Yoga and My Husband and A Very Cool Offer

361 days ago I married my hero. Our one year anniversary is this Sunday; we're going to meet up in Del Mar (where we got married) late Sunday night after my show and spend til Tuesday morning there. I can't believe it's been a year---and yet I can----I feel like I'm still getting used to saying "My husband", and in a way I don't remember us not married......I know how lucky I am to be with such an extraordinary person--not a day goes by I don't say Thank You to the powers that brought us together. Here we are on September 19, 2009

photos courtesy of Michele M. Waite

Because I love him so much and am so impressed by who he is I'm going to shamelessly promote him. Sky is CEO of Manduka, which is the only brand of yoga product you want to own. Before he had anything to do with Manduka, I coveted the famous Manduka Black Mat which lasts your lifetime (the most eco-conscious choice you can make as you'll never have to replace it, hence creating zero waste!). Since Sky came aboard the company has grown like green beans in summer. There are the lifelong mats, there are lightweight mats, there are biodegradable mats, there are travel mats. There are blocks and straps and bags and towels. There are bolsters (my favorite prop since they inherently imply one will be lying down in relaxing positions for lengthy periods of time, and these are so pretty and so comfy. I've been known to set out on a full practice only to spend the whole time in viparita karani-- ie legs up the wall with a bolster lifting the mid back--because the bolster is so seductive) and super-plush towels for "hot yoga" which I love so much that I go to hot yoga classes every once in a while just so I can use one.

Their new website is amazing. Really--go take a tour. You can get inspired by the yoga community, see little diagrams of how the mats support your joints, read uplifting quotes by yoga teachers, and discover a passion for yoga products maybe you didn't know you had.

Why I am sneakily linking this to my anniversary and introducing you to Manduka is because Manduka is participating in Yoga Aid, a fundraising event happening all over the world on Sept 18th and 19th. Free classes will be offered as part of an effort to raise money for charities that are doing miraculous things to bring yoga and most importantly consciousness to corners of the globe far and near. As part of Yoga Aid, Manduka is offering 10% off everything on the site, plus they're giving 10% of all purchases to Yoga Aid. AND if you spend more than $150 you get a free mat cleaning spray, so maybe this is the time to dress your yoga room for fall.

I haven't talked much about yoga since I started this here blog but it's a huge part of my life. It's where I've gotten a lot more comfortable being imperfect, it's where I've done things I didn't think I could do, it's been a source of peace, it's where I've honestly gotten ecstatic, it's been something that no matter what I know will make my day better if I do it. And it's actually how Sky and I met, in Yoga Works Teacher Training in 2001. That was a couple of years before we started dating, and perhaps on another day I'll tell you the whole story.

Happy anniversary my sweet.

And happy shopping my sweets.