Hello, and happy Full Moon ◯
I wanted to share a little bit about the recent additions to the Worthwhile store!
If you are my friend in three dimensions, or if you have been reading my newsletters, you probably know I have a long standing daily Yoga practice. Yoga is a tradition so much larger than myself. I hold it closely in my heart as something that is most rich and sacred when it is not commodified. That is why it has simply not been on the table for me to make and sell specifically yoga-related items. I haven't felt confident enough or ready to make my own contributions or put anything in print. But all of this is softly shifting in meaning. Being in my 12th year of practice, I am only just now becoming comfortable making anything under the name of Yoga, and so much of it has to do with sincerity and relationships.
My teacher and friends have received some of these items as gifts first, and have given me tons of encouragement to share and sell them. Although I have my own discernment around knowing when I am creating from a place of sincerity, my relationships in this are the real reason they are available now - through the support of others who see clearer than me. It has taken me forever to stop making a big deal about not knowing if this is my place, listen to them, and to list these things as products that other people can purchase!
Organically, I have created a small, growing collection of items influenced by my practice and steps into my teaching journey, and I am excited to share them here and consider if this is just the beginning of more projects like this.
In 2024 I began an in-depth Ashtanga apprenticeship with my longtime teacher. Thank you so much to Angela Jamison for believing in me, and also for celebrating creative expression in this work with me. This collection is a collaboration - between myself and indeed the sparkling and reverent energy at Ashtanga Yoga Ann Arbor. A place like no other. One that fosters community, belonging, safety, and joy.
P.S. You can read more about the Shala in this article from a local publication from Crazy Wisdom Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Being able to grow into being of service in both areas of what I consider my work - yoga and creativity - is something I am most thankful for in life. I hope you can feel the spirit behind these designs. To my Ashtangi friends - thank you for being witness to my growth and vulnerable processes of stepping into new roles.
I am forever a student ♡
About the new items:
Ashtanga Asanas Risograph Print
This is an 11 x 14 print I designed from a place of curiosity: How could I create a print that represented some of the posture series in a way that was minimalist and didn't communicate a certain "type" of yoga practitioner? Yoga is for everybody. I printed it in metallic gold ink in my studio on my Risograph press.
Kṣetra Sanskrit Practice Notebook
I made one of these for myself, designing my ideal experience for completing Sanskrit homework assignments as I worked with my Sanskrit teacher Zoë Slatoff. Large dot grid pages work great for Devanagari.
I realize this project is a bit niche, hehe, so I figure I won't be selling them in bulk. This makes for the perfect and magical opportunity to make them extra special by hand painting the covers (seen above).
Six Seeds Yoga Zine
This was the sweetest little booklet to design. At the end of last year, I thought it would be a fun exercise to locate some Sanskrit words that bring a lot of universal depth and transformation to Yoga practice, as noted in the Yoga texts. I laid them out here in this zine, and printed it in metallic gold and vibrant light-orange on my Risograph. These little zines are for everyone and contain heartful little reminders inside of them.
Living Lineage Riso Print
The death of a revered teacher, a pressed lily flower, and reflections on what it means for teachings and traditions to carry through ongoing relationships. This analog Risograph print has a story, I will let you read about it on the product page.
Thank you for reading! I am excited to see what ideas might spring up next and imagine here or there I will be able to add more to this collection, likely inspired by people around me and teachings we find meaningful!
You can see the whole collection page here.
ॐ
Kristen