PRESS: Charles & Marie

Yogurt was today's Tempting Daily Special! YUM!

PRESS: COOLHUNTING July 2006

For rocker yogis, Yogurt Activeculture is a new Australian line of yoga clothing and accessories with a playful sense of humor (see name). Their debut line features tongue-in-cheek tees with slogans like "Poser" and glittery iron on-like cobras printed on fine mesh and sheer jerseys. A rockstar alternative to solid-hued mats, their Six-String Mat (pictured) features a Fender with six strings—one for each musical note and color of the rainbow that corresponds to each chakra.

An Imaginary Life

Hey Guys,

Just finished a great book by David Malouf called 'The Imaginary Life'.

Summary:

The Roman poet Ovid (who wrote 'The Metamorphosis'), in exile, tells of his experience losing all known culture, landscape, language, and the story of his encounter with a wild boy, brought up among wolves in the snow. At first the poet assumes the role of protector of the boy; gradually, however, the roles of protector and protected are reversed as the two form a curious and touching alliance.

A couple of my favorite passages:

'We have some power in us that knows its own ends. It is that that drives us on to what we must finally become. We have only to conceive of the possibility and somehow the spirit works in us to make it actual. This is the true meaning of transformation. This is the real metamorphosis... Our further selves are contained within us, as the leaves and blossoms are in the tree. We have only to find the spring and release it. Such changes are slow beyond imagination. They take generations. But it works, this process.'

'What else should our lives be but a continual series of beginnings, of painful settings out into the unknown, pushing off from the edges of consciousness in the mystery of what we have not yet become, except in dream... What else is death but the refusal any longer to grow and suffer change.'

OUR FIRST POP-UP PRACTICE WAS A HIT!

Many thanks to everyone who came to our first pop-up practice. We had a great turn out and there was a wonderful energy in the room.

We'd especially like to thank Kylie, for hosting us at her gorgeous Body Maintenance Studio, and Heather, for teaching a beautiful class. I guess you could say our theme for the practice was 'spontaneity', and Heather put together some fantastic quotes that touched on this. Great food for thought...

'The goal of wisdom is laughter and play-- not the kind that one sees in little children who do not yet have the faculty of reason, but the kind that is developed in those who have grown mature through both time and understanding. If someone has experienced the wisdom that can only be heard from oneself, learned from oneself, and created from oneself, he or she does not merely participate in the laughter-- the person becomes the laughter itself.' Philo (circa 20 BCE-50CE) Alexandrian Jewish philosopher

'Without the interference of the ego, actions become spontaneous, appearing as a smooth flow (like vinyasa). Truly enlightened beings have an economy and elegance of movement about them that is absent in the unenlightened, because they have removed the obstacle of the ego.' George Feurerstein

'When I am not preoccupied with going TO someplace, the going itself can become joyous.' Yun-men, Ch'an Master


And a few thoughts from Heather herself...

'For me, yoga is not about the obliteration of the self. It is the obliteration of a false perception of self-- one that inherently limits our vision of who and what we are. Call that process a loss of ego, call it whatever you like. But in the end, I think yoga simply makes us recognise that we are 'more than'-- 'more than' our mind, 'more than' our physical body, 'more than' what others think of us, 'more than' our past, and so forth. And once we awaken to that reality, I think we find NOT that we are nothing, but jsut the opposite. We find that we are limitless, connected with everyone and everything, never wholly separate, and therefore, never alone. For me, this realisation is a source of vast comfort and empowerment.'

Here is a great little animation we thought you guys might enjoy... x Yogurt

HUMANS!

YOGURT LOVES YOGI WADE'S PODCAST PRACTICES

Are you...

a. super busy or travelling all the time and can't get to a studio as often as you'd like?
b. a newbie, and a bit shy or reluctant to go check it out?
c. nowhere near a yoga studio or teacher that floats your boat?
d. short of moolah?

Then try DOWNLOADING A YOGA CLASS and practicing at home!

Seriously guys, it's awesome. There are a range of yoga practices (and meditations) to choose from thru iTunes-- basic foundation building sessions right thru to real 'doozies'. Let's you practice wherever, whenever, however you need to. Gives you total flexibility-- which is, afterall, part of why we practice yoga in the first place!

If you like going to the studio for social reasons, and are worried that you'll miss the 'vibe', then try inviting some friends around to do a podcast practice together-- a couple of my buddies and I have gotten into the habit of doing this once a week, followed by dinner/ tea and a chat. It's the best.

Our favorite podcast practices are 90-minute power vinyasa style classes posted by Yogi Wade (Ohio USA). Check him out at:

Yogi Wade Podcast Practices

He is also listed in the iTunes podcast library. Downloads are FREE, but donations are welcome! (through the Tip Jar on Wade's homepage)

Yogurt was inspired by Wade- both as a teacher and as a cultural communicator, so we decided to make friends and find out more about him. This is what he had to say about yoga (and Yogurt!):

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISCONCEPTION ABOUT YOGA?
The most common misconception about yoga is "I can't do that I'm not flexible!" I explain to folks that yoga is not about being flexible or strong or being able to meditate through hemmorhoid surgery. It's about being willing to challenge yourself to change and grow. You may get to know yourself a little better and if you're lucky you may even earn to be more accepting of the person you've uncovered.

IS YOGA JUST FOR HIPPIES?
Yoga is for hippies, yuppies, Jews, Gentiles, Easterners, Westerners, athletes, couch-potatoes and even Republicans. Yoga is for anyone who is willing to look inside of themselves and learn how their body and mind are connected.

HOW COULD GENERATION Y (18-28 YR OLDS) BENEFIT FROM YOGA?
18 to 28 year olds (but also people of any age) can benefit from a yoga practice because of all the negativity they are exposed to in daily life. TV, news, movies, magazines newspaper and advertising in particular seem to emphasize that none of us are "good enough". Yoga emphasizes acceptance of who we are, our abilities and disabilities.

WHEN DID YOU START PRACTICING/ WHY?
I started practicing in my twenties (I'm going to be fifty in Dec.) I was a runner and I could feel my self tightening up from the repetitiveness of this exercise. I tried stretching but I felt something was missing. I bought a copy of a yoga book by Richard Hittleman and I practiced 12 postures that were recommended for runners for about 10 years. When I turned forty, years of running, triathlons, skiing, climbing and kayaking were beginning to take a toll on my body (as well as my mind). I found a VHS tape in a bookstore by Bryan Kest (Power Yoga I) and my life was changed. I found an athletic practice that could build you up rather that tear you down, a practice that asked you to focus and build your mind through concentration and a practice that seemed to integrate the body, breath, mind and spirit. I was always very competitive in my athletics but this practice allowed me to challenge myself and be accepting at the same time!

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE POSE/WHY?
My favorite pose in yoga is Child's pose primarily because it just feels so damn good but also because it reminds me that all the postures should be approached with the playfulness of a child.

DOES YOGA COMPLEMENT OTHER SPORTS/ ACTIVITIES?
Yoga has been a great complement to my athletic activities. I did expect that it would improve my climbing and kayaking but what surprised me was the slow change that began to take place in my attitude towards the trials and tribulations of everday life. I guess what I'm trying to say is I just seemed to get pissed-off less often!

WHAT DOES THE 'ART OF LIVING' MEAN TO YOU?
The art of living and the art of finding yourself are really the
same. It seems to boil down to the realization that we are really all one even though we are all different!

WHAT'S IN YOUR IPOD AT THE MOMENT?
My musical tastes are diverse. You might hear rap, new-age, folk or blues in any of the classes in Ohiopyle.

WHAT RESOURCES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOGA?
I encourage people that come to practice to seek out as many different teachers as they can. There are a lot of great yogis and yoginis out there. Try Bryan Kest, David Swenson, Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, Bikram Choudry, Dharma Mittra, Yogi Harry, Richard Freeman, or Beryl Bender Birch to name just a few.

WHAT DOES YOGURT ACTIVECULTURE MEAN TO YOU?
Thanks for the opportunity to talk, that's what Activeculture is all about anyway!

PRESS: Shop 'Til You Drop May 2006

We are one of Channel V presenter, Yumi Stynes', favorite things! Rockin'!

Our New Toy: YOGURT BOT

POP-UP PRACTICE | FREE POWER YOGA CLASS

You are invited to our very first
POP-UP PRACTICE

A FREE POWER VINYASA STYLE YOGA CLASS
Presented by www.yogurtactiveculture.com

Hosted by body maintenance studio
1b booth street | balmain | nsw | 2041 | 02 9555 1600
www.bodymaintenancestudio.com

Saturday May 27th 2:30-4:00pm

Yogurt Activeculture is a clothing and accessories line designed for wear in the studio or out on the street. What started as a nickname for our yoga practice (‘Yogurt’) is now a symbol of our vision of an ‘Activeculture’ where people engage creatively, playfully and positively in the world around them. Pop-up practices are one of the ways we encourage people to participate in our activities; they’re open to everyone and are designed to give people a little taste of what yoga—and the art of living-- is all about.

Note: This class will be recorded and made available as a podcast so you can practice again at home or share it with your friends!

PRESS: Follow Magazine May 2006