Upward Dog Yoga

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Meeting ID: 791 4047 1178
Password: 2DVZ2i

Here's the link for yoga today (11:30am mountain time) for anybody who wants to take a few minutes today.

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For a conservation initiative to really stick, it needs to strike a cord with humans. That's why I am choosing this project as my first to highlight: Elephants & Bees.
Elephants are smart animals. They're definitely a "work smarter-- not harder" creature. For better or worse, so are most human beings. That's why some elephant and human conflict occurs. Elephants will "forage" through local farms, and while many Westerners will see elephants as a beautiful, majestic creature, farmers in areas where elephants naturally live see them as more of a pest.

Elephants, like most people, will avoid bees. Elephant skin may be tough, but imagine an elephant's trunk for a moment; their trunks are basically a combination drinking straw/hand/breathing device. Imagine if they accidentally got ahold of a bee(hive) with their trunks. Talk about painful! Research has also shown that elephants will make noises to alert each other of nearby bees. Rather than going toward the bees, elephants almost always turn and walk away.

That's where the Elephants & Bees project comes into the mix. This conservation group places beehive fences around farm areas. The beehives are in boxes and attached to wire fences. If elephants disturb the fence, it disturbs the bees. The bees will buzz, and elephants will warn each other to leave the area alone. Local farmers get to use the honey as a source of additional income. This group also takes the time to go to area schools in an effort to re-frame elephants as an important part of the local ecosystem rather than a farm area pest.

For some more photos and a better idea of how this conservation group is making an impact, feel free to visit https://elephantsandbees.com/. (Photos from this website)

The people who know me best know that I love animals. Some of the more-grown-up grown ups in my family remember the time I was a toddler and they tried to take me fishing with live bait. A few minutes later, we were burying the worms that they purchased from a bait shop and saying prayers for their safety. What can I say? It's a part of who I am and will always be, and I am so grateful that they took the time to indulge me.
It also doesn't surprise me that they did that, honestly. The love of animals and nature has always been a family thing. Some of my first and most-treasured memories are of my grandfather taking me into the woods behind his house, talking me through the ways to recognize the different plants and animal tracks, and really demonstrating the quiet appreciation and self-study that can come from spending time in the natural world. I didn't know the words for it at the time, but it gave me a sense of stewardship and responsibility for the world around me.
Long story short, the love of wildlife and wild places has always been there, and it will stay there. The love of yoga is a little more recent. This week, I am going to find a conservation project that means a lot to me and connect it to my love of yoga. Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Photo of Barker Woods in Michigan City, Indiana from nature.org. You'd think I would have my own pictures of my grandparents' back yard, but I couldn't find one. Maybe next time I visit...

Yoga isn't just about poses or connecting breath to movement. It can be as simple as taking a moment for self care or connecting with the world around you. What are you doing for self care today? We're watching the rain from our cozy garage.

Hello and welcome to Upward Dog Yoga!

We are a conservation-minded yoga community in the greater Denver area. Our aim is to connect our love of animals with our practice in an uplifting way.

We offer:
-In home private yoga instruction
-Online group classes
-Online private yoga instruction
-Yoga brunches
-Yoga and painting classes
-Yoga with Dolly Dog

Thank you for visiting!

Celebrating the first class tonight. Namaste