National Yoga Month! — Emilie Maynor

Hey Hey! It's officially the end of summer. For you, that probably means excitement over fall boots, Pumpkin Spice anything, and football (War Eagle!). For me, it means a month long yoga party! September is National Yoga Month and there are TONS of awesome events, classes and workshops throughout the month.

EML wants to celebrate with you! To kick things off, I've compiled some of my favorite photos and upcoming events to share! I want to encourage you to click around all over this post. I've linked up events, teachers and out of town workshops that are definitely not to be missed!

The Global Mala Project
On Saturday, September 19, Sweet Om Alabama (SOA) invites the yoga community to come together and celebrate. This annual event is held at Vulcan Park & Museum, where hundreds of participants gather to be led through 108 sun salutations by local teachers against the backdrop of the city skyline. It's amazing and energizing to be a part of it. Global Mala is also a SOA fundraiser to help grow community efforts such as, providing yoga to underserved communities, offering specialized training to teachers, and continuing to bring valuable yoga resources to Alabama. Please consider donating to my SOA Friendraiser page, too!

Every Body is a Yoga Body
Join Kim Drye and Millie Jackson on Monday nights at Villager Yoga for a profound discussion of the "yoga body" portrayed in today's media. I am really looking forward to being a part of this body-positive community and hope you will join in. During this 5-week series, Each session will include a short meditation, a guided asana practice, and an exploration of a collection of essays by well known yoga teachers and students from the book Yoga and Body Image. The best part? These lovely ladies are donation a portion of the proceeds to The Yoga and Body Image Coalition! Check it out here.

Yoga for Beginners
What better time to begin your yoga journey, than National Yoga Month? On September 23, I will kick off the next 6 Week Beginners Yoga Series at Villager Yoga. This is a very relaxed environment where you can learn the basics of yoga, gain confidence, ask questions and laugh at my cheesy jokes. Even if you have been practicing for awhile, a beginners class is an awesome way to slow down and refine your practice.

Yoga and Creativity: Give Your Soul Space to BE!
This weekend workshop is technically in October, but the registration deadline is September 30, so I think it's fair game! :) This event is led by Jasper Wolfe and Lee Irwin and I have no doubt it's going to wonderfully, life-changing. Jasper was one of my very first yoga teachers. She inspired and encouraged me through my own yoga beginnings. I've participated in a number of her local trainings and am excited to see her taking things to the next level. Although, I have never met Lee personally, I know of her from the community and am equally confident in what she will bring to a weekend of Creativity and Soul. Learn more about their workshop here.