KARMA KIDS YOGA

KARMA KIDS YOGA

KARMA KIDS YOGA

KAMRA KIDS LOGO - SOCIAL
The Karma Kids Yoga philosophy of teaching yoga to children provides kids with a variety of yoga tools that they can take away from yoga class and use throughout their lives. Animals, nature and other objects come alive in our classes; as we move, we learn to stretch our bodies in new creative ways. Through basic and challenging yoga poses, partner poses, group poses, yoga games, mindfulness activities, music and stories, we promote strength, flexibility, coordination, and body awareness. Breathing and visualization techniques teach focus, relaxation and self-control. The Karma Kids Yoga program also promotes inner-strength, confidence and self-esteem; a feeling of well-being and respect for others; and, love for one’s self, inside and out.

CONTACT US:

CLICK HERE

ABOUT: Shari Vilchez Blatt

Founder & Creator of Karma Kids Yoga

Shari was a VP, Advertising Director before completely changing her path to combine two things that are close to her heart – yoga and children. She created Karma Kids Yoga in 2002, encouraging playful and imaginative movement through yoga as the core philosophy. Kids really respond to Shari, as she communicates with them in a fun and trusting way that will comfort even the most shy child. She knows how to connect and talk to kids on their level, allowing them to sense her friendliness and understanding. Shari can turn any task into something fun and is simply an enthusiastic child in an adult body.

Yoga Plus magazine Teacher bio photo - Shari Vilchez-Blatt

LOVE PROFILE: Shari Vilchez-Blatt

Founder Karma Kids Yoga

PROFILES

LOVE PROFILE- Shari Vilchez-Blatt - Preschool Group Tree

As we prepare for our June 2023 release of our print issue themed LOVE, we reached out to our amazing community to share with us a few thoughts on love. Our first feature celebrates Shari who was a VP, Advertising Director before completely changing her path to combine two things that are close to her heart – yoga and children. She created Karma Kids Yoga in 2002, encouraging playful and imaginative movement through yoga as the core philosophy. Shari has trained over three thousand people around the world to teach yoga to children through the renowned Karma Kids Yoga Teacher Training Program and her latest endeavor is her Girl Empowerment Series. Shari is currently working on projects with Sesame Workshop…stay tuned.

Share with us what you love about what you do:
I’m a children’s yoga teacher. I love what I do. It’s playful, unpredictable, humorous and always an adventure. I love when children surprise themselves with their own abilities. I love observing them use the yoga and mindfulness tools that I share and feel the benefits. But what I love most is when a child is about to give up and I can encourage them to believe in themselves, remind them that they were made to do hard things, they tap into their courage and strength and nail the pose! Their expressions and excitement beam with pride. This makes my heart explode every time.

Share with us what you have learned about LOVE:
Love is easy to spread around! I’ve learned that the more I spread it within the community, the more it flourishes and grows. When spreading love, I feel love back. When spreading love with children and teens, they’re more likely to open up, trust, share, connect and hopefully continue to spread love. Love feels so much better in the body and mind than any other emotion I can think of.

What inspired you to support Yoga Love Magazine?
This magazine is unlike any other yoga enthused publication I have ever seen. I love that real teachers, not yoga celebrities, are featured.I love that it feels approachable and connective versus like a fashion magazine. It feels like a community that you’re welcome to join versus “look at us.” I love the tireless spirit of a female Latina leader and all female staff that makes this magazine happen and I feel big love when I support this.

YOGA MOXI

YOGA MOXI

YOGA MOXI

Yoga Purse

An App for Yoga Teachers

Yoga Moxi is a yoga app designed (mostly) for newer yoga teachers who have recently completed their first Teacher Training and are ready to teach.

After a teacher completes their first 200 hours of training, (RYT 200 = Registered Yoga Teacher 200 hours), they may be nervous, or not have total confidence in how to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills. Yoga Moxi provides tips, reminders, guidance, and instruction to help build confidence as they start their teaching journey.

The app contains content ranging from “Themes for Class” to advice (as consideration) on “Yoga Business”. All categories of content are arranged in a similar order to how a class may be “crafted” from start to finish. Within each category will be short snippets of reminders, or tips yoga teachers can refer to quickly – all at their finger-tips.y, inspiring, and safe space for all cancer survivors to thrive and connect.

SHAY’S WARRIORS

SHAY’S WARRIORS

SHAY’S WARRIORS

Yoga Purse
Simply put, Shay’s Warriors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was formed in the Coachella Valley to help the cancer survivorship community.

But like any other non-profit, there’s a story. Shay was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2016. She fought for her life until the day she was told that her cancer was gone. Too-da-loo, cancer!

But those lucky enough to experience those words know that cancer never truly leaves you. Physically, yes. Emotionally, never. Your body acts differently now. There’s often guilt, fear, loneliness and an overwhelming sense of what in the actual hell did I just go through? Is it fair to have confusion with a clean bill of health? Of course, it is.

This will come as a shocker to no one: women struggle to ask for help. Shay’s a woman, she gets that. And after her own (very quiet, of course) struggling search for local resources, Shay had a passion to do more. So with that, Shay’s Warriors was brought to life in hopes of providing a healthy, inspiring, and safe space for all cancer survivors to thrive and connect.

CONTACT US:

CLICK HERE

WANT TO HELP US OR DO MORE FOR OUR CANCER SURVIVORSHIP COMMUNITY?

Make 100% Impact to Cancer Survivorship Programs

Nominate a Survivor for The I AM HOPE Survivors Reset Retreat

Shay’s Warriors is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization #83-3466948

Yoga Purse

LIVING LIFE IN BOLD BRIGHT COLORS

Interview by Iana Velez

Shay Moraga is the founder of Shay’s Warriors, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was formed in the Coachella Valley to help women who have gone through breast and other reproductive cancers. Shay was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2016, and after her own struggles searching for local resources, she had a passion to do more. So with that, Shay’s Warriors was brought to life in hopes of providing a healthy, inspiring and safe space for survivors to thrive in life after cancer. Shay’s Warriors helps build community, connection and authentic conversation around what life is like after cancer so that fellow warriors live “hope in color.” 

How has your yoga practice and teaching changed through your cancer diagnosis, treatment and healing? 

I originally taught kids yoga because my daughter, Jalen, has done yoga since she was inside my belly. As she got older, and I got stronger with my practice, I became a power yoga teacher, then a yoga sculpt teacher. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I remember the very first thing that happened to me in the doctor’s office as soon as she told me was I clenched my fists, and held my breath. I wasn’t able to find the natural rhythm of my breath, I don’t even know how I was breathing, to be honest. I was just gasping, and what yogi doesn’t know how to breathe?

One of my friends who owned a yoga studio called me and said, “Shay, come and get on your mat.” I said I couldn’t because I was too scared. “Just come and be in Savasana,” she offered, that was probably the thing that I was most scared of. The moment I was still, was the moment I would have to think that I had breast cancer and I didn’t know yet if I would lose my breast, or if I was going to die.

She walked me through a class with a ton of modifications. I couldn’t do a Chaturanga, because they had just put my port in my chest for chemo, but I could do a high plank. I could no longer go down on my breasts after my surgery, but I could do a tabletop. It was really learning how to be able to navigate the poses, to let go, to give my body grace to be able to heal.

Learning how to redo yoga all over again was a big deal for me. Your balance changes after you have surgery, especially breast cancer. Luckily, yoga allowed me to get full mobility back fast. I now teach yoga for cancer at a cancer center, in Rancho Mirage, CA. I went from power yogi, to teaching what I call “move to heal.” It is the practice of movement and healing at the same time, mind-body connection work. It’s also about challenging yourself, and pushing yourself past fear to live.

Tell us what inspired you to create your website, shayswarriors.org. I was particularly struck by the great illustrations and design. 

After I was done with chemo, I was just kind of like, “This sucks.” There’s no support locally after you are done with active treatment. I didn’t know who to talk to because everyone went back to their normal lives except for me. I went through all of this stuff, and I couldn’t teach yoga. I had major fatigue, no hair, I was so bloated from all the chemo and radiation. I was looking to connect with others like me, so as I continued to write a blog about my life after cancer struggles, I realized a need to do more. I wanted to create a community and connect with those who also were going through these same emotions and after cancer feelings.

I went online, but I just couldn’t find anything that spoke to me. All the websites were so doctor-like and sterile. I’d go to these websites, and it felt like I was sitting in the freaking hospital again. I have a creative imagination and background, so I called my talented girlfriend Lindsey, and asked her to help create a website that stood out and was full of color. Happy big bold and beautiful colors. Because I see things differently now, I live life with new meaning. The flowers are brighter. The birds chirp louder. The music hits my soul more. Cancer was a stop sign that  shouted stop and start living! Let shit go, you only live once.

When I was little, my dad would always say, “After a storm, look up in the sky there’s a rainbow. That’s the sign of hope.” That became this palette of colors that we resonated with, which is also somewhat like my personality.

The theme of this issue is inspiration. How did you stay inspired during this time? What was the light that kept you going through? 

The light that always kept me going was my faith and my daughter.No matter what, at the end of the day, I was going to live for her. She was my will to live.

The second will to live was the connections to the people I met when I went every Thursday to the chemo room. I would see the same people every visit, and it’s important you get to know those people. The one thing that was the common denominator among us was that we were there so that we could live. None of us wanted to die.

What was the thing that surprised you the most about going through this process? 

People are so much more resilient than they give themselves credit for, and your mind is such a powerful tool in healing. Focus on the present moment and do stuff that fills you up — it makes it that much easier to get through things. Get rid of drama. Give yourself permission that while you are going through the hardest thing in your life, to be selfish. When you are sick, let people show up for you so you can take the back seat for once. Allow yourself the time to heal.

You think that some of  the people you have known all your life will show up for you and be there by your side, but that doesn’t always happen. Then there’s people that come out of the woodwork, they are perfect strangers that will bend over backwards to help you with whatever you need. When people find out you have cancer they go through their own journey, because they are also faced with their own mortality. Easier said than done, but try not to hold it against them. If it hurts you, try hard to let it go for you, not for them.

The power in community is incredible when people ask for it, and you have to be willing to be vulnerable to ask for it. That’s where the resiliency comes in. It takes a lot of courage to ask, and when you do ask, it’s like your heart is ripped open and the love just starts pouring in those bold, bright beautiful colors.

Learn more: www.shayswarriors.org

Yoga Purse
TILLAGE CLOTHING COMPANY

TILLAGE CLOTHING COMPANY

TILLAGE CLOTHING COMPANY

Yoga Purse

Founded in 2015, this company’s mission is to connect the socially conscious consumer to clothing that delivers incredible comfort and impeccable style while using the highest quality fabrics. We encourage and empower both ethical and philanthropic shopping. All of our apparel is made in small batches in the U.S.A. A portion of the company’s profit is eagerly given to global organizations that fight on the front lines to end human trafficking.

EMAIL:

abby@tillageclothing.com

Please check out our international freedom fighters link to see exactly who you are supporting through each purchase:

MEET THE DESIGNER AND CREATOR OF TILLAGE:

Yoga Purse

Abby Farr

A high energy, free-spirited woman, Abby has felt compelled toward a life mission of “setting captives free,” for nearly two decades. She’s been able to work towards that end entrenched in volunteer work with marginalized humans, from homelessness to trafficking victims. Finally, in 2015, she launched a crowd-funding campaign to fulfill her dream to start her own company that would focus on this same mission and empower her to give back on a much grander scale. She hopes to use her Tillage platform to educate and empower her team to shop consciously and give back generously to the same end.

YOGA PURSE

YOGA PURSE

YOGA PURSE

Yoga Purse

This Yoga Purse is designed to carry your essentials and a yoga mat in one bag.

The inside tote bag is made from organic cotton. Featuring an inner pocket. This shallow tote is a perfect place to carry a water bottle, purse, keys and phone. Due to the nature of the fabric, each purse is very unique and may not match the image exactly. Please contact Yoga Purse directly if you have questions. Yoga Mat is not included.

Yoga Purse is  a Woman Owned Business proudly made in Las Vegas, NV. Check the website for a full line of colors and designs.

EMAIL:

myyogapurse@gmail.com

ABOUT:

Yoga Purse
Yoga Purse
Yoga Purse
ilaStrate Yoga

ilaStrate Yoga

ilaStrate Yoga

ilaStrate Yoga - logo
Creating functional works of art that inspire yoga practice and lifestyle while upholding eco-conscious commitments.

EMAIL:

info@ilastrate.yoga

MISSION STATEMENT:

Inspire movement to self-realization through creative expression.

ABOUT:

ILASTRATE: il.a.strate | \ˈil-ə-strāt
Fluid transformation grounded by creative expression and inspiration.

ilaStrate uses sustainable materials whenever possible to decrease our carbon footprint, keeping yoga mats in circulation and out of landfills to further decrease our global environmental impact.

+Cork + Natural Rubber are sustainable, biodegradable & non-toxic.

+Durable Materials: to keep yoga mats out of landfills

+Recycled Paper Packaging, Cards + Tags

+ilaStrate Recycles, upcycles and/or composts All Paper, Packaging and Shipping Materials

+Repurpose Used Yoga Mats as Needed

+Plants 1 Tree for every product sold (currently donating to their project in Portugal: https://onetreeplanted.org/collections/europe/products/portugal)

We also donate 5% of proceeds to Veterans for Child Rescue to help those affected by the horrific cult of human trafficking.


 

Discussion with ilaStrate Yoga founder Lauren Vacey

“Our motto is ‘Love your mat, it will call you back to practice.’ To see this in action, is such an honor.”
-Lauren, ilaStrate founder

What inspired you to create ilaStrate? 
My love of yoga and art inspired me to create the product, and the business followed. The underlying story is so much more involved. Just like many other small business owners, I was compelled by my desire to escape the traditional 9-5, be my own boss and express my creativity.

I worked in the commercial art industry for 15 years, resigning as Art Director. I was unhappy directing other peoples’ dreams. Fairly early on in my career, I was introduced to yoga. Those threads began to become tightly woven as life happened. I began to rely on yoga for solace and inspiration. My art began to have a purpose, and I found myself and my vision through yoga and it spills out in my art. 

How do you stay inspired?
It is so hard NOT to be inspired. Life itself is inspiring. Everything and anything can become a spark of inspiration. 

It’s being in the right frame of mind to appreciate the beautiful moments that I try to cultivate. Being present to find the beauty in each moment can spark imagination and appreciation for life. If I sit with it quietly, a simple experience, like a cardinal flying against a gray sky, for example, becomes an elaborate vision or an idea. I collect art visions LOL, I don’t always get the opportunity to create in reality the art I create in my head. 

I have a hard time narrowing my inspirations to singularity to express them in a way that someone else can understand. Meditation and yoga are a big part of staying present and connected.

What is the best advice you can give someone who wants to launch their own business?
I would say, make research your priority. Get a realistic idea of your obligations for the first few years, especially financial. Running a business takes creativity and imagination. Andy Warhol said it best, “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art.” Running a business requires a bit more than just good business sense. I think many people do not realize that creativity and imagination are probably the most important aspects of running a successful business. I’d say it’s probably 10% business and 90% marketing! Find your niche, make sure it’s something that you are willing to devote your life to, and do it! If you’re scared, you’re doing it right!

Do you have a personal yoga or meditation practice? How does it help your business/creativity?
Absolutely! I meditate in the morning and evening most days. I do yoga at least once a week, but I prefer to practice 2-3 times a week with short home practices in between. It helps me tremendously with creativity! When my imagination becomes too wild it can be overwhelming. My mind literally runs away with it. I absolutely need yoga and meditation practice to calm the mind and stay centered. This helps me to prioritize, focus on and complete one task at a time and not let my thoughts, inspiration and ambitions take control of my day.

I will have yoga and meditation practice for the rest of my life, it’s become a part of me.

The theme of this issue is LOVE. Share with us what you have learned about LOVE:
Down into the soul of my being, in my heart, I believe that love is what we are. “All you need is love,” as The Beatles said. Call it what you will: God, Source, the Force, the Universe, the One…whatever that energy is that connects us all, it is Love. It is why we live and breathe, and it is what we are trying to get back to. 

Now more than ever, it is so important for us to look at the world we’ve created and choose compassion and love as a way forward. If we truly saw with our hearts, we would walk away from the wars and the division and embody who we truly are, Love.

Share with us what you love about what you do:
I love the feeling of joy my customers experience when they see their yoga mat for the first time. Our customers are so moved and inspired, they fall in love with their mat, and it has a positive impact on their practice. It is the highest form of gratitude and compliment that I can ever receive. It is why I do what I do, and it is what keeps me going. Our motto is “Love your mat, it will call you back to practice.” To see this in action, is such an honor.

I love the community, meeting new people and connecting with like-minded beings. I enjoy the lifestyle and ability to embody who I am in what I do: an artist practicing yoga and life.

ilaStrate Yoga - Painting with logo
Melissa Boyd, Satya Yoga and Pilates
Danielle Fox-Beisler
Christianne Gentry, A Better Place

Photos by:
Elizabeth Sagarin, Wild Ginger Images