MX // MY YOGA COMMUNITY

A community I am a part of is the yoga community. I would say even more specifically would be the Zen Zone yoga community. This is a yoga studio that is based on a value of community and the people. Yoga brings us all together into one large group, but I would say the community and studio continue to grow due to the teachers and people. A lady once commented "The Zen Zone is like a big Tupperware party." I don't know if that was necessarily a good thing, but we took it as a compliment because it's so true! We all have the common goal to be healthy and to get better in our yoga practice. When I read "a sense of belonging and identification" from the article this made me think of my yoga community. Personally, when I am at a yoga studio or when I am in my practice I feel like I know who I am and what my purpose in that moment is. It does give me a sense of belonging. There are specific "boundaries" within the yogi culture. We have a specific type of dress and a type of "yoga" language. I would say the poses alone are essentially an individual language. Even the objects and accessories that we use form a sense of togetherness. We have a mat, yoga block, bolster, and strap to help aid in our practice. Yoga is about the connection of mind and body, so there is most definitely an emotional and physical sense of belonging.

ARTICLE: 
COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY :Psychological Sense of Community: Theory of McMillan & Chavis (1986)

HEALTH

So technically I am late on my post for today seeing that it is 12:15am, but I had my third class so far this year tonight. I must say I think it will be a good one. It is really just a Health class, topics being person, communal, and societal health. We had to create a goal for ourselves that we will try and stay true to for the remainder of the semester. I figure I might as well post my goals on here so that I am held responsible in a number of ways. 

GOAL 1. Do something for myself once a day for ten minuets. This "something" could be meditation, a walk, laying on my floor listening to 90s music, maybe just writing... 
GOAL 2. To continue practicing yoga. I am sure this seams obvious or maybe odd, but when school starts a lot of my habits seem to diminish. My goal is to practice 2-4 times a week for 45-60mins at a time. If this happens it would be amazing. But we shall see in two weeks if I am holding true to my goal. Of course working out in general still needs to happen. 

Now that I have an entire class keeping me in check with my goals, I have no excuses. I am the first person to tell you that I change as a person when I am not getting some type of physical exercise. (it's called grouchy and unhappy.) 

So here is to maintaining goals and staying happy.

// washi tape again I know, but I wanted to spruce up my Moleskins a bit. 
instagram | pinterest

TIME FLIES

Summer has officially started. I have a lot of plans for this summer including design and travel of course! These last three weeks have been great just being with family (my sisters and I above), friends, and my only responsibility is getting to work. It's nice how much your day slows down when you aren't pulling all-nighters and getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night. Last year at this time I was in Paris which is just crazy to think about. Already a year has past by. Even more bizzare for to think about is that this time next year I will be a graduate with a BFA in Graphic Design.

I am excited to be busy this summer. I have an internship at the Nelson-Atkins which I am really excited about. I am getting lots of work done for the Zen Zone which hopefully I will be sharing on here at some point. I also am excited to be completing some freelance work as well. 

I am also surrounded by wedding fever this summer which is a somewhat new adventure for me. I am happy to get to be a part of it all though. Seeing all the stages of it- my best friend getting engaged to a wedding in July to making invites! 

New adventures to come! Hope everyone is getting some sun! 

pihotos // taylor rice

Sadie Nardini, my new source of inspiration

Alrighty, I will do my best to keep this short (although I do not make any promises). But last weekend I had the privilege to practice my yogi-ness with Sadie Nardini. She is kind of a rockstar to my mom, and The Zen Zone community.  It was a great feeling walking into the studio with new faces from Branson, Columbia, and our regular students anticipating her arrival! I can't begin explain how much she opened my eyes and reassured many aspects of my life. I had the opportunity to take 2 classes from her and take part in two discussions. Not only is she a down-to-earth person with a great sense of humor, but you can feel her kindness and the positive way that she leads her life and carries herself. She said that the best way to teach people or motivate people is to lead by example. Watching her teach and learning from her was a beautiful thing. (I have never seen yoga like I did from her! She glides!) Describing my experience is a difficult one because my mind was filled with so many thoughts and things to think about. I wish I had a whole day to talk to her, but the conversations I did have with her made me want to (I will say it) be like her even more! I could see so much of myself within her. The videos I have posted above are shot by my mom (sorry for her camera skills) but they are my favorite out of the all the videos we have with her. I walked away with my legs feeling like jello and soreness for the next two days, but seeing that life's possibilities are endless. 

-found this yesterday, I think it speaks for itself. 

The BIG Buddha

 

So do you ever get the urge to totally redo/paint something. I do! I repainted the walls of The Zen Zone and as I got to this wall, which previously had the greens vines on it, I thought-- a huge Buddha would be awesome on this wall!  We stared at the wall for a couple of minutes, and with the help of Lauren O'bryan, she said yes and I said yes and that was that. (I figured my mom would be okay with the change, haha)  So we rolled right over the vines and painted this big guy right on there! Although I was pooped from painting the whole studio already, I was so excited to paint this! I believe it really makes the space look bigger even though it was not totally a drastic change, something small can make a big difference. It's fresh, clean, and more modern... can't go wrong with those 3 words!  I think those spur of the moment things are what make life fun! Luckily my mom loves it, and I am hoping everyone else does too! 

 Surprise!

BEFORE
(I am sure everyone liked the scrolly vines, but we needed something new and fresh!

I figured, I painted these, so I can paint over them... A risk (meaning I didn't tell my mom, but it was worth it! )

Creative Workshop

I designed this for The Zen Zone for the Teen Creative Workshop at the studio. 

Just wanted to share. I wanted to design something different than the usual flyer and to do something

different and fun for a creative event. 

Love Yoga Shirt

Process for a t-shirt graphic I did for the Zen Zone. 

What I have been up to so far this break... yoga.

These are some pics that I have recently taken of my mom and Grace; another instructor at her studio. We are working on redoing the website as well. I am working with a friend of ours to get the new site up and going. He knows code (and I have no idea) so he is doing the setup of everything or the structure of our new site and I am doing more of the design and artistic side of it.  These pictures were taken in my mom's studio... ;) It was so fun! We will do it again soon I am sure!

favorite 

favorite. yes. this is my mom. when I grow up, I want to be just like her. :) 

Putting a face to the body... she will love me for this one! 

Me....

falling... ha

RAWR!