In its eighth year, held again at Houston's Hare Krishna temple, the Texas Yoga Conference was in full force this past weekend. Helmed by Jenny Buergermeister, founder of the charitable Breathe The Cure, the conference offers exhibitors, participants, vendors and teachers a chance to mingle, check out what’s new and take some classes outside on the lawn and inside the temple. 

This was my first year attending the conference as a guest instead of a vendor, so I was excited to have the opportunity to check everything out. We showed up on Sunday, and headed right to the vendor area. First up we oohed and ahhed over the malas and other goodies by Alyson Atma Simms of Atma's Offerings. Alyson is a regular on the conference circuit and her tables never disappoint with an array of her unique malas, journals and wooden rosewood and sandalwood necklaces.

Next I got to feed my bath product addiction from the folks over at LoveBodySoap. I admit it, I am an addict when it comes to this stuff. Boasting all-natural handmade lotions and soaps made with all natural ingredients known to both soothe and care for a variety of skin concerns like aging, acne, eczema, psoriasis and even dermatitis, I couldn’t resist sampling everything in sight and smell. Speaking of scents, the tasty aromas of Bryan's Om Grown Yoga & Tea pulled me over next to sample some of their teas and check out their impressive display.

It is easy to get lost in the vendor area with so many goodies and services to choose from and sample, but my favorite part of the weekend was venturing out onto the lawn and the temple itself for the classes, workshops, sports massage, informative lectures (ranging in topic from Kabbalah to healthy living practices) and even music. The conference offers a wide range of classes, with something for every experience level and doctrine: think acro yoga, asana, tai chi and even Yoginis Yoga for Youth, so there is a little something for everyone.

Although the Texas Yoga Conference only comes around once a year, that’s no excuse not to incorporate yoga into your lifestyle all year round—even if you missed the excitement last weekend, anyone can visit the website to check out some of these presenters and exhibiters. Your body and soul will thank you.