CO YOGA + Life® | Winter + Spring 2021-22

HARMONY

SACRED COMMUNITY

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 2021-22

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

PUBLISHER Jaunt Media Collective YOGA + Life® OWNER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kim Fuller YOGA + Life® OWNER + DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS Bobby L'Heureux YOGA + Life® MAGAZINES FOUNDER Juli Rathke CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chelsea Connolly MANAGING EDITOR Lexi Reich ASSISTANT EDITOR Lauren Farrauto PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATOR Laura Mills CONTRIBUTORS Alyssa Pinsker, Caramie Petrowski, Christine Kassar, Emma Herrick, Emme Fredericks, Jennifer Chwalek, Julia Clarke, Julie Gentile, Kaitlin Emig, Kali Basman, Kamie Slegers, Kim Fuller, Kimberly Nicoletti, Lexi Reich, Lisa Blake, Marisol Cruz, Mary Gavin, Pam Shifrin, Penny Wilson, Rachel Glowacki, Sandy Ferguson Fuller, Selena Rodriguez, Toni Viney, Zoe Cramer

PHOTOGRAPHY + ART Alec Falle Hamilton, Canyon River Expeditions. Colin Lloyd, Edgar Castrejon, Elias Maurer, Elk Raven Photography, Emma Dau, Jack Affleck, Jimena Peck, Kim Fuller, Lauren O’Neill, Lexi Reich, Life Lens And Love Photography LLC, Mariah Schuette, Mark Fleming, Meow Wolf, Olivia Reed Photo, Pam Shifrin, Rachel Land, Sam Studley

REGIONAL SALES Bobby L’Heureux NATIONAL SALES Bobby L'Heureux, Laura Mills SUBSCRIPTIONS Please subscribe to our magazine at yogalifelive.com/cosubscribe/ ADVERTISING National Office: 860.230.8650 bobby@coyogalifemag.com | yogalifelive.com The paper content of this publication has been certifiably reforested via PrintReleaf – the world’s first platform to measure paper consumption and automate reforestation across a global network of reforestation projects.

LEARN MORE AT PRINTRELEAF.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 Jimena Peck

photo: flickr.com/nicholas_t | CC BY

2021-22 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 made 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 / Winter + Spring

Photos by Kim Fuller and Mariah Schuette

DEAR READERS,

I

t’s interesting to me that print magazines are so often used to make vision boards.

It’s not the scissors slicing into our print pages that tilts my head (you are more than welcome to enjoy and be inspired by this publication in whatever ways you like), but how taking pieces of great journalism, striking visuals and engaging information can be pulled together in so much harmony, then removed and reimagined for a fresh medium.

CO YOGA + Life® is a mosaic crafted from timely storytelling, art and insight within Colorado communities and beyond. It’s no surprise why this magazine is often used for vision boards. In creating what we do, we hope to offer invitations for others to create as well.

Harmony happens when an arrangement of parts come together in a pleasing

way. Sometimes harmony means being in balance, but sometimes it’s asymmetrical.

Harmony reflects intentional interaction, not perfection.

So, what is your vision? Perhaps you want to carve out more time to move in nature, travel to new places, start something new or create more space in your life. Maybe it’s time to show up for yourself and your community in a more authentic way.

As always, thanks for reading. With every page, look a little more closely and feel a little more deeply. Harmony is here.

In Gratitude,

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

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®, Spoke+Blossom and Covered Bridge. 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.

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contents / Winter + Spring 2021-22

CONTENTS

VITALITY 5

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Harmony is here

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ABOUT THE COVER

Q&A with Ali Duncan of Urban Sanctuary

10 TEAM YOGA + LIFE®

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The people behind the publication

PROFILES

CO influencers // teachers + leaders // studios

12 COLORADO INFLUENCER

Morgan Kulas + Aarunya Yoga School

14 TEACHERS + LEADERS

Colleen Cannon; Mar’Quis Hubert

17 STUDIOS

Yoga Mountain Shadows; Thrive Yoga Summit

LIFESTYLE

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

20 YOGA + LIFE READING CORNER

Reviews by Mary Gavin + Sandy Ferguson Fuller

23 TIE-DYES TO MAKE THE WORLD GO ‘ROUND

Mary Beth Osburn of Alma, Colorado

24 MEOW WOLF CONVERGENCE STATION

A quantum journey of exploration + discovery

26 SOULFUL GATHERING

Experience harmony in new moon circles

27 CULTIVATING CONNECTION Expanding access to healthy food photo Courtesy of Wild Monkey Snacks ; MEDITATION Photo by Jack Affleck

28 TRAVEL

Santa Barbara, California

31 CO ESCAPES

Paonia + Cañyon City

34 SALT CAVES + FLOAT CENTERS

The ancient art of salt therapy

35 WILD MONKEY SNACKS

44 6

The candy bar reimagined

36 WHAT WE LOVE

Essential products for winter + spring

38 YOGA + LIFE® WISH LIST

Spread the love this season

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50 WELLNESS

ayurveda // health // inspiration // food

58 WISDOM OF AYURVEDA

Four pillars of health + harmony

60 PSYCH-K

Harmonize your mind

62 HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SKIN

While also caring for the planet

64 JOURNAL YOUR WAY TO WELLNESS

“I am writing to my soul.”

66 TRANSITION BACK TO AMERICA

YOGA + FITNESS

movement // in the practice // seva // retreats

40 YIN YOGA FOR THE DIVINE ABODES

70 RECIPES

Emotional harmony from the heart

42 YOUR BODY ON YOGA THERAPY

Three movement techniques

44 CAN MEDITATION HEAL THE NATION?

Help for society as a whole

46 CONNECT TO THE CHILD WITHIN

Find a dose of soft + playful energy

48 RUNS FOR HOPE

Ski challenge brings comfort to ALS warriors

A journey of healing

68 MAKING FOOD CHOICES IN HARMONY

Start small for success + Garam Masala Spiced Cashews + Aztec Maple Old Fashioned

EVENTS + DISTRIBUTION

gatherings // community listings // ambassadors // partners

73 FEATURED GATHERING

Mind Matters + Elizabeth Gilbert

76 EVENTS THIS SEASON

December 2021 through May 2022

49 ON THE RIVER + IN THE FLOW

78 YOGA + LIFE AMBASSADORS

82 DIRECTORY

Yoga, meditation and whitewater at a wellbeing retreat

OUTSIDE

Meet these inspiring individuals YOGA + Life Annual Partners

80 NAMASTE

fresh air // adventure // environment // gear

50 DISCOVERIES ON THE DIVIDE

Photo by Elk Raven Photography

“Gliding through the mountains powered by my muscles… ”

52 GENERATION WILD

Get kids outside

54 THE HAPPY BEETLE

Q&A with Dave Kiefner, co-founder

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56 GEAR GUIDE

Goods for winter + spring

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profiles / About the Cover

Q +A

Spotlight ALI DUNCAN Urban Sanctuary

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li Duncan is the founder of Urban Sanctuary, a Denver yoga studio with a mission to support the ever-evolving growth of the wellness community through purpose, education and love. We are honored to have Duncan and some of the Urban Sanctuary on the cover of this HARMONY issue.

INTERVIEW BY KIM FULLER

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HOW IS URBAN SANCTUARY ACTIVE AND INSPIRING IN DENVER AND IN THE COLORADO WELLNESS COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE? Urban Sanctuary is one of the only Blackowned, woman-run yoga studios in Colorado. We invite our community to arrive as they are to be supported. We offer breathwork and movement classes that support healing for marginalized communities. Our operations are non-traditional and out-ofthe-box, with classes like aerial yoga, Cannabis-supported yoga, meditation classes that focus on mindfulness, flow-based yoga with tarot card readings and free weekly classes for the BIPOC community. We also recently debuted Kemetic movement, a slower-paced practice that has origins dating back to ancient Africa. Urban Sanctuary is the first of its kind in Colorado to be

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Photo by Jimena Peck

ALI, WHAT DOES HARMONY MEAN TO YOU AND URBAN SANCTUARY? Harmony is balancing the mind, body and spirit so that it supports our healing both personally and collectively. At Urban Sanctuary, we offer meditation classes, workout classes and yoga practices that support healing and self-care, and by doing so, we feel this helps bring harmony within ourselves and our surroundings.

offering this movement philosophy, which supports decolonizing the westernized culture of yoga and letting go of old standards that no longer serve us.

PLEASE SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT THE URBAN SANCTUARY BUILDING AND WHAT YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY ARE DOING TO PRESERVE IT AND TO USE IT AS A GATHERING SPACE? The building we are in is a historical building called The Douglass Building. Fredrick Douglasses family ran a mortuary out of it in the 1800s. We have the opportunity to buy the building by July 2022 and I am raising money to make this happen! The neighborhood our building is in is a historical Black district called Five Points. It is exciting to have the building stay in the black community where we can support the community with health and wellness through our classes.

It is exciting to have the building stay in the black community where we can support the community with health and wellness through our classes.

FOR THE HARMONY ISSUE OF CO YOGA + LIFE, PLEASE SHARE WITH US HOW URBAN SANCTUARY WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS IN THE STATE IN 2022.

At Urban Sanctuary we are all about connection and collaboration, which is why we'll be hosting community yoga and meditations throughout the year to support inclusivity, healing and community. We'll be working with the Heart of Five Points Neighborhood Association so that the Five Points community has the necessary tools for wellness and self-care.

We’ll also be launching our second year of yoga teacher training, which will be non-traditional but soulful and engaging, for future yogis looking to deepen their practice and expand their awareness. +

Photos by Jimena Peck

usdenver.com

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profiles / Behind the Pages

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YOGA + Life®

meet the team

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1. KIM FULLER Owner + Editor-In-Chief

3. JULI RATHKE YOGA + Life® Founder

Based in Vail, Colorado, Kim 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®, Spoke+Blossom and Covered Bridge. 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.

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

2. BOBBY L’HEUREUX Owner + Director of Partnerships At the heart of his work, Bobby thrives on community and connection. As co-founder of Jaunt Media Collective, the company behind YOGA + Life®, Spoke+Blossom and Covered Bridge, 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 a legacy 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® and Covered Bridge, you'll find her spearheading the look and feel of award-winning 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.

5. LEXI REICH Managing Editor 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

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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®, Spoke+Blossom and Covered Bridge, 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.

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, YOGA + Life® and Covered Bridge 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.

7. LAURA MILLS Partnerships Coordinator Laura is a member of the Jaunt Media Collective relationships team. She loves everything outdoors, especially if she can bring her border collie puppy, Fern. A change in career paths lead Laura to expand her horizons and take a stab at creating content. If not in the woods, you can find Laura on the beaches of Maine, where she has lived for most of her life.

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profiles / Colorado Influencer

P MORGAN KULAS + AARUNYA YOGA SCHOOL Leading People to Authentic Service

by Kimberly Nicoletti

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resence over productivity; embodiment as a means to healing; creative and critical thinking; restoring bonds between humans and the earth.

These are the principles upon which Morgan Kulas founded Aarunya Yoga School in the Vail Valley.

Through both 200-hour and 300-hour certifications, Kulas helps people clarify what they are on this earth to do. Then, she helps them carry out their vision. She has certified over 20 yoga teachers since launching her school in 2019. Her authentic and unique approach to teaching has transformed people, inside and out.

“It completely changed the trajectory of my life,” says Jocelyn Laferriere, who completed the school’s 200-hour Yoga and Social Ecology Teacher Training in May 2020, and then completed the 300-hour individualized training in May 2021. “It made me open my eyes to what I want in my life, who I am and what my purpose is.”

Laferriere had worked in the hospitality industry for 14 years “doing things for others but pouring from an empty cup,” she shares.

Kulas’ teaching style encouraged Laferriere to observe her deeper self, as well as her shad-

ow side, without becoming absorbed by it.

“You can’t pull somebody out of a hole until you’ve been there,” Laferriere says.

“Without doing your own deep work, you’re kind of a surface-level instructor, and I don’t want to be that, because I don’t need that, and I don’t think the world needs it.”

Kulas guided her to discover her own light and shine it; Laferriere already had a side business making herbal remedies, but Kulas helped her jump into her business fulltime by dropping excuses and disempowering beliefs. Now, she owns The Belden Witch and harvests local herbs to create healing salves and remedies.

“The training (involved) a deep dive of your shadow, your relationship with yourself and others, why you are doing this, what fills you up,” Laferriere explains. “It taught me to use my path and struggles to help other people.”

Kulas is committed to “mindfulness, concentration and insight — the awakening of consciousness in service to a healthier world.” Her 200-hour Yoga and Social Ecology Teacher Training is open not only to people who want to teach yoga, but also to those who simply want to deepen their practice or otherwise benefit their communities. Her extensive curriculum includes meditation, experiential anatomy, neuroscience and social ecology, in addition to asanas, Ayurveda and much more. She individualizes her additional 300-hour program to deeply support students to follow their

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PHOTOS Courtesy of Morgan Kulas

It’s about how yoga and mindfulness can be the spine of social change, because they can be.

passions and gifts.

Kirstie Lovelace, a yoga instructor and energy healer in the Vail Valley, is currently taking the 300-hour training.

“Her knowledge goes so past what everyone sees or thinks yoga is,” Lovelace says of Kulas. “She asks questions that make you think.

She has this incredible way of leading you to things.”

Kulas draws from her vast knowledge as a student of dance for over 30 years, as well as her experience teaching dance and yoga for the last 15 years. She studied yoga and meditation at Chicago College of Performing Arts, where she earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in acting and dance. She delved into the philosophy and meditative practices of classical yoga through a private mentorship; it was there she seeped herself in the essence of yoga: concentration of the mind. She is currently enrolled in University of Hartford’s Interdisciplinary Art and Regenerative Culture MFA program, concentrating on social engagement, creative and critical problem solving and ecology.

“I expose students to a lot of different information and let them choose what sparks their spirits,” Kulas shares. “What’s really important to me is authenticity, so I teach the way I practice. The goal of the school is to help facilitate a higher level of teaching, which involves educating teachers on the history of these practices, giving them a strong philosophical foundation and honing their voice to find their own style of teaching.”

Her program is more academic than other yoga trainings, yet it’s very embodied; through movement cues and awareness of breath, students deepen their practice. She aims to root students in their “true nature (which is) luminous and free,” she adds.

As a result of teaching in various studios and owning Mindspace Meditation Center in Edwards (from 2016 until COVID-19 shutdowns caused her to close the studio), she has had the ability to connect her students with likeminded professionals.

“She’s a conduit of energy within the community, and it’s amazing because it’s selflessly done,” Laferriere says. “She just has this energy about her that is so calming and welcoming and safe.”

Through her teachings, Kulas hopes to transform suffering into understanding and heal the body-mind-spirit connection in order to restore human bonds and regenerate systems.

“It’s really about finding your own voice and socially engaging; we reach out to a community that we care about, and we try to be of service,” Kulas says about her school. “It’s about how yoga and mindfulness can be the spine of social change, because they can be.” +

Opening Soon!

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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profiles / Teachers + Leaders

by Emma Herrick

COLLEEN CANNON

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tanding on the coarse, volcanic rock that jutted into the turquoise water, Colleen Cannon and I looked across Hawaii’s Kealakekua Bay to the Captain Cook Monument.

The obelisk looked like a small white blur in the distance, towered by sheer cliffs.

“All right! Let’s go!” Cannon chirped as she slipped her swim cap over her sunbleached hair and plunged into the ocean.

We were about to swim a two-mile, open water swim to the monument and back. For fun. I grew up surfing, but I had never swum seriously, let alone two miles. But when Colleen Cannon tells you that you can do something, you do it. So, I dove in after her.

I met Cannon at the start of the pandemic.

She was working to shift her women’s yoga and adventure retreat company, Women’s Quest, online. Women’s Quest is designed to light “a spark and passion in people for the outdoors, their own bodies and their spirits.” At that moment, Women’s Quest’s

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mission was more important, and more unattainable, than ever. In 1992, Cannon founded Women’s Quest with a dream of creating a safe environment where women could find balance and strength through movement and play. Women’s Quest’s transformational retreats combined physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing — the first adventure retreat company to do so. They were more than just fitness retreats; they were a place where women could connect to each other, their bodies and the world. It didn’t take much; all they needed was the greatest “playground” of all: the outdoors, and Cannon. 30 plus years later, Cannon still runs retreats all year long to places like Canyonlands and Jackson Hole, Greece and Italy, Bhutan and Peru.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, Women’s Quest grew out of Cannon’s lifelong belief in the power of movement, connection and play, especially for women. Whether it was swimming, biking, running or horseback

riding, Cannon grew up outside and in motion.

She grew up in the midst of the formation of Title IX, and it was evident that not everyone had the opportunity. When she moved to Alabama in high school, Cannon found that the only sports she could choose from were baton twirling, cheerleading or the marching band — none of which particularly interested her. Steadfast in the belief that girls deserved the right to play sports as much as boys did, she helped create the school’s first women’s basketball and track teams.

Her love for movement eventually led Cannon to race professionally. On scholarship for both swimming and track, she competed at Auburn University and later stumbled, albeit unintentionally, into triathlons. Soon enough, she became World Champion in 1984, National Champion in 1988 and 1990, and a U.S. National team member multiple times.

Alongside training, she worked to get equal prize money for men and women and helped make triathlons an Olympic sport, which

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PHOTOs Courtesy of Colleen Cannon

+ the Art of Lifelong Play

required more women to participate in order to become official.

Her racing career only reinforced her childhood belief that an active lifestyle made her feel most alive. But, it was more than just movement. She learned the importance of staying fit and healthy — in the mind, body and spirit. While she trained extremely hard, she has always said that it was more about the mental work than the physical. Mentored by Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra and John Douillard on meditation, affirmations, visualizations and the Ayurvedic philosophy, Colleen came out of her racing days with a balanced toolbox that not many others had: physical grit, mental clarity and an unwavering love for playing in the world. She wanted to share that toolbox with other women, believing, “if I could ignite them to be healthy and well, then they would create something magical.” So came Women’s Quest.

In March 2021, 11 women traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii for the first in-person

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retreat since the pandemic began, and I got the chance to join. In the world and in themselves, the women were in transition. Maybe transitioning jobs or into retirement. Maybe going through a relationship change. Maybe learning how to love their body as they get older. They were searching for connection, belonging and strength, and they found it: in each other, in the world and in Cannon.

Meeting Cannon in person, I fully understood what made Women’s Quest retreats so successful. She looks at the world with a childlike wonder and astonishment that is contagious. She is open and questioning, unwavering in her belief in a world that

adults cannot always see. As a child, she spent her days outside playing; over 50 years later, she still does just that.

“Playing is a way to get out of your head and into your heart. You make this pathway through play to kindness, compassion, exhilaration and awe,” Cannon explains. “So … tag! You are it!” she laughs. “We are in the eternal game of tag with the universe. You really are it. You are an awesome human being with all this potential.” When you go on one of Cannon’s retreats, your worldview starts to shift, crumble and rebuild. Everything becomes a little bit lighter, with a lot of room to play. +

Though she grew up in the urban atmospheres of London and Boston, EMMA HERRICK has always gravitated towards the outdoors — the ocean and mountains especially. In 2019, Emma graduated from Colorado College where studied English and film. She is an avid storyteller with a passion for travel, adventure, and really good coffee.

When she’s not working her ‘day job’ as a college admissions counselor, you can find her surfing, researching her next trip or throwing pottery on the wheel. emmagherrick.com

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MAR’QUIS HUBERT “Just be yourself.”

A by Lexi Reich

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t a Mar’Quis Hubert yoga class, one can expect to unroll their mat and be met exactly where they are that day. With over eight years of teaching experience, Hubert has taught hundreds of students from all walks of life — from a boarding school in Evergreen to a sought-after yoga studio in Denver. He believes the practice is meant to

be accessible for everybody.

“I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to be perfect or know everything to come to class,” Hubert says. “Just be yourself, do what you can … it’s a no-judgement zone.”

Hubert landed his most recent gig at YogaSix in Edgewater during the pandemic and currently has a full schedule of power vinyasa classes there. He can also be found flowing through chaturangas at ONE Yoga in the Denver Tech Center.

Hubert makes it a goal to remind students in every class that they’re showing up to their own unique practice — not his or anyone else’s in the room. In the same breath, he also emphasizes the importance of community. While Colorado has no shortage of yoga studios, it still has some progress to be made in terms of inclusivity.

When Hubert was first exposed to yoga, he was attending school in Kansas and saw a group class composed exclusively of white, middle-aged women. Like many others’ first introduction to the practice, his first thought was, could this be for me?

Thankfully, Hubert joined in on a class soon after, and from there, he emphasizes, he was hooked. However, when he came to Colorado three years ago, he noticed a similar lack of diversity in yoga classes throughout the state.

“Yoga should be for everybody,” he reiterates. “I know for me growing up when I watched yoga, it seemed more like a white woman thing … When I tell people who I grew up with that I teach yoga and that they should come take a class, they say ‘that’s not for me.’ Like, why isn’t it for you?”

Often the only person of color amongst his fellow teachers and students, Hubert says with more representation of people from different backgrounds, the more open certain communities will be the practice.

“That little kid who’s never done yoga can say ‘I can do this because I see someone who looks like me do this practice,’” he explains.

Hubert’s ultimate goal is to open a studio of his own and make it a home for newer teachers to come in, learn and grow from each other. Until then, you can find him leading an interactive handstand workshop in class or cracking a corny joke to his students. +

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Photos courtesy of Mar'Quis Hubert

profiles / Teachers + Leaders

profiles / Studios

yoga mountain shadows COLORADO SPRINGS

by Emme fredricks

Photo courtesy of Yoga Mountain Shadows

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oga Mountain Shadows offers a sense of home to many people in Colorado Springs. High ceilings and natural light are not the only things that make this studio so enticing; its mission to get people moving, while offering a sense of community, is what makes this studio so unique.

Many of the studio’s students are either newer to yoga or are slightly older and looking to maintain an active lifestyle. Because of this, Yoga Mountain Shadows is committed to being a judgment-free zone.

“When you come in, don’t worry about what other people are doing. Just relax, listen to the cues and let your body move,” says owner and director, Elsbeth Micklewright.

Yoga Mountain Shadows offers heated and non-heated classes. Some of the most popular offerings include a non-traditional Vinyasa, Warm + Gentle, Yin and Ashtanga.

“We don't have a specific type of class where we follow certain ideologies; it is a general mix,” Micklewright explains.

“When students have questions about

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other classes, it's nice to tell them that they have already done most postures in other classes they’ve attended. It allows them to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.”

Additionally, she adds that her teachers have a fair amount of autonomy when it comes to teaching. It provides a variety of choices for students where they can find what they like, and it allows the teachers to teach what they are feeling and get creative.

Everyone at Yoga Mountain Shadows has a unified goal of moving their body.

This commonality creates a sense of community that truly differentiates them from other studios.

Even as COVID-19 forced the studio to go remote at first, their community remained intact.

“Although our students had any studio in the world at their fingertips with online platforms, we still meant enough to them to stick with us. It was a good way to connect with people,” shares Micklewright.

Although the studio still offers one online class and one hybrid class, Micklewright explains that they currently cater more to face-to-face connection.

Micklewright hopes everything about the studio radiates the feeling of a home. “The space makes us what we are for sure,” she says. Whether it is the coffee bar in the lobby, wall decor from people in the community, free yoga mat rentals or essential oil towels after hot yoga, “It’s those small things that we didn't necessarily plan on doing that we like to do as it strengthens relationships,” she adds.

As for the future, Micklewright says she’s sticking to her goal of getting people to move and have options. “It is kind of a funky time balancing what we might put out there versus what we might get taken away [due to the virus],” she explains. “But having that community and relationship no matter what business it is, really does go a long way." +

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

EMME FREDERICKS was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She moved to Boulder, Colorado to study advertising and business and she fell in love with the mountains. She loves all things outdoors, anything creative and has a passion for health and wellness. She is currently interning at Jaunt Media Collective, the publishing company behind Spoke+Blossom, Covered Bridge and YOGA + Life magazines.

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profiles / Studios

Thrive Yoga Summit FRISCO

by Lisa Blake

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Photo Courtesy of Olivia Reed Photo

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hen you walk into a Thrive Yoga Summit class or workshop, you’re in good company. The new Frisco wellness-based gathering space is busting down intimidation barriers and pulling together bodies of all shapes and ages.

Owner Mia Tarduno is building up studio cornerstones of community, awareness, compassion and kindness through niche classes like Yoga for Graceful Aging, The Stiff Men’s Club and Yoga for Mental Health. “It doesn’t matter what you look like, what clothes you wear or if you can touch your toes; anyone is welcome here,” Tarduno says.

The Frisco author, yoga instructor and life coach opened her locally owned Thrive Yoga outpost in July, marking the fourth Thrive brand studio in Colorado. The small, welcoming space focuses on vinyasa, slow flow and meditation, along with community-based events that include monthly women’s circles, sound journeys and yoga for menopause workshops.

Tarduno, 30, studied anthropology, dance and environmental studies at Hobart and William Smith College in upstate New York — a coursework trio she’s thankful to tap into on a daily basis. She began her yoga teacher training sophomore year of college and continued to become a 500-hour Registered Yoga Instructor, Certified Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher, Registered Restorative Yoga Instructor and Certified Professional Life Coach. Tarduno specializes in yoga for women’s health and cyclical living in her business, Move Create Radiate. Her classes and offerings blend the tools of yoga, ancient wisdom, breathwork, rituals, somatic movement and exploring vulnerable moments to help heal and nourish.

After landing in Summit County by way of

Boulder and teaching yoga at the Silverthorne Recreation Center for five years, Tarduno decided to take 2019 to travel and further her studies. A stop in Bali and workshops surrounding trauma informed yoga resonated deeply.

“Trauma is anything that overwhelms the body’s ability to process a situation,” she explains. “This can be extreme stress or a traumatic experience, and when that happens, our brains disconnect. Trauma informed yoga reconnects the areas of the body that are severed during traumatic experiences.”

Returning from her travels in March 2020, Tarduno made a home in Frisco and taught private yoga sessions during the pandemic.

In April 2021, she was teaching a women’s health yoga class at a Thrive location and noticed there was a Summit County location opening soon. She reached out to the brand owner and 35 days later, opened her own Thrive studio walking distance from her house, just off Main Street in Frisco.

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Tarduno’s mission at Thrive is to create gathering spaces for others to share knowledge, express themselves and feel supported. Her yoga classes aim to reconnect people with their natural states of being to restore balance in their health, lifestyle, work and relationships.

“It was really important to me to welcome in people who haven’t felt welcomed in other wellness spaces before,” she says.

While hand-selecting Thrive instructors, Tarduno will ask them to share a hardship that they’ve overcome, seeking out a certain level of vulnerability and willingness to open up about their personal journeys.

“They understand that yoga has this deeper impact on their growth and lives and processing the things they’ve been through,” she says. “That it’s more than just moving their bodies and feeling good.”

Look for Thrive Summit’s calendar to expand to offer book clubs, songwriters circles and other intimate gatherings centered around community and internal growth. +

101 3rd Ave., Unit C, Frisco, CO 970.455.8786 thriveyogasummit.com

LISA BLAKE is a freelance writer living in Breckenridge, specializing in dining, outdoors, ski resorts and wellness. She is happiest on her mountain bike, yoga mat or in a raft with her husband, son and pug.

Her work has been featured in Aspen Modern Luxury, Purist, 5280.com and GoBreck.com. Find her at lisablakecreative.com.

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lifestyle / Books

YOGA + LIFE

1. MY GRANDMOTHER’S HANDS

by Resmaa Menakem

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reviews by Sandy Ferguson Fuller + mary gavin

y Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem is a body-centered pathway to healing the effects of trauma and our interactions with one another. Menakem highlights experiences throughout the course of history to offer a deeper understanding of how inherited trauma affects the nervous system. While focusing specifically on Black, brown, white and police bodies, he gives tangible tools that inspire inquiry and cultivate a sense of safety and connection. As we heal our own nervous systems, we are more able to harmonize with one another.

But, harmony with one another must begin within each of our bodies first.

As a trauma specialist, Menakem begins by specifying that trauma is alive in the body as subconscious impulses and reactions. These impulses and reactions are controlled by the limbic system or “lizard brain,” which serves as a survival impulse.

“Our bodies have a form of knowledge that is different from our cognitive brains.

This knowledge is typically experienced as a felt sense of constriction or expansion, pain or ease, energy or numbness. Often, this knowledge is stored in our bodies as wordless stories about what is safe and what is dangerous,” he explains.

We may not consciously think that a person or situation is a threat to our survival, but our bodies may react that way even when there is no real threat. If the body feels unsafe or agitated, cognitive thinking alone may not be enough to settle the nervous system. In short, we cannot think our way into feeling safe in our own bodies, let alone feeling safe and settled around one another.

This is important because each of our bodies have inherited survival impulses based on our ancestry. Studies show that trauma experienced by our ancestors can be passed down to us through our DNA; it’s meant as a

MARY GAVIN is an intuitive, activist, writer, guide and master level reiki teacher. Her passion for healing is rooted in her own experience living with post traumatic stress and dissociation. As a trauma survivor she aims to elevate marginalized voices and inspire introspection by sharing bits of her soul through writing. marygavinintuitive.com

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no healing no change photo By Mark Fleming

Reading Corner M

built-in survival mechanism. In order to be in harmony with any other body, but specifically bodies that have differing lineages than our own, we must heal the subconscious survival impulses that have been embedded in our DNA for centuries. But just as we inherit subconscious trauma responses, that same process can work in our favor when we choose to heal our bodies.

“When, over time, enough bodies heal from historical, intergenerational and personal trauma and learn to harmonize, that harmony can turn into a culture of resilience and flow,” Menakem shares. This is great news!

Menakem lays out historical context alongside tangible tools for settling bodies across the scope of American history. As yoga students and teachers, this book is an incredible resource for approaching the practice of somatic healing — what we’re ultimately doing on our mats. We can create unity by settling our bodies and healing together over time.

I won’t claim that My Grandmother’s Hands is an easy or glamorous read. But, I can attest that the tools are effective, and the inquiry portions are incredibly powerful.

All in all, I believe it’s worth it because “a settled nervous system encourages other nervous systems to settle; a calm, settled presence is the foundation for changing the world,” he writes. And what sounds better these days than a more settled world? + ­­— Review by Mary Gavin

2. THE HARMONY TREE: A STORY OF MEANING AND COMMUNITY

By Randy Woodley Illustrated by Ramone Romero

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ithin the vast universe of picture books, it is always refreshing to discover a gem created by a lesser-known author, illustrator and publisher. My search for a unique offering to feature in this “Harmony” issue led me to such a special story for all ages.

The Harmony Tree: A Story of Meaning and Community is written by Randy Woodley, with charming, colorful illustrations by Ramone Romero. Woodley and

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Romero’s talented collaboration embodies the essence of harmony and the bones of any outstanding picture book — a blending of text and artwork, each distinct from the other, each enhancing the other, together resulting in a pleasing whole.

This story celebrates the redemptive value of living a harmonious life within the natural world. The paintings invite imagination and interpretation.

In The Harmony Tree, loggers arrive to clear-cut a precious, old-growth forest. For no obvious reason, or perhaps a stroke of luck, an old grandmother oak tree is spared.

Grandmother Oak finds herself all alone, mourning her lost companionship with other ancient trees. She tries to drop acorns from her branches to birth seedlings at her feet, but the loggers return to destroy any new growth.

Slowly a new community with houses and young saplings begins to show up on her land. Grandmother Oak tries to make friends with the new trees, but they have shallow roots and, seemingly, nothing in common. But Grandmother Oak continues to reach out, sharing stories of her past and of her own deep roots, and she finds hope and healing. The young trees begin to bend closer, feeling nurtured, drawing strength from her truth and resilience, while also connecting with the ancient soil.

Communication, compassion, reverence, gratitude, tolerance and openness to change — all secrets for working toward a harmonious life. Grandmother Oak grows to understand this, finding a new grounding, sustenance and faith in the future of her community.

The inspiration for this story comes from the author's own 50-acre farm, where virgin trees were logged, except for a large, white oak tree that sat at the top of a hill. Woodley is of Cherokee descendent with a deeply spiritual wonderment for the woods and a passion to protect the natural world.

"I was always grateful the loggers left that one 300-year-old tree for us to enjoy," he writes. “How could this one tree bring about healing and friendship in the world? If we can change our minds about our current views of progress, ecology and the relationship between settler and host peoples, then maybe that one grandmother oak tree, left uncut, offers some hope for everyone.”

Romero has loved to draw since he was a little boy. His painting style still portrays a

naive, folk-art quality, and its power lies in its simplicity and bold expression. He excels in original composition and layout.

All proceeds from this book go to restore Eloheh Village for Indigenous Leadership and Eloheh Farm, School and Community. Eloheh is the Cherokee word for “harmony.” + ­­— Review by Sandy Ferguson Fuller

3. FOX & I: AN UNCOMMON FRIENDSHIP

By Catherine Raven

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very afternoon at about 4 p.m., a small red fox trots up to Catherine Raven’s cottage in a remote valley in Montana. And every day, she reads The Little Prince to him. Fox & I is an exquisite, thoughtful memoir about a friendship between a woman searching to belong and a wild fox. It’s a powerful meditation and a compelling story about living in harmony.

At the vulnerable age of 15, Raven leaves an abusive father and an uncaring mother. She heads solo to the western mountains to work as a National Park ranger into adulthood, before earning her college degree and eventual doctorate in biology. Most comfortable alone and at home with herself, she builds a solitary cabin off the grid and teaches field classes in nearby Yellowstone National Park.

Her days link together with a predictable sameness — pleasant enough, but lacking meaningful connection, community, unity and true balance. Books and the natural world are her companions.

Enter the fox, who suddenly appears at her cottage for 12 straight visits with fitting regularity, always as the sun begins its slow descent behind the surrounding hills. At first, Fox is cautious, bides his time, and claims a safe spot next to a lone forget-menot at a distance from the cabin. From there, he watches Raven come and go. Their four-year friendship finally takes shape when she brings her chair outside and sits nearby, giving him space, reading aloud and sharing favorite writings and philosophies of Saint-Exupery with her silent audience.

As a scientist, Raven knows that it’s unrealistic to assign human characteristics

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lifestyle / Books

If Thoreau had read The Little Prince, he would have written Fox & I. — Yann Martel to wild animals. She writes, “Maybe we like pretending that they are not very human.

Or that we are not very wild. How did we become so distant from our animal friends?”

She juggles maintaining her professional training and academic knowledge with her desire to bond with the fox. The more she watches him, the more she understands him. Her insight becomes empathy.

As a person seeking validation and spiritual peace, she accepts their deeper connection. She questions whether humans really are superior in intelligence and instinct. She allows herself to cross boundaries and to befriend a wild animal, all the while respecting the integrity of its natural habits and chosen habitat. In return, Fox changes her life.

As Saint-Exupery discovers with The Little

Prince, and likewise, as the Prince discovers with his Rose, Raven’s empathy opens the gateway to Fox’s friendship. Each accepts the other on their own terms.

During the course of their relationship, Fox becomes a loyal friend to Raven. He also courts a friendly, feisty magpie and an elusive vixen. He fathers four kits. Their experiences together create the fabric of the book, embracing joy and gratitude and inevitable loss.

Fox & I is a tender story about finding harmony in nature and the peace that it brings. + ­­— Review by Sandy Ferguson Fuller

SANDY FERGUSON FULLER is a publishing industry professional with over 50 years spent as author, illustrator, international literary agent and freelance editor. Her primary focus is children’s picture books, originally mentored by Maurice Sendak as a student at Yale. Once introduced, the picture book genre captivated her imagination with its unique blend of story and illustration. She hopes that her own books, as well as those she has helped others to publish, will touch many souls, young and old. She is a regular contributor to CO YOGA + Life.

One Night Only

ELIZABETH GILBERT PARAMOUNT THEATRE WED | MAY 4, 2022 | 7:30PM TICKETS: PARAMOUNTDENVER.COM

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lifestyle / Art

TIE-DYES TO MAKE THE

World Go ‘Round

by Lisa Blake

Photos courtesy Mary Beth Osburn

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and-dyed and made with heaps of love, Marybgoround Tie-Dyes are making waves in the festival and boho retail communities.

Owner Mary Beth Osburn can hardly keep up with orders — including large tie-dye fulfillment requests from a legendary Haight-Ashbury shop. Business is blowing up, and Osburn is raking in some well-deserved recognition.

The 36-year-old Texas native picked up tie-dye as a hobby nearly a decade ago, making shirts and bandanas for friends.

Always with an eye for fun, vibrant fashion and a zest for music festivals, Osburn says tie-dye has held a longtime presence in her life. Though, it wasn’t until she was hula-hooping at a 2018 String Cheese Incident

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concert in Telluride that the industry side of things really crossed her path. She hit it off with a tie-dye vendor who invited Osburn to work some upcoming festivals with her.

“They paid me in clothes,” Osburn says.

“At that point, tie-dye was still just a passionate hobby for me.”

Fast-forward to 2020 when she and her husband Kevin were sitting on their couch in Alma drinking coffee while Osburn rinsed out colorful creations she’d dyed as Christmas presents for loved ones. With a nudge from her husband to take her hobby next-level, Osburn says she felt a burst of inspiration and starting creating like crazy, posting her baby onesies and women’s tops on Facebook and Instagram.

“Friends and family started buying them up and I thought oh, they’re just being sweet and supporting me,” she says. “Then friends of friends started messaging me and putting in orders. Word just spread like wildfire.”

In a positive spin on the 2020 pandemic, increased potential customers were at home, on their phones scrolling social media and not spending money on things like travel or going out. Osburn felt the global push to support local artists and small businesses during this tough time, and she churned out consistent orders for halters, dresses, kimonos and high-waist bell-bottoms in her signature earthtoned geometric designs.

In October of 2020 after finding Marybgoround Tie-Dyes on Instagram, Love on Haight Tiedye Emporium in San Francisco asked Osburn to be a part of their artist collective. Osburn now fulfills 60 orders at a time for the well-known boutique that include dresses worn five ways, yoga bodysuits, hooded jumpsuits and other pieces

that can’t be found anywhere else.

Marybgoround Tie-Dyes is carving a name in the industry with dizzying new age geode-inspired collections and a flowy women’s line created with hula-hooping and mountain festival romping in mind. Recent forays into men’s long-sleeved shirts, matching mommy-and-me bell bottoms, overall shorts and wrap dresses have proven successful. Osburn uses 100% natural fiber clothing made of high-quality cotton, hemp and linen — no polyester here. Her dyes come from Dharma Trading Co. in California, and her patterns stem from sacred geometry folding. She very rarely calls on the classic Grateful Dead-era rainbow spiral.

Thanks to a forest-flanked mountain home at 10,300 feet, she’s able to snow dye November to June — an eco-conscious process in which she hand-ties blank linens using 100-pound wax string, layers on powdered dye and then packs pure Colorado snow on top. One-of-a-kind designs unfold as the snow melts down inside her loft studio.

“Tie-dye is like sisters, not twins. It’s never going to be identical,” she explains. “That’s the thing I love about tie-dye, that it’s always a surprise when you open up the design. I get a thrill of excitement every time.”

Patience and timing is key in this style of “slow fashion,” Osburn says, noting that one kimono takes five days to create, with the fabric and dye sitting for 72 hours before rinse out in order to gain her desired high-saturation vibrancy.

She typically has 30 pieces in motion at once.

“Each artist has their own style,” she says.

“It’s like your fingerprint. Everyone’s is different. And that’s really cool to me.”

Look for Marybgoround Tie-Dyes this spring in a vintage 1964 Hideaway camper pop-up shop on Main Street in Fairplay and at festivals throughout the state. Catch her latest design drops — they sell out fast — on Instagram: @_marybgoround_. +

Tie-dye is like sisters, not twins.

It’s never going to be identical.

marybgoround.com

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lifestyle / Art

MEOW WOLF’S

convergence station

Photo courtesy of Meow Wolf

A Quantum Journey of Exploration + Discovery

By lexi reich

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Photos courtesy of Meow Wolf

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t the convergence of I-25 and Colfax Avenue is Meow Wolf’s newest installation, Convergence Station — finally open after four years in the making. As the creative supergroup’s third outpost, Convergence Station shares the tale of four intertwining galactic worlds through immersive art experiences, and it’s right in the heart of Denver’s Sun Valley neighborhood.

“This exhibition is unlike anything you’ve ever seen … from The Swamp to The Cathedral, there’s a strong narrative to be uncovered should you choose, alongside truly mind-bending art from the many talented creatives that have worked so hard to bring the vision to life,” says Chadney Everett, executive creative director of Meow Wolf Denver.

Located at 1338 1st Street, the newly constructed, 90,000-square foot space not only features Meow Wolf’s largest installation to date, but also a 488-person capacity music hall, retail space, gift shop and special cafe called HELLOFOOD, home to local tasty treats and bold brews.

“The theme of Convergence Station as an interplanetary melting pot is inspired by the beautifully diverse melding of cul-

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tures of Sun Valley, where we’re located,” explains Brian Loo, senior director of operations development.

Meow Wolf worked with more than 110 Colorado artists and 200 resident artists to bring 79 unique installations to life. Notable collaborating artists working on this project include Kalyn Heffernan, Christopher Nelson, Everything is Terrible!, Molina Speaks, Sofie Birkin, along with Moment Factory and many others.

Visitors first step up to the Quantum Department of Transportation as the gateway to what lies ahead. Differing paths offer clues to hidden rooms and deeper meanings to each of the worlds — C Street, Numina, Eemia and Ossurary. In these habitats, memories serve as both currency and the key to unlocking the story behind the cause of the convergence, available to guests through varying multimedia meant to unlock all the senses.

Notably, many exhibits pay tribute to Denver’s history. An old RTD bus nods to the Mile High’s accessibility movement created by Denver Gang of 19; nearby, an installation honors a local Denver artist who passed in 2018.

Despite the eerie aura, Convergence Station is fit for quantum travelers of all ages.

While a few hours in the space can feel like a sensory overload, Meow Wolf made sure to include quiet rooms throughout for people to take a break from the mind-blowing lights and sounds.

The concept of HELLOFOOD was meant for visitors to recharge from their cosmic exploration with quality fuel.

“We started right here in the community, as we wanted our cafe to reflect its rich diversity,” adds Loo. “We called upon local restaurateurs, craft breweries, coffee roasters and bakeries to collaborate on our menu. The results are exponentially tasty, with the vast majority of our offerings made right here in Colorado.”

Meow Wolf’s award-winning first location in Santa Fe, House of Eternal Return, has had over two million visitors to date.

In addition to its second location in Las Vegas, Omega Mart, and now third spot in Denver, Meow Wolf is recognized in Fast Company's 2020 list of The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. +

Learn more about Convergence Station and how to visit at meowwolf.com/visit/denver.

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lifestyle / CO Community

Soulful Gathering

Experience Harmony in New Moon Circles

by Toni Viney

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e gathered outside in a circle of about a dozen souls, surrounded by a beautiful garden brimming with crickets and frogs who gifted the perfect soundtrack for our time together. From my vantage point, the sky was clear and the stars were bright. It occurred to me later that I never actually saw the moon. What mattered most was the space we created together. Many of us had never met before, but we were willing to lean into this moment.

New moon circles are about holding space to connect in harmony with one another and nature. The circle I attended was guided by founder of Wild Roots Art Studio, Alie Rich, who began offering circles eight years ago in Fort Collins, Colorado as an opportunity for women to gather. After a few years, Rich began syncing the circles with the moon cycles.

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“I found that by harmonizing into these natural cycles, we could feel more alive and in tune,” Rich explains. “Nature has a beautiful way of showing us how to live with grace. The cycles within nature guide us through the cycles of seed, emergence, growth, action, expansion, fulfillment, letting go and releasing. We can find more balance and joy in life when we consider that there are times for rest and times to bloom.”

Coming together with intention as a collec-

tive magnifies our ability to receive nature’s messages and to experience profound harmony. We gathered under the August new moon which fell under the fire sign of Leo, a zodiac sign associated with compassion, big-heartedness, consciousness and creativity. Rich engaged us in creating a motherwort herbal tincture and cyanotype solar prints as a nod to the sun elements of Leo. Rich shares, “In each gathering, we explore a theme through discussion, guided meditation and creating ritual crafts or art projects. In crafting these projects, they become a personal ritual to create a safe resting space for deep healing, big emotions and dreams.”

In past circles, she has guided women to create nature mobiles, dream boxes and medicine bags. After completing our creative projects, Rich guided us into journaling by asking, “What dims your light? What expands your light?” These prompts helped prepare us to share our thoughts and feelings. As we each took a turn around the circle, others held the space with kindness and compassion. By the end of the gathering, I felt a surprisingly enhanced sense of harmony and interconnectedness.

The next time you look up into the sky, consider asking yourself how nature can assist you in finding harmony. Perhaps you will seek out an art ritual project and do some journaling as you dig deep into self-reflection. Or, maybe you will explore community in the context of a soulful new moon gathering as part of your healing path. +

TONI VINEY grew up as a city girl in the Chicagoland area with close country life and farming ties. She spent her summers on a river in southern Wisconsin and learned to drive a boat well before learning to drive a car.

As an adult, Toni made her way to the mountains to pursue a master’s degree at Colorado State University and discovered her love for yoga during graduate school. She became a yoga teacher in 2011 and has been teaching group classes, one-on-one private sessions, and workshops ever since. She founded Best Day Ever Yoga in 2021.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Cultivating Connection

How a Denver-Based Nonprofit is Expanding Access to Healthy Food

T

he global pandemic left us yearning for connection to our neighbors and communities. While facing isolation, many people turned to gardening to relieve stress and put energy into cultivating something positive.

Meanwhile, many families found themselves experiencing food insecurity for the first time. According to Feeding America, after COVID-19 food banks began providing food to 55% more people. For these families facing food insecurity, access to fresh food is not always easy.

“Food pantries have more demand than supply for fresh food,” says Kayla Birdsong, chief executive officer at Fresh Food Connect, a Denver-based nonprofit. At the same time, backyard gardeners often have more produce than they know what to do with. Fresh Food Connect brings these two pieces together in a collaborative, harmonious relationship that is truly nurturing for local communities.

Through their simple technology, Fresh Food Connect is introducing more homegrown, nutrient-dense produce into our food system. Backyard gardeners can download the Fresh Food Connect app and get connected to a local nonprofit food bank in their neighborhood. The app allows gardeners to choose to drop off their donations or arrange for a pickup. The produce then arrives at the local nonprofit who can distribute it to people in need.

There is something so powerful about hyper-local food that has not traveled across states or countries to make it to your table.

When food is grown in a backyard garden — far from industrial livestock production and harmful chemicals — and transported within the same zip code, the risk for contamination is extremely low.

“People are putting a lot of love into

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by Marisol Cruz

this head of lettuce,” continues Birdsong, “[gardeners] are donating the food they are really proud of […] not just the leftovers from their gardens.” Through the food they share,

gardeners gain a sense of connection to their community. Their gardens take on a new sense of purpose, and some gardeners eventually volunteer or financially contribute to their local food pantry creating a ripple effect from the simple gesture of providing nourishment to their neighbors.

To break the cycles of inequity in our food system, all people need access to nutrient-rich produce. Fresh Food Connect envisions a world where all gardeners plant an extra row of lettuce or one more tomato plant to help feed families that live just a few streets over — a world where communities come together to create a sustainable food system.

What began in one zip code in Denver, the Fresh Food Connect movement is now operating in over 1,300 zip codes across 20 states. The organization has grown rapidly in just five short years, and Fresh Food Connect remains focused on getting the word out to even more communities. In order to give families access to the nutritious food they deserve, it will take “[…] all of us doing a little bit, like donating back to our food system,” says Birdsong. +

Learn more about how you can become a gardener for your local food bank at freshfoodconnect.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.

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lifestyle / Travel

Photos courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

by kim fuller

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YOGALIFELIVE.COM

GET AWAY TO THE

America Riviera

Santa Barbara, California

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hile European coastlines may feel far away, the central California haven known as the “American Riviera” is now a direct Southwest flight from Denver.

Santa Barbara Airport greets guests with a Mediterranean-style terminal illustrated with colorful tiles, rustic lanterns, modern art and beautiful Spanish murals. A visit to Santa Barbara during Colorado’s winter season accentuates the contrast of climates — leave a snow-covered Denver and arrive to rich, sea-kissed air breezing through tall palm trees.

STAY New to the hotel scene in Santa Barbara is the Kimpton Goodland Hotel. Located in Goleta, just a short drive from downtown Santa Barbara, Goodland gave an old property a fresh new look that boasts a beachy aesthetic. Every room has a vintage-style record player with vinyl on loan, and a yoga mat comes with every room to borrow during your stay. The ground-level rooms surround a pool and several shared fire pits, making it easy to grab a refreshment from Good Bar and relax on-property.

For those who want to stay within walking distance of Santa Barbara’s beaches and scenic harbor, Brisas del Mar, Inn At The Beach is a Mediterranean-inspired hotel with welcoming rooms and suites. Complimentary beach cruiser rentals are available, so you can pedal your way around town.

Photos courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

PLAY Bike rentals are also available through Wheel Fun Rentals if you’d rather plan a road bike route or spend your afternoon with a partner on a tandem. Bring a lock and you can ride over to the Gaviota Coast for a kayak through Santa Barbara Adventure Company. The Gaviota Coast is one of the few remaining

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sections of undeveloped, open coastline in California and is home to more than 1,500 species of plant and animal life.

Guides provide wetsuits, life jackets and kayaks before introducing an on-shore kayak lesson prior to heading to the water. This trip takes paddlers through kelp beds while the guides share information on marine ecology in the area and the Santa Barbara Channel.

For some mindful movement in the afternoon, Santa Barbara Beach Yoga has open-air classes looking out over the ocean.

Enjoy the scenery from Cabrillo Pavilion rooftop with the sound of the waves lapping along the shore in front of you and Santa Ynez mountain range as a backdrop.

EAT Santa Barbara County is known for its many farmers’ markets that offer fresh local produce from the area. On Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m., downtown Santa Barbara hosts 50 to 60 certified agricultural producers lined up on both sides of the 600 and 700 blocks of State Street. Opened in 1992, this farmers’ market is a very popular weekly spot for some of Santa Barbara’s finest local chefs and caterers, who can be spotted pulling their wagons up and down the street.

The area’s year-round growing season and access to sustainable seafood makes for some very memorable culinary experiences. Scarlett Begonia on West Victoria Street serves up a thoughtful and innovative farm-to-table menu. Tuesday is an extra special evening to enjoy dinner at Scarlett Begonia, as they have a “Farmers’ Market Menu” this day only. Chef Jonathan Ramirez shops the farmers’ market, comes back to the restaurant and designs a unique menu of three courses plus a craft cocktail.

For anyone looking to spice up their dinner with some ethnic flare, Bibi Ji offers a modern twist on traditional Indian cuisine.

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lifestyle / CO Escapes

James Beard award-winning sommelier Rajat Parr has put together quite an impressive wine list, along with tasty, by-the-glass house selections that change daily. Chef KK Bheemarao has created a menu that highlights local seafood with traditional, authentic Indian curries, all alongside a bounty of fresh produce harvested from the region and cooked in-house with roasted Indian spices.

Head east of State Street to Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone for even more dynamic dining options. Once a manufacturing hub in the 19th century, the 13-block mixed-use area near Santa Barbara’s waterfront has spots like Lucky Penny. This quaint, standalong eatery specializes in wood-fire pizza, salads and sandwiches and is located in a building that’s covered with 164,456 real copper pennies. Go at lunch to sit in the sun on the restaurant’s inviting courtyard.

world’s most diverse wine-growing regions.

One of the easiest ways to get to know regional wines is through the tasting rooms of Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail, most of which are located in walkable downtown Santa Barbara. Head down to the Funk Zone to stop by Kunin Wine, a tasting room you visit that is so good (and hospitable) that you end up joining the wine club before you leave. The tasting room pours some of the winery’s best, including the prized area varietals of Syrah, Zinfandel and Viognier.

Santa Barbara County may be known for its wine, but that’s not the only locally produced libation receiving raves. The region’s rapidly proliferating craft breweries have given beer lovers a tasting trail of their own. Visit Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. (which began a new partnership with Flying Embers, a hard kombucha maker, in 2020) in the Funk Zone to have a taste. +

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Learn more and plan your trip from helpful resources at santabarbaraca.com.

Photos courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara

A visit to central California would not be complete without wine tasting in one of the

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lifestyle / CO Escapes

Paonia Escape

Harmony + Health on the Western Slope

By lisa BLAKE

gourmet cheese, jerky, chutneys, local honey and pickles to take down by the river with a glass of pinot.

15836 Black Bridge Rd., Paonia 970.527.6838 | orchardvalleyfarms.com

EAT FROM THE EARTH: PAONIA RESTAURANT HOPPING Farm fresh, organic and free range come standard in Paonia. Get your fill of the area’s creative culinary prowess at these fabulous restaurants. Grab coffee and a serious farmhouse breakfast at Yolk River. Stop by The Bakery at Small Potatoes Farm for fromthe-oven, German farmer’s bread, naan with garlic butter and the tastiest pumpkin scones. Enjoy a pineapple and chili ale or a juicy IPA at Paonia United Brewing Co., a small local brewery. Feeling famished? The Flying Fork Café takes pride in its Neapolitan-style pizza, locally sourced salads and veggie-loaded housemade pasta dishes.

Don’t miss the famous pad Thai from the 1-2 Thai food truck and the cherry pie at Root and Vine Market.

PICK, DANCE AND DRINK CIDER: BIG B’S DELICIOUS ORCHARDS

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olorado’s bountiful North Fork Valley is home to copious small towns with big hearts. A palpable harmony flows between the folks who love and nurture the land and the prosperous orchards, vineyards and ranches sprinkling the landscape.

Situated on a sprawling section of rich Western Slope soil is bucolic Paonia.

A visit to this tiny town’s farm-to-table restaurants, wineries and community hubs is a special experience. Come meet the state’s largest concentration of organic and sustainable growers, be nourished and inspired, unplug and reset.

Here’s where to go and what to experience in Paonia:

Photo by Kim Fuller

A MUST-VISIT: ZENZEN ORGANICS Create your own full spectrum CBD tinctures at Zenzen Organics. It’s a North Fork Valley oasis, with Cindie Sorensen’s organic hemp creations worthy of an afternoon linger. Chat up Sorensen about healing potions, chocolates and salves to treat

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everything from stress and anxiety to sleep and inflammation. Choose from chai to Mai Thai and build, taste and swirl your way to inner harmony through custom, ingestible CBD oils. New in 2021, Zenzen is offering glamping, campsites and bunkhouse stays along with two stages of live music for a fullon experiential destination.

12498 3790 Rd., Paonia 970.260.0552 | zenzenhemp.com

Big B’s is a regional staple with its youpick cherry and apple orchard and lively hard cider tasting room. Post up this spring (they’re open April through November) for an evening on the shaded patio. Swing out over lush fields on the rope swing, sample all the famed ciders, dig into some smoky barbecue and catch a live bluegrass band on the small stage. It’s a quintessential Colorado good time.

39126 CO-133, Hotchkiss 970.527.1110 | bigbs.com

SIP AND SHOP: BLACK BRIDGE WINERY

MEET THE LOCALS: OLD RIVER TRADING POST

Follow the rural roads just outside of Paonia, cross the black bridge over the Gunnison River and stroll this legendary 80-acre farm market and winery. Part of the West Elks American Viticultural Area, Black Bridge Winery creates small-batch chardonnay, riesling, merlot and more. Visit the tasting room and wine cave and then peruse onsite Orchard Valley Farms and Market for fresh-picked fruits and veggies, locally raised beef and artisan goodies like top-selling, 18-year balsamic vinegars and infused olive oils. Build a sweet picnic of

Rub elbows with area farmers, musicians and holistic community leaders at this wholesale natural foods market and gathering spot. Bring your own bags and jars and stock up on fruit, leather, grains, freshly plucked vegetables and rustic homemade breads. On Sundays, join the community mid-day meal (for a small donation fee) and feast on organic dishes sourced from nearby fields and ranches.

15495 Black Bridge Rd., Paonia 970.527.4740 | tradingpostpaonia.com

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lifestyle / CO Escapes

Cañon City

Undiscovered Gem on the Arkansas River

photos courtesy Canyon River Expeditions and colin lloyd

By Alyssa Pinsker

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añon City has exquisite wineries, world-class rafting, fine dining and a unique climate. Located in Southeastern Colorado — one of the only banana belts in the USA — it maintains a warm, dry and temperate climate year-round. It lies along the Arkansas River and features the world-famous Royal Gorge, also known as Colorado’s Grand Canyon, making it a hiking, rock-climbing and especially whitewater rafting mecca. It is also home to world-renowned dinosaur fossils.

This historical city’s downtown was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 has come a long way since being known as a prison town. The first prison in the area was erected in 1868 and to date there are 15 prisons in Fremont County.

The Colorado Prison Museum is still a top tourism draw to this town once called “the cheeriest prison town in America.”

PLAY Cañon City is located on the Arkansas River, which is the longest continuous whitewater rafting river in the United States. We chose the Bighorn sheep float (level 3 rapids) and saw beautiful cacti, bright flowers and Colorado’s state animal, the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.

Echo Canyon River Expedition is known for their extensive GoPro recordings and highly organized professional tours. Many options are available for adrenaline junkies with higher levels of rapids. There is also a float level for a family experience.

One of my favorite experiences was the Royal Gorge route railroad, which has been in operation since 1879. They offer daily departures with several classes of services: Coach, Club, Vista Dome, as well as First Class Dinner and Murder Mystery Trains available every Saturday. We experienced a first-class, three course dinner paired with cocktails and wine. There was music, lights and incredible views of 1,000-foot granite cliffs on the open-air car, which was amazing at night.

The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is another way to experience the spectacular canyon views. Their suspension is America’s highest at 965 feet above the Arkansas River. You can walk across it past all the states as markers for a good 20 minutes if you don’t fear heights, allowing for beauti-

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ful photos and sights looking down at the rushing river and gorge. The park has the popular Via Ferrara where you can mountaineer like a soldier in WW1. The attraction is named after the Italian Alps “Iron Way” where soldiers began the sport of mountaineering for the purposes of battle. With an expert guide and harness you can climb vertically up slabs and 1,200-foot canyon walls. You can also ride the gondola and zipline across the gorge while seated 1,200 feet in the air. There is also a sky coaster similar to a ship ride at the amusement park, but you’re strapped in the ship at 1,200 feet in the air. For more low-key activities, there is also a playland for children with wax hands and gold panning, a theater with the fascinating history of the bridge, a birds of prey show and a visitor’s center.

Another surprising draw in Cañon City is that it is one of the most well-known fossil areas in the United States. The Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience has science-focused interactive displays, full-scale dinosaur fossil casts, hands-on exhibits with real dinosaur fossils, skinned animatronic dinosaur exhibits, guided tours, a multi-story ropes course and quite realistic animatronic sculptures outside for a great family experience. You can buy impressive local rocks, crystals and fossils at the museum’s rock shop.

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Dining options include downtown’s Di Rito’s authentic Italian-American cuisine with hearty portions, outdoor seating, an extensive menu and popular bar. Le Petit Chablis serves French fare, and 8 Mile Bar and Grill attached to Echo Canyon River Expedition dishes up the best burgers in town.

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A surprising gem in Cañon City is a popular Gothic Revival monastery turned winery.

The banana belt has made it a grower’s paradise for 150 years, as it rests on 200 acres with the stunning backdrop of the Wet Mountains. The prestigious winery has won 150 awards and medals to date, including a Viognier this year. In 1886, Benedictine monks from Pennsylvania established an Abbey in the city. In 2001, a monk from the Holy Cross Abbey performed an exorcism for the first winery in town, and thus the friars were inspired to build their own. So please, do a gorgeous al fresco wine tasting with charcuterie and try their Riesling in the blue bottle available locally and their Wild Canyon Harvest which uses local grapes and is only released during Thanksgiving week. There is also a nice gift shop for souvenirs and wine specific items.

STAY Echo Canyon River Expedition also houses the luxurious Royal Gorge Cabins.

They have glamping tents with heated flooring, an adorable start-your-own fire kit to roast s’mores in, an ultra-comfy bed with linens, lamps, a love seat, desk and chair, and an outdoor porch with chairs and table. We stayed in the luxury cabins, which have a full kitchen, fireplace and beautiful full-panel, 360-degree window views of the Rockies. There was also a relaxing hammock after a day of exploring; nothing beats a room with a view.

BONUS: Skyline Drive is another one of Colorado’s unknown gems. It’s a one-way, narrow road, with a precipice on one side or the other or both sides. It was recommended as a must do, and I myself was shaking the entire time as a passenger. Do not try this if you’re a timid driver or afraid of heights, but the panoramic views of the Arkansas River Valley are spectacular and were worth it. +

ALYSSA PINSKER is a luxury travel writer, influencer and media coach.

She has written for Fodors, Lonely Planet, BBC Travel, Cosmopolitan, New York Post and more. She is a RYT who was lucky enough to study yoga across India for a year and has lived in Tokyo, Paris, Zurich, Kyiv and New York, and is now settled in Boulder, Colorado.

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lifestyle / What We Love

Salt Therapy By lexi reich

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alt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride — it’s simple in nature but profound in impact. Spiritually speaking, it is known to purify negative energy. Ayurvedic medicine utilizes rock salt, or saindhava lavana, to boost skin health and treat respiratory conditions. In fact, it is known as a rare substance for its unique ability to balance all three doshas.

The use of salt caves for therapeutic purposes stems from the 19th century when a Polish physician discovered that men working in salt mines suffered fewer respiratory problems than the general population. This documentation is credited to the emergence of modern-day salt therapy, or halotherapy, in the western world. While the practice is slowly gaining popularity across the U.S., devout yogis have been utilizing wet and dry salt therapy to treat common ailments for thousands of years.

Immersing oneself in a room filled with pharmaceutical grade salt is a healing modality offered at hundreds of spas

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across the nation. In Colorado, there are a healthy handful of salt therapy rooms open to visitors to try the experience first-hand.

A session commonly consists of relaxing in a zen-like room for an average of 30 to 60 minutes. Some salt enthusiasts like to meditate, while others take the opportunity to breathe deep and snooze out.

Of course, there are skeptics. While there is promising research on halotherapy’s ability to fight lung disease, many denounce any effect salt has on anxiety and depression as a placebo. Curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to try it out for myself.

When I stepped into Sanctuary Spa in Fort Collins, I was fully ready to harmonize my mind, body and soul with the sacred element. I was greeted by the boutique spa’s owner, Summer Luman, who ushered me to her quaint salt cave and shared more about the therapy’s benefits.

“As you lounge in the salt cave, a special device called a halogenerator will disperse microscopic salt particles into the air,” she said.

Sanctuary Spa is located at 149 W Oak St., Fort Collins. A 45-minute salt therapy session is $45. ‘The Insight’ is a three-hour retreat priced at $250 that consists of a tea ceremony, grounding foot bath, salt cave therapy, Reiki session and an oracle reading. Learn more at sanctuaryfc.com.

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photos by lexi reich

THE ANCIENT ART OF

“You’ll inhale these tiny particles into your airways and lungs, and also ingest through your skin while lounging and relaxing.”

She went on to explain that salt is naturally anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial. Once inhaled, the salt causes one’s mucus to thin, making it easier to expel and dislodge pathogens, debris and toxins — like a toothbrush for the airways.

“Dry salt particles also gently stimulate your body’s natural cilia movement. Cilia help keep our airways clear, so we can breathe easier; with the help of salt, this process is accelerated,” she said. “For the skin, dry salt can absorb impurities, regulate the pH level and promote your skin’s ‘good bacteria.’”

An experience meant to help reduce inflammation and encourage healthy regeneration? Sounded like heaven to me.

After I slipped on a soft robe and placed my belongings to the side, I entered the cave. If you go, I recommend stepping mindfully — rock salts are harder than expected!

The salt-covered space was adorned with a Himalayan salt lamp and two cozy recliner chairs. Books were available on the side table, as were tissues and a decadent piece of chocolate, but I wanted to stay fully present; I chose to close my eyes and simply notice what was around me.

A few minutes in I could already feel salt activate my taste buds. A tingling sensation consumed my nose, but it was subtle enough to not interfere with the relaxation. A light coating overlayed my skin. I continued to delve deeper into my breath as more and more salt redirected my senses. Before I knew it, my 45 minutes were up, and I was once again greeted by Luman’s gentle presence.

Whether it was the salt therapy or the opportunity to sit back and relax that left me feeling completely rejuvenated is unknown.

It’s important to note that to see results, it’s recommended to utilize salt therapy consistently. However, I will say, I truly think they’re onto something special here. +

Wild Monkey Snacks The Candy Bar Reimagined

By Zoe Cramer

photos Courtesy of Wild Monkey Snacks

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good candy bar requires the perfect balance between crunchy, smooth and chewy; it has a decent coating of chocolate; and one bite should have you shoving the rest in your mouth. Wild Monkey Snacks’ mouthwatering bars not only meet, but exceed, this criterion.

The Boulder-based company, founded by couple Brooke Oliphant and John Campbell, first started selling bars at the Boulder County Farmers Market in June 2020.

There, I had the honor of meeting Oliphant’s smile as she sold me my first Wild Monkey Snack. I felt malnourished and needed a boost. After my first bite, I couldn’t stop. I returned the weeks following to find their stand again and again.

Wild Monkey Snacks isn’t an ordinary candy bar — it’s the candy bar reimagined.

Only whole-food ingredients make up the layers of crunchy granola, creamy cashew butter and a hardened layer of chocolate.

Their salty-sweet bars are vegan, dairyfree, soy-free, peanut-free and gluten-free (though not yet GF certified).

“We really wanted to make sure that we made a product that everyone can have, and no one felt singled out,” Oliphant shares.

Oliphant and Campbell hadn’t intended to sell their bars. They initially wanted to create something for themselves. After a long, unsuccessful outing, they found they didn’t

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crave any of the hiking snacks they brought and wanted an alternative.

“We felt there was nothing on the market that had super high calories, good fat, good protein and that we looked forward to,” Campbell explains. “And most of the things that we looked forward to were junk food like your classic candy bars. It was at this point we realized, why doesn’t a healthy version of these classic candy bars exist?

And so that was the catalyst to start messing around in the kitchen.”

The couple never identified as cooks — it was willpower, determination, lots of research, trial and error and support from the Boulder community that allowed Wild Monkey Snacks to be created.

The company’s goals are two-fold: convince people that healthy food can taste great while persuading people that an outdoor, active and healthy lifestyle filled with good food is the key to happiness.

“We feel like we’re the best version of ourselves when we do all those things.

We just really want to motivate and inspire people to be the best version of themselves as well,” Oliphant expresses.

This is especially evident on Wild Monkey Snacks’ Instagram. Daily stories show Oliphant and Campbell getting outside and motivating their followers, or “wild monkeys,” to get outside and move.

“We realized with Instagram, we were enjoying promoting that lifestyle to people almost more so than we were promoting the bar. If I can say one thing every day

The Boulder-based company was founded by couple Brooke Oliphant and John Campbell. that convinces one person to go and try and better their life, then I have felt like I’m winning,” Campbell says. +

Currently, Wild Monkey Snacks has 11 retailers and also ships on occasion. Find more information at wildmonkeysnacks.com and check out their Instagram @wildmonkeysnacks.

ZOE CRAMER grew up in Aspen, Colorado after moving there at a young age. There, she came to love and be inspired by the outdoors. It’s not uncommon to find her sitting outside, soaking up nature with a journal and pen in hand. If not writing, she’s often hiking or at the park with her dogs. She plans to earn her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, majoring in The College of Letters.

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lifestyle / What We Love 2 1

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1. Deviation Distilling Cheers to the winter and spring seasons with this gin trio from Denver-based Deviation Distilling.

The set features each of their botanical-inspired, 200ml flagship gins: Spice Trade, Citrus Rosé and Mountain Herb. $42 deviationdistilling.com 2. Miraflora Hemp Infusions Sparkling CBD Beverages With 35mg of hemp flower extract, vitamins and minerals, no sugar, low calories and all-natural flavors in each can, Miraflora Hemp Infusions are functional and delicious as is, or mixed into your favorite spirit. $20 per four-pack miraflora.co

BY YOGA + LIFE ® TEAM

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3. Après Delight Organic full spectrum Vermont CBD is paired with a unique blend of organic aphrodisiac oils to make this pleasure-promoting product. The brand has a mission to normalize sexuality and pleasure in a way that is safe, supportive and empowering. $45 apresdelight.com

6. SPY+ Bewilder These sunglasses are made with lightweight and durable bioplastic (organic plant matter) to keep them environmentally friendly. The Bewilder style borrows its slim vintage design from iconic shades that have been on-point at surf breaks, ski slopes, music venues and more. $70-$100 spyoptic.com

4. Appalachian Gear Company All-Paca Blanket The 100% alpaca fiber used for this blanket is responsibly sourced from a yarn producer in Peru, and the fabric is entirely created in the United States. The blanket is a lightweight and cozy addition to your couch, van, yoga room or camping kit. $165 appalachiangearcompany.com

7. Live Life Fuller Chakra Yoga Mats The designs on these unique yoga mats are exact replicas of stained-glass chakra windows carefully curated by artist, Laura Fuller. More than 200 semiprecious stones and crystals were thoughtfully selected for their healing properties and lovingly placed to inspire the soul’s highest intention. $125 live-life-fuller.com

5. Indyeva PECORA This sherpa fleece pullover sweater offers warmth and comfort to take off the chill at home, the office or on the way to yoga. Snaps on the font and sides give options for ventilation, and hand pockets with a zipper closure create a safe space for keeping your phone, credit cards and keys. $165 usa.indyeva.com

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8. Sit with Me: Meditation for Kids in Seven Easy Steps “Sit with Me” invites kids of all ages to learn meditation through playful rhymes and adorable illustrations. Justa Bug describes the sevenpoint meditation posture — from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet — in an easy and accessible way. $17.95 goodreads.com 9. Osmia Purely Gentle Mud Cleanser Glacial oceanic clay, organic aloe, chamomile and honey come together in this luscious product for makeup removal and deep skin cleansing.

This Colorado-based company is bringing natural luxury to a new level with its full line of lovely skincare products. $64 osmiaorganics.com

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10. Fjällräven Tree-Kånken The popular Kånken backpack receives a sustainable upgrade in this rendition — made from a 100% bio-based material from spruce and pine trees grown in northern Sweden. Use this on a short hike or for carrying your everyday essentials. $115 fjallraven.com 11. ROLL Recovery R8 Plus Target your IT-bands, quads, hamstrings, calves, shins, glutes, arms and more with this massage tool that helps to improve circulation, reduce inflammation and break up muscle adhesions for myofascial release. Based in Boulder, Colorado, ROLL Recovery created this tool with an adjustment dial, so you can increase or decrease the compression massage force with the turn of a dial. $169 rollrecovery.com

12. Haygood Farms Feel Good Immune Support Gummies Pop in one of these botanically infused gummies for a tasty treat of full spectrum CBD and a highdose of antioxidants. Elderberry extract in each piece boosts immune support, paired with 20mg of CBD to promote relaxation and to help temper stress. $54.99 haygoodfarms.com 13. Lamo Footwear Michael When the weather warms in spring or if you’re heading to a warmer destination this winter, keep it light with these featherweight, knit shoes complete with casual style. $64.99 lamofootwear.com

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THE YOGA + Life®

Wish List

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1. Pearl Street Lights Kerry Humphrey started Pearl Street Lights in October 2014 in a tiny studio apartment off 14th and Pearl Street in Capitol Hill in Denver. Without starting capital to work with, taught herself how to cut and polish empty glass bottles she collected from recycling bins to turn them into containers for candles. Since then, the company has grown to include candles poured into multiple colorful containers and in many different fragrances. Pearl Street Lights currently supplies local and out-of-state boutiques and ships directly to customers coast to coast. Even though the company has evolved, the mission of Pearl Street Lights remains the same: to give support and opportunities for individuals in our community. $19-$32 pearlstreetlights.com

2. Radiant Malas Radiant Malas are intentionally designed to create pieces as beautiful as they are meaningful, and as individual as your personal journey. Handmade in Boulder, Colorado from high-grade, sustainablymined, all-natural crystal gemstones — never dyed or artificially enhanced — each unique mala is knotted with the traditional over-hand technique, then finished with a distinctive guru bead and hand-tied tassel.

Choose from a wide array of exquisite malas — either according to the gemstones’ inherent property and power, or by their gorgeous natural hues. Custom designs and gift cards are available. Malas $148 $228. radiantmalas.com

3. Live Life Fuller Chakra Yoga Mats Live Life Fuller chakra yoga mats are exact replicas of stained glass windows in a stone chakra layout carefully curated by Maine artist Laura Fuller. More than 200 semi precious and precious stones and crystals were thoughtfully selected for their healing properties and lovingly placed to inspire the soul’s highest intention. Let these Chakra

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mats serve as a visual guide to assist in grounding your practice in healing. Start your new year with Live Life Fuller! Practice.

Heal. Love. $125 live-life-fuller.com

4. Wild Monkey Bar The candy bar reimagined — a perfect balance of crunchy, creamy, sweet and salty. The Wild Monkey Bar is handcrafted with the finest quality natural ingredients that are rich in healthy fats, proteins, antioxidants and minerals. It’s a snack with a purpose, The Wild Monkey Bar is perfect for any adventure and lifestyles on the go.

Proudly made in Boulder, Colorado. $5 wildmonkeybar.com - @wildmonkeybar

5. Wolf People Jewelry The Wolf People Shield Maiden Necklace is inspired by the legendary Viking Shield Maidens. These strong women were ferocious warriors who fought side by side with their men, as equals. By design, the entire collection evokes feelings of empowerment and femininity. This shield is your own piece of daily armor. Wolf People Jewelry is not simply decorative.

Wolf People brings you pieces that untame something in you and allow your ancient ancestors to have a voice through you, connecting you to all that has and ever will be. $125 wolfpeopleco.com

6. Jade Jade Yoga Mats are truly nature’s best yoga mats. Made in the U.S. with natural rubber, a rapidly renewable resource, not only are Jade’s mats the most eco-friendly on the planet, they have incredible grip and comfort. And Jade plants a tree with every mat sold. Available in a variety of thicknesses and fun colors, you are sure to find the perfect gift for the new or experienced yogi!

Use code FSCOYOGA for free shipping + 30 days of free online yoga classes. jadeyoga.com

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YOGA + FITNESS / Movement

YIN YOGA FOR THE DIVINE ABODES

EMOTIONAL HARMONY From the Heart

by Kali Basman

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A HEART-BASED YIN YOGA PRACTICE TO CULTIVATE EMOTIONAL HARMONY FROM THE HEART.

1. ARRIVE IN A BRIEF SEATED MEDITATION. In Chinese Medicine, the heart is known as the shunya, the open sky space. Rather than feeling “full” in the heart, practice emptying so it becomes wide open terrain to hold all tones and textures of the self — like the wings of the heart spread wide open, a vast expanse.

2. SHOULDER OPENER:

METTA PRACTICE (LOVING KINDNESS) Metta means loving kindness, or empathy — literally “feeling with.” The capacity to genuinely take interest in emotions of others, to taproot our basic goodness. On side one of the twist, practice the three lines of metta for someone you love.

On the other side of the twist, practice metta for someone who challenges you.

Three lines to awaken the Metta Heart View: • May you be well.

• May you enjoy genuine happiness.

• May you be at peace with what comes.

Photos by Lauren ONeill

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he heart is responsible for the wisdom of what Buddha called the sublime states, or divine abodes.

He suggested we constantly visit and dwell in particular attitudes, behavioral qualities and thought streams from the heart.

Instead of just waiting to be more loving, compassionate and forgiving, the suggestion is that we practice these particular qualities.

It’s something to be cultivated! Like a muscle, the heart realm must be exercised.

Dwelling spaces we ritualistically return to. Strengthened because we’ve regularly conditioned it.

The more we visit these particular qualities, the more immersed in them we become. Fully saturated in them, we’ll stir up these attitudes and sink deep into the heart so that heart-informed living becomes spontaneous in our manifestation. +

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“May you find the outer resources and the inner space, soft and tender, to meet and move through your pain.”

3. MELTING HEART POSE: KARUNA PRACTICE

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(COMPASSION)

If loving kindness is wishing others full of freedom, compassion is wishing others free of suffering. In this pose, bring someone you know who is suffering into the center space of your heart. As you breathe slow and rich, recite inwardly this intention for them: “May you find the outer resources and the inner space, soft and tender, to meet and move through your pain.”

4. SEAL POSE: KSHAMA (FORGIVENESS) Forgiveness is at the edge at the edge of our capacity of what we can accept. Being at the edge is challenging and transformational. In this kshama practice, we expand our window of tolerance and remind ourselves of the ability to release, transform and evolve.

5. RESTING IN SAVASANA (SUPPORTED BACKBEND) Or in seated meditation, reflect on the wide expanse of the heart and its ability to feel in harmony with the whole human collective — to see everyone with an underlying basic ground of goodness, even if there are distortions on the surface.

Two inner practices for forgiveness:

Photos by Lauren ONeill

Asking forgiveness from those who you have harmed: “If I have hurt or harmed anyone, knowingly or unknowingly, I ask for their forgiveness now.”

Offering forgiveness to those who have harmed you: “If anyone has hurt or harmed me, knowingly or unknowingly, I forgive them.”

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Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor selfknowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in the eyes of the Divine. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed … I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other.

— Thomas Merton

As an internationally celebrated Dharma teacher of teachers, KALI BASMAN blends Buddhist mindfulness with yin and restorative yoga based on traditional Chinese medicine and Taoist practice. She is certified and celebrated in her work with Internal Family Systems Therapy for traumainformed practice. Her work in depth psychology, innovative sequencing and contemplative practices are shared worldwide, but she’s always relieved to be back home in Boulder, Colorado. Kali offers classes, teacher trainings, retreats and workshops around the globe. kalidurgayoga.com @kali_durga

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YOGA + FITNESS / Movement

YOUR BODY ON

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f you reflect upon what you seek from your yoga practice, I will wager that the concept of harmony arises in some form or another: “I want to feel better;” “I am seeking a sense of calm and ease;” “I am exploring opportunities to challenge my body.” The body is made to move, yet we often find ourselves in repetitive physical shapes which we hold for long periods of

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time. Incorporating yoga therapy techniques can help you find a sense of balance by recapturing or maintaining range of motion, relaxing what is tight and strengthening what is weak. There is a certain harmony that exists within our tissues which we can optimize when we are intentional about what we target and how. Here’s how yoga therapist Rachel Land describes her role: “I hope to help guide each student into a greater sense of self-awareness and expose them to a range of yoga tools and techniques, so that they are able to better gauge their own needs and therefore shape their practice around them.”

The more we practice yoga, the more in tune we are with our bodies and the more able we are to recognize the integrated system inside ourselves. Land’s approach acknowledges the individual experience and that yoga therapy will look differently for each person.

“Taking a therapeutic approach means selecting the right tools or techniques for each student in order to balance out the demands of their lives. Sometimes that means focusing on asana practice — selecting poses that strengthen tissues that are weak or inhibited and poses that release those that are tight or tense. Other times it means focusing on practices like pranayama or meditation to harness their wide-reaching effects on the nervous system,” she explains.

The lens of yoga therapeutics offers a way to return to balance. Consider your hip joint and how the tissues supporting that joint are impacted when your body is in a seated position for significant portions of the day. The anterior side of your hip may become overutilized and the posterior side may become underutilized. Yoga therapy will hone in on your repetitive postures and offer techniques that can be used to realign the body and offset repetitive postural tendencies. While a true therapeutic approach explores the complexity of your entire body,

Toni Viney

the examples below provide a glimpse into what techniques might be pursued in an asana-focused yoga therapy session to help you create internal harmony. +

1. ACTIVE RANGE OF MOTION (AROM): HIP CIRCLES

What it is: The range of motion you can control independently by activating your muscles. Moving slowly through an AROM exercise can help fire deep muscles to optimize the position of bones within the joint capsule.

How to: From a tabletop position, engage your core to find length in your spine and lift your knee off the mat with your foot facing the ceiling. Draw your hip into flexion by bringing your knee toward your chest without moving your spine. Keep that shape and externally rotate your hip by tilting your foot toward your midline and knee away from your torso. Find abduction by drawing your leg out to the side and then internally rotate your hip by tilting your knee down and your foot up. Move into hip extension by lifting your knee and foot toward the ceiling without moving your spine. Move through the movements slowly, taking time to feel the entire range of motion of your hip.

2. PASSIVE RANGE OF MOTION (PROM): HAMSTRINGS What it is: PROM helps to retrain the connective tissue and reset the nervous system. PROM differs from AROM because the muscle you are targeting is relaxed.

How to: Begin on your back with legs long on your mat. Lift one leg toward the ceiling, and place a yoga strap (belts and scarves work well) on the ball of your lifted foot. Hold onto the strap with both hands, using it to help guide the hamstrings of your lifted leg into a stretch. Hold as you breathe deeply.

3. MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (MFR): GLUTEUS MEDIUS

What it is: MFR can be used to release tight areas in the body, increase circulation and rehydrate tissues.

This technique supports the ability of your tissues to move and stretch freely.

How to: Lie on your side, on top of two myofascial (or tennis) balls underneath your outer hip. Bend your top knee and place your foot on the floor behind you for support. Position the MFR balls on the muscle of your outer hip while avoiding bone.

You may feel heightened sensation but should stop if you feel pain, numbness or tingling. Find a trigger point and hold for 30 to 45 seconds.

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Photos by Rachel Land

1

by

Start associating needles with the relief of pain.

• Acupuncture works by restoring balance, freeing up resistance and stimulating your body’s natural healing abilities.

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

• Cupping is a great addition to release tension and promote muscle relaxation.

Whether you have an acute or chronic issue, or are just looking to keep your immune system strong, you owe it to yourself to add this to your health routine.

Ancient wisdom for the modern lifestyle 2250 South Oneida Street #203 Denver, Colorado (303) 733-3030

harmony-healing.com

YOGA + FITNESS / In The Practice

CAN MEDITATION

HEAL THE NATION? by

Photo by Jack Affleck

Julia Clarke

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Y

ou’ve heard about the benefits of meditation, ranging from improved productivity to heart and gut health. Now, experts are closing in on how and why meditation works not just for you personally but for society as a whole.

In a new review article titled Neuroadaptability and Habit: Modern Medicine and Ayurveda, Dr. Robert Keith Wallace and Ted Wallace, both of Maharishi International University in Iowa, examined the effect of Transcendental Meditation (TM) on our ability to adapt to stress. Neuroadaptability describes the wide spectrum of physiological responses we have to stress. When you are first exposed to a stressor — let’s say, a deep stretch in yoga — your nervous system braces against it to protect you, but repeat the experience and you will build a neural pathway that recognizes the sensation as safe, and your response to it will lessen to it over time. You’ve adapted, which means you won't find the repeat experience so challenging.

Your body has an extraordinary ability to maintain coherence under stress, but the authors of the article propose that stress diminishes this ability over time.

“Acute, short-term stress diverts our energy and attention towards survival mechanisms and causes problems with everything from gut health to anxiety and depression. Long-term, chronic stress seems to have an amazingly powerful effect on changing not only neuropathways but the basic expression of genres in the DNA, and there are certain areas of the brain that get completely modified to the point where it affects our ability to adapt to anything,” explains Dr. Keith Wallace, citing climate change and COVID as two chief factors accelerating this shift.

The 2020 Stress in America survey found nearly 80% of adults reported increased stress due to the pandemic. For a while, your body can usually metabolize stress hormones, but according to the law of diminishing returns, at a certain point your system becomes unable, or less able, to cope.

So, how does this impact society? Well for starters, we are all stressed now as Wallace pointed out. Second, our inability to cope with stress impacts all of our decisions and

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behaviors. In other words, it starts to affect everyone around you.

Let’s say you’ve spent the last two years worrying about the future, finances and health — after all, who hasn’t? You toss and turn all night and wake up each morning groggy and pessimistic. You snap at your significant other at the breakfast table over something small. They go to work feeling grumpy and take it out on their co-workers. It’s not the end of the world this one time, but when it becomes chronic it’s like dropping a pebble into the center of a still lake. The stress you’re marinating in ripples throughout your whole community.

The article proposes that meditation can essentially provide a circuit breaker in this toxic cycle by restoring your coping mechanism, even in people suffering from trauma and PTSD. “We didn’t realize how permanently stress can influence our decision making, our happiness, our sense of inner stability.

When you bring in meditation, it has a quite remarkable effect on some people suffering long-term stress,” Wallace continues.

The research indicated that meditators habituated significantly faster than the non-meditators to unpleasant tones being played at regular intervals. Their cortisol levels remained lower at average and base levels but increased under stress at a higher level, meaning the subjects were quicker to respond to stress and quicker to recover afterwards.

The article concludes that by improving neuroadaptability, meditation results in better physical and mental health. This enables you to experience more freedom from the deleterious effects of living in an unstable environment, which Wallace surmised is more important now than ever.

“We need something to protect ourselves.

If climate change continues to get worse, if COVID is going to stay with us, then we need

Acute, short-term stress diverts our energy and attention towards survival mechanisms and causes problems with everything from gut health to anxiety and depression.

— Dr. Keith Wallace

to work from the other side,” he says.

Further, Wallace suggested that we have a real responsibility to teach kids how to be more adaptable, adding, “It’s just not fair to bring kids up in this world and not give them the tools so that they can actually manage.”

With meditation, you wake up after another restless night, but before going downstairs you sit for 20 minutes. Your cortisol levels decrease and you feel more relaxed and positive. You go downstairs and don’t respond so sharply to everyday stressors.

After breakfast, you go to work where you are a little kinder, more creative and productive, which benefits everyone you come into contact with in some small way. You sleep better that night, so you’re more rested and the cycle of harmony begins again. Same lake, same number of ripples even, but different pebble. Meditation, it seems, might just be the tonic we need. +

JULIA CLARKE, E-RYT 500 is a Maharishi Ayurveda Practitioner and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She splits her time between the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland.

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YOGA + FITNESS / In The Practice

HOW TO CONNECT TO THE CHILD WITHIN As an adult, we can choose to exile our inner child, never fully healing our past wounds and cutting ourselves off from the lighthearted joys of this life. Alternatively, we can choose to reach out to that little one inside, offer them the love and care they needed growing up and hear what wisdom they have to share.

IF YOU …

• Suffer from poor emotional and mental health • Repeat negative patterns • Can’t seem to kick unhealthy coping mechanisms • Have the same reoccurring issues in your relationships • Have trouble navigating interpersonal conflicts • Rely on hyper-independence to get by

… YOU MIGHT NEED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INNER CHILD.

CONNECT WITH

THE CHILD WITHIN

by Selena Rodrigue z

W

e could all use a dose of soft, playful energy. Between the busy responsibilities of adulthood and the chaotic state of the world we navigate, it’s easy to dismiss the so-called “childish” virtues of play. But, the inner child inside of you is dying to help you remember how to give in to lighthearted adventure and exploration. In many cases, they also need your help healing past wounds. Inner child work seeks to mend the disconnection between ourselves and the child within each and every one of us.

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Who Is Your Inner Child?

There are several psychology frameworks that refer to the concept of an inner child — attachment theory, Internal Family System and body-based somatic therapies, to name a few. But, you don’t need to be in a structured, professional setting to get to know your inner child.

The inner child is an amalgamation of the curiosity and creativity we all naturally contain within us. This child can also harbor the hurt, pain and trauma that you’ve left unresolved.

So, how does one go about making this connection? First and foremost, acknowledge your inner child and validate the hardships they endured. Give yourself the space to sit with the pain and trauma of your youth. Acknowledge where these wounds might affect you as an adult. Once you open up this connection, there are a number of ways to strengthen the bond.

LET YOUR CURIOSITY GO WILD Look for bugs on a nature walk. Research a fun topic just for the heck of it. Like a wideeyed child, never forget how magical this world can be.

JOURNAL Use it as a way to check in with your inner child. See how they’re doing. What’s making them feel fussy that day? What can you do to make them feel more secure?

LEARN YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE Attachment theory states that your relationship with your parents as a child will dictate how you present in relationships.

Determine if you are secure, anxious or avoidant.

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CHECK IN WITH A THERAPIST IF IT’S WITHIN YOUR MEANS A counselor can give you tailored tools to connect with your inner child and guide you through the pain and trauma this work can expose.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS Tapping into your inner world through stillness and breathwork can be an excellent way to get in touch with your inner child.

TRUST THE PROCESS This work can be challenging. Painful memories you haven’t touched for years could resurface. Trust that this is all part of the process and remind yourself that you deserve to heal. Inner child work helps you to cultivate security and safety you didn’t have as a young one. You can finally address wounds head-on and find ways to heal them.

Simultaneously, your inner child can remind you of the true beauty of this existence. They are always within you, patiently waiting to grab your hand and walk with you through the pain towards a more abundant, joy-filled life. + +

Try this short meditation to connect with your inner child: Imagine a place you used to love as a child. Sit there and notice your surroundings. How does the setting make you feel?

Now imagine a child-aged version of yourself is walking towards you.

They sit next to you and smile. Once you have a moment to take in their presence, ask them how they’re feeling.

What message do they have for you?

Once you’re both comfortable, ask them what they fear. What pain is preventing them from being their most authentic, carefree self?

Let them know they are safe with you. You will take care of them.

Tell them why you love and value them.

Take a moment to realize that little one is you. Once this exchange is over, give them a hug. Let your inner child fade into you.

Remember, they are always within you.

SELENA RODRIGUEZ is a social media specialist and writer currently based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. In her spare time, she hosts a podcast called “Stories From Planet Earth.” Her journey with yoga started nearly six years ago. The practice has transformed her life and continues to shape her today. Aside from yoga, some of her favorite things include hiking, trying new food and her dog Luka.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

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YOGA + FITNESS / Seva

RUNS FOR HOPE

by Pam Shifrin

becoming more difficult; I was tripping and falling. My doctor ordered an MRI, and it was normal. Gradually, I had more difficulty and more falls. In late 2018, I saw a back doctor and he sent me to physical therapy.

I told my therapist my left foot was slapping on the ground when I walked. With great concern, I was then referred to a neurologist and went through scans, blood work, spinal tap and other tests. February of 2019 I was diagnosed with ALS. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO GET OUT OF BED EVERY DAY? Well, I have infusions 10 days a month, so I have to get out of bed for that. All kidding aside, I have a lot of living to do. I don't necessarily do something meaningful every day, but often I am doing something to prepare for the next event. I still have things that I look forward to.

J

une 21, 2017. The day my life changed. My brother, Brian Shifrin, at 41 years old, couldn’t straighten his left hand. His orthopedic doctor found nothing physically wrong and suggested he see a neurologist. Multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were being mentioned and that was when my stomach sank. I prayed for MS. Do you know how crazy that is to comprehend, to pray for a disease? The alternative, though, was a death sentence.

ALS — also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease — is characterized by a progressive degeneration of motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. When the motor neurons can no longer send impulses to the muscles, the muscles begin to atrophy, causing increased muscle weakness. The disease eventually affects the lungs and ALS warriors can no longer breathe on their own.

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ALS is difficult to diagnose. It gradually prohibits the ability to move, speak, swallow and breathe. It can take years to receive an ALS diagnosis. Brian’s doctor said he was one of the earliest diagnosed patients she had ever seen. This gave us hope. We had more time. According to the ALS Association, people live with the disease for two to five years. Unfortunately, two and a half years later, November 16, 2019, my brother lost his battle.

Brian was a man of few words, but there are many ALS warriors who are very vocal about their story. Colorado resident Christine Gilmore is one of them.

PAM SHIFRIN: HOW DID YOUR ALS JOURNEY BEGIN? Christine Gilmore: I was an avid hiker. At 49, I was in the best shape of my adult life.

In 2016, I noticed that hiking uphill was

WHAT DO YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT ALS AND THOSE WITH IT? ALS was first discovered in 1859 and still has no cure. I have no idea why I was affected, and I probably never will. I’m also not sure how much time I have left either.

Loss of my independence is my biggest challenge. I will eventually be trapped in my body, relying on a feeding tube and ventilator. ALS can be quite costly. The latest estimate is that it costs about $250,000 per year to take care of an ALS patient in the advanced stages. Medicare does not pay for caregivers, leaving that financial burden to the family. My final plea to you is to pursue your dreams while you can. Don't wait until it's too late.

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photo courtesy of pam shifrin

New Ski Challenge Brings Comfort to ALS Warriors

HOW DO YOU FIND PEACE? I believe that things will always work out.

I have been through some pretty traumatic things in my life, and I am still standing. Metaphorically, of course. Prior to diagnosis and the pandemic, I had started yoga classes and meditation groups. I’d like to pursue those again. Being in nature is my go-to for peace. I love hiking and am pretty adventurous. I’ve taken my power chair on some precarious trails.

YOGA + FITNESS / Retreats

During Brian’s last year with us, his ALS progressed very quickly. I created a fun ski challenge for my friends and I to raise awareness and money to help with his costs. Most people I spoke with were still puzzled as to what ALS was. They just knew it was why they dumped ice water over their head in the 2014 media craze: The Ice Bucket Challenge.

The Ice Bucket Challenge brought in millions of dollars for ALS research, but what I found was there were limited funds to actually help people live with ALS. My ski challenge, SHIFRUNS, has become the main event for Colorado non-profit, Runs For ALS, Inc. On Tuesday March 29, 2022 at Vail Mountain, we will ski once again. Since its inception in 2019, SHIFRUNS has raised over $20,000 for ALS warriors. +

photos by sam studley

Please go to runs4als.org to register and find out more information. In my brother’s memory, we are “shifstrong” and devoted to bring just a little bit more peace to those living with ALS.

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.

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

ON THE RIVER + IN THE FLOW

Balancing Yoga, Meditation and a Thirst for Whitewater at a Women’s Wellbeing Retreat Bluegrass fests, culinary and photography workshops, and now yoga retreats are taking it to the river. Rafting outfitter OARS’ newest guided whitewater trip serves up a healthy dose of women’s empowerment with six days of yoga and mindfulness on the wild and free Colorado River.

Tapping into that deep craving for connection and internal reset, a recent trip welcomed mornings with intention-setting sunrise yoga, establishing a positive, energetic tone with flowing riverside movement. The group of 14 women worked their way through the rugged heart of Canyonlands National Park, finding reprieve and alignment with nature, as well as new ways to move their bodies and minds.

The OARS Cataract Canyon Women’s Wellbeing Retreat debuted in 2021 as guests and yoga instructors hit the river with five whitewater guides.

The all-female group embarked on a soul-shifting journey of canyon hiking, rafting, yoga, mindful meditations and gourmet, gluten-free dining — all on one of the most secluded stretches of whitewater in the country.

Disconnected from the realities of life and cloaked in the beauty of the Utah canyon backdrop, magic unfolded among the women ranging in age from 20-something to 63, with hometowns spanning Arizona to New York. Sunset yoga was a special time for self-reflection and healing, says guest Amanda Magleby.

“As a mental health professional, I feel like we got more out of this trip than I’ve seen people get in years of therapy,” Magleby shares. “I learned a lot about myself in such a short time, and I have carried this zen feeling with me more than a month into being back with the real world.”

As the crew motored and rowed around the rock walls and spires of Canyonlands National Park, certified yoga instructors and licensed massage therapists Breann Davis and Samantha Studley shared a carefully curated lineup of yoga poses, Thai massage, acupressure, meditations and camaraderie.

The women remained in the present moment, supporting each other in mindful movement and restorative yin practices. Each day began with a gentle vinyasa before breakfast, followed by an exciting day on the water, side hikes and nourishing meals. Evenings saw gentle yoga by the river and meditation to absorb the day.

“I realized on the last day that we had not heard a single complaint for the entire week,” recalls

retreat attendee Hadley Kornacki. “Sadly, that is so rare these days. The guides and yoga teachers cultivated an environment where everyone felt comfortable, heard, happy and secure, while still pushing comfort levels and boundaries.”

Nightly camps were constructed, and makeshift yoga studios appeared along river banks.

Every aspect was thought out a year in advance, says yoga instructor Breann Davis, adding to the seamless flow. Davis began each day’s practice introducing a new chakra, working upward from the root chakra.

“You could tell there were a lot of introspective moments,” she says. “I saw women sitting down on paddle boards and rafts looking inward.

It was beautiful.”

Meandering more than 90 miles through southern Utah’s ancient canyons, personal journeys naturally evolved, contributing to collective cup-filling river vibes. The results of this rustic and remote retreat — one where there are no distractions, no reception, nothing money can buy, nothing but red sky-reaching rock walls and a river that decides how fast or slow your day paces — left lasting imprints.

“I can’t say enough wonderful things about Breann, Sam and all of the other guides on the trip. They really made it so special: an unforgettable experience,” Magleby adds.

For those seeking a balanced blend of wilderness, whitewater, wellness and empowerment, this is your adventure. OARS is also offering yoga and meditation trips (not exclusively for women) on the Yampa River on May 14, 2022 and a new Stillwater & Cataract Canyon Hiker Trip on September 11, 2022. ­—Lisa Blake Cataract Canyon Women’s Wellbeing Retreat Trip Dates: August 7–12, 2022 Book It: Whitewater yoga retreats sell out quickly. Visit oars.com/events/cataractcanyon-womens-wellness-retreat/

49

Outside / Fresh Air

DISCOVERIES

on the divide

by Christine Kassar

50

vative approach as we break trail through a foot of fresh pow. As always, my first steps are awkward, my breath labored.

Inhale. Right pole reaches. Left leg slides forward. Exhale. Pole. Glide.

Cold air in. Glide. Warm breath out. Glide.

Settling into this rhythm, my mind, heart and soul all follow with ease. Some days I can’t see three feet in front of me. Others, I lose feeling in my toes, fingers, nose or all three. Yet, it is here that I can see and feel more clearly than anywhere.

Inhale. Glide. Amid the mountains rising with immense power as they reach to the heavens.

Exhale. Glide. Weathering each storm with unwavering grace and beauty.

Inhale. Glide. They shine with unending and unmatched light and hope.

Exhale. Glide. Effortlessly exuding strength and beauty. Bringing mindful awareness to each moment.

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Photos by Elk Raven Photography

B

EEP. BEEP. BEEP. I flail for the snooze. Feeling for my tiny family, I land on fur first. Our yellow lab, Nala, sprawled out in her version of dead bug pose, takes up half the bed.

Rubbing her belly, I send my other hand in search of Ryan. Amid a mountain of covers, I trace shoulder, arm, hand. Our fingers entwine; he gives a gentle squeeze. Touching both my loves, I close the circle. From this magical place between yesterday and today, I pause — inhale Ryan’s stinky morning breath (mine isn’t any better), exhale peace.

Inhale even worse puppy breath, exhale gratitude. This moment alone will carry me through whatever the day brings.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Zen moment broken.

4:30 a.m. Rub the crusty sleep out of my eyes. Crank heater. Kettle on. Peak out window. New snow? Brew coffee. Gently wake my sleepy husband. We savor our hot brew with few words. Put on tunes. Feed Nala.

Dress in the exact same clothes as yesterday. Put skins on skis. Load up the car and head up the hill to Monarch, our hometown mountain, anticipating what’s to come like little kids on Christmas. Never knowing what awaits, but certain it will be magic.

Upon arrival to the deserted parking lot where huge flakes float to the ground, we are a flurry of activity. Bundle up. Gulp coffee.

Packs on. Click into skis. And we are off.

Nala runs full speed, weaving and darting with so much excitement to be on the snow again that she can barely contain it.

Guided only by the tiny glow of our headlamps, Ryan and I glide next to each other, feeling like Nala, but taking a more conser-

Inhale. Glide. Humbly demanding respect while giving love and compassion so easily and freely.

Exhale. Glide. Illuminating the answers that already lie within each of us.

Inhale. Glide. It is impossible to be anywhere but here. Now. Much like the yoga class I will take later, I find stillness through movement. I lose myself, and find myself, in the cadence of breath and body linked. From the first snow until there is so much dirt showing that most people have long traded their skis for mountain bikes, our band of three journeys up here most mornings for sunrise. It’s not about the distance covered, the conditions or even the line skied, it’s about the gifts nature bestows on us and what happens inside. Much like the snow filling in our tracks before we are barely out of them, each step brings a newness to the earth, and to us.

I tune into the vibrations of the trees, the mountains, the ravens, the rocks, rather than just passing through. As I explore the terrain before me — exposed ridges, gentle curves, welcoming powdery slopes — I am allowed, and at times forced, to explore the shadows and highlights, the pinnacles and valleys, the rugged and smooth edges of my own inner terrain. I climb thousands of feet, covering miles and miles, only to discover truths I already know. Transformation within is not immediate or even noticeable.

It seeps in, moment by moment, like the explosion of colors at sunset or the transition from winter to spring.

The snow stops falling as if the angels hit the “off” button.

as magical as the first.

We rip skins against a fiery gold sky, give the pup a well-deserved (and demanded) treat and share a quick snot-filled, frozen-lipped kiss.

Ryan plunges first, a vision of red down floating through the cold smoke. Nala on his heels bounding with delight. I snap a mental picture so I can return here often.

Cozy in my puffy purple cocoon, I nod in gratitude to the giant peaks surrounding me and I follow. Like choreographed dancers, we weave in and out, hooting and hollering, making giggle-filled turns that are the closest thing to pure joy I know.

We return to the very spot where we started, but it is different. Or, are we?

You’re probably asking (as most do): why get up and do this every day? Sacrifice sleep? Suffer frigid temps? Work hard for a couple runs when you could ride chair lifts?

My answer: How can I not?

There’s nothing that raises my vibe, snaps me into alignment or makes me a better human more consistently or more quickly than gliding through the mountains powered by my muscles, fueled by my breath, guided by my inner being, while watching the world come alive (even if I may not be able to feel my fingers the entire time).

Which is why, before we’re even home, I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow when it will be exactly the same, and yet completely different. +

Photos by Elk Raven Photography

Inhale.

Pole plant. Giant step up.

Exhale.

Pole reaches. Bigger step up.

My choppy huffing and puffing is the only thing breaking the silence as our route steepens.

The sky reveals brilliant pink whispers as the three of us, all breathless, crest the ridge known as the Continental Divide. At almost 12,000 feet, cotton candy clouds give way to tangerine dreams. Nature’s palette streaks across the sky. It’s our hundredth sunrise of the year on skis, and it’s

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

CHRISTINE KASSAR is an award-winning writer, photographer and editor with published features and photos in National Geographic Adventure, Outside Online, the Boston Globe, Climbing, Mountainflyer and Mother Jones. She’s also an avid mountaineer, climber, adventurer and yogi, a guide, and the Senior Editor of Elevation Outdoors Magazine. Chris enjoys the sweetness of mountain living in Salida, CO with her husband and yellow lab, Nala. Together, the three of them form the team behind the inspiring wildlife and landscape images of Elk Raven Photography. To see more of their work, visit elkravenphotography.com.

51

Outside / Fresh Air

GET KIDS OUTSIDE!

Generation Wild launches

Photos COURTESY of GENERATION WILD

“Just 20 Minutes Outside” Campaign

by lexi reich

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YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Photos COURTESY of GENERATION WILD

T

he benefits of unstructured play for children are twofold. Not only does the freedom provide essential skills for early development, but it allows for a greater connection to the outdoors. According to the American Psychological Association, play that is not organized and generally doesn’t have a defined purpose helps children better manage their emotions, build healthy bodies and make sense of life around them.

“Research shows that kids who spent more time in green spaces growing up had lower rates of mental illness as adults,” says Jenna Glover, clinical child psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “So, that’s what I tell parents: what you do now with your kids outdoors will protect them throughout their lives.”

Especially in the age of technology, kids are exchanging time in the mud for hours glaring at a screen. Generation Wild was created by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) in 2017 to combat just that.

Further, the pandemic revealed how time in the outdoors was key to fighting the emerging mental health crisis. In fact, a 2021 report said there has been an increasing global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents. Today, Generation Wild is spreading their motto state-wide to directly address this issue: get kids outside.

“Kids are under pressure these days. Family life is always busy, but the pandemic upended normal routines, adding to stress. The year took its toll on all of us, and especially kids,” says Chris Castilian, GOCO executive director. “Now more than ever, it’s important for kids to get outside for stress-relieving nature breaks — to feel free and easy and let their imaginations run wild.”

Launched last June, Generation Wild’s “Just 20 Minutes Outside” campaign features a list of 20 ideas for spending 20 minutes outside — available in both English and Spanish.

Why 20 minutes? Research shows just 20 minutes outside can reduce stress and other behavioral issues brought on by the pandemic.

The list’s imaginative suggestions don’t require spendy camping gear or a long drive to the mountains. Instead, it offers ideas like scavenger hunts, bike obstacle courses, mud

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Jenna Glover, clinical child psychologist at Children's Hospital Colorado, tells parents: what you do now with your kids outdoors will protect them throughout their lives.

parties, picnic lunches and more.

“Kids have so much stress. Any time we can take away their stress and let a little air out of that balloon, that helps it from bursting,” explains Glover. “Having outdoor time on a regular basis is one of the ways to help kids be resilient and actually protect against developing a mental illness.”

Generation Wild’s “Outdoor Stewardship” campaign also emphasizes that while we need time in the outdoors, it’s important to be respectful of the plants and animals who live there. The goal is to minimize impact while maximizing enjoyment outside. The four easy steps, drawn from Leave No Trace Principals, are as follows: please leave what you find; please stay on the trail; please clean up dog waste and trash; please give

wildlife their space.

50 “trash monsters” were installed throughout the state and feature slogans such as “Feed me, not the animals.” They can be found across Denver, Paonia, Crested Butte, Loveland, Hotchkiss, Glenwood Springs, Alamosa, Colorado Springs, Littleton and more. +

In 12 Colorado communities, diverse, locally-based Generation Wild coalitions are creating equitable access to the outdoors with new places to play, outdoor programs and pathways to leadership opportunities and jobs in the outdoors.

Learn more and download the “20 Ideas List” at generationwild.com.

53

Outside / Environment

the happy beetle

with Dave Kiefner, Co-Founder interview By kim fuller loop system, and it was exactly that same link in the system that is underdeveloped in our communities, hence the growing basement pile of stuff I needed to dispose of.

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WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND ANY POTENTIAL GROWTH? We are intentionally very community focused. Colorado has one of the lowest recycling rates in the nation! Currently, only 18% of recyclable materials are recycled in this state, which is half the national average.

As long-time residents of Colorado, we care deeply about this state and protecting it.

Two areas we’ve barely dipped our toe into are schools and small businesses. The potential reach in these two segments is tremendous, and I think this is how we’ll make our impact on improving the state’s recycling record. Both institutions want to do the right thing when it comes to protecting the environment, but traditionally it hasn’t been feasible.

We aim to change that. +

thehappybeetle.com

THE HAPPY BEETLE PROVIDES SUBSCRIPTION DOOR-TO-DOOR PICK-UPS OF “HARD TO RECYCLE” ITEMS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT ACCUMULATE IN OUR HOUSES. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO START WORKING WITH YOU? On our website thehappybeetle.com, we offer two pick-up frequencies, monthly or quarterly. Once signed up, we provide two collection bags that can be stuffed in a back closet, hung on a coat rack, anywhere that’s

Photos courtesy of The Happy Beetle

PLEASE SHARE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE NAME OF THE HAPPY BEETLE AND HOW IT ALL BEGAN. I was adding items to the growing donation pile in our basement, knowing full well that I had no idea when I would make the trip to Goodwill, and realized that other neighbors were likely experiencing the same issue.

Not just with donation items, but other hard-to-recycle items that I had no clue where to take! Batteries, lightbulbs, house paint — I knew they didn’t belong in either our trash or recycling bin, but where do they go? And when would I find the time to drive to all these different locations?

That same evening I was reading a book about insects to my 5-year-old son. Insects play vital roles in a healthy ecosystem and we read that dung beetles have the important task of breaking down dung so nutrients can be reabsorbed by plant matter, to grow new plants, which becomes food for animals. The beetles represent a crucial link in a closed-

CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE MORE ON YOUR MISSION AND INTENTION BEHIND BUILDING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN DENVER AND BEYOND? My previous career was in renewable energy, and while the transition to clean energy is essential, I also saw tremendous opportunities to improve our consumption and disposal patterns. For example, ensuring that a piece of clothing or an electronic item stays in use for as long as possible reduces the need for production of a brand-new item and therefore negates the negative environmental impact that comes along with the raw material extraction, manufacturing, transoceanic shipping, etc.

Once The Happy Beetle progresses beyond this initial growth stage, we’ll pursue some innovative partnerships with suppliers of consumer goods to help close the loop — aiming to eliminate single-use items, like packaging and food containers, wherever possible. Consider the traditional delivery milkman model of fresh milk dropped off and returning the previous week’s empty glass milk jar — so many product life cycles could work like that.

convenient, and filled up throughout the month with the various items we collect. We have an extensive list of items we collect on our website and then have seasonal specials as well, like broken Christmas lights in the winter or school supplies in the spring.

We provide reminders via email and text, making it easy for you to remember to simply place your items outside for us to pick up that morning. We make it easy to recycle the hard-to-recycle stuff.

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BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY STARTS OFF THE MOUNTAIN

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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.

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outside / Winter + Spring 2021-22 GEAR 3

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1. Picture Expedition Line Picture’s entire Expedition Line is now made with BIO-SOURCED polyester. The shell fabric, which is derived from sugarcane waste and blended with recycled PET, reduces carbon emissions by 25% while providing the same level of durability and performance as traditional polyester.

Purchase for less environmental impact while staying warm and dry on the slopes. Shown here is the women’s Famer Jacket ($330) and Exa Pant ($200). picture-organic-clothing.com 2. Gnarly Sports Nutrition Hydrate This everyday hydration solution is formulated to optimally replace the fluid and electrolytes you lose when you sweat, while also keeping you properly hydrated with all of the electrolytes (like sodium and magnesium) and B vitamins you need for active adventures. $25.95 per bag gognarly.com

3. Howler Brothers Talisman Fleece Take off the chill with this light grid fleece — ideal on its own or as a mid-layer on the colder days of winter. The nylon front yoke helps protect your torso from the elements, and a stash pocket at the lower back keeps essentials safe when you’re on the move. $125 howlerbros.com

5. Hibear All-Adventure Flask This “Swiss Army tool of insulated bottles” can be used as an everyday water bottle, but it’s also designed to carry all your favorite beverages — from cold brew to cocktails. Every bottle also supports a local artist, is Climate Neutral Certified and gives 1% for the Planet. $85 hibearoutdoors.com

4. Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra Clock miles on packed snow this winter by turning your trail running shoes, hiking shoes and insulated boots into snow grips. These trail crampons have 18 stainless steel spikes and a steel toe bail, with an elastomer harness around the foot and optional velcro strap to keep the fit secure. We’ve found these more durable than other brands, and the puncture-proof carry bag makes storing and transporting your spikes safe and convenient. $75 hillsound.com

6. Ruffwear Dirtbag Seat Cover Road trips with your best furry friend just got a little more comfortable for everyone. This durable and waterproof cover shields your vehicle’s backseat area, and the convertible design allows you to install the cover as a hammock configuration or just as a traditional cover.

The non-slip (and machine-washable) fabric keeps dogs stable during the ride, and access to seatbelts stays available to keep human passengers secure. $79.95 ruffwear.com

by YOGA + LIFE ® TEAM

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7. Mountain Hardware JMT Pack 35L Full-day backcountry adventures deserve a versatile and durable pack. This lightweight and water-resistant option from Mountain Hardwear is made from a recycled ripstop nylon. The JMT Pack is available in a women’sspecific fit and in a 25-liter size, as well. Add more storage area with the stretch mesh flap that can be stowed away when not in use; plus, stretch mesh side pockets are easy to access while on the trail. $160 mountainhardwear.com 8. Spektrum Östra Bio Raw Goggles Spektrum has taken another big step on their mission to be the most sustainable eyewear brand in the world by introducing this new concept called Östra Bio RAW. In this version, the main ingredients of the Östra frame are presented in undyed, raw versions. Renewable materials make up to 90% of these goggles, and their style also won’t go unnoticed. $250 spektrumsports.com

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9. PEARL iZUMi Summit PRO Barrier Jacket When weather rolls in, this jacket has you covered. It’s light and packable, so you can always have it with you. The stretch-woven fabric means it still breaths while you’re moving and sweating, avoiding wet clammy skin if you’re riding hard in the rain. Pack it down into its own zippered, rear pocket for easy storage, or use the hidden strap that allows it to be secured to your bike. $125 pearlizumi.com 10. Meier Skis Crosscut BC Designed for backcountry travel, go uphill faster to earn your turns with these touring skis from Colorado-based Meier. The flat-to-rocker profile on these is built to tour more efficiently on the ascent and, then, carve through whatever you encounter on the ski down. $899 meierskis.com 11. Scarpa Gea + Maestrale RS The men's and women's versions of these backcountry ski boots from Scarpa both use the Evo V Frame cuff, which now utilizes Grilamid Bio

— a planet friendly, renewable resource. The cuff increases torsional rigidity while also providing a 60-degree range of motion for long efficient strides. $800 scarpa.com 12. Danner Free Spirit This urban hiker with a 100% waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX liner is reimagined from Danner’s original 1988 Free Spirit boot. Wear it on downtown pavement during the week and hit the trails with it on the weekend. Wherever you roam, Free Spirit offers stylish protection from the elements. $200 danner.com 13. Athletic Brewing N/A Beer Quench your thirst post-adventure with a beer that’s not boozy. Athletic Brewing has a number of options, and we’ve loved the Run Wild: a sessionable IPA with a nice balance of hops and malt. At only 70 calories, you’ll still feel nice and light after one of these tasty brews. $12.99 per six-pack athleticbrewing.com

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wellness / Ayurveda

FOUR PILLARS OF

Health + Harmony

Using the Wisdom of Ayurveda

by Kamie Slegers

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he path toward optimal health is a journey to understanding true overall wellness. We learn to live in harmony with the world around us as we connect with our true nature to develop and evolve.

The World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

The term for health in Ayurveda is svastha. Svastha means "to be established in the Self." This means that harmony creates an integration of mind and body to obtain health and wellness. Ayurveda looks at the early signs of disease and reflects on how lifestyle choices create balance and harmony or imbalance and disease. Ayurveda recognizes that the symptoms of illness are the body's way of communicating that we are living out of balance. These symptoms directly reveal our physical, mental and emotional state.

As humans, we often forget our true natures. We forfeit a life of balance and instead default to societal influences, fear and want for the things we perceive we lack. We are in constant pursuit of instant gratification and pleasure of the senses; we avoid pain and suffering at all costs only to reveal the detriment to long-term health.

This default to survival instinct only brings more pain and suffering whether physical, mental or emotional. The process of healing is to learn from experiences and have the courage to overcome challenges. When we recognize our true natures, we make choices that produce balance and harmony.

Ayurveda has methods to create a foundation for health and recognizes that each person is unique. Ayurvedic wisdom uses many factors in obtaining or preserving health. A combination of what we are attracted to, what causes us to move out of balance and why we develop illnesses helps us understand what lifestyle changes, dietary needs, herbs and other tools can be used to regain health.

Although Ayurveda offers several approaches when illnesses do arise, there is a greater emphasis on preventative medicine.

Ayurveda focuses on lifestyle choices and routine as foundational factors to providing health and wellness.

Many of the practices that are a part of the

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Four Pillars of Wellness have been adequately researched and documented. Many practitioners have different interpretations of the four pillars that reflect their styles of practice and clientele. With the wisdom of my teachers, I adjusted my perception to benefit my clients and feel it is manageable in our modern world. I know that all practitioners would agree on the Four Pillars, but each may have a different order of importance.

THE FOUR PILLARS OF AYURVEDA • Lifestyle: routine.

• Nutrition: what we take in through our senses.

• Sleep: rest and digest.

• Energy Management: dealing with stress.

Deep healing and optimal health require time, connection to the rhythms of nature and living in harmony. Ayurvedic wisdom guides us to live a joyful and healthy life; we need to follow guides such as these.

Start with building the foundation:

LIFESTYLE: the routine of habits and practices that make up one's day and then flows into weeks, months and years.

• Dinacharya (daily Ayurvedic rituals): morning, evening and seasonal routines.

• Practices: meditation, yoga and self-care.

NUTRITION: refers to what is consumed through the mouth and what is consumed through the senses.

• Eat three meals a day at about the same time of the day.

• Eat a healthy breakfast. Consume the most substantial meal in the middle of the day.

• Fresh and seasonal foods.

• Understand what foods and herbs keep the digestive fire (agni) consistent.

Ayurveda recognizes that the symptoms of illness are the body's way of communicating that we are living out of balance.

• Understand how too much or not enough sensory stimulation contributes to one's overall health.

SLEEP: rest and digest.

• Sleep helps our bodies to digest stress and process what we take in through our senses.

• Get enough quality sleep. According to the CDC, sleep deprivation is a "public health epidemic."

• Understand the importance of proper sleep hygiene.

ENERGY/STRESS MANAGEMENT: dealing with stress.

• Hormone mania: understand the link between hormone imbalance and mismanaged stress.

• The importance of spiritual practices.

• Practices to reduce stress like yoga, meditation, proper exercise and more.

Ayurveda provides practical guidance on what supports our lives and what needs to change. We can all make better decisions and change our habits, and we can trust that our changes can be permanent. +

KAMIE SLEGERS is recognized throughout Minnesota as an accomplished yoga teacher and advanced practitioner. She has been teaching yoga since 1996, and has continued her education as an Ayurveda practitioner, yoga therapist, marma therapist, craniosacral therapist and lifestyle coach. Kamie has owned and operated a physical business since 2000 and has recently moved her business mostly online. She is currently developing programs and workshops focused on fertility, hormonal imbalances, menopause, lifestyle, habits and more. whenshifthappens.org

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wellness / Health

Y

ou know that person who lights up a room with their eyes and presence because they are so full of life and it oozes out of their pores? Well, I have the pleasure of introducing you to my German spark plug friend, Ellie Ritcher. She believes that sustainable healing and transformation are always possible. She has spent the last 24 years acquiring skills in holistic and integrative approaches that address change on a mental, emotional and physical level. Her work is steeped in both science and spirituality. I received her integrative approach through the modality of PSYCH-K. It has changed my life for the better, and it can change yours, too!

RACHEL GLOWACKI: Ellie, the PSYCH-K method has had a healing impact on thousands of people around the globe, including myself. Can you tell us why the PSYCH-K methodology works and what it stands for?

HARMONIZE YOUR MIND WITH

PSYCH-K

by Rachel Glowacki

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RG: It is interesting to think that we operate that high from a subconscious level. A hypnotherapist explained to me that “subconscious programming is like the windows running in the background of a computer and we need to swipe out those old windows and update the software of our minds. Subconscious methods go through the back door of the brain/amygdala instead of the front door of the brain/prefrontal cortex." I can speak from my own experience that I consciously talked my way out of my own negative thinking and discovered that my subconscious programming of unworthiness and not deserving of x,y or z, needed to be updated and synched up. It is exciting to know that research now shows that the neuroplasticity in our brains can be rewired. I loved the way you explained to

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Photo courtesy of elias maurer

ELLIE RITCHER: PSYCH-K stands for “mind keys.” We can use it directly and effortlessly to transform our subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind drives about 95% of our daily experiences. We have the conscious power to make any changes to our perceptions that are empowering and impactful for our well-being.

me about the subconscious and consciousness mind. Can you share how you explain it to your clients?

ER: A lot of people come to this work sharing that they have “tried it all” and feeling like there is “something missing.” We often expand and evolve our consciousness with a lot of great knowledge and information, yet our subconscious mind still operates on the outdated and limited beliefs we have been conditioned with from the first zero to seven years of our lives, and about 70% of those programs are life limiting. We find ourselves stuck or feel blocked because we usually operate from our hard-wired beliefs.

Even though we know better, we cannot seem to do better.

We have three minds: 1. The conscious mind which comprises 1-5%.

2. The subconscious mind operates at 95-99%.

3. The superconscious mind makes up our instincts, intuition and inner wisdom.

Photo courtesy of elias maurer

The aim is to have all three minds in alignment, in cohesion, taking you in the same direction. Upgrading our subconscious beliefs to match our conscious knowledge and superconscious wisdom makes a big difference in our inner lives and opens the possibilities for us to create a new and different reality.

RG: I remember sitting on my living room floor discovering my hard-wiring and literally feeling my brain neurons were rewiring my beliefs about being good enough, valued and deserving of pleasure. It was an intense two hours of trusting myself to go through this process. The next morning, I experienced a physical release out of every orifice of my body, the trauma that was stored in my stomach and throat purged out of my body and I have felt lighter ever since. I gave myself permission to release old thinking patterns for new ones and got to experience first-hand the life-changing benefits of this incredible work.

Can you take us through an inquiry exercise that will help us to understand our subconscious brain better?

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ER: Your experience was definitely powerful. It is not typical to have that reaction, and everyone is different. I love how this happens for everyone so uniquely. If you want to know what your subconscious programs are, take a look at your life. What is working well? Notice your beliefs and perceptions about that area of your life.

You have a supportive subconscious program here and notice what is not working well. What areas, issues or challenges do you repeatedly bump up against that make you do mental gymnastics? This is likely due to your limiting beliefs and/or traumatic or stressful events that contributed to patterns that lead you into the opposite of what you really want. What are your fears about that area of your life? What are your doubts? What are the stressful events in the past that made it all worse? These questions can help you identify beliefs that limit you and possible traumas that contributed.

Fear is a limiting belief. In a session, I would ask you to choose what you want to believe in instead, and then facilitate PSYCH-K processes so you can reprogram your subconscious mind and create a new reality.

everything I put in my mouth.” I have been eating everything I want in moderation and have not gotten sick in months, whereas before I would eat something and immediately need to run to the bathroom. So, I am living proof that reprogramming or rewiring the brain is possible and available.

Thank you, Ellie for sharing with us how to harmonize our minds! I truly believe that everybody needs an Ellie in their lives.

Where can these beautiful readers find you or other facilitators in PSYCH-K to support their own healing journeys?

ER: Thank you. You can sign up via ellirichter.com. I facilitate 100% virtual via FaceTime or Zoom, or you can find a facilitator near you via PSYCH-K.com. +

RG: One of my limiting beliefs was that “I can’t eat anything,” because I am sensitive to foods and I get sick. I wanted to upgrade this belief to, “I can digest

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.

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wellness / Health

HOW TO CARE FOR

Your Skin While Caring for the Planet

By Jennifer Chwalek

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he beauty industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry that is growing at record pace. As a dermatologist, I am asked about skincare every day. I am always amazed by how much skincare we invest in that we do not use. Patients bring bags of products to show me only to tell me they tried it a few times and then discarded it because it did not create a miracle outcome, or even worse, it irritated and aggravated their skin. At these times, I feel dismayed by the amount of waste we create.

It is no secret that the beauty industry is one of the worst generators of waste.

This issue has worsened with the surge of advertising on social media tempting us to buy more. According to the EPA, a third of landfills are attributable to the

beauty industry. Single-use plastics found in packaging can take hundreds of years to breakdown in landfills, and packaging often uses mixed materials which are not easily recyclable. Improper sourcing of ingredients can lead to deforestation, while poor production practices increase carbon emissions. The use of non-biodegradable ingredients, like microplastic beads, glitters and dyes accumulate in soil and waterways potentially creating toxic byproducts which poison wildlife.

The good news is that more businesses are taking responsibility and making sustainable manufacturing a priority. They are creating biodegradable packaging and even package-less products, as well as recycling programs to help limit our carbon footprint. +

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.

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MINDFULLY NAVIGATE THE SKINCARE AISLE: Consider a consultation with a specialist if you are trying to treat a specific concern. You are more likely to see a faster improvement instead of trying different products which may not be appropriate for your skin or condition. If you have sensitive skin, ask for samples to see if your skin will tolerate the product before investing in it.

Simplify your beauty routine. More is not better! Using multiple products just increases your chances for allergic reactions and irritation. Also, layering products may reduce their efficacy.

Before you shop, consider why you are buying it and whether you need it. Make it a habit to buy only what you need. Do not buy larger containers unless you will use it. Many companies have created test samples or travel size containers which allow you to sample a product before you commit to buying more.

Research and support companies who are committed to no animal testing and sustainability.

Educate yourself about what is and is not recyclable. Find ways to reuse and recycle. Credo Beauty, Return to Origins and TerraCycle have recycling programs, some of which give reward points for containers you bring back to recycle. We live in a time when it is so easy to have things shipped to us, but this creates more packaging. Consider buying it directly whenever you can.

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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.

wellness / Inspiration

By Julie Gentile

journal

S

omeone once asked me who I write to when I journal. My reply: “I’m writing to my soul.”

To people who know me, it’s not a secret that one of my favorite self-care practices is the soul-nourishing habit of journaling. I talk about it a lot in my books and yoga classes, as well as on my blog, monthly newsletter and social media channels — just about anywhere I have a voice to share the power of this life-changing self-care practice.

My experience with journaling over the last several years has taken me through some of my most stressful periods, as well

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as moments of absolute joy. I’ve even made some significant decisions and changes in my life thanks to journaling. For example, journaling helped manifest my dream of writing my first book, which was published in 2019, as a full-time working mom.

Journaling is as natural to me as inhaling and exhaling. I don’t have to think about it. I just become it.

I like this style of writing so much that about four years ago, I kept four journals at once. As I type this, I keep two journals — a daily journal and a weekly one. The more I write, the more it pours out from within, like an overflowing river.

All of this journaling has a purpose. When I journal, I tap into my highest self — similar to meditation. These are some of the only times I can get quiet enough to hear my spirit speak. And, it wants to be heard. Yours does, too.

Journaling brings harmony to the chaos of life (even if it’s organized chaos) as a busy working mom. Here’s why I never go to bed without it.

JOURNALING IS: • A cathartic practice that helps me unwind from my day and a signal to my mind that the day is done.

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photo by emma dau; photo by Life lens and love Photography LLC

Your Way to Wellness

• A powerful, peaceful tool for perspective, balance, reflection and growth.

• A collection of fears, doubts, hopes and dreams.

• A celebration of being human.

• A space for creativity and possibilities.

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PRACTICe

HARMONY THROUGH WRITING Journaling can be customized to meet you where you are, and a little bit of it every day goes a long way.

There are several types of journaling: writing based on prompts, gratitude writing, free form and more. Each blank page symbolizes potential. And if you’re on devices a lot, it’s refreshing to use pen and paper. In fact, I remember things better when I write them.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED: • Pick a spot that inspires you to jot things down, such as a writing nook, a cozy corner surrounded by plants, your bed or an outdoor patio.

• Write about the things in your life that inspire you and bring you closer to your purpose.

• Practice authenticity. Write your truth in words so that it’s easier to say them when you speak them.

• Notice patterns in your writing, which can lead to self-discoveries.

For example, you might notice that most of what you write about is related.

JOURNALING PROMPTS FOR INNER PEACE • • • • •

What do you want to devote more energy to?

When do you feel most connected to yourself?

In what areas of your life do you seek more harmony?

What activities move you away from inner balance?

What is the best part about your life right now?

Although I have been practicing self-care for decades, I have not yet found a better way to harmonize mind, body and spirit off the mat than with journaling. You, too, can be in absolute awe of where your writing leads you. Ready to write to your soul? +

JULIE M. GENTILE helps busy people create better self-care habits as a yoga teacher (RYT 500), author of two award-winning books, 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas and How to Stay Calm in Chaos: An Everyday Self-Care Guide, and creator of the Stand Up for Your Self-Care blog and YouTube Channel. Connect with her on Instagram and Facebook @JulieGtheYogi, and sign up for her monthly self-care newsletter Nourish Note at JulieGtheYogi.com.

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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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wellness / Inspiration

By Kaitlin Emig

TRANSITION

Back to America

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he day I left was just like a scene in a sappy movie. He waved me goodbye while fighting back tears as I drove away in a U-Haul truck bound for Spokane. At the Canadian-U.S. border, I barely held it together while explaining my reasoning for returning home.

For months prior, we weighed out our immigration options with border closures and double wait times on visa processing.

However, I knew where my heart needed to go to heal and find love from within. I’d

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been visualizing this border crossing day knowing everything we hoped for would change once I crossed that imaginary line along the 49th parallel. This is where my journey of healing began.

At the start of my preparation to return stateside, I called upon a friend, a wizard of sorts, to advise me on the next seemingly scary steps of this transition. A visionary artist and manifester of abundance, Alec Falle Hamilton let me join his Manifesting a Loving Partner course that he hosted as a part

of his YouTube platform. Once a resident of Colorado and now residing in Southern California with his wife and child, Hamilton teaches about the law of attraction to help clarify your vision, mission and purpose.

Hamilton says, “Growth comes through challenge.” He reminds me of the big picture when differentiating my emotions. I am experiencing a state of (fill in the blank) sadness, loneliness, anxiety. Not, I am these emotions. I can choose to ride the emotion like a rollercoaster, acknowledge it then

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Illustrations by Alec Falle Hamilton

A Journey of Healing

Illustrations by Alec Falle Hamilton

release it or even stay neutral. This lesson came when things were chaotic, stressful and uncertainty lurked around every corner.

I felt frayed and afraid of the future, but I pressed onward.

“All day we can pick our own thoughts to be in higher alignment,” says Hamilton. “We can focus on things that move us up the vibrational scale.” He encourages us to move our thoughts towards a higher vibration in the vision we are creating. Along with this we can practice the law of subtraction by releasing the old, heavy energy from our past to move forward.

“We always have to give something to gain something,” Hamilton explains. “We can do it through healing by being honest with ourselves and those around us to align our values.”

Grief is a process of letting go. It’s natural and apart of the transition from start to end.

I grieve the life and dreams that I lost, but I also acknowledge that maybe I wasn’t the most fulfilled during my time in Canada.

Maybe I needed to come home, reset and find what makes me the happiest.

Thus, I set forward to find examples of good things, a lesson he taught me, along my drive south to Colorado. I saw desert sandstone contrasting the rich greenery I left in British Columbia. I saw children riding scooters in parks and dipped my toes in mountain-fed lakes. A rock with a heart shaped hole greeted me when arriving at my friend’s doorway. These were all reminders that I was on the right path.

While driving from Idaho to Colorado, I listened to Rachel Hollis’ book Girl, Wash Your Face for reflection on my next chapter.

She states, “Moving doesn’t change who you are. It only changes the view outside your window. You must choose to be happy, grateful and fulfilled. If you make that choice every single day, regardless of where you are or what’s happening, you will be happy.”

As I passed pastureland and potato land, I reflected on three years in three countries while feeling both a loving and supportive community, as well as intense isolation while living abroad. I’m grateful for the opportunity to travel and acknowledge that I’ve been brought back home to share my experiences of love, lose and finding my inner joy.

Hollis says, “What if the hard stuff, the

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amazing stuff, the love, the joy, the hope, the fear, the weird stuff, the funny stuff, the stuff that takes you so low you’re lying on the floor crying and thinking, how did I get here? What if none of it is happening to you? What if all of it is happening for you?”

I felt those feelings of despair, as if everything I wanted — living in a foreign country with my foreign partner in a cute town with bike trails and a lakefront beach — was collapsing. Now on my own in Colorado, I stick to daily habits to keep me focused and slowly work towards my bigger picture. I am learning to search for the happiness internally and to release my emotions when getting fixated on the past. I find harmony through meditation and tuning into my intuition.

I practice the affirmations I learned through Hamilton’s course: ‘I am so happy and grateful to be living in harmony with my divine partner;’ ‘I allow myself to receive all the blessings that are coming my way;’ ‘these will come to me in divine order and divine time,’ amongst many others. These mantras remind me of my vision, and that no matter where the road takes me, I am still going forward.

Every path is uncertain. Keep driving through the bumps, bends and potholes of the road focusing on a glimpse of what’s ahead with positivity and optimism. +

KAITLIN EMIG seeks adventure through mindful travel and outdoor pursuits. She never clicked her heels to return home to Kansas and has lived in western North America and overseas for the past 10 years. Currently residing in the Vail Valley, she is an outdoor educator, yogi and writer.

Follow her adventures on IG @sunflower_lion.

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wellness / Food

Make trying new foods an integral part of your travels by taking cooking classes or trying restaurants that serve foods specific to the region your are visiting.

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photo by edgar castrejon

By Penny wilson

MAKING FOOD CHOICES

I

in Harmony

know — harmonizing with your food sounds “woo woo.” You’re probably asking, “Why would I want to do that?

When I think of harmony, I think of music and singing; I don’t think of food.” However, when I looked up the definitions of harmony, there was one that made sense for how harmony and food fit together: agreement or concord.

When thinking about the things that influence your food choices — flavor, texture, appearance, marketing, customs, culture, cost, etc. — harmony isn’t in the list. Rather than trying to make it fit, how about we add three more influences: harmonizing food with your body, values and the world.

HARMONIZING FOOD + YOUR BODY Much like a choir that has sopranos, altos, tenors and basses to create a harmonized song, your food choices provide nutrients that harmonize with your body, so you feel good and stay healthy.

Your body needs protein, carbs, fat and water. The amounts of each of these can vary for each person. One person can eat mostly carbs and feel great, while someone else feels best on a high fat diet. Your body also needs vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals from foods to stay healthy and have a strong immune system.

In addition to just the nutrients in food, you can also choose foods that your body gets along with. For example, those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance feel better eating gluten-free foods. If you know of a food that doesn’t work well for your body — maybe it gives you heartburn, gas or you get achy after eating it — you can create an agreement (harmony) with your body to not eat foods that make it feel less than its best.

Providing the nutrients your body needs and food that it gets along with creates concord (harmony) with your body, because you’re giving your body what it

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needs to be healthy and are doing all the things you ask it to do while not causing it (and yourself) discomfort.

HARMONIZING FOOD + VALUES How can your values harmonize with your food choices? Here are three examples: • If you value supporting local businesses, you can support your local CSA group and farmer’s market. This helps you keep your money with local producers and, in the case of a CSA, support a local farm.

• If you value adventure, you could be adventurous by trying new foods. You could also make trying new foods an integral part of your travels by taking cooking classes or trying restaurants that serve food specific to the region you’re visiting.

• If you value creativity, you can get creative with how you cook and serve food.

Finding new recipes — or even learning how to cook — can be a creative endeavor. You could also learn different ways to plate the food when you serve it.

Harmonizing food with your values can help you have a deeper commitment to your values so that your food-related actions are in alignment with those things you value.

HARMONIZING WITH THE WORLD AS A WHOLE Producing food in the U.S. is resource-intensive — most of those are related to non-renewable energy resources. One study by Emory University found “the American food

supply is driven almost entirely by non-renewable energy sources and accounts for approximately 19% of the total use of fossil fuels in the United States.”

If you want to reduce the amount of energy used in food production, one of the easiest steps is to only buy what you will use. It seems simple but takes practice to get good at it. Watch how much food, and what foods, you throw away. Then, next time adjust and cook a smaller amount, which should result in throwing away less, if anything at all.

Donating extra food from your refrigerator or pantry to the local food bank keeps it from being part of the 108 billion pounds of food thrown out each year. When produce isn’t edible, you could either compost it or see if there is a farm that can feed it to their livestock. You can also compost leftovers that don’t get eaten instead of putting them in the trash or down the garbage disposal.

START SMALL FOR SUCCESS Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed with these ideas. They may seem like BIG things.

You don’t need to do all of them at once.

Start small and choose one thing to work on — maybe just becoming aware of how much food you’re throwing out — then work to change that one thing. Or, honor your adventurous side and try a new fruit or vegetable. Small steps can add up to big changes, and before you know it your food choices will harmonize with your body, your values and the world. +

PENNY WILSON, PhD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She focuses on helping people never diet again. Through Intuitive Eating her clients move from fear of food to freedom with food and eating. Dr. Penny works with clients in person and virtually all over the country. She loves spending time with her husband, John, and her dogs. She knits, reads, hikes, skis (both alpine and Nordic) and travels. You can find out more at her website: DrPennyWilson.com and facebook.com/DrPennyWilson

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wellness / Recipes

Savory Spice

Garam Masala Spiced Cashews

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Ingredients 4 cups cashews, raw and unsalted 1 large egg white, lightly beaten 1/4 cup sugar 4 tsp. Garam Masala 1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt Directions Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, coat cashews with egg white. Add remaining ingredients and stir until thoroughly coated.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread nuts in a single layer on the sheet. Roast, stirring every five to 10 minutes until golden brown (about 25 to 35 minutes total). Break up any clumps, cool and serve.

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PHOTO COURTESY of SAVORY SPICE

1/2 tsp Cayenne Chile Powder

THE

PRACTICE

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.

yogalifelive.com/thepractice

wellness / Recipes

BARISTA SPIRITS,

BY DEVIATION DISTILLING,

Aztec Maple Old Fashioned

Serves: 1 Prep time: 3 minutes Recipe: 2 oz Barista Aztec Whiskey 3 tsp pure maple syrup 3 dashes orange bitters Pinch of ground cinnamon or whole clove Instructions:

1. Add ingredients to a cocktail mixing glass and fill with ice.

3. Pour into a fresh rocks glass with ice.

4. Top with a pinch of ground cinnamon or clove to garnish.

5. Enjoy!

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PHOTO COURTESY of DEVIATION DISTILLING

2. Stir until chilled.

events / Gatherings

‘Mind Matters’

Exhibit Kickstarts Important Mental Health Conversations

I

f you’ve ever wished for a worry shredder, you’re in luck. You can find it in Fort Collins where it’s part of the Mental Health: Mind Matters exhibit on display at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery through January 2, 2022.

“It’s the coolest thing. You get a piece of paper, write down your worries and then watch it all go away,” explains Laura Valdez, the executive director of the museum. “We run out of paper all the time. It’s a little thing, but it feels so liberating.”

For one mother and her young daughter who visited recently, the shredder made the biggest impact. “We returned to the Museum of Discovery twice more just so we could shred more worries,” she wrote in a survey about the exhibit.

The all-ages special exhibit debuted October 2020. Because of the restrictions in place at the time, Valdez knew that not everyone had a chance to experience it, which is why they brought it back.

“It’s not often you get a do-over to make a deeper impact,” she says. “The exhibit is hopeful. We’ve received such positive feedback from people of all ages and backgrounds; people feel seen.”

Along with the worry shredder, visitors can interact with hands-on experiences that help them understand mental illness in a deeper way. Listen as people share their personal experiences living with mental illness. Peer back in time to important moments in mental health history and hear how attitudes have changed over the years. Discover how activities like dancing, writing, and drawing can help people identify and express their emotions and, in turn, strengthen their mental health. You can even step into a living room to hear how a

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father’s depression affects the whole family, a powerful reminder of how mental illness impacts loved ones.

Visitors are invited to share their own stories on note cards, which serve as powerful reminders that everyone is carrying an invisible load.

With the idea that one conversation can make a difference, a section in the exhibit connects people with resources to help them improve their health, including conversation guides that provide a framework to continue talking beyond the exhibit, Valdez adds. Additionally, subject matter experts from SummitStone Health Partners, one of the exhibit’s many partners, are available to answer questions.

Additionally, the rest of the museum boasts activities for all ages, including sensory exhibits, scavenger hunts, a special “tot spot” for littles, a Tornado Tube and the area history display. The permanent Music & Sound Lab explores the physics of sound, the history of the Fort Collins music scene and some of the technology behind everything from Edison wax cylinders to iPods. +

Presented in English, Spanish and French, see the Mind Matters exhibit Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through January 2, 2022.

Tickets are available online at fcmod.org or at the door.

As the owner of SkyWrite Communications & Content, CARAMIE PETROWSKY crafts messages that resonate. She spent 12 years working as a journalist, including eight as the Vail Daily A&E Editor, before starting her own company, which focuses on strategic content creation and public relations.

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Photos courtesy of Fort Collins Museum of Discovery

By Caramie Petrowsky

events / Gatherings

Q +A

Spotlight

PORTRAIT © TIMOTHY GREENFIELD-SANDERS

ELIZABETH GILBERT

INTERVIEW BY KIM FULLER

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ELIZABETH GILBERT ON

Wellness + Mindfulness

+ She is Coming to Denver on May 4, 2022

U

nquestionably one of her generation’s most beloved voices, Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of the runaway bestseller Eat Pray Love, which has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. Her latest, City of Girls, a glittering coming-of-age epic stitched across the fabric of New York City in the 1940s. In Gilbert’s bestselling nonfiction treatise on creativity, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, she explores the mysteries of how to lead a bold and inspired life. Gilbert’s novel The Signature of All Things is a sweeping story of botany, exploration and desire that spans much of the 19th century.

The city of Denver will be lucky enough to host Gilbert at the Paramount Theater at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. CO YOGA + Life reached out to Gilbert for some of her insight on wellness and mindfulness in our modern era.

LIZ, WHAT ARE SOME WAYS YOU CREATE PERSONAL WELLNESS? The primary way that I create personal wellness is through cultivating a friendly relationship with my own mind. For so much of my youth, I suffered from depression and anxiety, because I just didn’t know how to broker peace between myself and the various dark voices in my head telling me what a failure or loser I was. But I can honestly say that for the last 20 years, I’ve been on a steady mission to bring peace to this tired mind, and to encourage harmony and kindness between all its arguing voices. I do this through radical love and self-compassion, through the process of writing myself letters every day from unconditional love. These letters — extending mercy and sympathy to every part of myself, every single day — constitute the foundation of my spiritual

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practice. Without that unconditional love, I would be a real mess.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR YOGA PRACTICE AND HOW YOU INTEGRATE IT INTO YOUR LIFE. My yoga practice shifts and changes over the years, just like I do. There was a period when I used to go to classes every day, and I’m especially grateful for the serious Iyengar training that I received long ago, which gave me a deep, foundational understanding of the workings of the body. But I’m less interested in maintaining that level of discipline anymore. I find that these days, I’m more likely to practice at home, by myself, and in a way that is not so rigid. I’ve given up at “winning” at yoga, if that makes sense. There are certain positions that I’m simply never going to be able to do, and that’s fine. I’m over 50 years old now, and I just want to live in peace with myself, and I definitely don’t want to hurt myself. So I just like to stretch and relax, and be kind to myself. If I’m feeling restless in the middle of my yoga practice, I’m liable to suddenly put on some music and start dancing, and just blow off the asanas … for me, at this point in my life, it’s about being responsive to what my body really needs in that moment — and sometimes, it needs to dance around the living room to Cardi B more than it needs to nail a perfect Tree Pose.

IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU CREATE MINDFULNESS EVERY DAY? Drawing in my journal has become an important daily practice for me. I find that when I am drawing, it steadies my breathing and puts me into the present moment.

I don’t identify as a visual artist, but that’s probably why it’s so relaxing — because I don’t have any ego in the game, and I’m not trying to make the world’s most beautiful

illustrations. I just find it incredibly soothing to noodle about and doodle about in my journal, and to scatter words throughout the drawings, as well. For many of us, creativity is medicine, but if (like me) you make your living based on your creativity, then that medicine can become burdened by the expectations of the marketplace. So I think it’s important to find other ways of expressing creativity that have nothing to do with your career or your vocation. For me, that’s drawing. I feel no pressure to be good at it, and the world never needs to see it; it just makes me feel soothed to play with shapes, colors and sketches.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THIS VISIT TO DENVER, AND WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT FOR YOU? For me, after all these years on the road, the best thing about traveling is the chance to catch up with old friends. I’ve got dear old friends in Denver, and I’ll be wanting to go out to dinner with them, see pictures of their children and hear tales of their lives.

I always say that, for me, “home” is not so much a physical location as it is a person — somebody who makes me feel like I can land in myself fully and feel completely relaxed. I’m happy to say, then, that I have a few good “homes” in Denver — and I can’t wait to see them! As for what is coming up next for me, I’m not exactly sure. I’ve got some book ideas starting to brew, but they will take time to make themselves known.

This is a resting season, I think, more than anything else. +

Tickets to see Elizabeth Gilbert at the Paramount Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 are on sale at paramountdenver.com.

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events / Community Listings

DECEMBER Vail Snow Days

Vail, CO • December TBD This free concert series in Ford Park is sure to have you jamming out to great music. Various performances and artists come together to put on incredible live music for the community. Check online to see dates and artist announcements. uncovercolorado.com

The Polar Express Train Ride

Durango, CO • December 2021 Recreate the magical story of a child’s Christmas Eve at the Polar Express Train Ride! The excursion is full of enchanted holiday surprises, all with a beautiful snowy backdrop durangotrain.com

Dillon Ice Castles

Dillon, CO • December 2021 Visit one of Colorado’s most recognized familyfun winter activities, and explore the Dillon Ice Castles. The event is open Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter months at differing time slots. Purchase tickets to this frozen wonderland in advance. icecastles.com

Colorado Springs Holiday Festival Show

Colorado Springs, CO • December 3-5, 2021 This event has everything you need to get ready for the holiday season. With over 150 exhibitors, the festival will provide shoppers with one-of-akind gifts. Make sure to get there early to check out the wide variety of thoughtful gifts, gourmet eats and tasty beverages for sale. hfgf.com

Telluride Fire Festival

Telluride, CO • December 3-5, 2021 The Telluride Fire Festival, inspired by Burning Man, truly brings together fire and ice during the winter season. Celebrate community, fire and art in the mountains, and watch inspired artists and their dynamic visual fire performances. Visit their website for COVID-19. telluridefirefestival.org

Lighting of Breckenridge & Race of the Santas

Breckenridge, CO • December 4, 2021 Watch as the streets of downtown Breckenridge light up like a Christmas tree to kick off the holiday season — all while a parade of Santa Clauses crowds the street. The lighting of Breckenridge & Race of the Santas will be sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Times will be posted once the event draws near. gobreck.com

Ugly Sweater 5K

Longmont, CO • December 4, 2021 Grab your ugliest holiday sweater and head over to Left Hand Brewing Company. Participate in the fun-run or enjoy the live music, local vendors and food trucks. eventbrite.com

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Powabunga Music Festival

Vail, CO • December 9-12, 2021 Experience an epic mountain music festival weekend at Ford Park. Featured artists include Rufus De Sol, Bob Mosses, Vintage Culture and others. Doors open at 4 p.m. on both festival nights, so make sure to get there early. Continue to check their site for future artist line-up releases and planned activities for the highly anticipated return of Powabunga. powabungafestival.com

Annual Ullr Fest

Breckenridge, CO • December 9-17, 2021 Ullr Fest offers 10 full days dedicated to all fun-loving activities involving snow. What better way to get into the holiday spirit? The festival celebrates the Norwegian god of snow, with traditions such as the Ullr Ball, the Ullr Bonfire, the Ullr Parade, Snow Sculpting, Ullr King and Queen, the Ullympics and the Ullr Dating Game.

Check out the long list of activities occurring during the festival online! colorado.com

JANUARY The MusicFest Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs, CO • January 5-12, 2022 The perfect getaway filled with music, relaxation and the beautiful champagne powder of Steamboat Springs lies just at your fingertips with a trip to MusicFest. MusicFest Steamboat Springs has a venue for everyone, with over 200 hours of live performances. Grab your ticket before the event sells out! themusicfest.com

Denver International Sportsmen’s Expo Denver, CO • January 6-9, 2022 Outdoor enthusiasts, come one come all to the Colorado Convention Center! Denver’s International Sportsmen's Expo spotlights hunting, fishing, fly-fishing, camping, off-roading and watersports — all of the outdoor activities that make Colorado the best place to get outside. sportsexpos.com

Wintersköl

Aspen, CO • January 13-16, 2022 Toast to Aspen’s majestic winter with this festival dedicated to the town’s unique lifestyle. The four-day fest features on-mountain activities, film screenings, a winterfest, broomball, fat-biking competitions and other celebratory events. aspenchamber.org

Colorado Indian Market and Southwest Art Fest

Ouray Ice Festival

Ouray, CO • January 20-23, 2022 Ice climber pros, novices and fans alike can experience the nail-biting competition of the Ouray Ice Festival. The three-day festival includes qualifying rounds, finals and speed rounds along with an educational experience for all ice climbing enthusiasts. More information regarding the festival to come. ourayicepark.com

Denver Winter Brew Fest

Denver, CO • January 22, 2022 Get ready for tasty brews and good company.

The Denver Winter Brew Fest will feature over 45 alcoholic vendors with an admission ticket offering unlimited samples. brewfestevents.com

Snowdown Durango

Durango, CO • January 26-30, 2022 This jam-packed event has everything you could ever ask for. Snowdown Durango showcases more than 100 events packed into this five-day event — everything from the annual Parade of Lights down Main Avenue and adults-only fashion shows to winter sporting contests and beer dunks are on the agenda. durango.com

FEBRUARY Six Pack Series Winter 4-mile and 5K

Westminster, CO • February 5, 2022 This running series is designed for rookies and seasoned runners alike to improve on their previous times. With six events to choose from, there’s no reason you shouldn’t race! sixpackseries.com

NBS Black Ski Summit 2022

Snowmass, CO • February 5-12, 2022 This is a historical summit, because it marks a return to the slopes after the pandemic; it is also the 50th Anniversary of the NBS (National Brotherhood of Skiers). Join and celebrate this amazing event that brings over 1,500 people of color together on the mountain. eventbrite.com

Rocky Mountain Ski Fest

Beaver Creek, CO • February 8-9, 2022 The Rocky Mountain Ski Fest includes an exclusive concert with headliner Old Dominion and an on-mountain activity, all raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. Learn more and reserve tickets online! rockymtnskifest.com

Colorado Springs, CO • January 14-16, 2022 Be immersed in this colorful celebration of Native American, Southwestern and Western arts. The event features 150 top-quality, juried artists and craftsmen alongside tribal dances and other interactive special attractions. my.boothcentral.com

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Steamboat Winter Carnival

Steamboat Springs, CO • February 9-13, 2022 Say goodbye to your cabin-fever during late winter months and take part in the Steamboat Winter Carnival. The event highlights outdoor activities for local youth to participate in, as well as traditional experiences around town, such as the soda pop slalom, snow sculptures and the recognition of Winter Carnival Royalty and Grand Marshals. sswsc.org

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Breckenridge, CO • February 25-26, 2022 Explore the world of mountain sports and make your way to the Banff Mountain Film Festival.

Watch the most inspiring and thought-provoking action, environmental and adventure mountain films. The event goes from 6 p.m. — 10 p.m. both days, with proceeds supporting BOEC’s programs for adaptive recreation and outdoor education. boec.org

WinterWonderGrass Festival

Steamboat Springs, CO • February 25-27, 2022 Gather together with friends and family to join this community event. This year, listen and dance to headliner Trampled by Turtles while enjoying beer tastings, food trucks and coffee bars. Reserve your tickets and plan your trip before it sells out! winterwondergrass.com

MARCH Leadville Ski Joring

Spring Taste of Vail

Vail, CO • March 30-April 2, 2022 Kick April off right at a high-quality food festival. The four-day event hosts over 5,000 people as they eat and drink their way through Vail’s finest restaurants and wineries. Enjoy the view or visit a seminar. Don’t forget the lamb sauce! The American Lamb Cook-Off also lets you sample lamb dishes from the kitchens of the finest chefs around. tasteofvail.com

APRIL 5Point Adventure Film Festival

Carbondale, CO • April 2022 Spend five days at the 5Point Adventure Film Festival as you watch some impactful stories on the big screen that teaches us about the boundaries that we have often pushed through to transform ourselves and the world around us.

Come celebrate the outdoors and ourselves by hearing the stories the filmmakers will tell.

5pointfilm.org

Spring Back to Vail

Vail, CO • April 2022 Celebrate all of the activities living in Rocky Mountain has to offer with the Spring Back to Vail festival! With various activities ranging from a free live concert to the famous World Pond Skimming Championships, there is no reason not to stop by. springbacktovail.com

Leadville, CO • March 3-5, 2022 This thrilling event consists of horses and riders racing, with the horse pulling a skier who’s holding onto a rope. Watch and laugh at this ridiculously fun downtown Leadville event! leadvilletwinlakes.com

NASTAR National Championships

Monte Vista Crane Festival

Run the Ranch

Monte Vista, Colorado • March 11-13, 2022 Be an upstanding member of your community and attend this town art and beautification project.

Monte Vista Crane Festival encourages members of the community to decorate their crane statue, which will ultimately be displayed throughout town. mvcranefest.org

Frozen Dead Guys Day

Nederland, CO • March 13, 2022 Celebrate a frozen dead guy. No literally, this festival is dedicated to Grandpa Bredo, a cryogenic frozen corpse. The offbeat festival has icy events including coffin racing, polar plunging, frozen t-shirt contests, frozen turkey bowling and more. frozendeadguydays.org

Body Mind Spirit Celebration

Denver, CO • March 18-20, 2022 Holistic living lovers, this event was made for you! Come to Denver this March and explore the event’s incredible selection of the nation's finest psychics and mediums, the best in alternative health, wellness tools, products and resources.

Check back online for event updates. bmse.net YOGALIFELIVE.COM

Snowmass, CO • April 4-9, 2022 The NASTAR National Championships return to Snowmass for the first time since 2015. Watch recreational ski racers compete for their title. gosnowmass.com

Loveland, CO • April 15 + 17, 2022 For the third year running and benefiting the Heart J organization, the Run the Ranch event is back.

Between options to run a 5K or a 12-hour race, there’s something for all runners, beginner or pro! sweetheartcityracing.com

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

Durango, CO • April 22-24, 2022 Hang loose over a few nights of bluegrass music that will surely make you do a jig. Share your music or listen to other musicians play in concert settings for all to hear. Multiple venues will be open to host all the talent that is sure to come. durangomeltdown.com

Spring Craft and Gift Show

Colorado Springs, CO • April 30, 2022 This family-friendly event is chock-full of 100+ local vendors of fine crafts and gifts. It will feature food trucks, a silent auction and live music, as well. Be sure to grab tickets when they go on sale in early 2022! norrispenrose.com

MAY Brews & Cruise Festival

Palisade, CO • May 2022 Make your way down “Brew Way” in downtown Palisade as you drink craft beer and enjoy local appetizers from participating restaurants. Live music is planned, and friends are to be made at this cute festival. Check online for firm dates on the much-anticipated return of the Brews & Cruise Festival. palisadebrewscruise.com

An Evening with Elizabeth Gilbert

Denver, CO • May 4, 2022 Two years after this event was postponed by the pandemic in 2020, renowned author and speaker Elizabth Gilbert is coming to the Paramount Theatre in Denver for a keynote speach and Q&A session. elizabethgilbert.com

Colorado Chocolate Festival

Denver, CO • May 6-7, 2022 Step into a two-day chocolate paradise at Colorado Chocolate Festival in Denver. Indulge in a wine-tasting paired with different chocolate samples. Participate in activities for the whole family, and watch the Chocolatier Championships.

Tickets are available for purchase online. cochocolatefests.com

Fruita Fat Tire Festival

Fruita, CO • May 6-8, 2022 A fun and fat-tired weekend awaits at the Fruita Fat Tire Festival! Enjoy this bike expo along with live music in Downtown Fruita, food and beer vendors, guided rides and much more. fruitafattirefestival.com

Mountainfilm

Telluride, CO • May 26-30, 2022 Be a part of an awe-inspiring documentary film festival. Mountainfilm showcases nonfiction stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues. Listen to a riveting interactive talk or a free community event. Donate to support the festival online! mountainfilm.org

Meadowgrass Music Festival

Colorado Springs, CO • May 27-29, 2022 Enjoy local music acts at this music festival.

Meadowgrass Music Festival works to promote budding musicians from around Colorado and give them a platform to perform their original musical acts. Make sure to purchase your tickets online when they become available! rockymountainhighway.org

Colorado Medieval Festival

Loveland, CO • May 29-31, 2022 Have you ever wanted to dress up in a suit of armor? Drink some mead in a medieval tavern?

Then, the Colorado Medieval Festival is the place to be! Check back for updates on how to purchase your tickets online. coloradocastle.com

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partners / Yoga + Life Ambssadors

1

YOGA + Life®

ambassadors 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.

1. DANNY CAMPOS 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.

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.

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2

4

3

5

3. KELSEY FOSTER

6. DYLAN HOWLEY

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.”

4. SHERRIE GIUSTO Sherrie Giusto is the founder and owner of Open Door Yoga Studio in Coconut Grove, Florida. Raised in Miami, she 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 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.

TToni Viney grew up as a city girl in the Chicagoland area with close country life and farming ties. She spent her summers on a river in southern Wisconsin and learned to drive a boat well before learning to drive a car. As an adult, Toni made her way to the mountains to pursue a master’s degree at Colorado State University and discovered her love for yoga during graduate school. She became a yoga teacher in 2011 and has been teaching group classes, one-on-one private sessions, and workshops ever since. She founded Best Day Ever Yoga in 2021.

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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11. SHARI VILCHEZ-BLATT 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 Amy Zellmer is the publisher and editor-inchief of MN YOGA + Life®. She is an awardwinning author, keynote speaker and brain injury survivor. She has her 200-hour RYT and is a level two Reiki practitioner. Amy 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!

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partners / Directory

Earth Yoga Boulder

3000 Folsom St. Boulder, CO earthyogaboulder.com 720.593.1008

Elderberry’s Farm

1978 Harding Rd. Paonia, CO elderberrysfarm.com 720.722.4372

Endorphin

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

GOAT Training

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

Gravity Haus Vail Anya Yoga

418 S. 8th St. Colorado Springs, CO anyayogaco.com 719.439.8619

Be Free Healing Center 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

Buffalo + Sparrow Yoga Collective

People-Informed/Trauma-Sensitive Yoga T eacher Trainings, Continuing Education + Ongoing Classes buffaloandsparrow.com info@buffaloandsparrow.com

Chrissy Barker - Yogi Realtor 2720 Council Tree Ave. STE 178 Fort Collins, CO chrissybarker.com 303.704.0476

Color Up

1448 W. Cedar Ave. Denver, CO colorupco.com 720.420.1734

Community Yoga + Union Yoga School 284 E. 29th St. Loveland, CO lcyoga.com 970.368.9642

Dana Knerl - Holistic Healing Guide

Annual Partners receive advertising discounts and other great benefits.

CONTACT: bobby@coyogalifemag.com to learn more.

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20 Eagle Rd. Avon, CO danaknerl.com 970.390.7999

Drunken Goat

56 Edwards Village Blvd.

STE 103 Edwards, CO drunkengoatco.com 970.926.1393

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

Holistic Yoga School

9144 Glade Rd. Loveland, CO 80538 holisticyogaschool.com 970.412.4114

Hovey & Harrison

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

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+ Cherry Creek 2717 East 3rd Ave. Denver, CO 303.248.3281

+ Boulder 1035 Walnut St. Boulder, CO 720.791.0818

Hygge Life

+ Denver Tech Center 5425 Landmark Place Greenwood Village, CO 303.658.0445

41149 US-6 Avon, CO hyggelife.com 970.331.5745

Inner Peace Yoga Therapy

10 Town Plaza #411 Durango, CO innerpeaceyogatherapy.com 970.946.8961

Jessica Woodword Yoga

Colorado Yoga Instructor + Mala Artisan jwoodwardyoga.com

Kaiut Yoga Boulder

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

Kali Durga Yoga

Blending Buddhist Psychology & Internal Family Systems Therapy with Yin & Restorative Yoga kalidurgayoga.com

Meraki Yoga Studio

2620 S Timberline Rd. Ste 110 Fort Collins, CO merakiyogastudio.com 970.223.2062

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

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

YOGALIFELIVE.COM

+ Wheat Ridge 4288 Youngfield St. Wheat Ridge, CO 303.968.6788

Revolution Power Yoga

revolutionpoweryoga.com + 101 Fawcett Rd. Avon, CO 970.478.3176 + 10 Market St. Glenwood Springs, CO 970.930.6596

Ridgway Yoga Shala

540 Sherman Ave. Ridgway, CO ridgwayyogashala.com 970.218.4799

Studio B Evergreen

27905 Meadow Dr. #4 Evergreen, CO studiobevergreen.com 720.202.8772

The Bridge Yoga Studio BCS 702 University Drive E. Suite 102D College Station, TX thebridgeyogabcs.com 979.485.9190

The Vitality Collective 700 Chambers Ave. Building C Unit 3 Eagle, CO thevitalitycollective.com 970.364.6010

The YogaTonic

132 E 1st St. Salida, CO theyogatonic.com 719.239.0702

Thrive Yoga Crested Butte + Gunnison thriveyogacrestedbutte.com + 326 Elk Ave. Unit A Crested Butte, Colorado 970.349.0302

Thrive Yoga Studios

Yoga Studio Collective Summit County, Colorado thriveyogastudios.com 970.349.0302

Tula Yoga & Wellness

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

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

Urban Sanctuary 2745 Welton St. Denver, CO usdenver.com 303.993.2420

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

Yoga Mountain Shadows

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

Yoga With Heart - Sherrie Giusto Yoga, Pilates, Retreats Sherriegiusto.com 305.496.7619

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

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“WHEN WE CREATE PEACE, AND HARMONY, AND BALANCE IN OUR MINDS, WE WILL FIND IT IN OUR LIVES.”

Louise Hay

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