Barefoot: Yoga and So Much More

Hey there, everyone. Brendan here once again, and although it seems like it was barely a few weeks since the last one, we have arrived already at the next Barefoot and Free Yoga Festival. Don't let the name fool you, though, because there's actually so much more to it than just yoga; it's a nexus of educational resources and local businesses coming together to help better the community. 

Of course, you can always learn more about it on Barefoot's website, but we speak from experience on this. Nakee has been a mainstay at the festival for some time now, and we look forward to it every time it comes around. It's an opportunity to continue the mission that Nakee was founded on, to better the health of those around us through providing our own product-- that is certainly true. It's also a chance, though, for us to practice what we preach on that front, to learn from and support those who've done the same for us.

There are a variety of classes available at Barefoot (you can see a schedule for this year's festival here). If you've attended in the past, there will be some familiar names alongside the newcomers, but Nakee aficionados will definitely recognize one in particular!

Evan is going to be involved in teaching two different courses at the Barefoot festival this year. The first will be an iteration of the Viking & Shieldmaiden class that we discussed in a previous blog, developed and taught in collaboration with the TrvFit Gym in Farmington Hills. There's a lot more to it than what you might have seen on a History Channel documentary of the Vikings, though. It's a way to build your strength inside and out, to develop your warriors' spirit and become more tenacious. We'll be sharing a blog discussing these courses at the TrvFit gym soon, but this one is a great way to dip your toe in the water if you're so inclined. 

When you hear about the idea of "warriors," though, you could be forgiven for thinking of the archetype of one, including what is today called toxic masculinity. That's not an aspect of the old ways that lives on today, though, and it's been replaced by a much more healthy and positive mindset. That's where the second course comes in, part of Evan's work with the Sons of Detroit group. They are, in their own words, "a community of men committed to the pursuit of the best version" of themselves. If that's a pursuit you'd like to join in, then you should definitely check out their page and perhaps their class as well. Focusing on the trifecta of the head, heart and gut-- intellect, compassion and the primal will. Engaging these aspects of the self, listening to them and building a community and a support network for men carrying those emotional burdens within-- that's what both the class and the Sons of Detroit are all about. 

If either of these things sound interesting to you, you should definitely check out the linked sites and the social feed for Barefoot, where you can learn a lot more. Thanks for reading, everyone; this is Brendan, signing off for now!