Get Ready to Wander

My transformational summer with adidas and Wanderlust

I was excited and honoured to be apart of the International Wanderlust 108 movement this past summer in Calgary, Alberta. This partnership with adidas and Wanderlust has such a great synergy, and they are both committed to helping people cultivate their best selves and understand the importance of more mindful and holistic activities.

My training philosophy has always been beyond the physical, but the holistic approach of Wanderlust really resonates with me.

The First Adidas and Wanderlust 108 in Canada!

I was honored to present and celebrate the first Wanderlust 108 event as a guest speaker and lead a signature workout in Calgary!  Wanderlust 108 is the first mindful triathlon consisting of a 5K run, a 90-minute yoga session and a 30-minute meditation class. Adidas is the presenting partner of all  Wanderlust 108 events worldwide and I was very excited to educate and inspire women on this movement in Calgary, the only 108 events in Canada.

Day one of Wanderlust 108 in Calgary, Alberta was a mini version of the Wanderlust Festivals held all over the world.

Everybody came together to enjoy a fun-filled, challenging day for the mind, body and spirit. It wasn’t intimidating; rather it was perfect for everyone from the person who rarely trains to me – the fitness expert, runner, and lover of HITT workouts.

Taking my Wanderlust East

After a taste of Calgary, I jumped on board when the adidas team invited me to an exclusive four-day experience for The Wanderlust Festival in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.

Wanderlust Festivals are all-out celebrations of mindful living. There are a remarkable group of yoga and meditation instructors, musicians, speakers, chefs and attendees; all ready for a transformational experience at the world’s most beautiful mountain resorts.

It’s so great to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. I was eager to do the opposite of what I do in my everyday wellness and fitness lifestyle and try something new that would challenge me both mentally and physically.

The easy-to-use Wanderlust app helped me create my schedule, and prevented me from overbooking during the four days. I found the perfect balance of meditation to clear my mind of the clutter and noise and practicing more mindful living. A hike up Mont Tremblant was enlightening, and allowed me to connect with nature, while Vinyasa yoga flows and stand-up paddling showed me that there is a relaxing alternative to fitness.

Where Wanderlust Began

The Wanderlust Festival is a summer festival first held in Squaw Valley back in July 2009.

The concept for Wanderlust was sparked when Krasno, co-founder of the record label and artist management company Velour Music Group, got inspired by the yoga community he saw flowing in and out of his wife Schuyler’s Manhattan studio. Hoping to encompass all the things the couple loves, Krasno set out to create a unique event that could combine live music with daily yoga classes, hiking, organic food and wine, and inspirational speakers such as Deepak Chopra, all set in the great outdoors.

Wanderlust festival’s popularity continues to spread, with more than 21,000 people attending its series of events in 2011.

Since that time, Wanderlust has grown to its present day 108 events across the globe.

My Wanderlust Takeaways

Before Wanderlust, I was all about pushing myself in yoga – especially with mastering headstands. If there was a headstand yoga class, I was automatically drawn to it! I learned that practicing headstands (or the need to) is “turning the world upside down.” The headstand can lead to a symbolic upheaval of perspective, and turning the world upside down can create a bigger vision. No wonder I’ve had an urge to stand on my head lately!

Being upside down is a radical movement against the flow of life. In this position we oppose the current, like salmon swimming upstream.

I now enter the headstand and reflect on the process of turning my life upside down.

I did my first symbolic headstand by making my own decisions—starting my own business at a young age, moving around the world and through the ups and downs, building a business. I did all of this in a similar method to how I learned to master the headstand – alone, without instruction or support, and falling down a lot. However, I always pick myself back up and try again until I eventually get it. Life really does imitate yoga.

In retrospect, I see that the experimental times in my life were based on a longing for growth, through change. This underlying desire was like a call, and the response back eventually came through yoga.

Practicing the headstand reminds me of my commitment to put the divine first. Rooting my feet to the sky aligns me with my spiritual lineage, whose nourishment is available to me here and now. I place my head on the ground in gratitude and with the intent to ground my thoughts in my own experience. Lifting up into a headstand, I am connected to the sky, to the light, to the invisible realm that is powerfully life sustaining. This position has taught me to tune into my mind and body connection more often, and to embrace change rather than resist it.

One of my other loves from Wanderlust was Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP). It was such a fun time to connect with the adidas team and show off those yoga headstands I had been practicing.

SUP is a great workout for the core, balance and full body. Plus, you get to connect with nature and focus on what you are doing in the present – otherwise you fall! It requires focus, core stability and awareness of the world around you.

During my Wanderlust transformational experience, I felt the perfect balance of cross training for the mind, body and spirit. Through Wanderlust, I began to see things from a new perspective and became more aware of what’s going on inside. I allowed myself to become vulnerable to new experiences, which boosts confidence and happiness.