Loose Leaf Notes

When I take a series of photos and know I’ve got a good one, I like to say, “That’s the album cover.” The above photo is one I took for an upcoming story on the founders of Floyd Yoga Jam. It’s due to come out in About HER (a regional magazine news insert) in April.  The family friendly YogaJam festival, now in its 4th year, is the first of its kind in the region to combine yoga, live music, holistic wellness workshops and more. Set within more than 300 rural acres of countryside, on sprawling meadows, in woodlands and alongside a bold creek, the festival spotlights the local music and art culture of Floyd, while also featuring the talents of renowned yoga teachers and musicians from across the country and beyond.

Here’s an excerpt that gives a good example of why the founders are as newsworthy as the festival: Shirley Burgess and Laura Polant are yoga teachers who put the philosophy “follow your dreams” into practice.  They’re both mothers who have created jobs and lifestyles that reflect their commitment to being their best selves and inspiring others to do the same.  Burgess is a massage therapist/rolfer, owner of Living Light River Studio Yoga and Wellness Center and a past sheep farmer, shitake mushroom supplier and electrical contractor.  Polant is also a massage therapist.  She lives off-the-grid in a house that she designed, and has worked as a biologist, forester, firefighter and as the head of her own forestry consulting company.

Check out the fun-filled roster of music performers and yoga teachers at the YogaJam website HERE and visit them on Facebook.   HERE is the newspaper story I wrote about last year’s festival, one from 2013 HERE and one from 2012 HERE.

_________Our World Tuesday