Pure Souls Photography

yoga blog, yoga lifestyle

A Pair of Bare Feet. It’s Not a Shoe Brand.

I went for my first run barefoot on Saturday! I was a little self concious at first, running around without shoes, but I started to hit my stride (literally of course). It adds another dimension to running. Now I feel the ground under my feet. Hot, cold, spikey, smooth, soft, slimey. It’s fantastic!

Wait a minute! Didn’t you just say you dropped $100 for a pair of shoes that would be like running barefoot? I did and they’re not in the back of the closet. Some reasons to run barefoot:

1) Encourages to have proper midfoot strike so you don’t hurt the joints by slamming the heel into the ground

2) You can feel everything! It’s like being a kid!

3) You get to pretend to be a Masai, how cool is that?

So I’m doing it for all of the above reasons. And it’s a good way to keep yourself in check so you don’t push yourself too far because your body is still adjusting to this whole non-heel-striking thing.

My run was from our house out to Granville Island and back. Just the perfect length. The seawall wasn’t too bad. I know I like to run on the wall part because it’s smoother and more comfortable then the cobblestone. I also know now that I can use my toes to dig into mud for grip (just watch out for dog and goose poop). I made it back before the crazy hail stone storm pelted Vancouver!

Yoga toes – foray into barefoot running

I’ve just started my first steps into running barefoot. It doesn’t sound as exciting when I write it out because really, we were born without shoes and have been running for the last couple thousand years without the help of Nike.

Last Friday I purchased a pair of vibram five fingers with the lofty goal of running the iron knee in them. The weather has conspired against training and after doing more research I realized it would be dangerous to run it with only a month to transition.

We went to galiano island to film a retreat at bodega ridge for Semperviva yoga (which was awesome, stay tuned for the video). That was where I got to test them out for the first time on a hike up bodega ridge. It was fantastic! Almost like being barefoot! I know it’s a little ridiculous to spend a $100 to feel like your barefoot but more in that later (I have my reasons). It was exceptional! The ground was spongy, the moss was sooooo soft and I was super quiet like a squirrel. Kind of like being a kid again!

What is a Yoga Lifestyle anyways?

We will be posting photos or videos of yoga retreats, festivals and other events, foods, nature, and anything else that gets us in touch with the inner yogi.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” ~Ashley Smith

First snowfall

Oh, how we miss nature! With wedding season coming to an end, and as we started to see light at the end of our new loft renovation tunnel, we embarked on a little adventure up the hills on Hallowe’en Day. There, we met a little red dragon who ended up being our spirit guide for the day. She showed us the way to inner peace as the snow started to fall. It was a beautiful fall day in the mountains. Both of us feel blessed that nature is just right at our doorstep and we can’t wait to share more of our personal photos (mostly taken in the wilderness) with you.

Mark Whitwell at Semperviva

“There is nothing to attain! There is no such thing as enlightenment, only Life in you as you. No need to realize God when God has realized you. It is intimacy we want and it is freely given. It is the search that is the problem. Looking for something presumes its absence. As long as we strive for a higher reality, the looking implies this life is a lower reality.” ~ Mark Whitwell

On October 24 and 25, Mark Whitwell returned to Semperviva for a weekend of inspiration. It was my first time being in his presence and I have to say that it was really an honor to experience his teachings. Mark Whitwell says, “It’s not enlightenment we want, it’s intimacy with life in every aspect .” He told us to “stop looking” and “start living” because looking for something presumes its absence. His teaching is very refreshing, simple yet powerful. After I got what he meant, I felt lighter, freer, simpler, and even more beautiful.

My two favourite quotes from him on the first day was “The truth is in your skin” and “Are you a flower blooming in your own garden?” If you haven’t been to Mark Whitwell’s workshop. I highly recommend signing up next time he returns to Semperviva.

As the official photographer for Semperviva for the day, here are a few shots I want to share with you all.

Josie

A weekend with Gurmukh

Pure Souls took on a special project for Gloria at Semperviva last weekend – filming! What an honor to be in the presence of one of my favourite yoga teacher, Gurmukh from Golden Bridge Yoga in LA. I have studied with this graceful teacher a number of times already and each time after I saw her, whether it was a 50 hour teacher training session with her, or just a 2 hour yoga session with her, I always left with radiance, bliss, and strength!

In 2 hours, we had three camera, all kinds of new toys to film clips of this amazing, transformational workshop. We can’t wait to start editing and creating a special highlight feature for Semperviva. Thank you, Gloria, for another great opportunity to work with you, and Grant Baldwin for the support.