Updog Yoga

June is made for dancing, yoga and getting outdoors! See what we have planned.

At other studios, outdoor yoga is a special event.
At Updog, it's just called Thursday. 🌤️
Every day we've got some kind of special:
-Yoga deck.
-Infrared heat.
-Umbrellas.
-Sunrise & sunset classes.
-Great sound.
-Best instruction.
We call it hot yoga with a breeze.
Come join us outside. You deserve it.

Well-behaved pups always welcome. 🐾🐾☀️

Crow Pose
Courage begins with trying.

Crow Pose — Bakasana

Hands plant firmly.
Knees hug in.
Balance lifts forward.

Crow is often one of the first arm balances students encounter. It asks for strength, focus, and a willingness to lean into the unknown.

The real lesson of Crow isn’t just balance—it’s courage. You may tip forward, wobble, or fall. But every attempt builds confidence.

Off the mat, growth works the same way. Progress comes from showing up, trying again, and trusting yourself enough to lean forward.

Lean in.
Trust yourself.
Take flight.

🐦 Courage
🐦 Balance
🐦 Focus

Sarah Kay's "Point B" — also known as "If I Should Have a Daughter" — isn't just for daughters or mothers. It's for anyone who's ever been shown how to keep going when life gets heavy.
It's about the people who taught us that the hard days aren't reasons to quit — they're reasons to be grateful. That you can lose some and still start over. That this world can crumble, but it's still worth tasting.
I don't have a daughter, but I know what it means to have someone look you in the eye during painful times and help you keep going. I know what it is like to be present and hold space for others when someone or something is stepping on their capes. And I know from experience, again and again, that no matter how many times the sea recedes — it never stops kissing the shoreline.

If you haven't heard Sarah Kay perform Point B, do yourself a favor this Mother's Day and look it up.
To everyone who's been that person for someone else — thank you. 🤎🌸
Link in bio 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=387xDaK_VAo

3 classes on Sunday: 8am practice with Liz, 930 am Practice with Annie & 11 am Peaceful Practice with Liz.

Happy Mother's Day!

Harlowe Janne 2.4K likes, 31 comments. "Sarah Kay - "Point B" - TED"

Exalted High Lunge — Reverse High Lunge
Strength rises when you stay open.

Front knee bends deeply.
Back leg stays strong and lifted.
Reach up and back through the heart.

This variation builds on High Lunge, adding a backbend that opens the chest while the legs stay grounded and active.

In yoga philosophy, heart-opening shapes represent courage and vulnerability—the ability to stay open even when things feel intense.

The front leg works.
The back leg stabilizes.
The heart lifts anyway.

That’s the work.

Practicing Exalted High Lunge teaches us to stay strong without closing off. To remain grounded in effort while creating space through the heart.

Off the mat, it’s the balance of strength and openness—holding your ground while still choosing to stay open to what’s ahead.

Root down.
Lift up.
Open the heart.

🔥 Strength
🔥 Courage
🔥 Openness

A few really good reasons you need to sign up for puppy yoga!

1. Puppies love puppy yoga (and getting into mischief on the deck).
2. Fosters love puppy yoga (tired puppies sleep better)
3. Puppy Haven loves donations. Puppy yoga supports saving lives.

Enjoy the yoga. Help us raise additional funds for supplies for new mommas/pups. Learn about being a foster. Maybe find the puppy of your dreams.

Puppy yoga: Sunday, May 3rd, 1-2 pm.
Register for class on the website or on our app. All the funds go to Puppy Haven Rescue

Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose (no twist)

Standing Hand to Big Toe — Hasta Padangusthasana

This pose is about clarity, control, and steady focus.

You stand on one leg, extend the other, and hold the big toe. It looks simple, but it asks for a lot—hamstring flexibility, core strength, and balance.

In yoga philosophy, this pose represents discipline and direction.
You choose a point of focus (your drishti), and everything organizes around it.

When the mind wanders, the body follows.
When the focus is steady, the pose steadies.

Off the mat:
This is the practice of staying centered when things pull at you.
Holding your line.
Not overreacting.
Not collapsing.

Control here builds confidence and clarity in everyday life.

How the Twist Changes the Pose

When you add the twist (Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana), the pose evolves.

Instead of just holding steady, you now:

Rotate from the core
Open the leg to the side
Turn the gaze in the opposite direction

This adds a layer of complexity and awareness.

Physically:

More demand on the standing leg
More core engagement
More coordination and control

Philosophically:
Twists in yoga represent perspective and release.

You’re no longer just holding your center—you’re learning to maintain it while things shift.

Hasta Padangusthasana teaches you to find your center.
The twist teaches you to keep it—even when life pulls you in another direction.

April showers bring May flowers, puppies, new classes and a few more days of summer deals.

That's right - Puppy yoga is almost here. Join us May 3 at 1 pm. $30 to register and all sales go directly to Puppy Haven.

Check out our NEW midday Practice class on Wednesdays at 1 pm with Jessi. Also, don't miss the Tuesday Massage class, Release, with Catherine. This class is 45 minutes of self myofascial release for members or class package holders. Finally, remember the monthly restorative & sound healing, The Pause, with Sue. The Pause meets on the 4th Saturday of each month. Restorative & Sound Healing. $35.

The first time "you are the company you keep" really landed for me, it came from someone who didn't live it at all.

A new post on friendship, discernment, and why the wellness industry can't sell you what you already have.

https://www.updogyogatulsa.com/post/you-are-the-company-you-keep-keep-good-company