Welcome to the Bending Tree Mewsletter! Check out our MEW ARRIVALS this meowth, which include Yoga Cats, Mew Programs and a Mew Season schedule coming your way. October seems to be a meowth of remewal, so let’s go. Enjoy! Sign up to receive it in your inbox here.

Yoga Cats — Mew Arrivals

Grayson & Vinnie

Over the years, as you might imagine, we encounter mew arrivals to our Yoga Cat Commewnity. When we discover a mew arrival — whether it be a kitten who appears outside the gate; or an adult cat yowling for food; or a cat in need of serious care — we welcome them and do our best to provide what is needed. There are rules, however, that they must get along with the others and so far it has worked.

The Bending Tree Yoga Cat Sanctuary naturally came about through a combination of our ever-growing love of cats and cosmic intervention. A harmony was naturally created here and we do ask that it does not get misunderstood as a cat rescue for the area.

For some reason, Omar and I were called to do this. And so we accept this calling and do our best to make it a most meowtastic place for the Yoga Cats, Yoga Dogs and ourselves. Hoping to achieve a mew level of meowgic in all our learning, growing and being in this world.

OK, so our mew arrivals are Vinnie (orange cat) and Grayson (gray cat) and here’s a little info about both as we get to meow each other.

Grayson showed up one day on our outside stairs yowling away for food. Remarkably none of the other cats around were phased by him and allowed him to gobble bowl after bowl of food outside. He was shy and scared and definitely didn’t want to be touched. That was until he realized he was safe and this was a friendly place to get a meal (it took about 1 month).

He meow lets us touch him. He still yowls for food, but it a little more meowlaxed about it (a little). He even has come over to the studio house and rubs against my leg, after a yowl.

Our next step is to get him sterilized (that also is part of the rules). But we will take it easy, when the time is right (or I am able to get him in a kennel).

Vinnie identified himself by a far away meow at the studio location. We would hear it sometimes, not every day, and finally located the source — this orange cat. He didn’t get close and we think he came by the dishes to eat after we left. But it didn’t take him long to get closer, hang out on the wall and stay there while we brought a dish over. Each day getting closer and closer, then one day he let us pet him and it was like his whole being relaxed at once. He now has made himself at home and accepts all the pets we can give.

Our next step with Vinnie is also to get him sterilized, but we anticipate he will be a little easier to get in a kennel. So we think.

In the meantime we contimew to care for our animal friends here at our sanctuary and beyond. Along our dog walking route we routinely give biscuits to our neighborhood dogs and we’ve taken on feeding another set of cats along the route, but that’s another story.

Meowtastic Videos

What is Yoga Toolbox?

Yoga Toolbox goes beyond the physical practice. It is a class that I decided to create coming from a culmination of training, experience and intuitive guidance. A few years ago it started as an idea that “wouldn’t it be cool if we could have a few go-to, easy-to-use tools to help guide us in a variety of life situations.” Welcome to Yoga Toolbox, a methodology that grows and changes with you, something that stays with you for a lifetime.

Check out the Yoga Toolbox Sample Class Podcast and also the Yoga Toolbox Playbook that is a companion to the course.

The Yoga Toolbox class is currently offered as a private class with one or more people, but look for regularly scheduled sessions coming soon.

Contact Karen with any questions or to schedule an appointment.

Meowtastic Videos

Put Your Thinking Cat On

We love it when a Yoga Cat meowlaxes on our mat, but how do we go about our practice? See some helpful mewves and tips here with Yoga Cat T.C.

All views support the Bending Tree Animal Health and Wellness Fund.

For Your BODY, MIND and SPIRIT

Mews and Services

WAYS TO GET MEOWTIVATED IN YOUR PRACTICE

Living your yoga is about creating your own practice and comes from the inside — finding stillness, kindness, heart-centered living and peace. So what can help you get there? Maybe you need to burn some energy and running, spin class or YogaStrong are the ways to go. Maybe you just need to slow down and a gentle yoga class; walking at lunchtime; or even just taking 10 minutes to yourself is the answer.

There is an infinite amount of forms that your “yoga” practice can take and therefore living your yoga more fully, happily and freely. Take the time to find one or several and change it up as needed (it is natural to outgrow an activity or practice).

Over the years there have been different types of classes here from yogapilates to gentle yoga but I wanted to get to the heart of the matter. And this is the basis for Yoga for Life, our mew class concept going on meow.

Yoga for Life is a class built on fun and freedom in your body, mind and spirit. Through physical postures and creative sequences; petting yoga cats (or witnessing yoga can shenanigans); breathing techniques; and a meditative savasana will bring you to a mew level of being. How does this work? There will be strength and flow and gentle in a combination that you can get something out of it for yourself (sometimes without even meowing) that stays and sticks with you and that helps you in your life journey, wherever you are in that. Learn meowre about Yoga for Life sessions in this video.

Click here for Yoga with Cats Schedule and class pricing.

YOGA WITH CATS — We encourage you to enjoy your pet energy with your class. Ever since I started this studio here in 2011, cats have attended and this purrfect fit soon became known as Yoga with Cats.

Our pets provide a powerful energy to our lives, constantly teaching us to be better people in every way. Even when we feel frustrated by our pet’s behavior, this is a valuable lesson and insight into ourselves. Our animals tend to reflect our energy. If you’re stressed, they’re stressed. They live from the heart space always and they are just trying to help us. They force us to look within, even when it is uncomfortable.

I encourage you to practice with your pets, whether it is yoga at home, play time or snuggle time. Your practice is enhanced every time you interact with your animals. I’m not kitten you, this is living your yoga.

MEOW MIX OF OFFERINGS

The Bending Tree Menmew of Services includes studio and zoom sessions so you can participate even if you are not in La Manzanilla. Services include YOGA, THETAHEALING, MEDITATION, REFLEXOLOGY.

ADDED BONUS — When you purchase any one of our services you are automatically making a difference as a portion of each paid service goes to our YogaScholarship, YogaCommunity programs and our Animal Health and Wellness Fund.

BE A PART OF THE COMMEWNITY OF INSPURRATION TODAY. Read about our Bending Tree Expansion Project here.

Podcasts: Another MEW Podcast has been added to the Podcast Menmew featuring John Becker on guitar. Enjoy a meowtastic practice with a pawsome Yoga Soundtrack, that also includes some neighborhood standby’s — the bolillo guy; gas guy; parrots and other bird songs. Practice with this podcast here.

More pawsibilities: Did you meow you can work on Continuing Education Credits with Bending Tree? We have several classes that you can take as self-study for free or receive personal guidance and feedback with Karen starting at $20 USD. Currently classes available are Yoga Focus (how to find peace and stillness within) and Just Breathe (explore the power of breathing, the most important part of your yoga practice).

WAYS TO PRACTICE WITH YOGA CATS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE:
The Podcast menu here on our site includes a variety of practices from gentle to flow to half-hour of power to meditation. These podcasts are also available to download for free to you don’t need the internet to practice with them.

BendingTreeYoga Channel on YouTube offers several playlists with a mix of yoga and meditation in Yoga with Cats Create Your Own Practice. These playlists include several short practice segments from 4 to 9 minutes for a total of a 1.5 hour practice (that you can shorten on your own) or 30 minutes in the REMIX version.

Animal Health and Wellness Fund

Bending Tree Animal Health and Wellness Fund was established to help bring health and happiness to our animal friends. Anytime you purchase a Bending Tree class or service; or watch one of the many videos on BendingTreeYoga Channel you make a contribution to this fund. Monies go to suppawt the Yoga Cata Sanctuary along with a variety of venues to help with sterilization clinics; rescuing; and adoption services. Donations to this fund are also welcome at any time. Thank you.