Lolë White Tour of Peace in the 6ix

By Diana Condolo

Have you ever felt the phenomenal feeling of doing a flow in tandem with 3,000 other people dressed in white as the sun sets over Toronto? I absolutely did at this year’s Lolë White Tour at Exhibition Place on July 28, 2016.

The Lolë White Tour is truly a beautiful event – fantastic for the body, mind and soul. It is great for connecting with others.

We explored the market sampling Oikos Greek Yoghurt, Larabar, Kashi Seven Grain with Quinoa bars and so much more. Passport to Prana was offering a deal to their already excellent deal. Check out my Passport to Prana blog for more info.

We loved PRANA’s Jive Spicy Chili Coconut Chips, which are dry roasted to perfection and flavoured with spicy chili seasoning. We tried them for the first time and were immediately won over. I am stocking up on these nutritious snacks!

I loved seeing all the types of yoga outfits people are wearing. One pretty lady was all decked out, wearing a short white skirt looking like she was going to a Great Gatsby tennis party. I had no idea where people found such diverse white leggings. A couple of stores I went to had none. Some of us settled for light coloured leggings. I wore the white Lolë t-shirt I received two years ago at the White Tour at the ROM. Beautiful active wear can be bought online Lolë or in stores.

The session started at dusk with Elena Brower, Lisa Messina and Marla Meenakshi Joy alternately leading a Vinyasa flow inspired by ParaYoga and Katonah Yoga. At times, our attention was brought to the changing colours in the sky, to take it in and be mindful of the environment. We took a few seconds to enjoy the splendid sunset and also to be grateful for the sky’s show – it never grows old.

We did some poses I’ve never done before such as stretching the right foot back out towards the left side of the mat while the left hand is placed to the right side of the mat. The next instruction was to move the right foot to the front of the mat, but the mind was a little confused because the right foot was actually positioned on the left side of the body. I enjoyed the simple mind exercise, which kept it active and strengthened the mind and body’s flexibility and adaptability. My favourite pose was a modified Warrior 3 also known as Virabhadrasana III. We were all holding on to our neighbour’s arms while pushing our upper body forward and a leg backward to become parallel with the ground to form a T shape. I was pleased to be able to easily form a steady Warrior 3 pose, which is not easy for me since I’m not very good at balancing. We held the pose for a while – it really is cool to feel the energy of others and allow them to expand your practice.

Pianist and singer Ariane Zita played live during the whole flow. She’s a self-taught composer and songwriter and released her first album, Oui mais non, late last year. It was incredibly beautiful!

Missed the event in Toronto? The Lolë White Tour is heading to Montreal on August 18, 2016 where some 7,000 people are expected to attend. I’d love to go.

Guided by amazing yoga instructors and set to live music, this yoga event definitely makes this summer truly unforgettable.

In times such as ours, it is so wonderful and uplifting to be in a space where people from such varied backgrounds come together to celebrate and promote peace and love.