If you can’t go to Tulum then bring Tulum to you…

November 16th, 2011 was the kind of night that gives Vancouver a bad rap. The rain was pelting against my window and the looming grey clouds showed no sign of letting up. Most of the time I love Vancouver’s precipitation but on this particular night I was feeling a bit low.

I logged into Facebook and checked out the “Photos” tab, hoping for a glimpse of hilarity or inspiration…anything, really. Can you smell the wintry desperation? Lo and behold, some beautiful, vibrant photos appeared of my co-workers Christa and Steph at a yoga retreat in Tulum, Mexico.

To say the two girls looked radiant is a wild understatement. Their smiles beamed, their skin glowed and their photos were a festivus of green juice, Atlantic surf and guacamole. It was visceral, like an instant Vitamin D injection into my body.

After drooling over their photos, I logged out and put my computer aside. Steph’s and Christa’s serene smiles had given me a flash of inspiration! While I couldn’t book a trip to Tulum (I have other trips planned for 2012), I could still create my own sweet tropical retreat at home. I called a good friend and got started.

how to: tulum in your living room

shopping list:
• 1 x mango-scented candle
• fixings for guacamole (avocados, red onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, limes, tomato)
• 1 x bag of tortilla chips
• your favourite yoga video (preferably in a hot locale)
• 1 x hot yoga outfit (or bathing suit if you’re feeling spicy)
• 2 x coconut shells (if you’re feeling REALLY spicy)
• yoga mat(s)

optional:
• sunscreen (note: only if you’re going “Method”)
• reggae music – Eek-A-Mouse or Toots and the Maytals are my favourite
• tequila, triple sec, salt and limes if it’s a Friday night

set the mood
First, crank up the heat; this is important for setting the mood. Next, throw on your favourite hot yoga outfit, head to your living room and light a mango or vanilla-scented candle. It’s hard to feel like you’re in the zone if you have goose bumps or smell your boyfriend’s cooking from the next room over.

unroll your mat and pop in your fave dvd
Clear away all of your furniture – you want to feel like you are in a palapa, not a Pottery Barn commercial. Set your mat in a comfortable space and select your favourite DVD. I like the ones by Baron Baptiste – his eyes are so bright that I feel like he is talking to me through the TV (this sounds creepy but is actually super inspiring. Promise).

asana in your asauna
Begin practising your favourite Power, Bikram, Vinyasa and Moksha moves in the warm climes of your home. Close your eyes and breathe deeply – you’ll be surprised at how quickly you forget where you are and start embracing the moment. Make sure to cherish your Savasana – this time helps us feel gratitude and realize that our lives are great right now. Vacation is a state of mind!

after the party is the after party
One of the best things about tropical yoga retreats is the balance it brings – it is hard work but obviously a lot of fun too. Throw on your favourite reggae album, make yourself a margarita, gobble some guacamole and enjoy yourself. Having a good time is our personal responsibility – why not today instead of tomorrow? Take life by the horns and shake your tail feather (keep in mind you don’t need to listen to Nelly to make this happen).

How do you wear your coconut shells (aka seize the moment)?

create a retreat at home

Yoga retreats and festivals like Wanderlust are great ways to eliminate the day-to-day stresses and restore your life’s natural equilibrium. What do you do when day-to-day stresses don’t let you get away from it all? When we asked on Facebook and Twitter how you re-energize at home, the common themes were eats & drinks, exercise and a little bit of pampering.

eat

Comfort foods, like mac & cheese or chocolate, score highly as easy stress relievers, as do eating out at a favourite restaurant. When it comes to relaxing drinks, the jury is still out as to whether a cup of herbal tea (green, chamomile, jasmine, etc.)  or a glass of wine is the most effective for dispatching distress.

exercise

The majority of us regain control through yoga but there is a definite contingent that exercises to music, whether it’s throwing on our iPods and running or cutting loose with an impromptu dance party. The surprise entry into this category was house-cleaning. While some swore off chores, others swore that cleaning the house from top to bottom left them in a brighter space, both figuratively and literally.

pamper

Bubbles. Bubbles. Bubbles. There’s something about bubble baths that makes us breathe deeply and relax - optional extras include scented candles and Epsom or lavender salts. A good hand cream or taking the time for a mani/pedi is another fantastic way to remind us all how much we value ourselves (and rightly so, we’re pretty awesome).

Obviously, the ideal home retreat would include all three characteristics (although we’re pretty sure that running in the bath while holding a glass of wine is a bad idea). The fundamental essence is to forget the small stuff and to focus on what you’re doing: the taste and texture of wine; the meditative zone of yoga or running (or vacuuming) and the muscle-relaxing heat of a deep bath.

Our bodies are feeling a little battered and bruised lately; trying to make the most of summer and inspired by the exploits of the Tour de France riders to go for long runs and bike rides. Our regular yoga practice goes a long way to strengthen our muscles and ease those aches and pains; Ryan Leech, lululemon Elite Ambassador, certified yoga instructor and mountain biker extraordinaire, is taking it to the next level.

ride and reach

In August, Ryan will be leading a 15-person Ride & Reach retreat in Canmore, Alberta. The retreat will feature:

• Yoga for cyclists workshop at Gaia Studio
• Mountain biking skill progression at the Nordic Centre
• Guided all mountain ride
• Post ride yoga flow at Gaia Studio
• Dinner & social at the Paintbox Lodge

6 important questions

what: Ride & Reach mountain bike and yoga
when: August 6, 2011
where: Gaia Collaborative Medicine, Inc. Canmore, AB, Canada
who: Ryan Leech
how: contact the Gaia Clinic to sign up
why:

• meet amazing people
• be proactive about taking care of your body
• improve your technique on the mountain and in the studio
• to encourage Ryan to run more of these workshops

what's going on locally?

With only 15 spots available, this may seem like a bit of a tease but we thought we'd share the love and hopefully get a little love in return. If you know of other workshops like this one in your area, let us know. If you need help finding yoga (closer to home than Canmore), your local lululemon store can connect you with yoga studios and styles.

What do you get when you mix 10 of the world’s best athletes, one of the world’s best yogis, two of the world’s best designers, two of the world’s best lululemon-leaders, and one of the most beautiful places on earth? Well, you get the lululemon elite retreat 2009 -- and obviously a really great time.

Early July 2009 saw myself and our fearless community leader, Eric, take some of our amazing elite ambassadors on the annual-legendary elite retreat to Tofino, BC. I am undeniably biased about the wonder of Tofino (being from Vancouver Island myself) but seriously, people - Google it and go!

To best describe this surreal experience, here’s a day in the life of an elite retreater. And I should know, as I was the diligent itinerary creator.

6:30 - 7:30am The athletes suit up and head in to the water for an early morning surf session

7:30am We grab a quick bite and head over to the yoga studio

8:00 - 9:30am Eoin Finn leads us through a true Eoin-esque practice. There is laughter, challenge, surf quotes, and an overwhelming confidence in us all that yoga truly does enhance elite athletic pursuits.

9:30am We eat again! The athletes should be - Eric and I are just indulging and pretending to be training for the Olympics like the rest of them.

10:00am - 12:00pm The athletes head out for their individual training sessions. Yes, if you are counting, this is the third time they have worked out already today. The bobsledders head to the gym to squat imaginable amounts of weight as the Nordic combined skier goes off for a wee 2.5 hr run. All in pursuit of Olympic gold. Terribly inspiring.

12:30pm You guessed it- we eat again! The food Olympics.

1:00pm Marks the arrival of our two designers du choix - Shannon and MelEesa, and our vice-president of everything progressively inspiring - Sherry.

2:00 - 5:00pm The athletes immediately bond to the new lululemon family members that have arrived and the surf is up so our athletes drag the designers in to the water for a surf session.

5:30pm The design meeting to top all design meeting commences. Shannon and MelEesa create pandemonium with the new fantastic fall samples and our athletes provide us with what can only be described as mind-boggling feedback from the world’s best athletes (because that’s what they are).

7:30pm The conversation continues as we take down some real west coast sushi action.

8:30pm Bedtime. Having all become fast, furious friends, we share conversation and inspiration around a bonfire on the beach - oh, and of course we eat! S'mores!

I speak for us all when I say that to be on a trip like this one is truly inspirational. (Have I used that word already? ) I feel my position here is one of connector of inspirational people and I am honoured to be in this role. These athletes are members of our family and they absolutely love being supported by us with our culture and our movement of elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness. We feel they are true representatives of what it means to strive for greatness in your life and as they strive for Olympic gold next year, we will be there to support them as true family members do.