**YOU CAN ALSO FIND THIS POST ON WWW.MASSMUSINGS.COM**

“She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess.”

Well my friends, summertime is finally upon us. The days are long, the weather is warm, and the good times keep on coming. ‘Tis the season for (yoga) festivals, and I’ve been toting my mat along with me on all my travels. Let’s just say that after a brutal New England winter, I’ve put in a few extra rounds of Sun Salutations to honor the sun! Where will your practice take you this summer?

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite festival essentials for the wandering yogi, that will take you from the shores of your first SUP (Stand-Up Paddleboard) class to your deepest Savasana.

1) Harem Pants, Buddha Pants

Super cute, and equally comfy, Buddha Pants will quickly become your go to harem pant. The perfect choice for lounging in the grass, flowing through vinyasas, or as a yoga prop - I picked up my first pair at Wanderlust, and it’s been really hard to take them off. Made from organic cotton, they are available in a ton of prints, and naturally dyed. PLUS, they fold up into their own pocket for easy packing, and become a yoga pillow.

2) Comfortable Sandals, Birkenstocks

Festival life can be exhausting, so remember to take care of your feet while you’re out there having fun! I’ve been rocking the same pair of Birkenstocks since I was 15, and they haven’t given out on me yet. Supportive, comfortable, and dare I say, fashionable - I can walk for hours in these shoes with no complaints. Tend to your toes, and your practice will thank you.

3) Cotton Tank Top, Shake Your Asana Inner Fire Tank

Who doesn’t love a little yoga humor? Vancouver-based brand Inner Fire, has got you covered with their Laughing Yogi Collection. Made in the USA, and printed in Canada, these soft cotton tanks will keep you cool in the summer sun. Check out their awesome leggings (made from recycled plastic bottles) too!

4) Yoga Mat, Manduka Pro Lite

Home is where your mat is! Durable, and lightweight, the Manduka ProLite is perfect for my travelling practice. I bring my mat with me on every plane, train and automobile; at this point it has seen the world. I find is comforting to know, that though the location may change, my practice remains the same.

5) Maxi Dress, Resort Maxi by Pink Stitch

I love to throw on an easy sundress to cool down post practice. Whether you’re showing off your crazy hooping skills, or blissed out after a sweaty flow, you’ll look perfectly put together in this flowing maxi dress by Pink Stitch. Bonus, your friends will be able to spot you in a field of black leggings.

6) Bikini, Salinas

I know you’re dying to try a SUP yoga, so don’t forget your bikini! I picked up this great Brazilian swimsuit when I was in Sao Paulo, but the brand is available at Anthropologie too! Their suits come in a variety of styles and prints to mix and match, and there is a cut for every body type. The fit is seriously phenomenal. You can focus on rocking your wheel pose, or splashing in the waves, and rest assured your bikini will stay put.

7) Mala Beads, Rock Your Bliss Mala by Tiny Devotions

In the midst of festival madness, make some time for meditation. Get comfortable, relax, and connect with your breath. I bring (and wear) my mala beads with me everywhere as a reminder to live my intentions. I love the qualities of The Rock Your Bliss Mala by Tiny Devotions - howlite to release stress and let go, fuschia agate for protection and strength, and turquoise to promote balance. Find a mala that will help you manifest all that you need in this moment.

8) Sunscreen, Alba Botanica

We all love that warm summer sunshine, but those harmful UV rays will damage your skin. Be sure to slather yourself with sunscreen (and reapply generously every two hours) to avoid sunburn. I’ve got a few tattoos, so I take extra care and load on that SPF to prevent fading.

9) Water Bottle, bkr

When sipping from coconuts all day long is not an option, I go with my glass bkr bottle. Light, and bright - this little bottle will have you hydrating yo’self in style. Plus, bkr donates to the world water crisis with every purchase.

10) Cross Body Bag, Roots

Repping my Canadian roots (see what I did there) with a classic flat bag. The Village Bag Tribe from Roots is the essential cross body travel bag. With pockets galore, this purse is small, but mighty. It fits everything you need, without being bulky in a crowd.

Did I forget something? What are your yoga festival essentials? Let me know in the comments below. Happy wanderlust-ing, friends!

Until next time, peace + love.

**Just a reminder, I am not a certified yoga teacher. While I practice yoga on a daily basis, I am not an expert. This project is purely based on my own practice, and the things that work for me and my own body. Remember to practice in a way that is safe and makes you feel good, ok?**

Hey friends. In an effort to create + move + live + explore the things that I love more, I'm trying something new today. Just for fun. Welcome to my new project, Asana + A Song.

Today I have for you, my favourite hip opener, Pigeon Pose / Eka Pada Rajakapotasana + This Thing About You by Miracle Fortress.

To start, (HIT PLAY FIRST) stand in Mountain Pose / Tadasana and prepare your ears for musical goodness.

Make your way into downward dog, and pedal out your legs to loosen up.

Bring your right (or left, depending on the side) knee to your right (or left) elbow, and place your shin parallel to the top of your mat (or on a diagonal if you have tight hips and need to modify). Make sure that your foot is flexed to prevent injury and protect your knee. Lower yourself down slowly.

Fold forward and begin to melt your heart to the mat. Settle in and surrender. Or come up onto spidered fingertips, pull your shoulders back and down away from your ears. Bring your chest forward and open your heart.

Want to go deeper? Try One-Legged King Pigeon Pose!

Pigeon is one of my favourite poses to practice. It gets deep into the hip muscles, where we tend to store a lot of tension. The result is a great hip opener and a really yummy stretch. I like to hang out here for minutes at a time and just let it all go. Pigeon was the perfect pose to practice while listening to "This Thing About You", because well, there is just that thing about pigeon... Together, the asana + the song created an ideal space to surrender; to bask in.

The track is full of life + love + summer + sweetness. Plus, it makes me feel nostalgic (in the best way), and reminds me of being 19 + being able to actually go to shows + adventures in the big city (YYZ) + summertime + change + so much love. Exactly what I needed to pull me out of my afternoon slump.

Everyone that I know, is telling me to try to take things slow. But even things that are wrong about you, they make my will too strong to doubt you. A metaphor for my practice perhaps? It's imperfect, but constantly evolving + improving. And every teacher ever has told me to take things slow. It's a journey not a race.

This was fun! It was super nice to hit my mat after all the work work working I've been doing. Creating balance, making space, and making time for the things that matter to me.

Until next time - peace + love,

Alex