I have been very lucky this year. (And a little unlucky, but why dwell on that right?).
So far this year I have been able to attend 3 different yoga festivals across the state.
Wanderlust in Dallas
Whole Lotta Yoga in Houston
and the Find What Feels Good Roadshow in Austin
Us Texans are so fortunate to live in such a big, beautiful, diverse state and that same energy applies to our yoga communities as well. I am especially grateful for these opportunities because, as you may remember, I recently made it a goal to spend a little more time focusing on being a student again.
Each festival was amazing and fulfilling in their own ways and I just wanted to chat a little bit about them here.
Last but not least, we have…..
Just one week after Whole Lotta Yoga, I attended the Find What Feels Good Yoga Roadshow in Austin, lead by Yoga with Adriene (My very favorite YouTube yogi).
I can’t even begin to tell you what this practice meant to me.
This was my first festival/ workshop to attend solo. And by that I mean I knew NO ONE. I was brand knew to the space, the vendors, the instructor, the students, EVERYTHING. And it was so good.
It gave me a great excuse to head to Austin for the weekend. I have always loved Austin (and I’m a little embarrassed to admit that it had been at least 5 years since I was there).
I had made plans to stay with an old co-worker/ fellow Stephens Alum (and by that I mean, I made a desperate plea on Facebook for a couch to sleep on and she very kindly and promptly offered me her space.) And it worked out even better than I could have expected.
I drove up Friday evening and we had an amazing night catching up and exploring her neighborhood. Saturday I went to coffee and breakfast solo and then took a class at Black Swan Yoga. After that we went hiking at the Green Belt and then went to dinner and out to Karaoke (I do not sing, but I love drinking and judging people.)
But Sunday was all about yoga. This event was the final workshop in Adriene’s US Tour. She is from Austin and this was her welcome home celebration. And boy, did SO MANY yogi’s come out to welcome her home.
The workshop was at Fair Market in downtown Austin. The space is beautiful and open with a really nice lawn. We practiced inside and it seemed like the whole building just breathed positivity. I loved the high ceilings and exposed beams. There were twinkle lights and lanterns and beautiful old fans. It is certainly the kind of space you could loose time in.
The line to get in was around the block when I got there (11:30 for a noon start time) but the crew was so well organized and friendly that you hardly even noticed. Once I got checked in, an “usher” led me to where I would set up my mat and got me settled. I thought this was so smart and a great way to maximize the space in the room. We were snuggled in close, but everyone still had plenty of room for the practice.
While we were being seated, the vendors from Young Living Essential Oils were passing out cotton pads soaked in grounding essential oils to aid our practice. They also had a beautiful booth set up where you could make your own bath salts. I made mine with a de-stress and muscle relief mix and used it that night when I got home. (And after 8 hours round trip in the car and a weekend of hiking and yoga, let me tell you, I needed it.)
There were also booths set up from Thunderbird Bar, Dr. Vim’s Tea, and Goodwipes and every one of them was kind and happy to be there.
Our practiced started with a beautiful meditation on self love and community and how we use each to aid the other. Her beautiful words were exactly what I needed to hear.
After that we moved into 90 minutes of a feel good flow complete with jumping jacks and high kicks. I really loved her sequencing and re-iteration that we are all teachers and we are all students. Each and every one of us would lead and follow throughout the class and we were all there to support and nurture and receive and share.
She played Tom Petty and I cried through my sun salutations and final savasana. It was such a beautiful release.
After our practice we enjoyed delicious and nurishing lunch with Holy Basil Tea by Dr. Vims, fresh juice by Juiceland and tacos from Tacodeli (all included in the ticket price). I could have eaten all the tacos. They were So Good.
Then the day was finished with live music by the Austin Band ATASH, an incredible world music band that “combines master musicians from around the globe to create a powerful, worldly original sound that inspires people of all ages and from all walks of life to dance and commune in a celebration of life!” – Their website does not lie, they created a very unique and beautiful sound that was the perfect way to round out the day.
After lunch and hug from Adriene, I had to hit the road to head home. The drive was easy and beautiful. I listened to pod-casts and didn’t spend all my money at Buc-ee’s so I am considering it a solid win.
The whole weekend was pure love and that’s exactly the emotion I took away from the event. Adriene and her team created such a safe and welcoming space and her cue-ing was playful and heartfelt. I left feeling nurtured and cared for and reminded of the global love we all share.
She is such an inspiration and I feel so lucky that I was able to share my practice with her.
So thank you Texas for all that you’ve offered me this year. I’m so lucky to call this great state home and to get to bend and breath my way around your 268,597 square miles!
I’d love to know more about any yoga festivals or events going on in TX in 2018, so if you know of any, please share the love!
Melody Butler Yoga 