It was like I’d walked into the Cirque Du Soleil.
The backstory: You’ve probably heard of the ‘it’ brand of the moment, Alo Yoga. It’s adorned by all and fastly becoming the most worn yoga brand right now. I’m sure you’ve seen the likes of Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner strutting Alo’s famous tights all over their grams. I mean, who hasn’t?
Personally, I really like the brand and all they stand for. They have solar powered stores and source sustainable fabrics (big tick in my book). They also take the consciousness from practice on the mat and put it into practice in life, which is why you’ll see them supporting their ambassador family so much.
The Alo Yoga Retreat
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited by Alo Yoga to their Palm Springs retreat. Totally humbled and baffled at how on earth I got an invite (after all, every yogi out there wants to be a part of the Alo family), I didn’t waste time (in case it was a mistake) and RSVP’d in seconds.
The retreat: Every yogi that I had been inspired by or I’d stalked on IG in my coffee break was there. Here I was, thinking that I was pretty good at yoga—my backends, scorpions and standing splits—but there they were with limbs and arms stretched and bent so far into shapes that I could only hope to achieve in my next life. Whoahhh, it was incredible!
That being said, not everyone—myself included—was a circus performer
That being said, not everyone—myself included—was a circus performer. It made me realise just how diverse the Alo family is and that’s undoubtedly what makes them so special. Along with the former gymnasts and dancers are regular people, like me, with a passion for yoga.
It was all these amazing people that made the retreat what it was. The majority of us were all either yoga instructors or had completed a yoga certification of some level. I met @Yogoskenz, who is a mom of three and has a level of skill and strength I’ve never seen before in a woman. Then, there was @nwoy (my roomie for the three days), who could pretzel herself into any shape, and the lovely Gisele, who had found yoga after being in the finance and coding industry.
Wine, food, laughter, and fun activities flowed. We all swam, we ate until our bellies were full, we practised yoga and more yoga. It was just a group of like-minded people who were all inspired by the same thing: mindful movement.
Mindful movement—or yoga—changes who us yogis are off the mat, making our lives and our communities better; taking the consciousness from our practice on the mat and putting it into practice in our life. Yoga makes us see the good in life.
As the retreat unfolded and each day bloomed, I felt less inferior to those yogis, and finally felt at one with them. After all, it wasn’t a competition of who could do the best handstand or Alien pose (which I was gunning for at the start), it was about helping each of us grow into the best version of ourselves. And funnily enough, we all shared that one thing in common that united us all: the transformative power of yoga on and off the mat. And that’s why Alo Yoga chose us. Because, somehow, we all make a difference to society through our own means. We spread positivity and tell the story of yoga to make change for the better to our followers—and that’s what being part of the Alo Family is all about.
So, I ask you, how do you inspire those around you to lead a better life through yoga?
