Very few believe me when I say that I wake up at 5 am each morning to practice yoga. But it’s true. When the alarm sounds, I slowly wake for a couple minutes, drink a glass of water, and then hop onto my mat. I do this with intention, for very specific reasons. Sure, I enjoy going to yoga studios, and still do. Yet my at-home practice is my saving grace. It sets me up for success in the long run for everything that I seek to accomplish. Here’s why: IT CULTIVATES DISCIPLINE AND POSITIVE HABITS Discipline is an art form in and of itself. As with anything worthwhile, it’s difficult at the start.... Read More

  I firmly believe that nature is medicine. There is nothing more rejuvenating than unplugging from the world for a few hours, sifting through trees and allowing silence to be your personal tour guide. What is now commonly referred to as forest bathing, the act of immersing yourself in nature while simultaneously being present to your surroundings, can be a moving meditation in and of itself, much like yoga. In fact, both practices strongly correlate with one another. Practicing yoga or meditating out in dense wilderness reaps positive therapeutic benefits. Imagine hiking through the mountains... Read More

  The weather is cooler, and the days are getting shorter which means that melatonin will kick in earlier. However, if you’re a busy, multitasking individual with an overactive mind (likely most of us), getting adequate sleep at a decent hour can seem like a difficult, near-impossible endeavor. This is where restorative yoga comes into play. There are many different types of yoga, and it’s about time this particular style gets its due. You don’t have to constantly be sweating in a heated room to reap the same benefits that a more static practice has to offer—calmness, reduced stress,... Read More

September is known as National Yoga Month. All throughout the Boulder-Denver areas, there will be several yoga-related activities taking place within the next few weeks. If you’re looking to add extra flare to your already-existing practice or didn’t get the opportunity to participate in any yoga-music festivals this summer, not to worry! There’s still time to partake in some truly exceptional yoga gatherings scattered across the Front Range. Enhance and celebrate your practice with friends, family, and fellow yogis at one of these upcoming events. VINYASA AND VINO Date: September 6th Location:... Read More

  It’s almost that time of year. Tiny hints of autumn are already in the air. With cooler weather on its way, so is the (hopeful) promise of a strong snow season. I say this with great enthusiasm;  I’m a snowboarder. Winter sports are my favorite, and nothing complements my yoga practice more than strapping into bindings and cutting through moguls like butter. A moving meditation in and of itself, snowboarding is a great activity for building patience and resilience. It goes hand-in-hand with yoga in terms of physical endurance. If you’ve already established a strong yoga practice,... Read More

Community and healing: those are the words that come to mind when partaking in your first yoga-music festival. For anybody that’s been to ARISE before, they’ll likely know what I’m talking about. Nestled between the rolling green foothills of Loveland, Colorado is Sunrise Ranch—an ideal location for an event such as this. Whether you come predominately for the yoga or the music alone, you’ll get a wide variety in both realms. From folk, funk, and electronic to vinyasa flow and AcroYoga, there’s a plethora of activities to choose from over the course of three days. What’s unique about... Read More

I was already up the mountain when it hit. Out of nowhere, it came rushing in—dark, gray, ominous clouds. At first, I was hopeful that it would all blow over quickly so that I might enjoy my rendezvous longer. It was noon, and based on my earlier report, the storm wouldn’t approach until 3 pm. But alas, what was now boiling up in the sky was here to stay, and at the first flash of white, I knew I had to get down the mountain to safety. No sense in remaining at what was close to being the highest point. No point in being stagnant. It was either stay or leave, so I retrieved my pack and descended... Read More

Brain fog: it’s a thing. Especially during a busy workweek, where too many to-do items have a tendency to sneak up on you. Maybe you’ve been staring at the computer screen for far too long and are starting to get that glazed-over feeling of your mind going numb. We all go through it, especially me, and during the times when my morning cup of coffee simply isn’t cutting it, more often than not I rely on something else. Something much stronger in potency, yet healthier, to dust out the mental clutter and enhance my concentration on tasks ahead. That something is lion’s mane mushroom. It wouldn’t... Read More

Do you continuously wake up at 5AM and feel thoroughly rested—officially ready to start your day? If you do, it’s likely that you’ve established strong sleep-wake routines that keep your circadian rhythm(s) in check. For those that answered a firm no, it might be time to reconsider switching up or completely replacing some of your daily rituals. Why? How much sleep we get and when we get it correlates directly with our metabolic health and overall liveliness in the long run. If you want to feel and perform at your best (But really, who would say no to that?), read on for some circadian rhythm... Read More

Wellness methods have, over the past few years, evolved into a booming industry. Several renowned websites and online magazines—such as wellandgood.com, Mantra Wellness Magazine, or mindbodygreen.com, to name a few—take pride in offering news and advice on the latest trends. Thanks to technology and the internet, it seems the do-it-yourself approach to wellness is here to stay. You can find information on practically anything, all within reach of your fingertips and computer screen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for personal self-care (yep, I’m a millennial), but how do I know what I read... Read More