timberleaf Trailers

by Lexi reich

THE

PRACTICe While Kevin acknowledges it’s one of the most expensive trailers in the country, he stands by the price tag because of how much the Timberleaf team puts into each one. As folks come to pick up their trailer, Kevin says the feedback his team most often hears is how expectations have been exceeded. When you stand at the galley of the trailer, everything is right at your fingertips and easily accessed. The sink is right in front of you; the countertop is supreme for such a small unit. The trailer fits a queen size mattress and is crafted with quality in mind. In fact, many of the trailer’s components are purchased from yacht and marine suppliers, rather than typical trailer manufacturers. Anything welded for the trailer is made in Grand Junction, along with the wood finishes. “We use local manufacturers whenever we can,” adds Kevin. The trailer works because the men who craft it know what they’re doing; they’re all passionate about the outdoors and the environment. Kevin and his son, Alex, along with five other dedicated staff, make up the Timberleaf team. “This is not about me, it’s about the experiences we create. Everyone here is passionate about it; every single guy who works here is a very unique individual,” Kevin says. “We’re not all cut from same cloth, but we’re very avid outdoorsmen,” shares Alex, who is the shop manager. “It’s a cool environment to work in. We all have great pride in the quality of work we put out.” One of their workers, Jake, hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail. His experience camping and backpacking helps add insight into the design and production of the trailers. “It helps us think as a consumer, because we do camp and we can imagine very easily the use of our product in a rainstorm, the extreme cold or extreme heat,” Alex explains. Last summer, Alex joined a couple who just purchased a trailer for a weekend in Ouray. The couple enjoyed camping off grid as Alex helped them navigate their new purchase. The couple spent most of their time organizing the kitchen and cooking glamorous meals. “It was a unique experience to be among our customers with their first weekend in the trailer,” Alex says. “We definitely bonded.” “There are such cool opportunities for recreation within the valley and within close proximity,” he adds. Alex commends the community for their support allowing the business to flourish and says Grand Junction will always be home. There is a tentative agreement in the works for Timberleaf Trailers to open a space in Las Colonias, which is along the Colorado riverfront near downtown Grand Junction. “We’re trying to cultivate the outdoor industry there,” Kevin shares, adding Timberleaf would be the first manufacturer on the site. If you’re looking for comfort at the end of the day with a quality mattress, kitchen and secure lock, check out the craftsmanship at Timberleaf Trailers. +

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Online Classes + Workshops with YOGA + Life® Get moving with live and on-demand movement and mindfulness classes with YOGA + Life® team members and friends from around the world! This platform offers a wide-variety of classes and workshops to support well-being and inspired living every day, any time, anywhere.

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Outside / Fresh Air

Room for Growth

Create the Perfect Vegetable Garden with these Front Range Centers by Wendy Wilkinson

ur ancestors grew their own food, and we can too whether we have multiple acres or just a few feet. Small farms, at-home gardens and indoor garden kits come in all sizes and complexities, and a common mantra, especially for new growers, is to start with things you like to eat and enjoy cooking the most. Local Colorado farms say the best late spring/early summer plants and seeds for new gardeners are sweet peas (ornamental, not edible), lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, beets, radish, arugula, kale and onions. Radishes are the easiest and quickest growing; they mature in about 25 days. The Smokebrush Biodynamic Farm is located on the grounds of the historic Red Crags Arts & Agriculture House in Manitou Springs. The farm is a Demeter Certified biodynamic farm and tends to the earth in a way that honors its rhythms, harmonies and cycles. Methods unique to the biodynamic approach include its treatment of animals, crops and soil as a single system, an emphasis from its beginnings on local production and distribution systems, as well as its use of traditional and development of new local breeds and varieties. Farm manager Dylan Roberts explains a bit about biodynamic farming: “This is a method of farming that takes its inspiration from nature. The bounty never serves just one purpose and all the animals, including the goats and chickens, might be providing eggs and

milk, as well as their droppings and discarded bedding to create an on-going compost pit. This is either applied directly to our vegetables beds or used for potting soil to start news plants in the garden.” Smokebrush Farm hosts seminars and hands-on events from May through October, which includes seed saving, with the seeds (tomato and squash) harvested from their vegetables, elderberry syrup making and even a perennial favorite, pumpkin pie making with the elderberries and pumpkins harvested from the property. “Gardening is the best therapy in the world, better than a therapist,” says Richard Ortega, co-owner of Nick’s Garden Center and Farm Market in Aurora. It’s all about late spring at Nick’s, which has a huge selection of seeds, plants and garden products to get your veggie garden growing. Once summer shines the garden center opens their Nick’s Farm Market, offering fresh, Colorado-grown produce everyday through October. With five locations in Colorado including Grand Junction, Way to Grow helps their customers learn to grow the best hydroponic

and greenhouse plants possible. A great way to expand your tomato plants is by cloning a particular favorite by razor cutting one of its branches at 45-degree angle. Then, according to their blog: “Dip the stem in filtered water or a cloning solution and place in the soil or a cloner. If harvesting numerous cuttings at once, makes sure to put their stems in some water to keep them hydrated until you are ready to move forward.” Those interested can learn more on their website. Acme Hydroponics is located in Broomfield and offers a variety of indoor and hydroponic gardening supplies including grow lights, nutrients and grow mediums, along with the seeds to grow on your own at home. In a short time, all of us indoor gardeners will be able to grow natural/organic produce and herbs, with an added plus of knowing where our vegetables are grown. There is nothing wrong with giving Mother Nature a helping hand, and perhaps she respects both the inside gardeners who can get a jump start on the way-too-short Colorado summers, as well as the backyard go-getters! +

WENDY WILKINSON has been a writer and publicist in the celebrity/ lifestyle worlds for more than twenty-five years. Her work has been published in many national and regional publications including the Los Angeles Times, Colorado Living Well, Cowboys & Indians, and Fit and Fit Yoga. As an author she co-wrote Parents at Last, Celebrating Adoption and the New Pathways to Parenthood, People We Know, Horses They Love, with cover Robert Redford, and Morgan Freeman & Friends, Caribbean Cooking for a Cause.

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Outside / Adventure

by kim fuller

take me to the river

RiverWonderGrass Tunes Up Day Float Trips

he harsh ripples of 2020 left many professionals in the music industry high and dry. Live concerts and festivals halted without warning; musicians had no place to play and no income to sustain. “Our industry got crushed,” shares Scotty Stoughton, founder of Bonfire Entertainment and WinterWonderGrass, a multi-day bluegrass and roots music festival. “These people didn’t have an outlet, didn’t have money, didn’t have jobs, nothing. So, I was like ‘let’s get them on the river.’” Stoughton’s connection to the water runs deep. His upbringing in New Jersey introduced him to riding waves, and he has since invested time, passion and business attention to the waters of the west. He is a partner in the guiding company Adrift Adventures, as well as co-founder of Stand Up Paddle Colorado. With WinterWonderGrass on hold and the river’s influence and inspi-

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ration calling him back, Stoughton launched RiverWonderGrass in the summer of 2020. “We launched that first one with Tyler Grant, Andy Hall, Dan Rodriguez, Andy Thorn, and right around that time the Park Service gave us some rules about how we could safely have some raft trips,” he shares, "with distance and different vans and different cooking protocols; so we launched it and it sold out in like an hour, and launched six more.” The beat goes on. In addition to the multi-day RiverWonderGrass float trips through Dinosaur National Monument this summer, the team at Bonfire Entertainment is hosting single-day RiverWonderGrass experiences, slated to kick off June 19, 2021, and running weekly on Saturdays through August 28, 2021. These trips will be limited to 30 people each day, and will feature music by the likes of Adam Greuel of Horseshoes and Hand

Grenades, Tyler Grant of Grant Farm, and bands that will include Pickin’ on the Dead, Buffalo Commons, The Sweet Lillies and more. Each float will run from Rancho del Rio down to State Bridge, set between Vail and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Many of these floats, with a capacity of 30 per float, have sold out and a very limited allotment remains available for those later in summer. Stoughton used to produce music events at State Bridge, and he says he looks forward to reviving the vibe. “River runners, bikers, hunters, ski bums, ranchers, hippies, yuppies, fisherman and all characters in between would come together and get down dancing under the stars,” recalls Stoughton. “We’re excited to bring back that energy!” +

Learn more and book your float at riverwondergrass.com.

Outside / Environment

Food System

Brian Coppom, Executive Director of Boulder County Farmers Markets interview By Lexi Reich

HOW DOES PARTICIPATING IN ONE’S LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND STRENGTHEN OUR ECOSYSTEM? Agriculture has tremendous impacts on the environment. Over 50 percent of the land area of the U.S. is used for farming or ranching. Some of those operations work to support a healthy environment. Others are strictly economic in nature and have little regard for the impacts on the people and ecology around them. Every time we purchase an item, whether it’s beef, beer or beets, we chose which outcome we support. The global food system, however, is so large and opaque that it is difficult to know

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Photos courtesy of Boulder County Farmers Markets

HONOR YOUR LOCAL

rian Coppom believes to live in harmony with the world we must support our local food systems. Regional cuisine in Colorado is plentiful, and it is essential to support local chefs and farmers markets now more than ever before. Not only does this uphold our ecosystem, it boosts individuals’ health by eating aligned with the seasons. “For decades I had driven past local farms without stopping,” he admits. But in 2011, Coppom and his wife Nancy signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where they were given the opportunity to visit farms along the Front Range. Together they discovered the sense of ease and belonging that comes with connecting the land to its food. In 2012, Nancy started selling baked goods at Boulder County Farmers Markets (BCFM). On the first market day of the season, Coppom was helping her set up a booth in Longmont and further unearthed community amongst vendors and customers who shared a love of locally grown food. “The goodwill, camaraderie and shared purpose was unlike anything I had experienced up to that point,” he says. “I was hooked.” About a year later, Coppom landed his dream job as the executive director of the BCFM.

what we are supporting. By contrast, direct access means we can know the local food system. We can ask a farmer or rancher what methods they use. We can visit the farm and see for ourselves how the animals live or how crops are planted. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH FOOD AND THE NATURAL WORLD? In a culture where meat comes from Styrofoam containers and strawberries can be had any time of year, it can be easy to forget that our food is a function of nature. Living in harmony with food and its relationship to the natural world would involve honoring the seasons, water and temperatures that contribute to the sense of this place. Much more of our diet would revolve around the abundance of the moment. We would heartily eat spinach in the spring, peaches and tomatoes during the summer, and squash and apples in the fall. The arrival of a food would be celebrated, and its temporary departure would be mourned. Lack of variation in color, size and shape would be undesirable, and cosmetic imperfections would be a sign of integrity. In the same spirit, we would support farmers’ leaving more room on the edges of their fields for wild habitat and “planting a row for the rabbits” by acknowledging that marginally lower production will result in marginally higher prices. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU WISH WERE DIFFERENT WHEN LOOKING AT COLORADO’S FOOD SYSTEMS? Unlike almost any other critical public service — education, water supply, roads — the vital act of growing our food is treated as an entrepreneurial venture. Combine that with our addiction to cheap food, and we have an unsustainable system where the costs of providing us constant abundance are born primarily by the farmers, environment and low-wage workers. In a better Colorado, we would all have a vested interest in our local food supply. We would see public invest-

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ment in land, water, storage and distribution infrastructure that would strengthen our local farmers and ranchers and foster the systems we value. WHY ARE DISCUSSIONS LIKE THESE IMPORTANT? For the last 100 years, we have been taught that food should be dirt cheap and farmers should be dirt poor. Industrial food giants taught us that an anonymous factory in Ohio makes better soup than we do at home and highly processed means high quality. Until we confront these mythologies, we continue to risk being the unhealthiest developed country in the world (we are currently number two) and perpetuating the destruction of our environment. Discussing our relationship to our food and how and where it is grown is essential if we are to create better outcomes for ourselves and our children. WHAT ARE SOME TIPS YOU HAVE FOR OUR READERS ON HOW THEY CAN REDUCE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT WITH THEIR CONSUMER CHOICES? When we buy something, it’s not easy to know which values we are supporting. Buying from local growers can support soil health, pollinator habitat, clean water and biodiversity. One of the best things about engaging with the local food system is that it’s a pleasure, not a chore. Food grown where we live tastes better, elicits stronger emotional connections and strengthens our sense of belonging and place. Go to your local farmers market or Google a farm stand near you. If you can’t decide which farms to patronize, visit a restaurant that you know prides itself on local sourcing and pick a couple farms from their list — the chefs are the experts. Open yourself to discovery, try something new and ask a lot of questions. Participating in the local food system should feel more like going on a fun date than paying the bill. +

Buying from local growers can support soil health, pollinator habitat, clean water and biodiversity. One of the best things about engaging with the local food system is that it’s a pleasure, not a chore. Food grown where we live tastes better, elicits stronger emotional connections and strengthens our sense of belonging and place. 55

outside / Summer + Fall 2021 GEAR 2

1. Sierra Designs Meteor Lite 2 Tent Go lighter with this durable and very packable tent, perfect for overnights in the backcountry. The fully freestanding design touts two doors and two vestibules with a footprint that allows you to spread out, giving you plenty of room for gear and a versatile pitch that works anywhere. $369.95 sierradesigns.com 2. Blyss Running Trail Skirt We love the wide waistband on this running skirt, complete with a zipper pocket in the back that’s big enough for your phone. Undershorts are made from an eco-friendly recycled polyester, and a side pocket on each short leg holds essentials. $81 blyssrunning.com 3. Nixon #tide Collection Nixon is the first brand to create a collection of technical watches made from #tide ocean material — others have used ocean plastic in watches via #tide, but Nixon is the first in the technical watch space (a.k.a. digital). Each Nixon

#tide watch takes two ocean-bound plastic bottles out of circulation to create a sustainable timepiece built to last. $115-$220 nixon.com 4. Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8x25 Waterproof Binoculars These compact binoculars are an ideal adventure companion. They are rugged, waterproof and fogproof, and the Swissengineered optics are top-notch. They come in a range of bright colors and make it even more fun to share time outside with friends. $95 nocsprovisions.com 5. Alpine Start With Benefits Daily adventures need fuel. This new plantbased combination from Alpine Start gives coffee and matcha the boost of organic lion's mane to create mental clarity, organic reishi mushrooms and vitamins A and D for immune support, along with MCTs from coconut to improve focus. Just grab your mug and pour hot water over these dairyfree and vegan mixes to add even more benefits to your morning or mid-day beverages. $22.99 alpinestartfoods.com

6. Vasque Satoru Trail LT Low The Satoru Trail Lite keeps it simple as a comfortable and endlessly versatile shoe for life outside — whether you’re exploring your neighborhood or have your sights set on a big walkabout. $159.99 vasque.com 7. Rugged Tarpestry This go-to piece for traveling, camping and outdoor excursions has weather-resistant fabric on both sides. It’s super spill-safe as the ultimate picnic companion and can be easily hosed off and hung up to dry. $177-$192 tarpestry.com 8. Red Paddle Co. Activ This paddle board was designed for yogastyle movement. The 10-foot, 8-inch Activ has increased thickness to reduce wash over the board so you can stay dry during your practice. The additional thickness provides greater rigidity, and the 34-inch width provides a stable platform, making the board perfect for yoga poses. The carry handles have been moved to the side of the board so they don’t get in the way. The final YOGALIFELIVE.COM

8 9

10 7 11

touch is the EVA deck which acts as a full yoga pad with a centerline down the middle of the board to help you position yourself and stay balanced. $1,399 redpaddleco.com 9. Astral Designs Ceiba PFD This is the most environmentally PFD on the market, so it caught our attention. The front is filled with kapok, a naturally buoyant fiber that feels like down, while the back uses recyclable PE foam for protection. The shell is made from 100-percent recycled polyester. Pockets make storage available and nine points of adjustment provide a precise fit. $140 astraldesigns.com 10. Kora Neema Lightweight Technical Base Layers Kora recently launched its new Neema Collection, a lightweight blend of yak wool, merino and CoolMax Eco.The Neema layers are soft to the touch and have been designed as a stand-alone skin-fit summer layer or a lightweight base layer for all-year-round activities. The

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collection includes three styles for both men and women: tank, short sleeve crew and long sleeve crew, plus a relaxed-fitting hat. $25-$95 koraoutdoor.com 11. Ortovox Piz Duan Swisswool Jacket Brand new this spring, this is a lightweight insulation layer that offers breathable warmth and comfort during mountain adventures. The jacket is also wind and water resistant. It has a stretchy, active fit and streamlined aesthetic. $290 ortovox.com 12. Nathan QuickSqueeze Insulated This vessel makes it extra convenient to have water and essentials on hand when you’re running. The QuickSqueeze Insulated is Nathan’s newest hydration flask, designed with a flat bottom for easy filling and an ergonomic shape that fits comfortably in your hand. Tighten the adjustable strap to make it grip-free so you don’t have to hold on at all while you clock miles. $24.99 nathansports.com

13. Mystery Ranch Women’s Coulee Think of this pack as the ultimate day hike or light backpacking companion. Available in 25 and 40-liter capacities, the Coulee offers an amazing female-specific fit, complete with contoured shoulder straps and removable waist belts in hot new colors. $175-$229 mysteryranch.com 14. Hydro Flask 5 Liter Down Shift Hydration Hip Pack As the season begins to heat up, hydration is at the top of every athlete’s priority while hiking and mountain biking. Water stays cold for at least three hours in the pack’s 1.5-liter reservoir; plus, stretch bottle pockets are included for easy access to even more fluids on longer journeys. Outer and interior quick stash pockets keep tools, snacks and other essentials organized, and additional features include an easy-to-use bite valve, light attachments and reflective details. $99.95 hydroflask.com

by YOGA + LIFE ® TEAM

wellness / Ayurveda

Ojas:

photos by Jack Affleck

5 Lifestyle Behaviors for Cultivating Sustainable Vitality by Julia Clarke

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ummer: the great harbinger of vitality. Nestled between the transition seasons of spring’s renewal and fall’s release, the long days and abundant sunshine ripen the fruits on the trees, call us early from our beds to play in the mountains and bestow on us a general sense of energy and optimism. The peak strength that we enjoy at this time of year tends to dwindle as the days shrink and the nights cool off again, and it sometimes feels as though we spend the remainder of the year trying to recapture the sensation of effortless energy. So, what is vitality exactly? And how do we get more of it? Yoga’s holistic sister science, Ayurveda, calls vitality ojas, a Sanskrit word to describe a sweet, cool substance that resides in your heart and circulates through your body; when increased, ojas forges us with immunity and bliss. Ojas is often described as the finest product of digestion, but the process is a little more complex than that. According to Ayurvedic science, when you digest your meals properly and build strong, healthy tissues as a result, you form ojas. When you have more ojas, you experience greater states of contentment and wellbeing which in turn means you’re more likely to make good decisions about what you do to your body and mind, experience lower stress levels and therefore digest your meals better. So rather than being the end result, ojas forms a continuous cycle between your behavior and health. In summer when nature is encouraging more relaxation and recreation, or any time you are eating well, making time for selfcare and nurturing your passions, you’re likely keeping your ojas reserves pretty well stocked. You awaken feeling clear and inspired, you emit a radiant glow, feel grounded in integrity and your body generally functions well. If however, you’re living with your foot on the gas pedal, you’re probably depleting your ojas reserves. Injury, anger, grief, stress, alcohol and excessive exercise are identified as some of the factors that exhaust ojas, while symptoms include joint pain, debility, stiffness, heaviness, fatigue,

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Ayurveda, calls vitality ojas, a Sanskrit word to describe a sweet, cool substance that resides in your heart and circulates through your body; when increased, ojas forges us with immunity and bliss.

drowsiness and loss of confidence. In order to keep that easy summer feeling going once the light has faded, you may have to work a little harder to replenish ojas, but with a few changes to diet and lifestyle you can sustain health, immunity and vitality year-round:

EAT PURE FOODS Since ojas is the result of good digestion, this one is a no brainer, and it’s probably the most important behavior at a time when food is more processed than ever. Eating a diet rich in organic fruit and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins is a good place to start, but there are certain foods considered to be particularly helpful for building ojas. These include avocado, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, milk, ghee, yoghurt, dates, mangoes, walnuts and almonds.

REST + DIGEST It’s all well and good to load your plate up with mineral-rich veggies, but without enough rest, you can only get so much out of healthy eating. Your digestion, along with many other vital physiological functions, is governed by the parasympathetic nervous system, the

relaxation response that only functions if you get enough rest to begin with. Rather than rushing through your days and combating fatigue with caffeine, make your days sustainable. Schedule time for meditation, restorative yoga, get enough sleep and you’ll actually digest your meals better.

AVOID ANGER Anger is a natural response to stress, but in chronic doses it can be deleterious to your health. Ayurvedic science would describe the qualities of chronic anger as being the complete opposite of ojas: hot and sharp, like a wildfire burning up your physiology, drying out your tissues and making your mind excessively sharp and critical. If you’re quick to anger, incorporate practices like gentle yoga, deep breathing and journaling to help you transform it into focus and motivation.

PEAK THE (SWEET) TRUTH Telling the truth is a common health-bestowing principle across many spiritual disciplines and is specifically mentioned in Ayurvedic texts as a behavior that can contribute to ojas production. A white lie here and there can seem like no big deal, but research shows that dishonesty adds “cognitive load” to your brain, takes more energy than being truthful and makes life complicated. Staying truthful keeps life uncluttered and helps you to retain integrity around your own patterns and actions, which contributes to your wellbeing. But remember the first rule: always be kind.

KEEP GOOD COMPANY Loneliness and isolation are an epidemic today, leading to elevated instances of anxiety and depression. The antidote is not just increased socialization, but ensuring you surround yourself with supportive, positive people who share your interests and uplift you. In other words, when it comes to your community, think quality, not quantity. +

wellness / Health

The Sacred. The Science. The Practice. By

RACHEL GLOWACKI is a yoga teacher, writer and thought leader in the kids yoga field. She specializes in mindful movement for all ages and abilities and has been teaching since 1999. She's an award-winning author of the Kids Yogaverse storybook apps. Rachel hopes that one day mindful movement will be taught regularly in schools just like math and science! She believes that a calm brain is a learning brain and a healthy body is a happy body, principles she shares with her students young and old. Rachel lives with her husband and two sons in Edwards, Colorado.

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Photo by elias maurer

Rachel Glowacki

THE SACRED. We come into this world on an inhale and depart on an exhale. How we live in between these two “life and death” breaths can be a lifelong quest. Sages, saints and seekers climbed to mountain tops to find the meaning of life; we can climb right into our own bodies and feel the breath of life within us. The breath in yogic philosophy is known as Life Force or Prana, in Judaism it is Ruach and in Christianity breath is the Holy Spirit. The breath in each of these sacred texts are synonyms with the word, Spirit. Spirit can mean different things to different people, with the main thread that there is something bigger than ourselves that whispers inside of us — that life has purpose and meaning. With so much loss this past year because of COVID-19, we are much more aware and in tune with the sacredness of life, the ones we hold dear and even the ones beyond. Perhaps we are finding longer conversations, less grievances, more meaning and a sense of gratitude that fills up our lungs. Our breath can be our greatest teacher, guide and source. It can show us when we are anxious through rapid and shallow breathing, and it can show us when we are calm through slow and deep breathing. We have the capacity to relax, energize, improve our moods and enhance the meaning of life through our breath.

Graphics are by Carly Finke

THE SCIENCE. When you breathe in, does your belly suck in our push out? Try it … For many of us when we breathe in, we suck air in and move through our day without even realizing that we are sucking in on an inhale. This reverse breathing pattern can reveal a lot about our stress levels and patterns. If you have ever seen a baby breathing while lying on their backs, you will notice that their bellies expand like a Buddha belly, but with flat ab images everywhere, no wonder we have trained ourselves to suck it in! Both my boys (now healthy teenagers) were born premature and spent the first couple of weeks of their lives in the NICU on oxygen support. Tubes up their little noses and down their throats connected to a machine as their little bellies caved in to experiencing distress while sucking and grasping in for air to breathe. My husband

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and I held our breath every time we heard the sound of the machine beep when their oxygen levels were too low. Thankfully, with oxygen support, they developed the lung capacity to thrive on their own. I now teach breath work for a living, and I was a reverse breather for 20 years of my life. Once we start to give our bellies permission to expand on the inhale, the way we are designed to breathe, we will feel the glorious benefits of the natural rhythm of our breath and an increase of oxygen in our body’s tissues. However, as Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D, PT points out in her new book Yoga Myth, “Your lungs are not in your abdomen.” So, why all this attention to belly breathing? When we take in oxygen to nourish our cells, organs, muscles and bones, our whole body participates, from the belly, ribcage, chest, shoulders, neck, mouth and to the nose. Try it ... take a breath in and notice how your scalene muscles in your neck and shoulders lift up on the inhale and how they release and lower on the exhale. Some of us stop right there and never allow the body to take in a deep breath, which is why in yoga classes the belly has become a focal point to feel and see the expansion and depth of breath. Interestingly, in hospitals, doctors are putting COVID-19 patients on their bellies to increase their lung capacity to get more oxygen to their lungs. Why? Because 60% of our lungs are in our back body. When we lie down on our backs, the weight of our bodies can compress the lungs and decrease oxygen flow. A 2013 study in the New England Journal of Medicine on “prone positioning” showed that some patients went from 85% to 98% oxygen saturation when lying on their stomachs, which is a significant increase in oxygen intake. Understanding our anatomy when we breathe can literally increase our lung capacity and decrease our stress levels.

THE PRACTICE. Stand in Mountain (tadasana): See from your hips to your feet as the base of the mountain, from your shoulders to your fingertips the slopes. Then to the last step, consider your neck to the crown of your head as the peak. As you stand and embody the mountain, notice the quality of your breath. Is it deep or shallow? Is it smooth or choppy? Begin to draw the breath in through both nostrils as if you are sipping through a straw — down the throat, filling up the chest, emphasizing expansion in the front, then the sides and back of rib cage, rising up through the belly, then slowly releasing the breath, relaxing the belly, ribcage and chest, feel warmth in the throat, releasing the breath out through both nostrils. Repeat this life-giving exercise five or six times and see if you feel more calm, clear and centered. As your body increases in lung capacity with this depth of breath exercise, perhaps with each inhale and each exhale you will remind yourself that you are sacred; you are but a breath. +

Gondola Breath and Hikers Breath are inspired by the "Stair Step Breath Exercise," by LifeForce Yoga. Gondola Breath Exercise For the Anxious Mind and Body: Ride the gondola up and down the mountain with slow, smooth inhales to calm your nerves. Hikers Breath Exercise For the Depressed Mind and Body: Hike up and down the mountain with short, quick inhales and exhales to increase your energy.

wellness / Health

SUPPORT YOUR

Gut Health

For Increased Mental, Physical + Sexual Energy

e’ve all heard the phrase “You are what you eat,” but it’s really better said, “You are what you absorb” — and that comes down to the health of your gut. Your gut is often referred to as your "second brain" because of its deep connections with the brain and the enteric nervous system that resides in your digestive tract. The good and bad bacteria of your gut can communicate with your brain — via the vagus nerve that connects your gut to your brain stem — and can deeply affect your mood, energy and overall vitality. Your gut houses 75% of your immune system, helps create 90% of your serotonin and is your first line of defense against bacteria, toxins and inflammation that can negatively affect your health and wellness.

photo by ava sol

YOUR GUT MICROBIOME Your gut houses trillions of microbes, collectively referred to as the “microbiome.” Your microbiome houses between 300 to 500 different strains of bacteria; some negatively impact your body and some are crucial to maintaining essential physiological operations. When the balance between the negative and essential bacteria is out of balance — often referred to as leaky gut — your body will communicate this imbalance through various symptoms: upset stomach (gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and heartburn), uninten-

tional weight fluctuations, disrupted sleep patterns or constant fatigue, skin irritation (eczema, acne and redness), autoimmune conditions and food intolerances.

MENTAL HEALTH On a daily basis, a healthy gut microbiome produces about 50% of the dopamine found in your body and up to 90% of the neurotransmitter serotonin. These two neurochemicals are responsible for your mood, happiness levels, pleasure and joy. The happy bacteria in your gut also influence your appetite to make sure you’re eating things that keep them healthy. The food you consume dictates which microbes live and die and, as a result, the bacteria that survive send signals to your brain telling you to eat the food that they like most. See the connection? People who take care of their microbiomes have an easier time dealing with mental and emotional health, as people with a rich and diverse microbiome have more good microbes working to build up your serotonin and dopamine levels.

PHYSICAL ENERGY A balanced, healthy gut produces serotonin (happy hormone) which is the precursor to melatonin (sleepy hormone) so when the bacteria balance in your gut is out of whack, you’re more likely to see a negative shift in mood AND sleep. An unstable gut microbiome negatively impacts energy levels in a few ways:

DECREASED NUTRIENT ABSORPTION With too few beneficial bacteria, your digestive tract isn't able to absorb all of the vitamins and minerals found in the foods you eat. Poor nutrient absorption not only lowers your immune system's ability to fight off colds, but it’s incapable of producing vitamins K and B — two nutrients that play a vital role in a cell’s ability to produce energy. Without a stable gut environment, you could be lacking in crucial levels of energizing vitamins. DISRUPTED SLEEP PATTERNS Serotonin (happy hormone), melatonin (sleepy hormone) and cortisol (stress hormone) are all directly linked. In a perfectly balanced world, your cortisol levels should be highest in the morning, helping you wake up, and then continue to lower throughout the day. Once you’ve hit bedtime, cortisol levels should be at their lowest, just when melatonin kicks in and helps you relax and drift off into a peaceful slumber. If your gut isn’t creating enough serotonin, it’s unable to produce adequate levels of melatonin, therefore creating unhealthy levels of cortisol. And, what’s worse, cortisol encourages the growth of certain microbes which then thrive in a high-cortisol environment, which can heighten stress and anxiety even more. THE BLOOD SUGAR ROLLER COASTER We’ve all experienced the unpleasant effects of soaring and crashing blood sugar — eat a donut and all those refined carbohydrates give you an instant boost of energy as your blood sugar rises, making you feel — temporarily — better. Then comes the crash, as your body responds to the sugar spike and sends your blood sugar and energy levels into the ground. These extreme highs and lows leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued, as many of your body’s resources are being used to rescue your blood sugar all day long.

SEXUAL ENERGY By now, we know that serotonin has major

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by Sarah Jane Sandy

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wellness / Health

impacts on all aspects of your body. It determines your mood, your physical energy levels, your ability to sleep restoratively … all of which directly impacts your libido! Decreased energy, unstable blood sugar and lack of sleep will not put you in the mood. Serotonin is also involved in controlling and enhancing blood flow to various parts of your body — including your genital region — which further explains its role in your sexual energy levels. The bottom line? A gut that's producing varying levels of serotonin may be the driving force behind any unexplained libido changes, shifting your sexual landscape. So, how do we support a healthy gut for increased mental, physical and sexual energy?

HEALTHY GUT HABITS For some, these may feel like huge lifestyle changes, and in that case, I recommend baby steps. Don’t make these changes all at once, as that’s often overwhelming and you’ll be more likely to throw in the towel.

BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR When you’re exhausted, it’s easy to reach for ready-made, pre-processed foods that are generally high in sugar, causing the blood sugar roller coaster. To avoid those highs and lows, I recommend eating three to four substantial meals per day. If you’re hungry one to two hours after eating, you most likely didn’t eat enough food or didn’t include the right types of food. Aim to eat real, whole, fresh foods that you cook yourself. Pick a rainbow of colors of vegetables and eat a lot of them. Eat good fats from raw nuts and seeds, avocados, pastured egg yolks, coconut oil, grassfed butter or ghee and extra virgin olive oil. Include high quality, clean, pasture-raised animal protein (if you eat it); as well as plantbased protein from beans, legumes and quinoa. Enjoy brightly colored fresh fruit, a variety of spices, and high-fiber, unrefined, unprocessed carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, yams and squash. SUPPLEMENT YOUR MICRONUTRIENTS Eating a diverse selection of nutrient-dense whole foods is the first step in getting enough of the key micronutrients that support a healthy microbiome. In many cases,

On a daily basis, a healthy gut microbiome produces about 50% of the dopamine found in your body and up to 90% of the neurotransmitter serotonin. These two neurochemicals are responsible for your mood, happiness levels, pleasure and joy. and for a variety of reasons beyond our control (like the depletion of micronutrients from the soil in which our food is grown), supplementation is important. Some of the nutrients you should prioritize if optimizing your gut health and boosting energy is your goal are: B vitamins, magnesium, probiotics, omega 3s and vitamin D. STAY HYDRATED Dehydration can affect your brain function, mood, and … you got it, energy levels. How much water are you actually drinking per day? If it’s less than half of your body weight in ounces of clean filtered water, you need to dramatically increase your water consumption. But here’s the catch: coffee doesn’t count as water intake. Coffee raises cortisol levels, stresses the adrenals and depletes essential micronutrients that are critical for battling fatigue.

GET BETTER QUALITY SLEEP Try winding down from your day with relaxing behaviors before bed. This could be taking the time to have a bath, reading a book or getting into bed half an hour earlier than usual. When possible, skip screens of any kind within two hours of bed. If you’re trying to get more sleep but are struggling due to worries and stress keeping you awake at night, try meditation or mindfulness practices to calm your busy mind. Another tip to improve the quality of your sleep? Dim the lights around you when the sun goes down. This encourages our body to start producing melatonin when it naturally would in response to the sun setting and natural darkness outside. MOVE MORE TO BOOST YOUR METABOLISM Exercise almost guarantees that you’ll sleep more soundly. It also gives your cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen. And exercising can lead to higher brain dopamine levels, which helps elevate mood. This may seem counterintuitive — when you’re feeling tired, getting up and moving your body can feel like the last thing you want to do — but moving your body for even just 60 minutes a day will help increase your energy levels. And while you’re moving your body, make sure you’re doing it outside so you’re being hit with a double whammy — sweat AND Vitamin D. Getting even 10 or 15 minutes of sunlight before or around noon helps regulate your circadian cycle and promote healthy melatonin production at night. Your gut microbiome is, quite literally, the foundation for your overall health and vitality. A happy, healthy and balanced gut is capable of boosting energy levels where you need it most — mentally, physically and sexually. + +

SARAH JANE SANDY is a functional nutritionist, women’s health expert and hormone imbalance survivor. She works remotely with clients all over the world and through her innovative online program, The Fertility Code. With a master’s level certification in nutrition therapy, Sarah has notable success designing dietary and lifestyle programs to strengthen fertility, pregnancy and postpartum vibrance.

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wellness / Health

TUNE INTO

your cycles

By Kimberly Nicoletti

ature moves in a cyclical manner: spring buds blossom in the summer, then dry up and drop for winter hibernation. As part of nature, we also go through cycles, but our fast-living, high-achieving, American culture can numb us to natural rhythms. Seasons, moon phases, life stages and, for women, menstrual cycles, all affect energy levels. Being aware and living in harmony with these cyclical patterns help us honor our need for rest, as well as take advantage of more productive times. Yoga instructor Mia Tarduno, based in Summit County, Colorado, teaches women to work with, instead of against, their body, but it wasn’t always that way. Tarduno hit a wall a few years ago after following her coach’s prescribed plan to excel as a trail

runner. Within a few months of training, she felt more and more burnt out, rather than stronger. “At the time, I dealt with it by pushing through,” she says. And then, she discovered cycle awareness, a way of honoring the fact that all life unfolds according to phases, both internal and external.

THE CYCLES Women may be most attuned to cycles; hormone levels decline starting on day one, and attention tends to focus more internally. Mental focus may decrease, and sensitivity may heighten, sometimes causing irritability. This time is akin to the new moon cycle when the night is darker. It also corresponds to the winter season, as well as the crone

phase of life, age 65-plus. “It’s important to take this time to rest,” Tarduno says. “It’s a time you can tune into what’s important, which is our intuition. Notice things that are working well in your life and what’s not, and find a way to rework that.” Spring, the waxing moon and women’s pre-ovulatory phase (days four through seven) all correspond to the maiden (age 0 to 25). These are energetic, hopeful periods for planning and starting to create what we truly want in life. It’s a good time to brainstorm, set intentions, say yes to social events and situations that resonate, and try something new. Blossoming, ripe summer energy reflects the full moon, as well as women’s ovulation. In contrast to the winter season, it’s the

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Graphics by mia tarduno

most fertile time, so it’s helpful to schedule important meetings, pitches, negotiations, collaboration and social engagements during this time. It mirrors the mothering stage of life, when we nurture people, projects or both. “The body has a lot of energy to direct in various ways,” she explains, “so if we’re given a critique or criticism, we can decide what direction to go with that, versus darker cycle times when we don’t have the energy, the self-confidence, the bubbliness.” Eventually, autumn comes, like the waning moon and pre-menstrual/luteal time. It’s an interval for slowing down and reflection — the most profound time for intuition; it can also be a time of confusion, as opposed to summer’s enthusiastic “yes” momentum. In this life phase, the Magna Healer, we harvest our talents, wisdom and creativity. “During this time, we really need to care so much for ourselves. This is the time for setting boundaries,” Tarduno adds. “Our energy starts to move from outward and giving to inward; we start to become a little more discerning about where our energy goes … what do I want to keep, what do I want to finish?” We can tap into a specific life stage when seasons or moon phases support that energy. For instance, we can most easily access the youthful maiden through the newness of spring or the wise crone during phases that support contemplation. Women who don’t menstruate, as well as men, can most readily tune into moon phases or seasons. However, men tend to follow 24-day cycles, typically feeling more energetic in the morning and more tired as night sets in, says Emma Kelleher, a Summit County yoga instructor and massage therapist, as opposed to women’s monthly cyclical patterns.

CYCLICAL AWARENESS Though it’s a radical step to live cyclically in a linear culture, you don’t have to give up your day job. Tarduno uses yoga and meditation in the morning to check in, then tweaks her day as much as possible to flow in accordance with her energy. If she’s in her winter, she approaches tasks gently and may ask for help, or, for instance, prepare dinners in advance of her menstruation phase. “When you live in the seasons or the moon cycle, it offers you a time to rest and digest, and I think that’s something

we’re really missing,” Kelleher says. “We can easily burn ourselves out. Our vitality literally can be sucked away from our bodies.” In fact, pounding through life isn’t always the most efficient way to accomplish goals. “Nature never rushes, yet everything gets done,” Tarduno points out. “The biggest takeaway in cyclical living is it’s okay and it’s natural and beautiful to be forever changing,” she says. “We don’t need to show up the same way — or better and better and happier and happier — every day. Instead, we can fluctuate.” +

KIMBERLY NICOLETTI is an award-winning freelance journalist, editor and writing coach. She has taught yoga, Nia, Zumba and tai chi throughout Summit County, Colorado, and earned a master's degree in Somatic Psychology and Dance Therapy from Naropa University. She loves traveling, outdoor adventures (especially floating through deep powder and diving), photography, dance, her dogs and her family.

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wellness / Inspiration

By mary gavin

Vitality in Healing

“

What’s the point of healing?” I’ve asked myself this question on many occasions over the past decade. I still find myself questioning my decision to dive into this whole “healing journey” thing. I question it most on the challenging days. I question it when I feel like the whole world is overwhelmed with pain. Last summer I found myself in a conversation with a man at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. We ended up talking for over an hour. We were both born in Minneapolis in 1986. As a Black man, Timothy has navigated life carefully and deliberately on account of his skin color. Admittedly, I won’t ever fully grasp the unique challenges he’s faced. Although our experiences are very different, as we shared our life stories we

realized that we are both survivors of childhood trauma. Given the location of our conversation, we acknowledged the importance of healing both individually and collectively. Timothy and I agreed that, while different, our healing is intertwined, and as survivors, we want our healing to have a positive impact on the world. We realized that healing reunites us with our sense of vitality and purpose. It gives us the power to alchemize our pain in order to create change. My own decision to heal was born out of not knowing what to do with my pain. I didn’t know how to deal with it or what to do about it. I did know that I would need to face difficult truths and emotions in order to get to the other side. Timothy understood

this dilemma. “The old way wasn’t working,” he chuckled with a knowing smirk. We swapped stories of failed relationships and unhealthy coping mechanisms. It comes to a point eventually when you realize that running isn’t a solution. “When problems are ignored, they build up until you deal with them,” he shared. “We can’t keep pushing things under the rug. Like what happened on this corner to George Floyd; Pandora’s box is open and there’s no closing it. You can’t unsee it.” In his book My Grandmother’s Hands, Black psychotherapist and trauma specialist Resmaa Menakem says, “When we don’t address our trauma, we may pass it onto future generations.” His approach to healing both trauma and racial inequality begins

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Photo by Aron Blanco Tejedor

“We want our healing to have a positive impact on the world.”

with the physical body. We all react from subconscious messages from our bodies until we become aware of how our bodies respond to people and situations. Scientific research supports that trauma can be passed down physically through DNA. “When we heal and make more room for growth in our nervous systems, we have a better chance of spreading emotional health to our descendants, via healthy DNA expression,” Menakem explains. Timothy went on to share his own experience with healing trauma. He saw it as essential to his experience of becoming a more conscious, embodied version of himself. “Hurt people hurt people,” he added. What we don’t know can hurt us. And it can hurt others, too. The implicit negative bias projected on Black and BIPOC people is at the heart of racial inequality in the United States. As we become conscious of our impact on one another we become the change that is necessary for progress. Consciously healing and integrating our experiences gives us our energy back. We don’t get to choose what we go through in life. We don’t get to erase the pain or forget about it. Sometimes I wish it were that easy. Healing doesn’t mean not getting triggered. It doesn’t mean that we are exempt from pain. It means that we know our pain well but that it doesn’t get to hold us hostage for the rest of our lives. As survivors, we get our power back through processing and healing trauma. The purpose of healing is to reclaim ourselves, our bodies and our lives. It means that those who have hurt us don’t get unlimited access to our energy. It means that we get to live more liberated lives and we can show up as better people for each other. Healing an opportunity to start again. Of course, healing isn’t a one-and-done sort of thing; rather, it’s a way of life. As a white ally to the BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) community I am still learning. And, I am acutely aware that my healing doesn’t just affect me. It affects all of us. Healing becomes a collective movement toward creating a better world. We get to show up for our communities and take actionable steps to heal for the good of all people. It’s an opportunity to do better and to change the course of history one moment at a time. +

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MARY GAVIN is is an intuitive activist, teacher and Certified Reiki Master. Her passion for healing is rooted in her own experience living with post traumatic stress and dissociation. As a trauma survivor, she feels proud to share her experiences as a source of inspiration for others. She aims to elevate marginalized voices and inspire healing by sharing bits of her soul through writing. marygavinintuitive.com

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wellness / Inspiration

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VISUALIZATION IS THE

New Meditation By Shenna Jean

f you’re looking for a new toy to put in your personal growth toybox to play with, look no further than visualization. This technique is free, fun and fast to get in action with, and has the science and research behind it to convince even the biggest skeptic. A study in 1995 by neuroscientist Alvaro Pascual-Leone at the Harvard Medical School led to some revolutionary findings that have changed the way we think about the brain. He had one group physically practice playing the piano and the second group only mentally practice the same sequence. By measuring their neural activity, what they found was astonishing; there was very little difference between the areas of the brain that were growing and changing in both groups. Essentially, we learned two incredibly important things from this: we can change our brain structure simply with our thoughts and, when singularly focused, the brain has a very tough time distinguishing between its internal environment and the external world. Enter the concept of neuroplasticity — the ability to change the neural structures of our brain through growth and reorganization. Celebrities and athletes have been tapping into the power of visualization for years; a quick google search on visualization and Michael Phelps, Lindsey Vonn, Oprah, Will Smith or Jim Carrey will give you some great examples of people who have credited much of their success to this life-changing practice when paired with action. So, what is it exactly? Similar to meditation, visualization exercises often involve closing your eyes, relaxing your body and then imagining or projecting an image or movie in your mind. You can visualize something from your past, create something of the future or even mentally rehearse a big

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event on the horizon. When you are fully engaged in visualization, your brain is entering lowered brain wave states such as alpha and theta. Accessing these subconscious states is a powerful way to reprogram subconscious beliefs and thought patterns that are picked up from childhood and throughout our life experiences that may be holding us back from achieving our full potential. It’s also a great activity to train your brain. The benefits of visualization are powerful and far reaching. Since the brain is having an experience of “doing something already,” the stress response is lowered in our body, bringing down the levels of cortisone and adrenaline. When we engage in visualization, we’re priming many parts of the brain responsible for sorting important information, like the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS acts like a bouncer for your brain: it scans your environment to bring in opportunities, people and things in alignment with what you’ve indicated is important to you. It’s the part of your brain that always hears your name in a crowded room or suddenly starts seeing the car you’ve been thinking about buying on every street. Through visualization, we can directly influence what the RAS scanning your environment for sees as important information, instead of just leaving it to chance. It’s important to note that visualization (mentally projecting a situation) is different from meditation (being still with thoughts and self), and that having a practice with both is recommended for optimal results. Guided visualization exercises can be extremely helpful for mental rehearsal of goals you’re working to achieve, healing emotional wounds from the past and connecting with your intuition to gain clues on your future and life's purpose. +

Are you ready to get started? If you’re new to the visualization game, here’s a few hot tips I recommend you keep in mind: TRUST + ALLOW

Coming to this practice with an open mind is important. Trust that you will see whatever you’re meant to see and allow yourself the curiosity and compassion to explore whatever comes up.

PRACTICE

It’s called practice for a reason, and it makes progress, not perfection. The more you flex your visualization muscle, the easier it will become and the more results you will be able to see from it. You may not get a crystal-clear picture the first few times you practice visualization — that’s okay and totally normal!

SET THE STAGE

Consider that your state of mind going into the visualization is really important. Trying to visualize your future when you’ve just gotten into a fight with your partner, had a long day at work or are wiped out from being with the kids all day isn’t the best idea. Set aside some time for yourself where you can have a quiet place, potentially after exercising and with a mug of your favorite tea to get snuggly with.

BE OPEN TO INTERPRETATION

The best part about what you see is that you can interpret it anyway you’d like to; it’s your vision! You can always change it, make it mean what you need it to right now. There really isn’t a right or wrong way to go about this, as long as you're getting in action with it!

wellness / Recipes

Body, Mind + Spirit By Morgan Kulas

CHICKPEAS The chickpea (or garbanzo bean, Bengal gram or Egyptian pea) is a staple in the plantbased diet. A legume that many can tolerate, it is a key ingredient in chana masala and beloved hummus. Chickpeas are a good source of protein, dietary fiber and potassium. Cooking them has been proved to increase protein digestibility for many folks. Chickpeas are sweet, astringent and cooling therefore decreasing pitta (sometimes increasing vata and kapha).

CARDAMOM Cardamom is a sweet and warming spice that is used medicinally and favorably in cooking. It assists in synchronizing sugar and water metabolism, promotes healthy circulation and minimizes nausea. Most people love the taste and smell of cardamom and therefore use it to comfort and calm the

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Photos by Morgan Kulas

FIVE HARMONIOUS FOODS TO BALANCE

oment to moment, we are adapting spontaneously to our environment — navigating work, relationships and an ever-evolving socio-economic landscape. Without really knowing it, our bodies are in an abiding process of regeneration. The definition of healing is to become whole again. Yoga and Ayurveda are healing sciences grounded in the mysterious reality that our bodies are in a persevering practice of balance. The Sanskrit word for this is sattva. Sattva means harmony, and it is the aim of our daily sadhana, or spiritual exercise. There are three ways we take in prana, or life force energy: through breath, food and sensory input/output. Pratyahara is the first stage in Patanjali's eight limbs of yogic meditation, and it means to nourish the senses. We can apply this same idea to the way we breathe and the food we eat. The intention is to nourish and restore a soft, peaceful balance to our system. When I think about eating a sattvic diet, I liken it to eating a heart-based diet. What is possible when you eat food that makes you feel more connected to the earth and to your spirit? In Ayurveda we recognize that everyone is different, so eating a heart-based diet is going to be unique to you. In general, Ayurveda encourages fresh, seasonal and simple foods for ultimate vitality and wellbeing. Let’s look at five of them here.

heart-mind by cooking with it or applying it topically as an essential oil. The sweet taste and smell of cardamom is balancing for all doshas. Cardamom can also be used to aid in the digestion of dairy products.

CILANTRO Cilantro is cooling, making it a great food for summer time. It is pitta pacifying and is used medicinally for skin allergies, hay fever, sore throat and hyperacidity. It cleanses the blood and bile and helps with urinary tract infections. Cilantro and coriander are the same plant. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. Enjoy your favorite hot and spicy meals by topping them with cilantro to cool the digestive effect.

Coconut Curried Chickpea Recipe Ingredients: 1/4 cup neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed 2 15 oz cans of chickpeas rinsed and drained 1 15 oz can of coconut milk 2 cups basmati rice 1 medium onion finely chopped 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped

FENNEL Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family. The bulb, foliage and seeds are used in many culinary traditions, but originally, it is from the Mediterranean region. It is sweet, pungent and warming. It is good for abdominal pain due to gas, indigestion and menstrual cramps. Dr. David Frawley, an American Hindu teacher, considers fennel to be “perhaps the most balanced and sattvic of all spices.”

SEAWEED

4-5 cloves garlic crushed 1-inch piece ginger crushed 3/4 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp paprika powder 11/4 tsp salt or to taste 1/2 tsp garam masala or chaat masala powder 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2-3 Tbsp cilantro leaves chopped

Seaweed refers to several species of algae, and as we all know, it grows in the ocean. Edible seaweed is salty, astringent and cooling. It is rejuvenating for your plasma, which is what delivers nutrients to your tissues, muscles, organs and bones. In Ayurveda, seaweed is recognized medicinally for its ability to balance the thyroid. While seaweed in excess can aggravate vata types, it is generally a healthy food item to implement into your diet, especially if you don’t live close to a coast. +

Directions:

1. Cook basmati rice in your rice cooker and set aside. 2. Add oil, cumin seeds and chopped onion to a medium-sized saucepan, and heat on medium-high. Sauté for about one minute. 3. Add crushed garlic and ginger, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and all remaining spices, and stir for another minute or two. 4. Add coconut milk to the mixture and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 10 to 20 minutes until chickpeas are tender to your preference. 5. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste. 6. Serve over rice and top with chopped cilantro leaves.

MORGAN KULAS was introduced to yogic studies as a young dancer in art school. She has been a devoted student of Hatha Yoga, Daoyin Arts and Zen since 2005. She has been teaching since 2011. She is a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Coach through The American Institute of Vedic Studies, her teacher is Dr. David Frawley. Morgan is also an artist currently receiving her MFA in Interdisciplinary Art and Regenerative Culture at University of Hartford. Her mission is to restore connections between people and the earth through community centered movement and meditation offerings. Learn more about her creative work and educational offerings at morgankulas.com.

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wellness / Recipes

SUMMERTIME

Garden Juleps

o many of us have adopted new houseplants, started backyard gardens, built raised beds or started plants from seed during the pandemic. Tying us to the places we live through the cultivation of plants is certainly one of the better side effects from being cooped up at home. I’ve personally taken the time to cultivate a “cocktail garden” at my house, one that’s filled with drink-friendly herbs. Summertime cocktails are going to be extra delicious this year. While traditional mint juleps are herbaceous and refreshing, I like to change up the flavor profile and incorporate different herbs in the simple syrup for a versatile “garden julep” cocktail — one that captures the taste of a particular point of the season, here in the garden. A few favorite julep versions of mine are basil, pineapple sage and lemon thyme, but get experimental with what you have! 2 ounces bourbon 1/2 ounce herbal simple syrup Crushed ice Sprigs of fresh herbs, for both the syrup and garnish 1. In a cocktail or julep glass, combine the bourbon and herbal simple syrup. 2. Add a little crushed ice and stir together to integrate and slightly dilute the ingredients. 3. Top with extra crushed ice and garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs.

JAYME HENDERSON is a writer, photographer, and co-owner and winemaker for The Storm Cellar, a vineyard and winery in Hotchkiss, Colorado. When she’s not creating garden-inspired cocktails, you can find her tending grapevines, searching for the perfect bottle of wine for dinner, or spending time outside with her husband, Steve, and her two cats, Kazu and Ash. She also curates the award-winning cocktail blog, holly & flora.

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Photo by Jayme Henderson

By Jayme Henderson

For the herbal simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan on low heat. Bring to a slow simmer and remove from heat. Add a handful of fresh herbs and let steep until the mixture cools. Strain off the solids and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For this particular cocktail, I used lemon balm and mint together. +

events / Gatherings

Vail Symposium

Celebrates 50 Years in the Vail Valley

By Katie Coakley

Photo courtesy of Vail Symposium

here is no shortage of amazing nonprofit organizations in the Vail Valley, but few have the history of the Vail Symposium. In July 2021, Vail Symposium will begin celebrating its 50th anniversary, tracing its roots from a once-annual, weekend “think tank” to its current incarnation as an organization that produces more than 45 programs a year. The event has topics ranging from the future of food and Russian efforts to undermine democracy to the science behind dreams and forecasting the economic environment. In its inception in 1971, the Vail Symposium was created to guide future change in the then nine-years-young Vail community. In the early years, the Symposium fostered the development of the Vail master plan, the formation of the Eagle Valley Forum and was the platform from which President Gerald Ford made a major energy policy speech in 1976. Notable participants included Pulitzer Prize-winning scientist Rene Dubos, Robert Redford, former U.S. Senator Gary Hart, Tom Brokaw, Sam Donaldson and sportscaster Bud Palmer.

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By 1987, Vail was an established resort and other individuals and groups existed to define its future. The Symposium was cut loose from the town of Vail and was left to discover its new role in the community it helped to form. Since then, the Vail Symposium has shifted to providing year-round programming. When the COVID-19 pandemic made gathering together for programs impossible, the Symposium made a quick pivot and began offering programs virtually. Since March 2020, Vail Symposium has presented 37 virtual programs to 6,183 people in the U.S., as well internationally; recordings of these programs are also available on the website,

reaching many more after the event. “The Vail Symposium has seen a lot of changes in 50 years, both in the world and in our organization,” explains Kris Sabel, executive director of the Vail Symposium. “Though technology and various aspects of communication have evolved, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to deliver our mission: to provide educational programs for the Vail Valley community that are thought-provoking, diverse and affordable. We look forward to another 50 years and beyond.” +

vailsymposium.org

KATIE COAKLEY is a Vail Valley-based freelance writer covering travel, outdoor activities and the craft beer and spirits scene. Her work has appeared in local publications as well as regional and national outlets like Outside.com, The National, 5280.com, Elevation Outdoors and, soon, Hemispheres. You can find her work at katiecoakley.com or follow her on Instagram @katie_on_the_map.

events / Community Listings

Colorado Lavender Festival

Palisade, CO June 25-27, 2021 Stop and smell the flowers! This annual threeday festival celebrates the versatile use of lavender. Go on a self-guided tour, revel in a Lavender and Wine Dinner or visit the free festival events in Riverbend Park. coloradolavender.org/annual-lavender-festival/

JULY

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

Crested Butte, CO July 9-18, 2021 Feel the beauty of Colorado’s flowers in the wildflower capital of the state! This nine-day event features hikes and walks, garden tours, photography classes and so much more. Sign up for one of the many events now. crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.org/grouppackages/

Mountain Fair Carbondale

Carbondale, CO July 23-25, 2021 It’s the 50th annual Mountain Fair from Carbondale Arts! This fair features over 25 musicians and local artists to bring together the community and represent the Carbondale values: Collaboration, Creativity, Education, Volunteerism, Curiosity and Inclusion. Register for the event, or tune in on your radio. carbondalearts.com/mountain-fair

AUGUST WAVE: Light + Water + Sound

Breckenridge, CO June 2021 Returning in June is the free four-day festival in Blue River Plaza. Admire and witness the breathtaking exhibits, ranging from digital to musical experiences, surrounding the theme of light, water and sound. Revel in the art, an event perfect for the whole family. Specific dates will be announced soon. gobreck.com/event/wave-light-water-sound

Buena Vista Bike Fest

Buena Vista, CO June 5, 2021 There is a ride for everyone at the Buena Vista Bike Fest. Bike one of the prettiest “metric centuries” (62 miles) in the state and take in the beautiful views these trails have to offer, with options ranging from 35 miles to as long as 97 miles! Make sure to pace yourself, and register for this wonderful ride today! bicyclecolorado.org/featured-event/buenavista-bike-fest/

GoPro Mountain Games

Vail, CO June 10-13, 2021 The country’s largest celebration of the adventure lifestyle is back for 2021! Enjoy events like biking, fly-fishing, yoga and trail-running with athletes from “Pro to Joe” all connecting in the beautiful mountain backdrop of Vail. mountaingames.com

Telluride Yoga Festival

Telluride, CO June 24-27, 2021 Immerse yourself in a spiritual, healthy, and beautiful long weekend. This inspirational fourday event features over 100 offerings including yoga, meditation, music, hiking, dining, SUP yoga, social gatherings and more. Register for this spectacular event today! tellurideyogafestival.com

Woodland Park, CO August 7, 2021 This community wine, food and jazz festival works to benefit Habitat for Humanity in Teller County. Support attainable housing by participating in tastings from over 25 Colorado wineries and vineyards. vinoandnotes.com

Outerbike Crested Butte

Crested Butte, CO August 13-15, 2021 Ride to your heart’s content while soaking up the sun and mountain scenery on Crested Butte’s mountain bike park. Each pass includes a delicious lunch each day and access to Outerbike venues and vendors. Attendance is capped so register early to get a spot! outerbike.com/crested-butte-2021

Photo by geert pieters

JUNE

Vino & Notes Festival

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Buddhas on Bikes Retreat

Red Mountain Lodge, Ouray, CO August 19-22, 2021 Renew your skills. Recharge your spirit. Refresh your mind. Enjoy four days at a topnotch mountain retreat center on the top of Red Mountain Pass in the spectacular San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Practice yoga, explore local mountain bike trails, and connect with a like-minded group of ladies! thesweatybuddha.com/buddha-mountainretreat

Wilderness Adventure Yoga at Beyul Retreat

Meredith, CO August 23-27, 2021 A week of riverside yoga among aspens and evergreens is calling to you. Hiking and meditation, sauna sessions and cold plunges, foraging and organic gourmet meals — this is everything you need for a restorative, rejuvenating getaway. Join expert instructors from Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley and Front Range at new mountain destination Beyul Retreat. beyulretreat.com

Summer Art Market

Denver, CO August 28-29, 2021 View inspiring artwork from students at the in-person market this summer. Details about this event put on by the Art Students League of Denver is TBA. asld.org/summer-art-market-current/

SEPTEMBER

Breckenridge Yoga Festival

Breckenridge, CO September 3-5, 2021 Rejoice and rejuvenate in this community event for yoga enthusiasts of all levels. Purchase a single-class pass or an unlimited pass to support the three-day festival. Take advantage of the numerous classes, vendors and activities offered! breckenridgeyogafest.com

Estes Park Labor Day Arts & Crafts Show Estes Park, CO September 4-6, 2021 Support the Estes community of artists and vendors at this display of local talent. Proceeds from the events are used to fund grants to area nonprofits and scholarships for graduates of local high schools. A list of artists will be posted in August 2021. Did we mention admission is free? estesartsandcrafts.whitepapersplus.com

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Gourmet On Gore

Vail, CO September 4-6, 2021 This event of Vail’s best eateries and culinary delights will return for Labor Day 2021! Indulge in fantastic food, wonderful wine, beer and spirits in downtown Vail. gourmetongore.com/copy-of-home-2020

Run Rabbit Run

Steamboat Springs, CO September 17-18, 2021 Run, run as fast as you can! The Run, Rabbit, Run event features a 50- and 100-mile high elevation endurance run. The 100-mile course starts on Friday at the base of the ski area and encompass Buffalo Pass (elevation 10,300 feet) and Emerald Mountain, with a few little hops through town. runrabbitrunsteamboat.com

San Juan Brewfest

Durango, CO September 28-29, 2021 Bank of San Juan presents the San Juan Brewfest — a two-day event filled with great beer and live music. A list of breweries attending this festival is scheduled to be posted in May, so keep your eyes peeled! The event is 21+ only. sanjuanbrewfest.com

OCTOBER AppleFest

Cedaredge, CO October 2021 The Cedaredge Apple Festival is one of Western Colorado’s famed agricultural-themed festivals and has been running since 1977. Celebrate the fall season with live music, art, craft and food vendors, a 5K and more family fun events! Find more details about vendors on their website. cedaredgechamber.com/events/applefest

Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival

Breckenridge, CO October 2021 The Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival never disappoints with activities of all types. Experience a dining passport, the Breckenridge Distillery and a scavenger hunt around town. Details on the 2021 experience are TBA. breckenridgecraftspiritsfestival.com

Cider Days Festival

Lakewood, CO October 2-3, 2021 Take part in this perfectly seasonal event, with tractor pulls, wagon and barrel train rides, and everything apple! Savor the autumn season by celebrating with live performances and harvest treats. lakewood.org/Government/Departments/ Community-Resources/Arts-and-Culture/ Arts-and-Culture-Events/Cider-Days

Rocky Mountain Literary Festival

Evergreen, CO October 16, 2021 Engage with fellow literary lovers in an event providing scholarships for local high school seniors in pursuit of their educational dreams. Watch author presentations with author autographs at the end of the day, with lunch and continental breakfast! rockymountainliteraryfestival.org

NOVEMBER Denver Arts Week

Denver, CO November 5-13, 2021 Be a part of the nine-day festival showcasing Denver’s vibrant arts and culture scene. Visit the Denver film festival, check out blockbuster exhibits and gaze upon the vibrant murals in different neighborhoods. denver.org

2021 Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon

Highlands Ranch, CO November 6, 2021 Enjoy a beautiful run in the brisk fall weather! This 13.1-mile scenic trail run utilizes the Douglas County East/West trail and the beautiful Highlands Ranch Community Association's Backcountry Wilderness Area trails. After the race, enjoy free all-you-caneat pancakes, beer and a post-race party! runsignup.com/Race/CO/

Denver Food + Wine Festival

Denver, CO October 1-2, 2021 Satisfy your cravings in the Mile-High City with the Denver Food + Wine Festival. Events feature the best in Colorado's restaurants paired with the finest wine and spirits, dinners and tastings, culminating with the festival's signature event, The Grand Tasting. Buy your tickets now! denverfoodandwine.com

partners / Yoga + Life Ambssadors

YOGA + Life®

ambassadors 1. DANNY CAMPOS

3. KELSEY FOSTER

6. DYLAN HOWLEY

Yoga, community, and family are Danny’s daily motivation. She is proudly a Mexican yoga teacher since 2015 and owner of dannycamposyoga.com, dedicated to sharing her passion through classes, workshops and retreats that allow people to connect with themselves, generating a space of self-knowledge, relaxation and gratitude. Her days are full with yoga, meditation, walks, books, music and family time. She is always aiming to be present and grateful.

Kelsey is a Colorado native, born and raised in the Vail Valley. She found yoga in 2013 and she never looked back. Kelsey is a 200 RYT and also teaches barre. Now based in Conifer, Kelsey loves to spend time on her mountain bike and in the mountains with her dog Bandit.

Dylan Howley is the founder of The Lefty Cycles Project. He is a one-armed athlete, a positivity pusher, a proud recovering alcoholic and a family man. Motivated to share his passion of helping others, Dylan showcases that anything is possible through hard work and a positive mindset. A Connecticut native, he’s happiest when he’s with his family, enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature and “Perpetuating Pure Goodness.”

2. JENNIFER CHWALEK Jennifer Chwalek, M.D. is a NYC-based dermatologist and yoga instructor. She began her yoga journey over a decade ago and since has studied meditation, Ayurveda and other energy therapies with some of the most respected practitioners. Her mission is to help others feel more beautiful in their skin while healing their body image and self-worth issues. She is particularly interested in how lifestyle factors interact with genes to affect health and skin aging.

4. SHERRIE GIUSTO Sherrie Giusto, raised in Miami, started her fitness journey as a nationally ranked tennis player. Sherrie has been teaching all forms of fitness for over 30 years, including owning her own studios together with hosting yoga retreats in Colorado. This mother of three grown children and grandmother now shares the gift of yoga through her teachings in Miami, Colorado and via her online platform. Her mantra is “Yoga with a Heart.” 5. RACHEL GLOWACKI Rachel Glowacki is a yoga teacher, writer and thought leader in the kids yoga field. She specializes in mindful movement for all ages and abilities and has been teaching since 1999. She's an awardwinning author of the Kids Yogaverse storybook apps. Rachel hopes that one day mindful movement will be taught regularly in schools just like math and science! She believes that a calm brain is a learning brain and a healthy body is a happy body, principles she shares with her students young and old. Rachel lives with her husband and two sons in Edwards, Colorado.

7. SKIP HUDSON Skip is a teacher and coach focused on emotional resilience practices. His training from UCSD supports wellbeing through mindfulness and self-compassion. He offers online training events and courses to private groups, business leadership groups and individuals. Participants rediscover a lost part of themselves — that they are worthy of love and can offer that love to themselves in effective and meaningful ways. His mission: guiding people and organizations to “Being at Ease.” skip@skiphudson.com 970-314-4888

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8. MARY BETH LARUE

10. JENN SMYTH

12. TONI VINEY

Mary Beth LaRue is a yoga and meditation teacher, writer and the creator of Embodied by MB. During her journey of teaching yoga for over 12 years, she's traveled the world teaching yoga with Wanderlust Festivals, designed custom yoga programs for rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters and the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles and written about her journey to motherhood through foster adoption for HBO, Yoga Journal and Good Morning America. She lives in Evergreen, Colorado with her husband, their son Angel, English bulldog Rosy and six crazy chickens. She loves road trips, library books, writing, a strong cup of chai, being in nature and all things and all things with soul.

After teaching English internationally, Jenn decided to blend her passions for people, fitness and teaching by becoming an E-RYT 200 yoga instructor. She primarily teaches in northern Colorado and also travels extensively in pursuit of furthering her yoga experiences. As a daughter of Korean immigrant parents, she strives for inclusiveness and equality both inside and outside of the yoga studio. When not teaching, Jenn loves exploring beautiful Colorado with her husband and rescue dog.

Toni Viney grew up as a city girl with country ties before becoming a full-blown river rat. As an adult, Toni made her way to the mountains and discovered yoga. She became a yoga instructor in 2011 and founded Best Day Ever Yoga in 2021. Her yoga classes are intentionally sequenced around the physical and emotional needs of her students to support their wellness goals. She is energized by travel and nerding out on yoga.

11. SHARI VILCHEZ-BLATT

Amy Zellmer is an award-winning author, keynote speaker and brain injury survivor. She has her 200-hour RYT and is a level two Reiki practitioner. She is passionate about increasing awareness around yoga accessibility and believes that every body can do yoga. She is addicted to Starbucks, chocolate and HomeGoods, and loves all things glittery and pink!

9. PAMELA SHIFRIN Pamela Shifrin was born and raised in Townsend, Massachusetts. A competitive athlete since she was 5 years old, she used those skills through a Division 1 softball program and still today. After which, she went on to Costa Rica to become a certified massage therapist. Recruited to Denver, Colorado to help open and teach at a new massage therapy school, she took many weekend trips to Vail, where she would eventually land. Local Revival came into fusion in November 2016, and quickly became the spot for locals to get their integrative bodywork. Pam loves all mountain adventures, traveling, camping, games, cooking and helping others. She is the president/founder of newly established ALS nonprofit, Runs For ALS, Inc.

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Founder and creator of Karma Kids Yoga, Shari has been sharing her love of yoga with kids of all ages since 2002! Shari has developed yoga programs and curriculum for many schools and consultants on various healthy living articles for numerous parenting magazines, blogs and corporate initiatives. She’s also a regular contributor to NY YOGA + Life Magazine’s Kids & Family section. Shari has been featured on Sesame Street sharing yoga with Murray and Ovejita, and is currently writing and consulting for Sesame Street’s new global effort in yoga and mindfulness. Shari has trained nearly 3,000 people around the world to teach yoga to children through the Karma Kids Yoga Teacher Training Program, which includes courses for infants, preschoolers, kids, tweens and teenagers, as well as professional development for educators. Shari lives to play and plays to live!

13. AMY ZELLMER

The YOGA + Life Ambassador program highlights a diverse group of individuals in the health + wellness industry. This group is up to big things in this world! We are thrilled to help spread the word on their inspiring + passionate contributions.

partners / Directory

GOAT Training

210 Edwards Village Blvd. #A-209 Edwards, CO goattraining.com 970.306.8524

Gravity Haus Vail

352 E. Meadow Dr. Vail, CO gravityhaus.com/locations/vail-haus 970.476.7960

Harmony Healing

2250 S. Oneida St. #203 Denver, CO harmony-healing.com 303.733.3030

High Country Healing

40801 Highway 6 Suite 5 Avon, CO highcountryhealing.com 970.470.4794

Hovey & Harrison Aarunya Yoga School 122 Main St. Minturn, CO aarunyayoga.com 303.506.171

Color Up Therapeutics 1448 W. Cedar Ave. Denver, CO 80223 colorupco.com 720.420.1734

Anya Yoga

Community Yoga + Union Yoga School

Be Free Healing Center

Dragonfly Paddle Yoga

418 S. 8th St. Colorado Springs, CO 80905 anyayogaco.com 719.439.8619 1006 Spring Creek Ln. Fort Collins, CO befreehealing.com 970.286.4447

Beyul Retreat

26604 Frying Pan Rd. Meredith, CO beyulretreat.com 970.927.4188

Bhava Yoga

505 S. Main St. A5 Breckenridge, CO bhavayogaco.com 970.409.3375

Bookworm of Edwards

295 Main St. Edwards, CO bookwormofedwards.com 970.926.7323

Boreal Bliss

Retreats + Experiences in Northern Minnesota borealblissyogaretreats.com hello@borealblissyogaretreats.com

284 E. 29th St. Loveland, CO lcyoga.com 970.368.9642

Dragonfly Paddle Yoga 201 E. Pikes Peak Ave. Unit 721 Colorado Springs, CO dragonflypaddleyoga.com 719.323.4200

Drunken Goat

56 Edwards Village Blvd. Unit 120 Edwards, CO hoveyandharrison.com 970.446.6830

Hydrate IV Bar

hydrateivbar.com + Bonnie Brae 753 South University Blvd. Denver, CO 303.209.0989 + The Highlands 3440 West 32nd Ave. Denver, CO 720.535.1919 + Cherry Creek 2717 East 3rd Ave. Denver, CO 303.248.3281

56 Edwards Village Blvd. STE 103 Edwards, CO drunkengoatco.com 970.926.1393

Hygge Life

Earth Yoga Boulder

Inner Peace Yoga Therapy

3000 Folsom St. Boulder, CO earthyogaboulder.com 720.593.1008

Elderberry’s Farm

1978 Harding Rd. Paonia, CO elderberrysfarm.com 720.722.4372

Endorphin

41149 US-6 Avon, CO hyggelife.com 970.331.5745 10 Town Plaza #411 Durango, CO innerpeaceyogatherapy.com 970.946.8961

Jeanie Manchester Yoga Anjaneya Yoga Shala 1480 Violet Ave Boulder, CO jeaniemanchester.com 303.818.6697

717 Sylvan Lake Rd. #A Eagle, CO myendorphin.com 970.328.5770 YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Kaiut Yoga Boulder

Piante Pizzeria

Lotus House of Yoga

Revolution Power Yoga

+ Aksarben 222 N. 114th St. Omaha, NE 68154 402.281.4218

+ 101 Fawcett Rd. Avon, CO 970.478.3176

4800 Baseline Rd. #D206 Boulder, CO kaiutyogaboulder.com 720.696.0401 lotushouseofyoga.com

+ Telegraph District Lincoln 333 South 21st St. Lincoln, NE 402.423.0753

Moonlit Tribe

Mobile App (Moonlit) + Wellness Brand Offering Lunar Rituals, Astro Insight + Spiritual Community moonlittribe.com 832.236.6061

Mountain Soul Yoga

56 Edwards Village Blvd. Unit 204 Edwards, CO mountainsoulyoga.com 970.446.6485

New Mexico School of Yoga 1111 Carlisle Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 nmschoolofyoga.com 505.697.8507

Nurture

2949 Federal Blvd. Denver CO visitnurture.com 303.390.1252

O2 Aspen

408 S. Mill St. Aspen, CO o2aspen.com 970.925.4002

Onus iV Bar

onusiv.com + The Highlands 2242 W. 29th Ave. Denver, CO 720.791.0779 + Boulder 1035 Walnut St. Boulder, CO 720.791.0818 + Denver Tech Center 5425 Landmark Place Greenwood Village, CO 303.658.0445 + Wheat Ridge 4288 Youngfield St Wheat Ridge, CO 303.968.6788

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

520 S. Main St. Suite 3M Breckenridge, CO piantepizzeria.com 970.423.6693 revolutionpoweryoga.com

+ 10 Market St. Glenwood Springs, CO 970.930.6596

Ridgway Yoga Shala

540 Sherman Ave Ridgway, CO ridgwayyogashala.com 970.218.4799

Sunshine Massage Studio

616 W. Lionshead Cir. Suite 300 D Vail, CO sunshinemassagestudio.com 480.388.0590

Two Arrows Coffee | Bar 225 Wall Street #103A Vail, CO twoarrowscoffee.com 970.763.5101

Vail Public Library 292 W. Meadow Dr. Vail, CO vaillibrary.com 970.479.2187

Village Bagel

34500 Highway 6 #B7 Edwards, CO villagebagel.co 970.855.2940

When Shift Happens Private Consultations + Wellness Coaching whenshifthappens.org

Yoga Center of Steamboat

701 Yampa Ave. Steamboat Springs, CO yogacenterofsteamboat.com 970.875.4568

Telluride Yoga Center

Yoga House

201 W. Colorado Ave. Telluride, CO tellurideyoga.com 970.729.1673

207 E. Main St. Montrose, CO coloradoyogahouse.com 970.462.9977

Terry Street Collective + Fluid IV Lounge

Yoga Mountain Shadows

610 Terry St. Longmont, CO terrystreetcollective.com fluidivlounge.com 720.295.5690

The Conscious Merchant

920 Main St, Louisville, CO theconsciousmerchant.com 720.696.4840

Thrive Yoga

thriveyogafruita.com + 326 Elk Ave. Crested Butte, CO 970.349.0302 + 332 E. Aspen Ave. Fruita, CO 970.349.0302

4663 Centennial Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO yogamountainshadows.com 719.799.6697

Yoga Off Broadway

717 Sylvan Lake Rd. Eagle, CO yogaoffbroadway.com 970.328.9642

Yoga Picture of the Day

Online Community yogapictureoftheday.com 606.258.7399

Yuva Yoga

3 East Craigbank Drive Aberdeen, AB15 9EH Scotland, UK yuvayoga.co.uk

Tina Porter Yoga

1195 Newport St. Denver, CO tinaporteryoga.com info@tinaporteryoga.com

Tula Yoga & Wellness

99 Snelling Avenue North St. Paul, MN tulayogawellness.com 651.645.5551

Annual Partners receive advertising discounts and other great benefits. CONTACT: bobby@coyogalifemag.com to learn more.

“THERE IS A VITALITY, A LIFE FORCE, AN ENERGY, A QUICKENING, THAT IS TRANSLATED THROUGH YOU INTO ACTION, AND BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE OF YOU IN ALL TIME, THIS EXPRESSION IS UNIQUE.”

Martha Graham 82

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

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namaste

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CO YOGA + Life® | Summer + Fall 2021

Articles inside

REFRESHMENT FOR THE SEASON

VAIL SYMPOSIUM

RECIPES

SUPPORT YOUR GUT HEALTH

VITALITY IN HEALING

TUNE INTO YOUR CYCLES

VISUALIZATION

BREATH

GEAR GUIDE

OJAS

HONOR YOUR FOOD SYSTEM

RIVERWONDERGRASS

ROOM FOR GROWTH

KEY TO LIFELONG VITALITY?

TIMBERLEAF TRAILERS

KIDNEY CHI

STREET FRATERNITY

PRANAYAMA

YOGA IS YOUR SUPERPOWER

SOLANDRA SOAP

NEW ZEALAND SUMMER FESTIVALS

TRAVEL

VITALITY THROUGH ART

IF YOU COME TO EARTH” BY SOPHIA BLACKALL

BE A GOOD PERSON

CO ESCAPE

THOUGHTS FROM CO ARTISTS

STUDIOS