Where will your next downward dog be?

As sand squidged between my toes, I made my way into downward dog and caught a great upside-down view of English Bay. Around me friends and brand-new friends let their city stresses go as we laughed off the weather and pointed our toes up into the sky for three-legged dog. Somewhere to my left a flash went off - just a Swedish author, working on a book about Vancouver culture, taking a picture. Welcome to guerilla yoga.

Confused? Don't be! Guerilla yoga is an impromptu public meet-up of yogis, visitors, and sometimes curious passers-by, in a public space for the purpose of enjoying a yoga class together. The name expresses that this kind of yoga meet-up could happen anywhere, any time, in any space!  As part of our Robson store's CGSE community events, we've already hit English Bay, the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Yaletown Roundhouse Ring. It's a great way to see new spaces in our city from a perspective you've never taken before. All you need is a mat, some water, and an open mind.

Did you spot us last week at the Art Gallery?

So how do you go about checking out our next guerilla yoga adventure? If you're plugged in, the word will go out on our Twitter and Facebook sites. If you're in the area, grab your mat and a water bottle and hop it over to our meetup space! Not in the local area? No worries - why not organize your own guerilla yoga event? All you need is a public space, someone who is comfortable leading an all-levels yoga class, and a way of getting the word out - from a newsletter to a last-minute tweet.

Ever been to a guerilla yoga event, spur of the moment flash mob, or tweetup? Share your tips for organizing or joining in with us!

"So what do you do?" Such a common and automatic question when meeting someone new.
"I'm in retail," I answer, but always felt compelled to add, "but it isn't your normal retail store".

Three years ago I knew nothing of lululemon, luon or Groove Pants. One of my Canadian girlfriends mentioned it one day. "What a weird name," I thought to myself.

"Oh my God their pants are amazing!" she said and continued to rave about them. I thought she was insane going nuts over a pair of pants. That was until I tried my first pair of Groove Pants on and nodded, "Ah, I see what all the fuss is about now," as I wondered where they had been all my life.

Fate had it that that summer I was looking for work and came across a rare advert for lululemon looking to hire now. What did I have to lose? My friend had gone on about them and I needed a job. Right from the get go however, I realized there was more than met the eye. My 'interview' was held outside, sitting on some steps in Mountain Square in Whistler. As soon as the woman interviewing me started talking about goals and goal setting, I had fallen in love. With the company holding so many similar ideals and aims as my own, it was like the guidance I had been searching for was right before me.

Jenna taking part in a yoga class with everyone.

Some of her co-workers.

Cheering for our elite ambassador!

Now, it's a year and a half later and I looked back on my time so far with lululemon and realize what an amazing company I work for. I have done guerilla yoga, cheered at the World Cup bobsleigh and skeleton races as a LEAF (lululemon elite ambassador fan), taken my hand to visual merchandising, organized a yoga stretch event before a running race, strutted my stuff on the catwalk at a fit and function show, let my creativity bloom as a blog artist and now helped as a team wear judge. My job title? Educator!

Opportunity is always there for the taking. All you have to do is have the courage to step up.