“Your people will accept you as you are…”

What do you get when you fill a room with vulnerable souls, of EVERY size and at every stage of life? Willing to show up and live with love out loud? Throw in a dash of Kundalini yoga, meditation, and some authentic-as-hell speakers? You get magic. Connection. Community. And lots of heart.

There are some moments you never forget. The Body + Love Workshop of 2018, was one of them. People ask us all the time, “How do you describe the workshop?” And, to be truthful, we always get stumped. We find that the best way to explain the workshop is to let the experience speak for itself.

A cross between yoga class and bomb-ass meditation session, Oprah’s Super Soul Sessions, and a 90’s dance party… The Body + Love Workshop hits right to the core of WHO we are, WHAT we desire to feel in life, and HOW we can RISE UP into a powerful, self-loving life.

Curious as to what you missed out on this year? Here’s the rundown!

Below are pictures captured by

Friday Night

Our weekend began on Friday night with a special meet and great hangout for members of the Rise Up With Sarah monthly membership community. Having connected all year long online and through video hangouts, it was fantastic to finally put faces to name, hug it out, and share thoughtful discussion about the weekend ahead!

The doors then opened up to all ticket holders who had snagged entry into our Friday night mixer! For two hours, we mingled, hung out, and did some killer karaoke! It was the perfect chance for us to let our hair down and get comfortable with each other. Included in the crowd were some of our speakers and influencers who attended like Coach Tulin, Kenzie Brenna, Halle, and more.

Special thanks to Underwood for being the Official Wine of the Body + Love Workshop. Wine in a can? Yes! #PinkiesUp

Saturday

The line started forming at our doors long-before they opened at 8 am! Coming from across the country (and a few who traveled internationally) was a sea of women (and a few men!) ready to RISE UP together.

Attendees snagged goodies on the way in through the door, like a custom-engraved 18 oz icy hot bottle from Fifty / Fifty! This is the brands second year supporting the Body + Love Workshop and we LOVE having them as part of our community. Attendees also grabbed journals from Erin Condren, to serve as safe-keeping place for all their notes and thoughts during the weekend. (Journaling is a wonderful tool to use when it comes to personal growth and wellness and we are very grateful that Erin Condren makes such great ones for us to dream and activate in!) They also grabbed the workshop workbook.

Waiting for each attendees was also our signature workshop yoga mat. Plush and with our event logo, everyone chose a spot to sit in as they arrived and “set up shop” for the morning.

And then we were off and running! Sarah took to the stage , dancing and with everyone on their feet! She then welcomed the group, set the intentions for the weekend and reviewed the House Rules. Including, “Try not to criticize your own sh*t,” and “No body-bullying of any kind.”

Sarah launched into the heartfelt story of why she began the Body + Love Workshop. Recalling an event she attended in 2016 where she felt out-of-place and conspicuous in her size 28 plus size body; she knew she didn’t belong.

“I remember looking in the room,” she explained, “and thinking, ‘this is not how it’s supposed to be’ and I never forgot that. And at that moment, I said to myself that one day, I’m going to run an event where EVERY body feels welcome. “

After that, Sarah was joined on stage by her teacher and mentor, Kjord. A Level 2 Kundalini teacher, the Director of Kundalini at Wanderlust, and the founder of Indigo Lab, Kjord and Sarah led the group in a soulful and heart-opening kundalini yoga workshop. Sarah, a Level 1 Kundalini teacher, showed modifications for bodies on the stage in order to make the experience as body-accessible as possible for the group, which included many participants using chairs to assist with mobility.

After Kundalini, the group enjoyed a lunch break, with food provided by a local Las Vegas food truck. During lunch, the line started forming at the NYDJ on-site boutique. Offering several of their best-selling styles in sizes 00-28, Petite and Tall lengths, NYDJ prides themselves on the Power of Fit for bodies of all shapes and sizes and ages! Sarah and her entire team wore NYDJ jeans the whole weekend long as well… and every person who attended the workshop got a FREE pair of jeans! Amazing! It was so exciting to see women finding jeans that made them feel fabulous - we even had several women who hadn’t worn jeans in years find their perfect soul-mate pair! Thank you, NYDJ.

Next up was keynote from Sarah talking about how we can create change in our lives from a place of self-love. How we can all RISE UP in life! And after that? Closing out the day was a KILLER panel discussion on self-love under scrutiny featuring a diverse perspective of voices. Joining us for the discussion were Jes Baker, Body Liberation Activist and author, Kenzie Brenna, Mental Health Advocate, and Latoya Holman, a National Civil Rights Activist.

Sunday

Bright and early, we kicked off the day with a group sadhana experience. For many, it was their first time experiencing a mediation practice! Sarah led the group in understanding how a daily meditation practice can serve you, what meditation actually means, and how it can be added into life. She then led the group in a kundalini yoga meditation to help the group tap into their invincible spirit.

… And we’re off! Sunday was a whirlwind of badass information from teachers and women living in their authentic truth. First up was Coach Tulin, a fitness motivator, speaker, and founder of the #FitHasNoSize movement. Tulin shared her personal transformation story of taking her and her family from being broke and homeless and unhealthy, to passion-driven and thriving. The topic of conversation was “Embrace the Suck” addressing how we can walk into challenging and uncomfortable change with our eyes, and hearts, open.

Next, we were joined by Louise Green, International Fitness Activist and the author of Big Fit Girl for the talk “Move Because You Are Badass, Not Because You Are Bad!”The idea of the conversation is that movement should be accessible for all, and not something viewed as a punishment for our bodies. Louise talked about how she got into fitness and began her own path as a plus size runner and fitness expert. Then something really cool happened. Louise walked us through two exercises with three different women showing off different levels of the activity - one advanced, one moderate ability, and one fully modified. It was epic to see in person!

Connect. Dig deep. Learn tools to help you Rise Up in life.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Let's keep it simple and clear - there are some brands that can REALLY make a difference in our lives! We can rely on their products, their messaging, and actually USE what they offer to create a greater life for ourselves. I'm super honored to share some of the sponsors of the Body + Love Workshop with you!