Can everyone feel the holiday spirit? Yes, I’ll agree with all of you that sometimes it becomes difficult when stores have been rolling out Santa-covered goodies since early November, and before you know it, one more Christmas carol has you on the brink of a murderous rage. So if you feel like shopping for your favourite yogi from the comfort of your living room, then feel free! I introduce you to Half Moon Yoga Products.

I’ll admit that I don’t own any of their clothing (although writing this post has led me to lusting after the ‘Beyond Basic Sweatshirt’…I’ll have to add it to my Christmas list), but I have long been a fan of their yoga props, including mats, carrying cases, bolsters and cushions. What I love about the company is that they create a variety of colours and fabrics, with an endless supply of various shapes and sizes, because let’s face it, we’re all shaped just a little bit differently.

Half Moon carries a large number of bolsters, which are great for those of us with injuries and illnesses, who need to adapt certain moves until they fit us. The bolster will serve as a mode by which to make those adjustments easier, and Half Moon takes that even further by making a great variety of shapes and sizes. Many of the bolsters also double as mediation cushions, although they also have a large variety of meditation cushions and benches.

I’ve started to use one of the thinner cushions when certain poses require me to kneel on my right knee, which is impossible with the meager cushioning of my yoga mat. All these small additions to my practice make me a little more confident in being able to do poses that were once too difficult, if not impossible, for me to complete.

They also sell a yoga sling, something that I used for the first time in my last yoga class. They sling is attached to something in the wall and allows you to delve more deeply into stretches, all while having your back, and various other parts, supported by the sling. And there’s nothing better than products that protect us from injury.

So when the holiday spirit starts getting on your nerves, kick back in the living room with a glass of wine, crack open the computer and order from Half Moon. At the very least, find something for yourself! You’ve earned it!

Kelly

Related posts:

1. 10 Tips for Half Moon Pose
2. Yoga Postures and Acceptance – What I Learned Falling out of Half Moon
3. Communicate with your Spirit: Develop your 5th Chakra

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect yoga clothing that makes me feel both capable and yet comfortable. Obviously, clothing with stretch is the key, since we want to be able to move into each pose without the restriction of inflexible cotton. Doing yoga nude is always an option, but if your neighbours are as close as Matthew McConaughey’s, and you happen to have windows, then this isn’t always the most advisable thing on the planet. And so clothing with stretch and Lycra is often the best solution. They wick sweat, they move with the body, and they look great!

I really love to support Canadian companies that make great products, and Lululemon Athletica seems to have become the standard for women all across the country, Vancouver especially, since it originated there. And I’m no different. I have what I’m sure is an entire year’s salary worth of Lululemon clothing in my closet and I’m a huge fan of it. But I’m always looking for other products out there that help fill that need for the perfect stretch. That’s how I came across Ice Cream, a fitness/yoga clothing line from Montreal.

This is an incredibly innovative company, where all the products are manufactured in Canada. When I checked out prices, I wasn’t surprised to find that the prices were similar to Lululemon clothing. However, the Ice Cream products come in a range of amazing colours and fabrics, and can be customized to fit you, FOR FREE! That’s right. I said free. If you have an extra long torso and need a couple extra inches there, consider it done. Long legs? Then you get longer pants without any added cost. They also have an awesome 100% return policy. All across Canada, shipping is just $8. Already, my interest was piqued. If you aren’t happy with your order, they even pay return shipping fees.

I was immediately drawn to the Tunic selection, which gracefully covers hips and trouble areas that I prefer not to show off when bent into downward dog. And for each product selection, you choose the item, then the fabric and then the fit! Perfect. Love it. Each item is custom made to your exact measurements. It was all simple and easy to order with a 100% guarantee that if unsatisfied, I can mail it back, although I can’t see that happening. All this was done from the comfort of my living room.

All this to say, Ice Cream is an amazing company with amazing products and best of all, they’re fabulously Canadian! Their selection of cool fabrics will have you standing out from the crowd.

Kelly

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You will have to forgive me, as I get a little giddy this time of year.  Perhaps it is the knowledge that the one day of the year where we all try to be a little nicer to our fellow man fast approaches – or maybe the smiling faces of children when they see the Christmas decorations in the storefronts and malls.  It isn’t the gifts, or money spent – but the love and thoughtfulness that goes into each one.

I will confess I was a little nervous as the festive season drew closer – for I will be alone on Christmas for the first time in many years.  I am grateful that it hasn’t done anything to affect my possibly just a little over-joyous mood – if anything, I’m even happier.  Part of my happiness is directly linked to my retail job position – I have met so many joyful shoppers and cute little babies – how could anyone not be happy?

Yes, we all need to be mindful of those in need, all year long – but especially now.  My own gift to myself is to anonymously (where possible) buy gifts and food for as many as I can afford this year.  It feels wonderful! Please try it yourself – find someone in need, and surprise them with a Christmas they would not otherwise have.  It will be the greatest gift you will ever receive.

Time for a little Christmas cheer!  We’ve just passed the one month mark – less than thirty days before Christmas!  In celebration of a Yoga Christmas this year, I’ve made a few ‘modifications’ to a very famous little Christmas poem written by Henry Livingston…or was it Moore?  The jury is still out – but I would like to think Henry Livingston wrote it in 1808…

A Visit from St. Nicholas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a yoga mat was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of stretch pants danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of asana guides to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature yogi, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old book, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen!
To the prop of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As bamboo towels that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with a water bottle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in yoga socks, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of candles he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a pedicure just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a cookbook he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know meditation cd’s had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the incense he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

I hope these suggestions gave you some great ideas for friends and family – or even yourself! Yes, a pedicure may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I see a lot of my feet when I am doing my practice! Here are my suggestions in the order in which they appear in the wonderful poem I hacked to pieces above (I’m sorry…really) – linked for your convenience:

Yoga Mat	Yoga Pants	Asana Guides
Buddha Statue	Raja Yoga Or Conquering The Internal Nature	Yoga Blocks
Bamboo Towels	Water Bottles	Yoga ToeSox
Pedicure/Footbath	Cookbook	Guided Meditation
	Zen Scents Incense

Happy holidays!

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Practising yoga brings harmony between your body and mind. Preparation of your body before starting a class should maximize your opportunity for positive results. In order to do this, you want to have clothing that feels comfortable and allows you move without thinking about what you are wearing.

Form-fitting clothes are best for yoga. While you may feel comfortable wearing an over-sized T-shirt at home, this will expose far more of you than you might want when you are head-down or leaning over your knees. Yoga clothing should be soft and flexible. It needs to move with you. Good yoga clothing should stay where it is supposed to without needing to be adjusted whether you are stretching, bending or twisting. Learning to complete the poses well requires a functionality of movement in your body as well as your clothes. Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to experience the full freedom of movement. For better, more accurate postures, your yoga gear should let you see a clear vision of your feet and provide you with the visual opportunity to adjust the alignment of your body. Yoga is practised barefoot, so you don’t have to worry about shoes.

Look for clothing merchants that supply clothes for yoga made from organically-grown fiber and use sustainable energy sources.

Factors to consider when you dress for yoga:

• Flexibility is important. You want to be able to move freely. Yoga clothes should feel like a second skin
• For dynamic styles of yoga, choose close-fitting attire that will not ride up (or fall down!) during various poses. The Gentle yoga may allow for a loose fit of clothes if you prefer this.
• Make sure you feel at ease in what you are wearing. You do not need to be tugging self-consciously mid-practice!
• Layer. Wear a longer sleeve t-shirt or hoodie that can be removed once your muscles are warm and then replaced during the relaxation and meditation at the end of a practice when your muscles cool down.
• For women, a sports bra or tank with built in bra can provide needed support.
• The material should feel good against your skin.
• Fun. Feel good in what you wear; love what you are doing!
• Confidence. Like in anything in life, if you feel confident, you are more likely to continue and you will express that confidence in your practice

• Pants: Yoga pants come in different lengths from ankle to Capri. Avoid bulky ties at the waist which may be uncomfortable when you are in a prone position. One of our favourite styles is the roll down waist that can be worn stylishly low or slightly higher for comfort and support.

• Shorts: A good choice for bikram or hot styles of yoga.
• Tops: Should allow you to move but be snug enough that they are not falling over your face in inverted poses! Tank tops and fitted tees are good choices.
• Shoes/Feet: Yoga is usually practiced barefoot to ensure that you are sturdy in your stance and to allow you to connect to your foundation. However, there are flexible-soled shoes made specifically for yoga if you need them. Also toe sox, separate toes to provide movement without slipping. Yoga sandals are not designed for use during the practice but have the added benefit of separating the toes to help with daily balance and flexibility.

Amazon carries yoga clothing, one popular brand worth having a look at is Beyond Yoga.

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