Latest / Sweat Community / Ep. 7 The Story of Denver Yoga Summit: Building Community Through Yoga, Wellness & Connection in CO
Transcript
- Sheena: And thank you for listening. Yes, a teacher for everyone. The Denver Yoga Summit is happening September 11th through 13th at the Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms. Whether you're completely new to yoga, a longtime practitioner, a teacher, or simply someone looking for connection and community, this event has something for you. as a listener of SWET Community you can use code SWET30 to save $30 on your ticket. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and head on over to sweatcommunity.com subscribe to stay in the know on local events, studio spotlights, and wellness resources. ⁓ always, what made you sweat this week? Thank you for listening. We'll see you in the next episode. Bye. ⁓ Welcome back to Sweat Community Podcast, where we get to know the people that are building real community through movement and wellness. I'm down with Brittany Hopkins Switlick, the creator behind the very first Denver Yoga Summit ⁓ launching September. She's also best-selling author and yoga teacher trainer with over 5,000 hours of teaching experience. In this episode, we dive into the real story behind building a wellness event from scratch. And why community-centered wellness experiences are becoming more important than ever. Thank you so much, Brittany, for here. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Thanks for having me. Sheena: ⁓ so excited. right. So for people meeting you for the first time, how would you describe who you are and what you do? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Ooh, that's a fun question to try and summarize. Who am I? I am a mom of two. It's probably my number one identity. I am a wife. I have been teaching yoga since 2004. I was a professional dancer in Chicago, turned yogi, when I ended up in Utah teaching at a college prep boarding school. over the years I've... I yoga at the boarding school. I taught yoga in China. started a yoga studio called Container Collective Yoga that I opened in 2014 and made it through the pandemic and then I just needed a break. ⁓ And then I've been leading yoga teacher trainings for other studios and for own school that is now called Lotus Yoga. And now I'm apparently a giant event planner ⁓ for the... Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: first annual Denver Yoga Summit. Sheena: That is awesome from ⁓ a brick and mortar studio to now planning a massive event and being a teacher trainer. you're also author. Can you into your book, is Dancing with Ourselves? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: ⁓ yeah, that's a new identity. It's only been a year of knowing myself as an author. Yeah, I published Dancing with Ourselves, a practical guide to harness the ego and live on purpose a year ago. it was a number one new release in three different categories, which was super exciting. it's book about the yoga concepts that lead in yoga teacher training that all my trainees, say to me, oh my gosh, I thought I was just gonna learn how to do the poses right. I didn't know that I was gonna learn how to show up more impactfully in my marriage, with my family, at work. I need my husband to know these tools. I need my mom to know these tools, but they're never gonna do a yoga teacher training. So how do I share these tools with them? And so finally I was like, I'll just write them all down. Because I would point them in different directions. Go have them read this book or have them. check out this website and they were always like, no, it's your stories and the way that you explain it that have it land. so the book is a series of embarrassing stories where I let my ego, Brandy, Brandy with an eye with a heart over the eye, take the lead in my life and then the yoga tools that I use to not get rid of her because the ego isn't going anywhere, but to harness ⁓ what she's to let me know that I want, need or desire in a more... Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: empowered way as my higher self, Brittany. Sheena: That is so fascinating. And it's a bestseller, congratulations. That's not easy to do. ⁓ Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Thank you, it was a pretty fun adventure. Sheena: Yeah, sounds like the need for it was definitely out there. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: yeah, Sheena: What was the moment you knew yoga more than just a practice for you? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I was in Utah, was doing these yoga recordings after school, and I would make my friends come and do yoga with me. And ⁓ I found drawn to certain teachers the sequence made sense to my body as a dancer. But there was always a spiritual focus that had me feeling like what I was doing on the mat mattered for who I was and how I was off the mat. And it turned out those teachers that I was doing their recordings for were Baptiste Power Yoga teachers. so I found myself at a yoga teacher training with Baron Baptiste in Sedona, Arizona in 2013. Sheena: Mm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: That's when I knew that it was than just the poses. yes, the poses ⁓ give access to showing up more powerfully in life, but it the spiritual concepts that really impacted me and had me knowing that this was a way of life, not just a form of exercise. Sheena: Absolutely. The poses or the asanas, that's only an eighth of yoga There's so much more beyond just the movement. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Hmm. Sheena: So, what was the seed of inspiration behind the Denver Yoga Summit? Where did this idea first come from? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: the idea first showed up three years ago in June of 2023. I had messaged my friend it was like, why is there no Denver Yoga Festival? And she's like, good question. And I looked it up and there had been one in 2014 middle 2010s. And That's when I bought the domain. But then I looked down at my six month old baby girl and then looked up and said, dear universe, can we put a pin in this? was postpartum and perimenopausal at the same time. so I just forgot about it, really. And I had closed my studio in 2021. And over the years, my husband has asked me at least once a year, when are you going to open a yoga studio again? I would always very quickly say never ⁓ then also remember to never say never. But last August was the first time that he asked me that and I asked him why he kept asking me that. And he you're just so ⁓ good at people together and having them feel like they belong and their presence And sharing the larger picture of yoga as a way of living in the world in a way that is accessible to people. I really appreciated that answer. then it was 30 seconds later that he said, weren't you thinking about doing some sort of yoga event? so that was the return of the idea. I reached out to a couple of my yoga friends who had done yoga teacher trainings also and was like, what do you guys think? Do you want to do this with me? And they ⁓ even hesitate. were like, yes. I'm like, well, maybe think about it because this is what it would look like. It's a big deal. And they're like, okay, I'll think about it. Yes. And so that was September of 2025. And we figured we needed a year to plan it. We knew we wanted to be outside so we could be connected to the land. And we knew we wanted to be close to either a fall equinox or a solstice. so September. 11 through the 13th is kind of as close to the fall equinox as we could get without worrying about snow in Colorado. the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms is acres. it was important to us that we be able to offer, a power vinyasa if that's somebody wants, a yin a chair yoga practice or just straight up meditation. Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: so that it is truly accessible and everybody feels welcome and like they belong to be able to have eight different spaces happening at the same time. there's five of us on the team and it's been really fun ⁓ planning Sheena: That's incredible. So you said there'll be eight spaces. spread out throughout the days. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, there's eight spaces going concurrently. So there's over 90 sessions happening at the same time. also to still have it feel intimate. there will be some sessions that'll be 20 people with a facilitator. And then there'll be some sessions with 100 with a facilitator. so that people can get what they need out of the weekend. We've got a on shoulder safety. You know, as many people that are practicing power yoga and doing a million chaturangas, we want people to leave with a new awareness of their body. There's a workshop on hyper and hypo mobility. lots workshops on the gods and goddesses. There's yoga philosophy. There's a specific teacher track Denver's so full of amazing yoga teachers. And to have them all and spend a weekend together learning from tons of different amazing facilitators is just, ⁓ I just get so excited. Sheena: is incredible. I love the variety. So how did you go about curating and programming while building credibility for this event? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: We an application process, different people applied. There were also people that just reached out through Instagram that I had meetings with and had them apply And then there are specific teachers and facilitators that I reached out to. There's a presenter coming in from Seattle area, Aru, who is brilliant, has amazing language around. pranayama she'll be leading workshop on an introduction to pranayama and different breathing techniques also a teacher track workshop how to cue beyond the inhale and exhale many of my yoga teacher trainees are like I just feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over again ⁓ and this workshop that Aru leads gives eight different ways to cue inhale and exhale not just like breathe in, breathe out but smooth breathing and elastic breathing. it's just really fun. So the curating of the presenters has been one of my favorite parts of this process because I've gotten to know so many amazing teachers around the Denver Metro that I hadn't met before because I was so heavy in the running of a studio but it is the best. it's an incredible lineup of presenters. I wanted keep it as local as possible one of the things that's interesting to me as a 200 hour yoga teacher training facilitator is that so many people have signed up for my 200 hour just it's close to their house. Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: And 90 % of the time it's a really good fit, but there's some people that I'm like, no, actually you would be a better fit with Jeremy Wolf over on the East side of Denver, like worth the drive, you know? Sheena: I think the teacher track is so beyond cool. ⁓ can benefit so many yoga teachers, which leads into the community because we benefit from that. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, so many of the people who have already bought tickets yoga teachers like they're looking for, you Sheena: ⁓ I totally see that. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I'm one of those people that are always seeking, not better, but I'm so curious and I'm ⁓ definitely not a believer in the way, but a way. And I teach a way and love learning from other people who also teach a way I'm always growing and ⁓ evolving and I. assume other people are doing that as well. Sheena: Absolutely. I think we all are to just continue learning because like you it's not the way. It's always a way. love that. What has been the scariest hardest of launching something this big for the time? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: just that first payment to the Botanic Gardens. people are assuming that... ⁓ they're just giving us the but it's like, no, they a nonprofit that makes their money by memberships to the gardens, but also by renting it out for events. we originally just rented out half the gardens. then the invitations bigger and And so now we're at 48 presenters with over 90 sessions. So we expanded to rent out the whole gardens. that first payment was like, this is really happening now. Sheena: this is legit. that's a lot presenters ⁓ and events. ⁓ how many people you ⁓ to show up? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: We can have as many, 2,000 people, but our goal is between 750 and 1,000. Sheena: That's awesome. will be all how long is it going to be throughout the day? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Friday it'll be 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. there'll be five sessions that people can choose from then at 6 o'clock we'll do our official opening ceremony with a beautiful land acknowledgement by a woman named Sequoia. We'll do an intention setting and then Mo's is a global musician who is actually from Colorado, currently lives in Brazil, is on tour in Europe. is like a live DJ. So there's musicians on stage and he's ⁓ the music he will take us from the meditation to we're all dancing. We don't know how we got there. And then Saturday and Sunday Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Gates will open at 8.30 the first session starting at nine. those will all be asana related, You'll have choices throughout the day, do you go into the yurt and have an AccuDetox sound bath? Do you wanna ⁓ listen to some lectures? a keynote? We'll go till 7 p.m. on Saturday and then Sunday it'll go from 830 to 6. Sheena: events will going all day. concurrently going. ⁓ How do people sign up that they feel like they don't want to miss out on something? how are you staggering it? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, like the teacher track, I have it set so there's no overlapping teacher workshops at the same time. Or spacing it out so you can go asana to an anatomy workshop to lunch to then yin practice to a chakra workshop. There will definitely be some hard choices. that's we can do it every year. And also you meet a facilitator and you're like, ⁓ I want to continue learning with them. I'm encouraging all of the presenters, plan something that's happening in October or November so people can continue to work with you. also it accessible. in that we have an ASL, American Sign Language interpreter available for anybody who's hard of hearing. We will have adaptive yoga sessions. So if somebody's in a chair or needs support getting around the space, we truly want it to be accessible for everyone. And yes, they will be making hard choices because all 90 workshops sound amazing to me. Sheena: Yeah, yes, are any workshops or speakers, that you're especially excited about? I know you're excited about all of it, but anything that you're like, my gosh, I cannot wait for this in particular. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I'm really excited about Nishchala Davy. She wrote The Secret Power of Yoga, which is a woman's guide to the yoga sutras. I had out to her when I wrote my book ⁓ and she wrote endorsement then when the summit started happening, I reached out to her. was like, is there a world where you could come out for this? And she was like, yeah. And we ended up on a call for an hour and a half. it was so inspiring because she has been the... American yoga scene for 60 years. And ⁓ wisdom she is going to be sharing at the summit is, yeah, pretty mind blowing so many different amazing facilitators, I'm a bit starstruck Anish Tla, even Sheena: Wow. That's awesome. I love that. what did you feel was missing in the yoga or wellness community that you wanted this event to fill? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Mm. When I first moved to Denver, I knew I was starting a yoga studio, so I never taught at any of the other yoga studios. But I found myself going to yoga studios because I wanted to be in community while getting started with the business. And it felt so separate. I needed to figure the culture of that studio and another one felt different. then when I started my studio, I was so head in the weeds. with that community, I was also a part of that separateness. is one of my core values. this feels like an opportunity to create connection between the yoga studios the whole community of yogis in the Denver metro area. then another gap is going from yoga classes and workshops to a 200 hour training is a very big leap. And So many people are like, I don't necessarily want to teach. I want to know more, but I don't want to teach. But the only way to really go deeper in that way, is to do a 200 hour training. And this weekend, I'm curating it in a way that's it's a snapshot of what yoga teacher training would look like for someone. you're going to learn about anatomy and asana and all eight limbs in one weekend. so that's the gap that leap from classes to teacher training, that what if you just came to this weekend and you're like, ⁓ yeah, that's helpful. I do want to take the Sheena: Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ I love that. why do you think people are craving community centered wellness experiences? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: think coming out of the pandemic, everybody practicing in their living rooms and losing their practice because they didn't want to practice alone people are craving in-person events And I also think AI, it's a useful tool in some ways, but it's kind of creating a ⁓ skepticism. Like, is this real? Are you real? Coming together in person feels like, ⁓ no, AI is not taking over the world we still have each other. Sheena: Yes, absolutely. I read that you are donating five percent the proceeds to local nonprofits from day one. Why is that important to build from the start rather than waiting until the event was established? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: SEVA is just a huge part of my business ⁓ model we had several nonprofits apply and have one called Love Brain that works with people with brain injuries. Yoga, which shares yoga with veterans and their families. Ardent Grove, is kind of mind blowing that I didn't know about it before, but they offer low cost and free mental health, therapy, EMDR. we have Wellness for Everyone a national nonprofit, but they have a local presence. And they're hosting the kids summit experience. So can bring their kids ages five to 12 and they will have their own yoga summit weekend. then we just talked about as a team this morning having the Colorado Food Bank of the Rockies bringing bins So people can bring food to the weekend and drop them in the bins and then Having the event ⁓ at the Botanic Gardens a nonprofit. It's not a yoga event without Seva in my book. Sheena: That's it's about. ⁓ the community, the giving, we're finding connection through movement. ⁓ how you personally seen yoga bring people together? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I had my studio, I would do 40 days of yoga programs. We would meet Everybody would come to the Monday night class, and then we'd stay, ⁓ and talk about ⁓ the different limbs yoga and how it was showing up in the rest of their lives. that was the entry point. from people not just awkwardly waving or smiling at the person on the mat next to them, actually seeing them as humans as well. we have a Denver Yoga Summit Facebook group, not just a page, but a group where there's conversations happening, like what kind of mat do you use and why, what ⁓ breathing practice do you use when you're stressed out, of a thing. I've been in Denver now 12 years and going through and remembering of the different yogis that had been a part of the 40 days and made me smile, made my heart warm and fuzzy because without community, we just feel so isolated. Sheena: Hmm, community is so important that a lot of us, I think, are lacking. I think what you're doing to bring community together is beautiful. nowadays ⁓ see more of the ⁓ fitness yoga the unquote workout. What do you to someone who they're like, yoga is not a real workout, so this is not for me, What do you think people misunderstand most about yoga? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: think for some people yoga might not ⁓ workout that they're looking for, but the workout that they need. it's not going to replace your If you're triathlete, it's not going to replace those activities that you need that. but will help every area of your life, primarily because you're breathing. it's the deep, deep breathing that... calms the nervous system that has me practicing staying calm in a difficult situation, right? Like holding a hard pose for a long time being asked to breathe intentionally is a different experience than doing a bunch of reps of something. I think the ⁓ most commonly thing about yoga is that it is just exercise when it is a whole complete way of showing up to life. I was actually going to record a reel earlier today and I still do it, the yoga of a bad haircut, because I got a bad haircut the other day. just thinking about the clashes my ego is showing up my aversion to having a bad haircut, my attachment to having a good haircut. Yeah, the philosophy of yoga is just so much bigger. Sheena: Hm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: than the mat, but at the same time we need the mat because it's the gateway into the complete system. Sheena: Yes, it complements the other forms of fitness and movement. like you said, someone might go in for This isn't to replace it, It just works well with it, the breathing and the mindfulness of yoga, you just don't get that another workout. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, you don't. Sheena: what this year's theme, yoga as a way of living, ⁓ look in practice for someone who is brand new to it? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: They could show up and find a new of yoga that really suits them. One of the workshops is called Yoga for Your Doshia. So depending on your dosha from Ayurveda, you could leave the weekend finding the style that really does serve your body. I went to a yoga event a month ago I left with the phrase move fast, but don't rush. this concept of move with intention, but when we're rushing that triggers the limbic system, right? The fight, flight, freeze, panic versus I can take deep breaths while moving fast. And so my hope and my knowing really is that people will leave the weekend with least one life-changing tool. Sheena: Hmm. I love that. And it could be someone brand new to yoga or a teacher with decades of experience, they'll still get something for them out of this. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, my dad is coming. primarily to just be supportive, but I'm like, you bought a ticket. means you're going to sessions and I'm going to sign him up for the Because he's always thought that he can't do it. And it's like, no, this chair yoga practice this one's for you. Sheena: You're coming. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I got it all mapped out for him, and he's Sheena: that's incredible. I feel like I should use your same map and bring my mom along and have her do it too. amazing. ⁓ So you already run a free monthly ⁓ reconnection reset to keep the community alive year round. What made want build community before the summit even happened? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: because it's not about this one weekend Yes, it'll be a huge celebration and huge learning, but because community is a part of it, we're doing these different events at different studios around Denver so that we can introduce people to all of the possibilities. And each reset is led by a different person on the team. this weekend, I'm leading one on ⁓ the lymphatic the glymphatic systems. It's about creating connection all year round. Sheena: Absolutely. And how can people find this reconnection reset keep going year round for them? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: go to the website, DenverYogaSummit.com and there's a tab, free monthly offerings. And actually through the summer, it's going to turn into weekly. There'll be some that are happening at the Westin Hotel on the pool deck. They're donating the space and we're donating the time and energy. There's one up in Thornton and this month and next month there's one down in Littleton. so we're really moving around the Denver Metro and they can find it and sign up for it. them on the website. Sheena: See, I love that. So if someone might not be around the weekend of the summit, they can still meet you and these events and resets with you and the community. And then maybe if someone's unsure, they can try this out and realize, ⁓ yes, I ⁓ want to so much more and be part of the summit. And the great thing too is that they can continue on after it's over, with relationships and connections that they've made keeping this going, I love that you have that. I think that is important and very special it's just about this weekend. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, and we're using an event app called HUVA and in the event app people can share their information, pictures, and they can stay connected that way because a lot of people aren't on social media these days for their mental ⁓ health and we still a way for people to connected so through that app is another way that people might find their new bestie. Sheena: that's so cool. What kind of energy or atmosphere are you hoping to create for the Denver Yoga Summit weekend? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Cool. openness and sense belonging. we chose Chatfield Botanic Gardens because we wanted, those simultaneous sessions happening where some of the spaces will be, under a pavilion with open sides. Some will be open to the sky. One of the spaces is called the Open Air Chapel. they usually have wedding ceremonies and it's got views of the foothills while we're practicing. So when we're doing an evening practice, the sun salutation will be facing west towards the mountain and the setting sun. So it'll definitely be connected to nature. They have this lavender labyrinth a butterfly pavilion. They're spaced at at 700 acres. So really, people can be as connected and talking to people as they want, or they can also find quiet spaces in the trees and the shade to journal and meditate and just be. Sheena: I love how intentional you guys are being with this event, planning the sunset facing west with all nature around you, it just gave me chills. So we are going to move into rapid fire, just kind of what comes at the top of head. are you ready? ⁓ Okay, favorite way to reset after a stressful week. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Ready. My husband and I call it staring at a wall. I tag him in, he's got the kids, and I go downstairs in our bedroom and I meditate. I literally sit down. Usually my nervous system is going so fast that I can't close my eyes, so I just set my focus, my drishti on the wall. Sheena: Mm. that is something I to work so hard on is to be able to just sit and do nothing. To meditate. I find it so hard to meditate. And I feel that is a problem in fast-paced society it's so hard to just slow down. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, Ryan Lair, he's a Canadian yoga teacher. He'll be teaching an intro to meditation. also be some other workshops that will include meditation in them. And Kat, one of the team members, she's going to be leading a Japa meditation workshop, for people with ⁓ ADHD like Japa meditation is a really impactful practice. basically a job for my ego. to do so that I can be in peace. Sheena: Amazing. that is so beneficial. That is something I think everybody can work on or could use Okay, so that rapid fire went little longer. I love it. These I'm like, ooh, these are quick. And then it just tangents on. But it it leads to really fun Okay. Coffee, matcha, or tea? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Thank world. Okay. tea. Sheena: Tea. What's your favorite tea? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Earl Grey. Sheena: okay, I love it. Favorite wellness you swear by. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: The Heart Center's Gratitude from the HeartMath Institute. They have a two-minute meditation technique that I teach that can instantly move me out of my limbic fight-flight-free system and into my grounded higher self. Sheena: Mm. Will you be teaching that at the summit? Are you teaching? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I won't, I do have, a workshop on alignment for every pose. we have True North Alignment that is like a map that you could layer onto any pose and feel empowered in the poses. as a teacher, you might ⁓ shoulders up by the ears in facing dog or soggy feet in half moon. it's a that they can stop a class, deliver an alignment cue in a very impactful and essential way, and then get people back into their practice with a whole new awareness of their alignment. Sheena: That's very awesome. One thing would be surprised to learn about you. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Hmm ⁓ co-built a straw bale house that I lived in in Utah and I drove a car on waste vegetable oil Sheena: What? even possible? ⁓ amazing. Wow. I'm surprised that. That's incredible. what's currently inspiring you most right now? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: That's a whole other podcast. Hmm, my children. witnessing their resilience, witnessing myself and how I want to show up for them. That's not a rapid fire answer, but. Sheena: No, no, that's good. I love it. seeing their growth and the world through their eyes. that's so inspirational. And we can learn much from them. last rapid fire, wellness, retreat, destination. ⁓ Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Nepal, I think is ⁓ where you necessarily think because it's not like we're gonna relax on the beach and get some massages. I led a retreat there when I was pregnant with Isaac who's now eight. So ⁓ nine years ago was life-changing for me and the people that came with me actually just got off the phone with Sarita last week. ⁓ Sheena: Mm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: I'm going to lead another one next April to Nepal because a space that I feel like people need to go and experience. Sheena: Wow. And I feel like that's a place that people won't just go on their own, So to have that wellness retreat there, ⁓ that brings there, It gives an excuse to go versus just going to the beach or whatnot. So yeah, I love that. ⁓ Okay. I'm Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Not to discredit retreats to the beach because we all need downtime to nurture ourselves. Sheena: Yeah. Yes. you me classes you will be leading at the summit? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: am going to be leading two, maybe three. the it's called Alignment for Every Pose. And it's a series of alignment cues that you could put your practice, whether the teacher is cueing them or not. then a teacher track workshop called Two Minute in Workshops. So as teachers, we see possibilities for students alignment and Often my ego doesn't want me to stop the class interrupt their flow, their practice to empower their alignment. So there's this formula that's just two minutes and it's super essential and impactful It's actually a part of my 300 hour yoga teacher training curriculum that I'm pulling out for the summit in September. And I might also do a keynote about the ego and higher self, some tools for my book. Sheena: Yeah, I think you should. I totally think you should. can you me a brief idea of what types of ⁓ lectures classes, workshops will be there? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: So people can take asana practices throughout the day. There'll be yoga philosophy workshops, like intro to the Bhagavad Gita, intro to the yoga sutras. a deeper dive into the sutras, like the third pada as a way of living and being, led by Nishchaladjoy Devi. There'll be meditation workshops. energetic anatomy workshops. if people want to learn more about the chakras or even learn what the chakras are. There'll be physical anatomy workshops one called Yoga for the Desk Body. So people who sit at a desk for work all day every day, how to support their bodies. There will be mala making workshops. essential oil workshops. There will be sound baths. live music. a marketplace. There will be also space if people want to sit in the butterfly garden Sheena: that sounds so so incredible. it makes sense that you need three full days for this. there's a lot, there's a lot going on. when you picture 13th, the last day of the very first Denver Yoga Summit, what does success look like to you? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Success looks like people with a felt sense of connection to themselves and other in the yoga community, as well as leaving with tools they can use in their everyday life to feel more at peace in the midst of this world that we're living in. And people feeling like they belong, that they saw presenters that spoke to them in a way that had them feeling like their presence mattered. Sheena: Yes, definitely. And I think your presence, your voice, I'm so calm listening to you. right before we recorded, you had little breathing meditation ⁓ to help with nerves we all could just from hearing you and hearing other people. it's inspiring. who is this event for? who ⁓ now should be buying a ticket? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: This event is for person who's heard about yoga but feels like maybe they don't quite fit because they're not bendy or they look like the skinny white yoga lady that they see on all the posters. This event is for the people who've been practicing for years and want get fresh perspectives. This event is for the yoga teachers that Sheena: Mm-hmm. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: want continuing education credits from least 10 different facilitators so they can add their toolbox of offerings they can share with their students. And this event for the yoga studio owners that are wanting to come and meet more community members that might come and join their studio. It's a bold statement to say that it's for everybody, but it is for everybody. Sheena: But it really is. It really is for everybody. If you've heard the word yoga, even if you haven't, this is for you. can people find follow along and grab their tickets? Brittany Hopkins Switlick: DenverYogaSummit.com has everything you need. It also has a pretty good frequently asked questions page. We're also on Instagram, Denver Yoga Summit and Facebook. And if they want to join the Denver Yoga Summit Collective, that's a private Facebook group. We would love to have people join us there. Really looking forward to meeting people at the reconnection resets that are happening throughout the summer. if they send messages through Instagram, it's me. I'm the one that's chatting with people on the social media platforms. Sheena: Perfect. I love it. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Yeah, and people can use the code SWEAT30 for $30 off any of the tickets. We do also have single day passes so you don't have to commit to the whole weekend if you have something going on. I unfortunately realized that it was a high Jewish holiday after I paid the first payment to botanic gardens. So people, if they can come Friday night or Sunday, we want to make it as accessible as possible there. And we do have payment plans on the website as well. Sheena: Amazing. Well, thank you, Brittany, so much. This was very exciting. It's so awesome you're doing this I see this going on for ⁓ and years and years. I think being of the very first one is very special. Brittany Hopkins Switlick: Thank you for having me. Thank you for listening. Thank you for sharing the love. Sheena: absolutely. Thank you so much.