Root Down to Rise: Your Pocket Practice for Grounding
Estimated read time: 3–4 minutes

🌿 Why This Week Matters: In a world that moves fast enough to make your nervous system forget what decade it’s in, grounding isn’t a luxury—it’s biology. When your feet feel connected to the earth, your vagus nerve signals "safe," your cortisol levels soften, and your energy stabilizes.
This week’s practice is all about rooting down to rise up. Think of it as charging your inner battery before trying to power the whole house.

✨ Motivation of the Week: Strong roots make graceful branches. Ground yourself first—then your growth is limitless.

🌿 Affirmation of the Week: I am rooted in strength, flexible in spirit, and open to growth.

🕉️ Mantra of the Week: I am steady. I am strong. I am supported.
(Whisper it often; your cells love good affirmations—they respond like plants to sunlight.)

🌳 Mini Grounding Practice (7 minutes)
1. Stand barefoot if you can, or press through all four corners of your feet in your shoes.
Feel your arches lift slightly as you inhale, and your heels anchor on the exhale.
2. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Engage your thighs gently, lengthen your spine, and imagine roots spiraling down from the soles of your feet.
Take 5 slow breaths, softening your jaw and shoulders.
3. Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Bend your knees, reach your arms up, and breathe into your foundation. Hold for 3 breaths, then release.
Repeat once more, noticing the strength of your lower body.
4. Figure-4 Stretch (Seated or Standing)
Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Breathe deeply into the hips—where we often store life’s “stuff.”
Switch sides. Exhale fully to release.
5. Close with stillness.
Stand or sit tall and whisper your mantra: “I am steady. I am strong. I am supported.”

🍵 Herbal Support for Grounding: Try roasted dandelion root or chicory “latte.” Their earthy flavor mimics coffee’s warmth without the jitters—and supports your liver, your body’s detox hero.

🧫 Journal Prompts

• Where or with whom do I feel most grounded?
• What daily ritual helps me reconnect to my center?
• How can I offer grounding energy to others this week?

💛 Pocket Practice Reminder: Slip these words into your day like a pebble in your pocket—something simple you can touch when you need grounding. A whispered mantra counts as medicine too.

✨ Keep Your Ritual Alive: Find your balance on and off the mat this week. Join us for classes that help you root down, rise up, and stay steady through every season.

Why this week matters:
Your nervous system loves simple structure. When we repeat grounding truths, it helps regulate cortisol, calm the mind, and remind the heart it’s safe to expand.

Motivation:
✨ First—know your worth.
✨ Second—control your emotions.
✨ Third—never settle.
Think of these as the “multivitamins” of your inner world.

Affirmation:
“Everything happens for a reason. Everything leads to something positive, even if I can’t see it yet.”
Like compost—it looks messy, but trust me, it’s growing something good.

Mantra: 
“I trust myself to make the best decision for me.”
Your mitochondria are listening—they thrive on good vibes too.


Mini-Practice (5 minutes)

• 1 min: Sit tall, shoulders relaxed, take 3 slow breaths.
• 2 min: Write down one thing you value about yourself.
• 2 min: Whisper the mantra with your hand on your heart.

Herbal Support:
Peppermint tea—uplifting, cooling, and great for fresh perspective.

Journal Prompts

• What’s one boundary I want to keep this week?
• Where in my life do I need to stop settling?
• When did trusting myself feel good?

Close:
Your Monday ritual starts here. Want more ways to embody worth, steadiness, and trust? Read the latest on the Bend Blog each Monday.

☀️ Summer is moving fast, but we’re soaking up every second of it here at The Bend!
We’ve added a few new classes to the mix, and we think you’re going to love them:

🧘‍♀️ Yin to Vin
Tuesdays at 10:30am (60 min) & Wednesdays at 5:00pm (45 min)
This one blends slow, deep yin stretches with a gentle vinyasa flow—great for moving your body without overdoing it. It’s grounding, juicy, and just the right amount of challenge.
These new classes are led by Gwendolyn, our newest teacher, and we already know you’re going to adore her.

🎶 Stretch & Sound
Thursdays at 9:00am
Picture this: you stretch a little (or a lot), or maybe just rest in a cozy shape, while live sound waves wash over you. Total reset, led by Dana.

🎲 Bendopoly Update!
Our summer game is still going strong—shoutout to the few students this close to finishing their boards! There’s still time to play, try new classes, and earn prizes before summer wraps.

🎲 Pop-up Beginner Trapeze Class
You asked and we listened! For everyone who landed on "try a trapeze class" in our Bendopoly game, we've got you!  Friday, August 22, 6:15pm Dana will offer a slow moving beginner trapeze class.  You will learn classic yoga poses with a new twist, hang upside down, and test your strength.  come fly with us!  Spots are limited.  

🎪 Trapeze Showcase + Brandi’s Farewell
Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 2:00-4:00pm—we’re hosting a showcase to highlight all the amazing things our trapeze students have learned with Brandi.
And… it’s also a goodbye party. 😢 Brandi is off to her next adventure, and while we’re so proud of her, we’ll miss her something fierce. Right after the showcase, come hang with us, celebrate her, and send her off with all the love she deserves!
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🌿 One last thing…
Summer tends to fly by, but this is your reminder to pause when you can.
Stretch. Breathe. Nap. Say no when you need to. Drink the water. Let things go.
Self-care doesn’t have to be fancy—it just has to be real.
We’re here when you need a soft place to land.
See you soon,
💛 The Bend Team

✨ One Journey, Three Paths:
Your 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Awaits!
So, you’ve completed your 200-hour training—and something inside you is whispering (or maybe shouting), There’s more.
More depth.
More clarity.
More you.
At The Bend Academy, we believe advanced yoga education should feel like a coming home, not a one-size-fits-all checklist. That’s why our 300-hour Immersion Into Yoga gives you the freedom to choose a path that truly resonates.
This isn’t about cramming in poses or perfecting performance. It’s about expanding your awareness, refining your teaching voice, and uncovering what lights you up as both student and guide.
Here’s a peek at the three paths you can walk with us:

🔥 Power Path: The Fire Within for the bold-hearted and strong-spirited.
This path is designed for those who want to lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose. You’ll deepen your skill in creative sequencing, anatomy, and the energetic dynamics of powerful movement. We’ll explore what it means to teach from personal power—while helping others discover theirs.
Expect:
Strength-based asana and mobility work
Leadership and authentic voice development
Confidence in cueing and creative class design
Real-world skills to inspire transformation
🔥 This path doesn’t just build heat. It builds leaders.
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🌿  Gentle Path: Wisdom Through Softness
Depth & Grace for those who teach through presence, gentleness, and quiet power.
This path honors the sacred wisdom found in stillness. You’ll learn how to sequence intuitively, hold space with compassion, and work with subtle body awareness. This isn’t about doing more—it’s about feeling more.
Expect:
Meditative presence and breath-based teaching
Subtle sequencing and energetic anatom
​Language that soothes the nervous system
Space for your own inner unfolding
🌿 Here, softness isn’t a detour—it’s the way in.

🌸 Therapeutic Path: Threads of Practice for those called to support healing and integration.
This path blends somatic awareness, yoga philosophy, breathwork, and trauma-informed principles. If you feel drawn to support others with sensitivity and skill—or want to understand your own patterns more deeply—this is your invitation.

Expect:
Client-centered teaching and therapeutic frameworks
Nervous system literacy and emotional regulation tools
Embodied anatomy and intuitive movement
A deep dive into the heart of yoga beyond the poses
🌸 This is the path of presence, care, and transformation, and serves as the pre-requisite for the Yoga Therapy program coming in 2027

✨ All Paths Include:Monthly weekend modules (offered once per year)
Up to 24 months to complete the full 300-hour training
Mentorship, community, and personalized support
Whether you choose to lead with strength, grace, or deep listening—you’ll leave this training more you than ever before. And that is the real yoga.

💬 Ready to begin?We’re happy to chat and help you find your perfect path.
Explore the 300-Hour Training by choosing your link below

🎲 Welcome to Bendopoly: Your Summer Challenge Starts Here! 🌿
At The Bend, we believe yoga is more than poses and breathwork. It’s about showing up for yourself in playful, powerful ways. This summer, we’re turning up the fun with our one-of-a-kind Bendopoly game!
What is Bendopoly?
It’s part yoga challenge, part community builder, part sneaky excuse to get you to try that class you’ve been eyeing but keep putting off. Most of the  “squares” on our board are a different type of class, from strong flows and deep stretches to aerial adventures and sweet stillness.
Your mission? Attend a variety of classes, step out of your comfort zone, and even bring your practice off the mat with unique challenges and community tasks. Earn prizes, unlock surprises, and maybe even win that limited edition Bendopoly tank you've heard us talking about at the studio! 👀
Need a little nudge to try something new?
We’ve got you covered with a special 3-month Intrigue Package—20% off with the code Bendopoly. That’s your golden ticket to try everything from mobility to meditation without overthinking the price tag.
So if you're ready to stretch, play, and grow, grab your game piece and let’s roll. Literally.
Let the summer of Bendopoly begin. 🎉
See you on the mat (and maybe in yoga jail 😜).

As a wellness provider, yoga educator, and studio owner, people often assume I’ve “figured it out.” That my mornings begin with meditation, my meals are always mindful, and I move through life with ease and grace.
Truth? Some days, I do.
Other days… I drink my coffee cold, run behind, and feel like I’m holding it all together with a hair tie and a prayer.
Living a life of wellness while running a wellness business is a beautiful paradox. I guide others toward balance, yet I’m constantly working to find it in my own life too. I teach the importance of rest and nervous system care—while sometimes forgetting to take my own advice.
But that’s part of the practice.
Wellness isn’t perfection. It’s remembering (and re-remembering) what matters. It’s learning to pause, to ask for help, to laugh at yourself, and to offer grace—to others and to yourself.
To all the fellow providers, practitioners, and caregivers out there: you’re not alone. We can support others and still be works in progress. That doesn’t make us less qualified—it makes us human.
Here’s to walking the path while holding space for others on theirs. 🌿
#WellnessProfessionals #YogaLife #WorkLifeBalance #HolisticHealth #RealTalk #TheBendYoga #ProgressNotPerfection

🌿 Become a Yoga Teacher

200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Begins June 7, 2025 at The BendHave you felt the call to deepen your yoga practice, explore yogic philosophy, and share the gift of movement and mindfulness with others? Our next Cohort 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at The Bend Yoga Academy begins June 7, 2025, and we invite you to join this powerful, life-enriching journey.

✨ Why Train With Us?
Our Yoga Alliance Registered 200-Hour YTT is more than just certification—it’s an experience that will transform your relationship with your body, your breath, and your community. Taught by experienced teachers including E-RYT 500s and Yoga Therapists, this training weaves together traditional teachings and modern wellness tools.
You’ll explore:

• Foundations of yoga philosophy, history, and ethics
• Anatomy and alignment for safe, intelligent sequencing
• The art of cueing, adjusting, and teaching with confidence
• Intro to subtle energy: chakras, nadis, breathwork
• Meditation, pranayama, and trauma-informed approaches
• Practice teaching in a supportive, real-world setting

Whether you’re looking to teach or simply grow in your personal practice, this training is designed to meet you where you are.

📅 Key Dates

• Start Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
• Location: The Bend Holistic Health Collective, Mustang, OK
• Format: Weekend training schedule (exact dates coming soon)
• Early Bird Enrollment: Now open with limited spots available

🌟 Who Is This Training For?
This training is perfect for:

• Dedicated students wanting to deepen their personal practice
• Aspiring yoga teachers ready to lead with confidence and clarity
• Wellness professionals seeking to integrate yoga into their services
• Anyone curious about yoga philosophy, breathwork, and mindful living

💬 What Our Graduates Say
"This training changed my life—it gave me tools to care for myself, to hold space for others, and to truly understand the roots of yoga.”
– 2023 Graduate

"200 hour YTT training at The Bend Academy started my journey into the yoga and wellness world.  I received so much knowledge and hands-on training that I use daily, both on and off the mat.  It created a hunger for still deeper knowledge, which led to my 300 hour training at The Bend and eventually many more specialties."
-2020 Graduate

🎓 What You’ll Receive

• 200-Hour Bend Academy Certification
• Eligibility to register with Yoga Alliance at the 200 hr level
• Hands-on mentorship and feedback
• Practice teaching experience
• Lifetime access to a like-hearted community
• Personal growth, reflection, and self-discovery

💚 Ready to Begin?
​Space is limited and this training fills quickly. To learn more, schedule a call, or secure your spot, visit our Yoga Teacher Training page or contact us directly.
Let your yoga journey come full circle. We can’t wait to support you on the path.

If you've been hanging out with us for a while, you probably know that yoga brings about some pretty amazing feelings in both the body and the mind. It's not quite like other exercises; it has its own special charm, doesn't it? Did you know there are actually seven more folds in yoga, making it an eight-fold path to living a yogic lifestyle? The Yamas are a big part of this, and there are five Yamas that might ring a bell with you: ahimsa (non-violence), asteya (non-stealing), satya (truthfulness), aparigraha (non-possessiveness), brahmacharya (fidelity or correct use of energy).


These are gentle guidelines on how we interact with those around us. They don't cost a dime, yet we often hold on to them tightly. Maybe you're not acting out in violence, but those negative thoughts can be just as impactful. Did you know just two minutes of anger can cause a stress hormone spike in your body for hours if not days?


Not stealing seems straightforward, right? But how often have you "borrowed" someone's time by being late? Or maybe dampened someone’s spirits by "keeping it real"? Have you ever taken away someone's chance to solve their own problems by stepping in too quickly? Sometimes, the toughest lessons are the ones we learn the best. Trust me, I speak from experience here!


Satya, or truthfulness, is about speaking what is real. But does sharing that truth cause harm, or does it take away joy? Is it necessary to speak it, or even your place to do so? Maybe approach it from another angle and realize there could be multiple truths.


Aparigraha, or non-possessiveness, asks us if we have enough. It’s not about wealth, but about making sure your needs are met with a little extra to spare. Know anyone who’s struggling to balance it all? It doesn’t have to be financial help—sometimes it’s just offering a hand, like tidying up for a busy mom who’s juggling a million things.


Brahmacharya, or the right use of energy, might get translated to chastity, but it’s more about using your energy wisely. How often do you find yourself scrolling through social media or browsing online, only to feel too drained to get things done later?


 We can serve our community in other ways as well. One of those ways is in preparedness. We have the ability to prepare for emergencies. The Bend is holding space for CPR Training this Saturday, May 10, 2025 at 11:00am. Having the knowledge if we ever need it is a great way to be in service. Our trainers have asked for $70 for this community event. This is to be paid directly to your trainer(s). This includes your CPR Certification card from the American Heart Association. The firefighters that teach this course are very knowledgeable and have lots of experience using these life-saving techniques in the real world. We are so grateful they are taking the time to come visit the Bend and keep us up to date on these life saving techniques.
Register soon so we have enough equipment for everyone. Space is limited. This is an excellent opportunity for teenagers and adults alike. We never know when we may be called into service. Let's get as many prepared as possible. 


Thank you,
Angie
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