Ichih teaching on the Hill! photo credit: bill juillette

meet ichih

Current hometown: Ottawa, Ontario
Website: http://livelifeyoga.com
Type of yoga she’s teaching at Wanderlust Whistler: Baptiste-inspired, Hatha and Yin
Life loves: Yoga and travel. Yoga is a way of life for me. I have the best job in the world, I get to travel and do and teach yoga.
Why she started teaching: A yoga teacher approached me in 2003 after class and asked if I was interested in teaching yoga. My first reply was “no way”, but little did I know – that teacher planted the seed. The short answer is: “Because I love yoga and I love teaching it!”.
Her teachers: My parents. They taught me to stand strong in my life. Baron Baptiste, who taught me what authenticity was. Stacy Dockins, Deborah Williamson and Philip Urso from Live Love Teach. They taught me to 'teach from love, not from fear'. my friends, students and yoga community are my greatest teachers. I learn something new everyday and they teach me the wisdom to let go of something everyday.
Favourite post-flight yoga pose: Child’s pose, the magical calming pose that releases, restores and supports exactly where you are. Combined with pranayama you will bring more oxygen to the blood and brain and calm the nervous system.

how parliament hill yoga began

One summer day six years ago in Canada's capital city of Ottawa, six people met for a yoga class on the lawn outside Canada’s parliament buildings. As the yogis twisted and turned through sun salutations and opened their hearts toward the Very Serious Government Buildings, it was clear to everyone present that this was the start of something very special.

Fast forward to the summer of 2012: weekly Wednesday yoga at Parliament Hill with Ottawa's best instuctors has become a summer ritual and now has several hundred people attend every week -- in June, attendance hit 600 one Wednesday, and the next week 917 showed up to bend and stretch together.

What’s it like to teach hundreds of people at an outdoor yoga class? Ambassador Ichih (pronounced “EYE-chee”) Wang says: “It’s magical. Emotional. Unreal. There’s something about being in nature, on the grass, with a huge community creating peace.”

what you need to know

Where: Parliament Hill
When: Every Wednesday at 12pm to 1pm.
What to bring: Your yoga mat, a water bottle and clothes that you can bend in.

Teaching assistants will be there to help faciliate the class, and the instructor uses a sound system so that you can hear the cue to savasana no matter where you are on the lawn. Class goes rain or shine but will be canceled if the weather's calling for thunder and lightning -- that's just not safe!

august 15: the biggest class yet

Ichih will be teaching Yoga at Parliament Hill on August 15th, and we've set a goal to have 5,000 people do yoga together on this day. Mark it in your calendar, and see you on the hill!

Not in the Ottawa area and want to practice with Ichih? She’ll be teaching four classes at Wanderlust Whistler this August: a Vinyasa Flow to get the weekend started, a Power Vinyasa Flow that’ll cleanse and renew you, Yin/Yang on Saturday to restore balance, and a calming Yin class to end your Wanderlust adventure on a sweet note on Sunday. Ichih’s also currently working on her first yoga dvd so that she can share her love of yoga with the world. Stay tuned!

Ottawa has a lot to brag about: it’s our nation's capital, the birthplace of the iconic BeaverTails pastry and home of the 2012 lululemon warehouse sale for Canada. Here are all the details so you can keep calm and luon!

lululemon warehouse sale 2012

dates
January 20-22, 2012

hours of operation
Friday (Jan 20) 9am – 9pm
Saturday (Jan 21) 9am - 9pm
Sunday (Jan 22) 9am – 9pm

location
CE Centre
4899 Uplands Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1V 2N6

For more details, check out our facebook page or follow us on twitter for in the moment updates!

what to expect

what’s in the boxes?
The CE Centre has been outfitted with an abundance of luon. There’s stuff for men, women and the girls in your life who live to dance and twirl.

good things come to those who wait
Yes, there will be lines but this ain’t our first Ottawa winter. We’ve done our best to ensure that Mother Nature won’t come between you and your luon. Line-ups will be housed inside the venue with endless distractions like music, demos and competitions.

check, please!
Before hopping in the line, you’ll meet our bag-check team. It is mandatory to check all coats and bags – think, two hands to shop with. All your essentials will go into an individual clear plastic bag. An outfit with a pocket (or two) will be your best warehouse sale companion. Just enough room for your crucial belongs (e.g. cell phone, cash or cards, I.D.) and totally hands free.

the essentials
Did you get that? Cash, debit or credit cards, and I.D.
*giftcards will not be accepted at the warehouse sale

navigating the sea of luon
All products will be organized by size with sections for men, women and ivivva. There will be layouts and maps around so no one gets lost as well as plenty of educators to answer any questions that may come up.

try it on for size
There will be separate communal change rooms for both men and women. Wear easy slip-off clothes if you’re planning to try things on for size.

Pause and reflect, go and collect. Our team is hard at work to make this event a fun one. Ever been to a warehouse sale? Share your tried and true tips and tricks, below!

Winter is upon us, and the number one reason that runners or potential runners stay indoors is the COLD! There is nothing more invigorating than running on a cool, crisp winter day, with your running buddies and the feeling of accomplishment once you've done it!

how to dress for winter running

1. Dress as if it is 5-10 degree warmer than it actually is outside, as your body will warm up in 5-10 minutes after you start running.
2. Think layers, but avoid overdressing - start with a base layer and finish with a wind-resistant layer. With layers, it is also easy to take something off if you get too warm.
3. Use wind-resistant, technical fabrics - fabrics should be moisture wicking. Avoid cotton, as it soaks up moisture and sweat and promotes chafing. Socks should also be made of technical, moisture wicking material.
4. Cover all extremities - wear a hat, gloves/mittens, and a neck warmer or balaclava. Again, use products that are made of technical, moisture wicking fabrics. 40-50% of your body heat is lost through your head, so a hat is a must.
5. Use grips or tracks on your shoes to prevent slipping on ice.
6. Dress in bright colours, and use reflective gear or lights if you are running in the dark. Safety comes first - make sure that you can be seen!

We would love to hear some of your winter running tips below!

(Sidenote: Stay tuned next week for the Finale episode of Char In My Suitcase. You don't wanna miss!)

Char In My Suitcase Ep.07 from lululemon athletica on Vimeo.