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Life is good when you let it be - YRP instructor, Jill Knouse

8/16/2014

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Peering through a window to the past…

Nearly ten years ago I was living in an apartment just off of Union Street in San Francisco.  My business card read, “Jill R. Allen, Relationship Manager, Financial Intermediaries” and I was employed by RCM Capital Management. I worked for an asset manager and had an office overlooking the Bay Bridge at Four Embarcadero. I’d been working in various capacities in the financial services industry for over 13 years -- since I was 22.  I held the Series 7, 63, 24 and all annuities and insurance licenses. I was making great money and on the surface it appeared that I had it all figured out. 

The truth? I DID have a few things figured out. I had figured out that I despised my job, Idreaded going to work each day, I was desperately depressed and I had never felt more alone or lost in my life.  

I'd spent nearly 15 years working very hard to build a life that I loathed.
 
I felt a powerful call to create change.  
It was so powerful that it felt as though if I ignored it, I would die.

So what did I do?  
Over the course of a year or so...

I rescued a puppy from the SPCA.
I traded in my sports car for a truck.
I bought a house in Portland, Oregon.
I quit my financial services job and relocated.
I enrolled in a yoga teacher training program.
I applied to massage school.
I converted my dilapidated garage into a private yoga and massage studio.

I created a life I wanted to LIVE.

I began choosing what made me feel happy, light and ALIVE.  

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.  
It will not lead you astray."  - Rumi

 
Fast forward to now...I have been immensely blessed!  

On July 5th, I was so happy and fortunate to get to kick off this season of Yoga Rocks the Park teaching close to 200 of my favorite yogis in Laurelhurst Park, all to the incredible music of my sweet friend, Rara Avis.  Gratitude to Rara for sharing his artistry and also for his peaceful, loving presence.  Thanks to all the volunteers who bring great organization and big ol’ smiles to every awesome event! Yoga Rocks the Park is such a powerful community builder and I am honored to be a part of it each year.

Less than a week later, after collaborating with Tyler Tervooren of WDS (andhttp://riskology.co/).  We strategized and planned how we were going to pull off breaking the world record for the longest yoga chain. 

And, on July 11th, WE DID IT.  With amazing vision and brilliant team work we gathered over 1,000 awesome humans together in Pioneer Courthouse Square – 808 mats fit in the square (and on the stage!) to make up the sum total and official head count.  We blew the WORLD record for the longest yoga chain OUT OF THE WATER!  Once set with 696 people, we rocked it out with 808 people and 5 successive poses.  I got to lead the charge with one of my very best friends, Jen Johnson and a bunch of om-azing participants and rockin’ volunteers.  Here's a cool 30 second video of the event created by Oliver Asis.  
 
And, the WDS fun continued….

On July  12th, with WDS in full swing, we recreated Yoga Rocks the Park in the Portland park blocks and I had the great pleasure of teaching yoga to the rockin’ beats of DJ Drez.

And there were more "firsts"...after nearly ten years living in Portland, my husband and I joined hundreds of other WDS'rs on the Portland Spirit!  We enjoyed food, wine, great conversation with new and old friends like Shawn Moddess, Ian Hyman aka DJ HyFi and Taya Smythe, Shelley Hawkins, Marli Williams and Sara Stibitz.
At the WDS closing party, we road in a hot air balloon with Beau Blackwell, had wine in the tiny house of Dee Williams, danced our hearts out to the Bollywood beats of Prashant while a festival of colors ensued! 
It was EPIC!

Three days after the amazingness of WDS wound down, we were on a plane headed for Wanderlust Tahoe where I was teaching five classes.  I got to teach Balancing the Four Winds of Change, Talkin’ About a Revolution, High Voltage Vinyasa, Yo-Ma and Anahata Bliss.  All of these classes were collaborations with amazing artists including Kevin Paris, Philip Steir, DJ HyFi, Jeff Liffman & Friends and the incredibly talented Hannah Thiem. 

Thank you for joining the adventures at Wanderlust!  I absolutely loved all of the new connections I made there.  And, there was a HUGE Portland contingency in Tahoe which made it feel like HOME!  
On my last day at Wanderlust Tahoe, I had a great conversation with Schuyler Grant (and her kids and a few baby chickens!).  
She suggested I join the fun again at Wanderlust Whistler 2015! 
I’m putting it out to the universe. 

I INTEND TO TEACH AT WANDERLUST WHISTLER 2015! 

Please please please join me with that intention and perhaps even start planning to join us!     
Wanderlust Whistler or BUST 2015!

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Rock with your CommUNITY into the Fall at Yoga Rocks the Park

8/13/2014

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As the 'back to school' sales kick in it's easy to feel like summer is nearing its end and that opportunities to practice outdoors are coming to a close but Yoga Rocks the Park has you covered across the globe with plenty of late Summer/Fall experiences. Some are even FREE!  

Here's a list of all-levels commUNITY live-music classes available (click on city name to register): 

BOULDER, CO -  Aug. 16 + 23. 

CARLSBAD, CA - Sundays Aug. 17 - Sep. 27. Featuring: Steve Gold, DJ HyFi, Katie Brauer and many more

CHICAGO, IL - FREE DAY presented by YOGA SIX Sunday Aug 17 with Katie Brauer! 

CLEVELAND, OH - Sundays Aug 24, Sep 6, 21. 

DENVER, CO - Sundays Aug. 17 - Sep 28. Featuring Luke Williams, Patrick Harrington, Gina Caputo, DJ HyFi and many more. FREE DAY presented by be present on 9/7/14!

DETROIT, MI - Saturdays Aug 16 - Sep 14.   

KANSAS CITY, MO - FREE DAY Sep 14 with Gina Caputo + DJ Janis!

MILWAUKEE, WI - Sundays Aug 17 - Sep 7. Featuring Bhavani, Ryan Hader and many more. 

MINNEAPOLIS, MI - Saturday Aug 16 - Sep 20. 

PORTLAND, OR - Saturdays Aug 16, 23 + Sep 6. Featuring Luke Williams, East Forest and many more. FREE DAY Sep 6 presented by YOYOYOGI with Alex Cole and Steve Gold! 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Dates TBD Jan 2015 - plan you trip now and stay in the loop on Facebook. 


Hope to see YOU on the mat this fall in your city! Don't see your city? Apply to bring YRP to your town here. Tickets and location/times at yogarocksthepark.com
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    prAna has stepped up to help make Yoga Rocks the Park Denver a FREE event! prAna  creates versatile, stylish, and sustainable clothing and accessories that you can wear during every activity, every adventure, every day. 

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    Denver Yoga Festival is the co-presenter of YRP 2016 helping to make your admission FREE/by donation! The inaugural event takes over downtown Denver Aug 4-7 2016. Check out a video and the schedule and get those tickets (use code "YRP2016" for 10% off) today. 

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Yoga Rocks the Park™ is locally staffed, produced and managed in each city by a Local Event Directors. How about bringing Yoga Rocks the Park to your city?  Please contact will@yogarocksthepark.com  with Yoga Rocks the Park /YogEvents LLC. It is our mission to Create Conscious CommUnity by offering world-class events throughout the world that promote Peace, Giving , Wellbeing  and Awareness on a local and global scale. 

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