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Holiday gift guide for the yoga lovers in your life

Shopping for people is tough. We're here to help!

The holiday season is upon us. We know that means pressure to find thoughtful gifts in a pinch! We’re here to help you spread cheer and offer you gifting ideas (with links) for your yoga-loving friends!

Whether they’re passionate about perfecting their downward dog or love to explore new wellness trends, we’ve got you covered with a curated list of gifts ranging from stocking stuffers to grand gestures and all the links to get them too! OH and they’re all available on prime so you can get them in time for the holidays (including Hanukah when the dates change every year and then you’re like “oh no! I forgot to get the presents!” Luckily the holiday is 8-days long and all of these gift ideas arrive in less than 3.) 

Here are some things WE LOVE!

1. Aroma Therapy diffuser

Did you know that smell is the sense that creates the most memories? Give your yoga-loving friends the gift of nostalgia and good scents with these ideas. Ranging from $12 to $50 we’ve even found one that is USB re-chargeable and fits in to your car’s cupholder. 
We’re also including diffusers that come with essential oils so you’re totally ready to go and create room, home and yoga studio smellgoodiness. Click on the images for links to purchase these from Amazon.com. If you’re located outside of the US or Canada, simply type the tittles of the items into a search bar on your browser and local suppliers or retailers that stock the items should pop up. 

Click here if you’re in Canada

Click here if you’re in Canada

Click here if you’re in Canada

Click here if you’re in Canada

2. Compact Travel Yoga Mat

For the yogi always on the go, a foldable travel mat is a game-changer. It easily fits into a suitcase or backpack, making it perfect for yoga on the road. Hello- long layover airport yoga practices! Ya… we do that. Our favourite BY FAR is the Manduka eco-lite travel mat. Sticky, grippy, foldable. It’s $52 and WELL WORTH it. 

If you’re Canadian and you prefer to shop a Canadian brand, BMat also makes a travel mat that is a good alternative. It’s basically just the rubber over-layer of their regular mat. 

Click here if you’re in Canada

3. Inspirational journals

These are great stocking stuffers AND great little gifts for people who you want to show a loving gesture, but maybe don’t know them SUPER well just yet. These journals range from $8 – $18. They have question prompts and work with positive psychology practices that have been proven to increase overall happiness levels. 

Yep- you can actually give someone the gift of being just a little bit happier. 

The morning pages journal- to help you start your day just a little more mindfully and positively. 

Click here if you’re in Canada

Evening reflections journal to help you close each chapter of your day thoughtfully. 

Click here if you’re in Canada

Morning pages, but in blush!

Click here if you’re in Canada

Journey into the chakras journal. This is a deep and soulful tool for inner healing. Each section includes a detailed explanation of one of the 7-major chakras, including physical and emotional expression, how to heal and thoughtful question prompts to check in.

Click here if you’re in Canada

Just the cutest little notebook! Filled with 110 blank pages (some have small inspirational quotes up top) for the yoga lover anywhere.

Click here if you’re in Canada

4. Meditation Cushion

Don’t just do something, SIT THERE. Do you need fancy props to meditate? No. Are they nice to have? Totally. Sitting comfortably is an essential part of being able to meditate. Having a designated spot or pillow is totally helpful. The one we love is $40 and heart shaped… so that’s cute! 

5. Personalized Yoga Art Print

Use something like Canva to make it yourself, have it printed and framed, OR check out these ones from Etsy. Digital prints start at just $4… and then we found this EPIC neon sign for $150. How’s that for the yoga studio owner in your life?!

6. Yoga Retreat Voucher

For the ultimate gift, consider a voucher for a yoga retreat or yoga teacher training. It’s a grand gesture that will leave a lasting impression. We’ve got options for $100, $250, $500 and $1000 that can be used like gift cards to ANY one of our upcoming yoga teacher trainings or retreats, online OR in person for 2024. Just click on the gift card amount you want and take it from there!

7. Himalayan Salt Lamp

An essential for every boho-chic bedroom or living room. Himalayan salt lamps not only deliver a cozy ambiance but they’re said to emit healing energies as well! This one is just $20!

Click here if you’re in Canada

8. Pretty tea set!

Because… what yogi doesn’t love tea? Whether it be matcha, a chai latte or simply a mindful cup in the morning- anything tea related may be a super nice gift for the yoga lover in your life! You can get matcha latte frothers, loose leaf teas, maybe a cute kettle, mug, or tea pot!

Be creative and thoughtful! You can’t go wrong with tea-related gifts when it’s cozy yogi season…

9. Affirmation cards

You know why affirmations are awesome? Because they work! You can find affirmations for just about anyone and any occasion. They make great little stocking stuffers! Here’s some that are fun, non cheesy and all under $20!

Affirmators! They’re fun.  They have unicorns and dinosaurs on them! 

Click here if you’re in Canada

Let your star-wars, nerdy, yoga loving friends use the force with these awesome cards!

Click here if you’re in Canada

Because we’re all about female empowerment, here are some affirmations for your favourite feminists. 


Click here if you’re in Canada

Emergency affirmations for when sh*t hits the fan…

Click here if you’re in Canada

The deck for inner f-ing peace… need we say more? 

Click here if you’re in Canada

Okay, there it is- our top 9 (but really more like our top 25 because we gave you lots of options for each idea). 

We hope it helps! We hope you have an absolutely wonderful and special holiday season.

We wish you joy, smiles, memories that you’ll cherish forever and an overdose of love.


xox

Team YAI

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Yoga Academy International Faculty:

Lauren Rudick

Lauren Rudick

Lead teacher and founder of Yoga Academy International, Lauren is a globally celebrated yoga instructor. She has been teaching yoga for over a decade and comes from a variety of lineages and traditions. Lauren has lead yoga retreats and workshops in over 2-dozen countries and continues to study with world-class instructors whenever possible. She has been featured in Women's health Magazine, YogiTimes, Optymyz and get out there to name a few as well as on countless podcasts and newspaper articles. Lauren has solid roots in Iyengar based Hatha yoga with continued studies in Vinyasa flow, Anusara, Ashtanga, Restorative, Bhakti and Yin Yoga. She is inspired by teachers who tell stories. She has studied under Seane Corn, Chris Chavez, MC Yogi, Susan Cohen, Mercy Ananda, Nancy Goodfellow and many others. Lauren is passionate about sharing yoga from an authentic and soulful point of view. She believes that yoga practice can help uncover the veils that hide us from achieving our full potential.  Lauren is E-RYT 500 registered with Yoga Alliance. 

Hatti Williams

Hatti Williams

Hatti Williams is an Astrologer, Sound Healer, Fashionista and Yoga instructor. She completed her 200hr yoga teacher training and Yin Yoga teacher training with Yoga Academy International in Greece. Hatti then went on to study Yoga Nidra and Sound Healing where she learned more about the energetic body and Traditional Chinese Medicine Meridians. Hatti has a gift for bringing the mystical to life through her lectures and teachings. She offers a digestible and soulful take on astrology and merges the ancient wisdom of yoga with our understanding of the celestial universe seamlessly.

Angie Pone

Hatti Williams

Originally from Argentina, Angie is now a beach babe and a Nicaraguan local. She teaches soulful yoga classes that include Whim Hoff style breath work and themes sprinkled throughout that really connect yoga philosophy with movement.

Teresa Edmilao

Teresa Edmilao

Teresa has been practicing massage therapy since 2006. She has a 3000hr diploma in Massage Therapy from the West Coast College of Massage Therapy in Vancouver, BC. Teresa has a passion for helping people connect with their bodies. She lives by example, inspiring people to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Teresa spent 7 years practicing massage therapy in Canada to people from all walks of life; students, athletes, desk workers, labourers, youth, elderly, dancers, and accident victims. Teresa is also a fire dancer and hula hoop dancer. She has experienced numerous injuries has personally been through the rehabilitation process many times. It was these experiences that have lead her to delve deeply into the study and application of anatomy and movement. Teresa offers anatomy classes at Yoga Academy International. Her teachings are thorough, meticulous but fun, drawing on every day life experience to help yogis understand their bodies better. 

Will Peters

Will Peters

Making yoga accessible and enjoyable, regardless of who you are and how strong or flexible you are, is his priority. With a passion for all things health and wellbeing, Will’s aim is to inspire anyone and everyone to step on the mat to gain the physical and mental benefits that yoga can provide.Born in the UK, Will is a qualified and registered yoga teacher with over 250 hours of training. Will places an emphasis on alignment and safety. Outside of teaching, Will is an enthusiastic yoga student, constantly pushing his body and mind to new limits. Whether it’s learning to handstand, progressing towards the splits or practicing mindfulness exercises, Will loves to learn new things and grow. This provides continuous evolution to Will’s teaching as he brings new-found energy and knowledge from my personal practice into class.

Nancy Goodfellow

Nancy Goodfellow

Yoga director and co-owner of Pranamar Villas and Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica, Nancy is extremely well known for her inspiring and creative daily classes, workshops,and retreats, with students both locally and internationally. Her twenty years of committed practice, thousands of hours of trainings, and continual curiosity towards life’s most mysterious aspects are all part of why she has so many devoted students. She began her Yogic studies in the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition under the guidance of her first teachers, Dominic Corigliano, Tim  Miller and Pattabhi Jois. Nancy has completed over 500 hours of Yoga Alliance teacher trainings and began teaching in 1998. Nancy dedicated many years of study to the Anusara method with its amazing principles of alignment, Tantric philosophy and Bhakti filled practice. She completed over 500 hours of certified Anusara teachings and traditional non-dualistic Tantra studies.

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason

Chef Charlotte Mason hails from Boston where she used work in high end restaurant kitchens and then later opened up her own catering company. Burnt out and needing a break, Charlotte went on a surf vacation to Nicaragua and 3 weeks later moved cross continents and has been there ever since. Charlotte's love of sourcing locally, creating exceptional plant-based dishes and combining flavours makes her food loved by everyone. Charlotte is passionate about health and wellness and is also a certified yoga instructor. Giving back not only with flavours, Charlotte frequently teaches yoga classes in Spanish for local women and helps empower local women to follow their dreams and speak their minds. In joining Yoga Academy International, Charlotte has added so much to the experience by creating comfort and family feelings found only when gathering around a table to share delicious meals together. When not on Yoga Academy International's trainings, Charlotte creates gourmet pop up dinners around Nicaragua and chefs at yoga retreats around the world.  

Sanne Hofman

Sanne Hofman

Sanne is a ray of sunshine! Before joining the Yoga Academy International team, Sanne was a neuropsychologist in Holland. On her path, she felt that her chosen field was not quite the right fit. So Sanne set off on a journey through Central America to get to know herself better. Along the way she met her partner Toby in Panama. Together they worked and traveled through Central America eventually finding their way to Maderas Beach, Nicaragua. They loved the spot so much that they decided to move there and eventually got jobs managing a boutique hotel. Wanting to expand her offerings at the hotel, Sanne took Yoga Academy International's 200hr teacher training in 2018. She then furthered her studies in the Chakra-Vinyasa Training and went back to Europe to take Thai Yoga Massage training. Sanne is compassionate, loving and kind. She is an example of how to live yoga ethics while still being true to who you are. Sanne offers YAI students endless encouragement and love as well as unwavering support on their journeys. She can always be counted on for a listening ear, a compassionate friend, a glowing smile or a warm hug when you need it most. 
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