Thanks Andrea and yes, of course it's okay!

You're so welcome MettaYogaIL! You know I love you!

Thanks for the compliment and the repost, Laura!

@KC -- Oh, I have so been there. Just give it time and you'll get there. As for chanting, I think it's wonderful. In fact, you might want to start with chanting, as it tends to settle the mind. I used to think that Kirtan and Chanting were the same thing until I took a chanting class. Chanting is a bit more traditional -- a call and response in Sanskrit. It can be hard to find a teacher. You might want to check out Sonia Nelson -- http://www.vedicchantcenter.org/ That's a good place to start. Have fun!

@ThePhoenixRisesAgain -- Awesome insight! Trust me -- there's no "right" way. There's only your way.

@Jules -- I love your story! Thanks for sharing! How wonderful that you've found something that works for you.

Hi Josh -- I've seen some pretty nice yoga clothing for guys from Prana (As stated in this post, you can see where the clothes are made if you shop at Prana.) and Be Present (all Be Present clothes are made in the US). Barefoot Yoga also has great yoga clothes for men -- http://www.barefootyoga.com/Page.bok?template=categorymensclothing I hope this was helpful!

@Megmcc Brilliant! I love that you've taken an active roll in learning more about companies' labor and environmental practices. It's tough to make an educated decision because we don't have all of the information and when we seek out information, we get the marketing-friendly answer instead of a truthful one. I hear you on the rabid branding in the yoga world. I didn't start buying brand names until I started practicing more often and then began wearing the clothing outside the studio as well. I bought brands that people recommended to me for their quality. I wear what I feel comfortable in and don't care what others think of it. I tend to value function over form, so I go with clothing that lasts. I only buy from Lululemon every 5 years or so. I like to wear something out before I buy it again. Still, I wonder if I've confused quality with brand names. Suffice to say -- I'm rethinking my buying habits.

@Yogascool Excellent point! I admit that I have been blind to this because I tend to look at things with my rose-colored glasses and my first reaction is always -- "Oh this company would never employ those practices." It's not true, I know. The question is -- how do we get this information? Prana is the only company that I know of that actually volunteers the country of origin information. It reminds me that I have to be not only a more conscious consumer but a more active one -- I need to ask questions before I order.

@PrAnaLIFE You certainly made me completely happy. I am totally floored by the level of customer service that you provided. And the full disclosure over your manufacturing policies is impressive. So often we buy from companies and don't even know what we're buying. Not so with Prana. I can't say enough good things.

@Exploremovement.blogspot.com I couldn't agree with you more! Seriously, my experience with Prana was THE BEST customer service experience I've had in my life. And I really appreciate their transparency in regards to where their clothing is manufactured. They didn't give me the corporate speak nonsense -- they were totally upfront about their manufacturing. It's quite impressive.

@Ifigenia Susana -- ahhhh, Hardtail -- I totally forgot to check mine. I have two pairs myself. Good to know they are made in the US. I totally understand your point. For the first couple of years of my yoga practice, I didn't buy "yoga clothes" per se. I'm not sure if it's that they were only workout clothes and no yoga-specific clothes out there or what. I started buying brands like Lululemon and the like when I began to wear the yoga clothing outside of the studio. Interestingly enough, my recent order from Prana consisted of everyday clothing, as opposed to yoga-related clothes. The truth is -- we don't NEED yoga clothes. You're right -- this desire to stay in yoga fashion probably gets in the way of the practice of yoga. Does it matter what you look like during class or what you do during yoga class? I actually resisted Lululemon for years for the very reason that it was a "cool kid" thing. I didn't want to be cool -- I wanted to practice yoga. I only folded when a friend of mine who's from Vancouver waxed poetic about the quality of the clothing. I can attest to that, as I only buy from Lululemon once every 5 years.

@GoodLifeYoga -- ah, isn't it ironic that sometimes the best yoga clothes aren't yoga clothes at all? I have quite a few pairs of jeans that cost less than half the price of some of my yoga pants. Crazy, eh?

Hi Rebecca! Oh, I so hear you on this one. It's funny how presence needs to be a discipline. There's just too much pulling at us for our attention. Have fun being totally present in New Zealand. Enjoy the experience.

Thanks for your comment, David. Good for you for searching for just the right class for you. Here's to zero distractions!

Linda, Nadine, Yoga Dawg, Anna and Rachel -- thank you for your comments. My heart smiles knowing that I'm not alone in this.

Hmmm Patrick, that sounds like an intriguing idea. I may just start a revolution. Thanks so much for your comment!