Touring Yoga: Hawaii, New Zealand and the World…

A selfie of Mik and I on Rock Quarry Beach on Kauai, Hawaii.

The moment the plane landed on the tarmac at Kauai airport tears started running down my cheeks…!  It had been a little over two years since I was last on island and it felt like I’d been gone a little too long. There is something about Kauai that has that effect on me. It’s a feeling of coming home. Kauai held me in its spirit; it illuminated all the ways I had given my power away and helped me to begin to massive healing process. I will always be grateful for my decade on the island – it literally woke this sleeping beauty out of a long sleep and sent me off around the world sharing what I’ve learned.

Mik and I made a promise to ourselves – it’s back to Kauai each and every January to recharge our batteries, and do a little yoga and a little surfin!!

This beach is also known as Kahili Beach. Although it’s known as a local surf spot, I love to dip in the cold and warm currents of the lagoon and float on my back watching the clouds go by.

Mik after his much needed surf! 

I am happy to say Mik got to surf on Kauai at least once on the trip, and watch some pretty amazing big wave surfing at Hanalei. From the Princeville lookout we watched a couple of very cool guys surf hydrofoils; on one of these very new surf devices was Laird Hamilton. Watching them made me want to learn how to foil surf!! Why not… they say, it’s the closest thing to flying on a cloud, and who wouldn’t want to fly on a cloud.

I was stoked I finally got to show Mik some of the other Hawaiian Islands… so much gratitude that our yoga tour made it possible!  We hopped from island to island making new friends in yoga communities on Kauai, Maui, the Big Island – Hawaii, and we ended our yoga tour on Oahu at the Wanderlust Yoga Festival.

Our tour of the islands connected us with some wonderful communities:  Maui Yoga Shala Paia and Wailea, and on the Big Island Hilo Yoga Shala, Yoga Hale in Kona, and Kohala Village Hub in Hawi.

A view of Maui from our plane…

A Powerful Goddess Shaman Veruschka Normandeau and her partner Aaron Newman took Mik and I to some of their fav spots at Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. This spot is a powerful place for the transformative work Veruschka does.

I loved walking into the lava tube – very cool and eerie at the same time. 

Next year, Mik and I hope to find ourselves on Oahu playing music with our band at night and teaching yoga during the day. Wanderlust is ‘the’ premier yoga festival in the world’ and there are several Wanderlust festivals around the world to attend.

Music is the heartbeat of Wanderlust festivals. Music ranges from DJ-powered yoga classes to acoustic musical meditations to the electric main stage performances.

Whether you’re an experienced yogi, meditator or are brand new to practice, you can create your ideal day at Wanderlust. There are classes for all levels, from beginner to expert, as well as a wide variety of practice styles and venue types. Mix in meditation or relaxing yin classes with sweaty, uplifting vinyasa, or challenge yourself with something completely new like standup paddleboard yoga or aerial yoga. Feel the energy of hundreds of yogis moving together in our flagship outdoor venue, get a lift to the top of the mountain to practice under the  skies at 6,000 feet, or drop into an intimate, indoor class accompanied by a live musician or DJ. Each festival offers a taste of internationally recognized teachers as well as top local instructors and musicians.

Toni Childs @ wanderlust Oahu from tonichilds on Vimeo.

Mik and I are in New Zealand at the moment, and will head back to Australia in a few days. We just finished our very first series of one day workshops with some wonderful yoga communities: The Dunedin Yoga Studio in Dunedin, YinYogaNapier in Napier, and The Loft Yoga in Whangarei.

I am deeply honoured to connect in with all of you who’ve committed to my powerful eight month process – Rite of Passage: Into the Arms of Beauty. I am grateful for the privilege to do this work with so many like minded individuals from around the world, who like us, are interested in growing their personal seed of evolution!

If you’re interested in learning more about my workshop Rite of Passage: Into the Arms of Beauty click here.