margo yoga

Where's MargoYoga?!

2011-04-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

It's Spring and I'm feeling bouncy! So I have to say I have DESPERATELY been neglecting my MargoYoga blog and feel it's high time I circulate this blog back into my flow chart of things to do. (Seriously FLOW CHART) I LOVE this medium of communication and love the freedom I feel I have in just emptying thoughts onto beautifully designed pages. Almost like having a diary that you've filled all the pages but are so attached to it's feel and comfort and then suddenly you realize you don't have to let it go you just add a new post! Or perhaps you're tired of the chapters of that old diary and want something fresh and new but don't want to start writing in a new one WITHOUT having filled the old, ALAS just redesign and change your background! Brilliant.

Here a link to my website where all my time has been spent over the past two YEARS in Vessel Yoga Studio. where you can always find me too, www.vesselyogachicago.com however I am really going to try to make blogspot a priority to connect all things Margo with all things Vessel, running your own yoga studio isn't easy! Phew!!

For more info on Margo Yoga go to www.vesselyogachicago.com

2010-05-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

Two of my favorite things! Sneakers and yoga! :)
Be light and have fun!

Obama Fundraiser Class!!!

2008-09-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

The whole story is I was so inspired by the Democratic National Convention I wanted to find a way that I could give to the effort to get Barack Obama into the White House! I wanted to find a way that would connect to not just giving financially but giving energetically. So by bringing an entire class together on the 26th of September from 6-7pm and then every Tuesday from 7-8 until November 4th we can all give to the effort of changing the status of our lives. So through my passion of yoga and my passion and belief in the power to change and transform together we will help raise awareness and funds to create the change we want to see with these classes!

So in this beautiful space provided by The Ravenswood Billboard Factory we'll flow, check in, and give to the effort of bringing real change to ourselves our community and nation and our world! Located at 4043 N. Ravenswood just North of Irving Park...

So come join me and starting with ourselves and then all the way to the White House lets change things for the better by committing to ourselves and to Barack Obama we will see and be the change we want to see in the world!
See you September 26th everyone!

Back in Chi Town!

2008-07-16T06:28:00.001-07:00

Well it took me a bit to get back on track after returning from such a long stay in Spain... But I'm finally back in every sense of the word! Summer in Chicago is amazing, HOT but amazing and after a couple trips to LA and Portland now I'm finally settling in for the duration in Chi until further notice! Things I'm working on right now!

-New yoga space for donation classes in Fulton Market!
-Chicago Marathon Training Runs with Nike, post run yoga sessions! Come to the lake at Foster beach around 7:30am Saturdays and catch a free mini class!
-Regular classes at Om on the Range.com check their web schedule for when I'm teaching!
-Last but not least just trying to have some fun before winter hits again!!!

Keep checking the blog because there are so many more fun things to come! I'm working on more videos for Youtube and some more ways to stay connected to all my friends around the world as I continue in Chicago... Sometimes the more settled you get in your roots the more opportunity you have to grow!

Workshop this weekend!!!

2008-04-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

If you can get to Mallorca, come to this weekends workshop at Yoga You!

I had to upload these flyers because I just loved how they did these...

On Sunday I had a radio interview to promote the studio and workshop... It was a rather small but sweet local radio station for the British residents and tourists so we'll see if anyone comes to the workshop from that?!?! That would be exciting.

All in all things are going well... Classes are small but sweet and I am still enjoying taking in the culture. Today I went on a Super Yacht... previews of coming attractions but WOW, to have a Super Yacht, which means about a 30 Million dollar a year boat is quite a surreal lifestyle... I asked if they needed private yoga on board! Haha!

More soon!
xoM

Aspen Rocked!

2008-04-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

Well Aspen was a long way to go from Spain for ONE class, BUT it was one class that was sooooo worth it! These women are amazing! True inspirations in and of themselves so the yoga was really special and they LOVED it. Here are a few pics and the highlights of the weekend....

Rode the chairlift in shoes for the first time ever up to the half pipe to watch the event and we all just sat around basking in the sun and watching the girls do SUCH amazing tricks. We had a nice catered lunch up on the mountain then I rode the chair down and started to prep for my class. I put together an amazing playlist that I knew the girls would dig, The Roots, Kanye West, U2, Amos Lee... All my favorites. At the end I read my favorite reading to them and gave them a copy to take away with them. "Our Greatest Fear" by Marianne Williamson... They were really touched and all agreed they felt sooo good after riding all day to get they're stretch on!!

Then in typical Aspen fashion we went for dinner and to PARTY!! Went to dinner with some new friends and contacts from Oakley and my partner in crime for the evening Alyssa from ESPN Mag!!

Would you believe me if I told you this was the best picture of all the girls I got ALL night?!?!?!!? It was like hearding cats! These chicks work hard and play hard and the pictures got worse as the night went on!
From left: Alyssa, Me, Gretchen, Hannah, Ellery, Clair... It was a long but super fun night at the Fly Lounge!

That's all for now kids, I'm back in Spain and looking forward to a long nights sleep tonight!

More later!

xoxoM

Just a few more photos to enjoy...

2008-03-31T03:14:00.000-07:00

This is one of the images I'm in love with in the studio... You can see why.

Here is where I have been running during the day in between classes... Today it is raining however. I did a workshop yesterday with Patrick Brooms of Jivamukti Berlin... A wonderful teacher and a lovely class. That's it for now... more later and more pictures coming too! And even some of me!

The studio...

2008-03-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

This is YogaYou... and yes just turn your head OR your screen sideways... It just WOULDN'T format for me! Consider it a yoga stretch, and let it go... :0)

The studio is just beautiful and very much what I would like to imagine myself teaching in someday when my travel days slow down and I plant some roots somewhere.

The classes are going very well and I am starting to know the students better and feel like I am really beginning to help them in their practice. I am meeting so many people from ALL over the world and am getting great feedback about my classes, which feels fantastic.

SOOOO, now next weekend I have just had this amazing opportunity present itself and with some understanding and quick juggling of classes and flights I will be heading back to the states for two days to hit an event in Aspen CO with the top 15 Women Snowboarders in the World! So that's pretty exciting!!! To say the least! I am so stoked and really feel like this is yet another opportunity to meet some amazing people and get people from all walks of life psyched about yoga!!

As I'm writing this a man just walked into the studio and naturally I kind of ignored him because I'm finding that most people need a Spanish speaking person, so I just kind of hide rather than suffer the embarrassment. However Sabrina the desk manager was busy on the phone so I tried to lend myself for assistance... AMERICAN... me: "oh where are you from"?... " him: "Minneapolis Minnesota"... us: "hahahahahaahahaha"... It truly is a small world, and as of yet we don't know anyone in common but his ex-girlfriend cuts hair at The Kenwood Apartmnets and perhaps has styled my Grammy's hair! Haha, life is funny...

Okay so that is it for now again... I wish I could dictate to my computer and it would automatically write the words... I would write so much more often if I could speak rather than TYPE... I'm so terrible at it! Forgive me my friends and loved ones! And I promise some pictures not just of buildings but of people and me too soon!! I just need to make some more friends and get comfortable asking people to take pictures of me... That feels rather dorky and touristy... But I'll do it for you MOM!!

Lots of love all, xoM

Happy Easter!! Bawk bawk!

2008-03-24T05:02:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I went to the Cathedral on Mallorca over the weekend... So beautiful but the inside was closed because at Easter, the whole week prior they take out all the statues and literally parade them around the city. Life size statues of the story of Jesus being put on the cross surrounded by men and women in cloaks of white and black that I would liken to that of the KKK... WELCOME TO SPAIN!! I'm not gonna lie I didn't watch much of the parades, kinda creeped me out... :) All due respect but seriously it was scary looking.

The rest of this weekend it has been a good thing to be in Palma Nova which is a little further out from the city and a more touristy area, but because it is such it has remained open all over. So that was good, I have still been able to eat and be out and about even though the rest of the city is shut down.

Then last night hit! There was a storm that rolled in around Midnight and my apartment being on the 10th floor I literally thought I should take shelter!! It felt like the windows were going to blow in and roof was going to come off! I DID discover however what the handy mental curtains on the outside of the window were for! Although after that they continued to rattle ALL night long... Hence I slept till noon today! On my second Cappuchino as we speak!

Well that's all for now... I'm going to sit down and have a nice long discussion with one of my new best friends, Bocadillo... (it's a little sandwich that has been keeping me in very good company while I'm adjusting) Good thing I'm running and practicing so much!! Haha...

Lots of love and more soon!
xoM

Hello from Majorca!!

2008-03-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is the view from my apartment in Palma Nova and this is Kim, Charlie, Luke and Jeremy Steeb... My hosts! The boys are amazing kids, so smart and sweet!

Okay all here goes the start of the 6 week long trip I have just landed in to teach in Spain!! I am on my 6th day in Spain and the jet lag has finally worn off... I was fine the first two days and of course foolishly thought I had beaten it! AND THEN... I was riding back from the studio after teaching my 3rd class in 1 and a half days, and the ride is quite a hike I might add... But I got lost. It's an island and I got lost!! In my own defense it is a VERY big island and I had been riding, and I ended up in front of the King of Spain's palace and there were men with guns and I was suddenly VERY aware I wasn't in Kansas anymore so to speak and pulled over, to a quiet secluded spot and cried... I called Kim who is the owner of the studio I am teaching at and she rushed over to rescue me knowing I was SPENT! As soon as I looked around I felt so silly, I DID know exactly where I was, I had just gotten turned around and then it hit me... This is jet lag, that 5 year old, I need a nap but instead I'll cry feeling... Come on, we've ALL been there...

Anywho moving on... My place is amazing. A cute very white very beachy apartment on the 10th floor 1 block off the beach. It is in a very touristy area so I keep somewhat to myself as the Brits with beers and red faces pass... But most of the day I'm in Palma the city which to my surprise is VERY sophisticated. It feels very much like a tiny section of Paris and on the water so it is soooo beautiful... I don't have that many pictures yet but will be trying to post regularly to this blog... AND JUST MAYBE this trip will get me in the habit of blogging finally!!

Here are a few pics to enjoy for now but check back soon... Like Mom and Dad and Grammy!!! Put this in your toolbar and it will be the catch up, then we can focus when we have individual chats, yes???

Big love to you all, and hope to speak to you all soon!

Margo

BTW... Have you guys been to the Youtube spot??

2008-02-02T01:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxMUOC8K2uE

Off to LA for the week!!

2008-01-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

I will be in LA this Wed January 9th-Sun the 13th so if you see this and are in the hood give me a shout! I will be attending a Fuze Beverage premier party and have an interview with Exercise TV! Exciting stuff people... Wish me luck in your next Sun Salutation and I hope to see you soon.

Big hugs and Namaste!
Margo

Happy New Year! Go to Yoga!!!

2008-01-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is finding themselves happy, healthy and full of hope for 2008! Lucy and I are so happy but COLD!! Thanks to Grammy Kellison (see pic of Grammy below) we have some sweaters to keep warm! Did I mention my Grandma is 99??

Here is an updated schedule to find me if you live or are just visiting in Chicago! I am renting space and teaching BY DONATION at the sweetest little studio called "A Fairytale Ballet".

Classes are on Wednesdays @ 7:00 PM and Sundays @ 5:00 PM

The studio is on Southport and Melrose on the Northside of Chicago and it is a great way for me to teach and still be able to travel as much as my life is starting to demand... I will also begin teaching for the Nike Chicago office as of next week which makes me so happy! As my business changes and grows I miss teaching as much as I used to in Portland but I truly believe right now my work is about trying to spread the idea of yoga to anyone and everyone through touring and BIG picture yoga projects!

So that is all for now, again all my best wishes to whoever is out there reading this!! Please keep the comments coming, it motivates me to write more knowing that anyone actually cares!

xoM

Happy Holidays!!!

2007-12-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

So I dropped off again somewhere back there in October I believe... I had been trying to keep up at least one posting a month but you lost me to some amazing travel experiences and a whole new shape of my yoga business... Please to explain you say? Well ok!! Here goes!

October was a wild month of travel, here are some photo's to expand, but I taught at the NIke Women's Marathon as my first official NIke gig, AMAZING. So many great people and HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone who has ever wanted to run a Marathon, I did the half. My 26.2 days might be over but 13.1 ain't bad for this old Yogini. :)

Then it was off to Tahoe! I taught at my dear friend Shayla's studio, such a beautiful place and with such beautiful people! They took my to a Burning Man Decom party, I said "what's a decom party and why do you need to decompress from Burning Man"? They laughed and dressed me up and took me out and by the end of the night said I was a natural born Burner, which is good cause I don't do drugs and apparently don't need them... They are an amazing group of people, YAY Shayla & Jake thank you! And everyone else we REALLY DID DO YOGA! These pics were just more fun to share!

Then I came through Portland to film my first DVD... I just got the rough cut and it looks AMAZING... Details to follow soon but expect that for sale after the first of the year! YAY!

Then it was off to Mexico! A very special trip for my dear friens Kelly Blunt's big birthday! I taught yoga and we soaked up sun AND Sun Salutations! We got very familiar with some new poses... Guac-asana, Margarasana, AND Cervasana! Loads of fun with detox and retox, how every good birthday should be enjoyed!

And then I had to land... As we always do, we come home... Haha, I love this pic! And the fact that someone did this to a van!

Having come to Chicago to teach some workshops and visit friends, (I graduated Columbia College Chicago some eons ago) I realized what a market there is for yoga in this cold city. I LOVE Chicago and always have. It is a vibrant, beautiful city and is full of fun, active, young professionals who like to let off some steam in a variety of ways! For instance: going to the bar and drinking copius amounts of beer (not unlike Portland), going for group runs on the lakeshore when it's 20 degrees out side, maybe just driving like a maniac or going to Bears games and getting completely FANATICAL about them losing!! Anyway the point is there is a HUGE market for yoga here, and any of you that know me understand that all that being said, these are my people!! I know them, they will get to know me and how yoga really does go with running, beer, AND Bears!!! So I've moved my friends, I have a sweet little apartment in Wrigleyville, (yes Cubs not Sox) and I hate to say it because I DO love Portland sooooo much, but I feel I am home. If Portland could get a professional football team I SWEAR I'll come back! But until that day I will still be visiting once a quarter if not more... I love you P-town, yes I do.

OK, so you know I signed with Nike and what this has done is present this amazing opportunity to create change in not only my little world but anyone's world (at least in my hopeful little mind) who recognizes a little something some people call the Swoosh. So my days lately have been filled with created projects that could combine the Swoosh and yoga, whether through running content, team sports, private classes for Nike influensors, basically any way it makes sense to get people into yoga, and sometimes even when it doesn't make sense cause if you're reading this, you know how it works! You just land in a place (pose) and give life to what you're doing in that moment in space!

So nut shell... I am living and thriving in Chicago, I will be visiting and teaching after the first of the year in Portland, details to come... The DVD will be for sale when I get there and PLEASE contact me if/when any of you are in Chicago!! Oh and Lucy loves the snow!

xoxo M

It's officail... Nike loves yoga!

2007-09-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

I am terrible at keeping this up, I was also never good at writing in a diary! Well, much has changed and I am excited to share with you all that I am officially a Nike sponsored athlete and am looking forward to working with them for the next two years to help spread the word and joy of yoga!! As I have always said I want to reach the student that never thought they would love yoga so much and how it has changed their life so unexpectedly! That being said there is a lot of yoga in LA... So I'm taking it on the road my friends!! I will be doing a lot of work in LA but with a little freedom that I've tasted in this experience of being here I'm inspired to tour for a while teaching yoga across the country. I will be in Portland for a two day workshop with Yoga Pearl the 6th and 7th of October AND I'm filming my first yoga video for you guys to take with you on the road too!! Many of you have been asking for a video and I am thankful and grateful to say that is now possible. I will be traveling the month of October teaching in Chicago, San Francisco and many other places to come! I cannot wait to see all my friends and students in Portland and I can't think of a better way to start this tour than with the people who taught me how to teach, and that's all of you!
All my love can't wait to see you, sign up for the workshop NOW!!
xo M

Okay so I neglected the blog a bit...

2007-08-17T14:35:00.001-07:00

No more of that! Things are picking up a lot! I have my first private student and I am in the process of signing with Nike as a sponsored yoga athlete (we've come a long way baby) so in the last three weeks things in LA have taken shape! Here are some fun photo's and recent haps... This will be a shorter post but I promise to be more frequent from here on out. Don't give up on me!! Speaking of... I will be in Portland October 6th and 7th teaching workshops at Yoga Pearl, more details later but mark your books!! And keep checking YP for more info.

Recent haps and the above pics: Went to Minnesota to visit my Grammy and Dad with some of my down time had to include Grammy in cyberspace, after all she'll be 99 in November!! Go Grambo!

A beautiful pick of my view from my home practice on the beach, sand is fantastic for building core stregth to keep things together as the earth slips beneath you LITERALLY! Also soooo fun for any arm balancing, teeheehee soft landing! Try it!

A photo of my favorite instructor I've found in LA, VINNIE MORINO!! He is hard but so kind and is so present and dedicated with his students a true inspiration that I need right now! Thank you Vinnie... Please check Vinnie out at vinniemarinoyoga.com

And thats it for now my friends! Off to hang out with some friends by the beach, all my love, can't wait to see you in October and namaste!!

2007-07-27T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! The trip went pretty smoothly...after some tears and saying goodbye to my Portland family and some serious tears when I said goodbye to my dog Lucy (just temporarily) I hit the road. Coffee in hand, 6AM Monday morning, road trip mix disc ready to go, and I was off! Round 1:00 on the other side of Mount Shasta the Benzo overheated... 1 radiator cap at 6 bucks and a 12 pack for the crew later I was on the road again! A few stops for gas, one very special stop... a conversation with a true mountain man at a tiny 1 pump gas station, who said I matched my car and I said he matched his truck too, he asked where I was movin, I said LA, he said don't let them steal your heart that I was too beautiful for that, I told him I promise to stay true! And with his toothless grin gleaming in the rear view mirror and a very honest tear in my eye I again felt like my path was just laying itself out for me, so I was off! I wished I had gotten a photo of him, but his dogs name was Hopper cause he hops on everyone and I feel like he is yet another angel placed in in my life as a reminder of how important our integrity truly is... he is forever in my heart and now on a yoga teachers blog in cyberspace...little does he know!

I rolled into LA round Midnight and took a well needed shower and was fast asleep... I have been here 3 and a half days and have practiced twice with Master teachers, Bryan Kest and Steve Ross and have run on the beach incorporating my own running and flow workout... I think the surfers thought it was cool but weird.

Honestly that is it for now, I am enjoying being a student and being someplace new, the beach and the pool don't hurt but I know after this weekend there is a lot of work ahead so as we say in the yoga biz... Drink it up baby! Or any biz for that matter!!! Drink it up, if you can't find joy in this moment you're not paying attention, someone once told me! Pay attention!

All my love and a thousand Namastes... Feel free to email me at margokellison@gmail.com

xo M