We kicked off Cowgirl Yoga season this past weekend with our Cowgirls vs. Cancer retreat. This is the first year that we have dedicated an entire retreat to C vs. C, thanks to the generosity of everyone we work with at Cowgirl Yoga. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the people who donated their time and energy to making this program grow and come to life in rich new ways. I keep waking up at night and worrying about remembering to thank everyone!

Highlights included morning meditation on the cabin porch, and opening our eyes to see a group of does in the river; strong, upper body strengthening vinyasa yoga practices, where the cowgirls kicked asana on their pink mats; our healing with horses sessions, and seeing those (equine) boys step up to do their job with their usual gentle, willing way; timing all our outdoor activities perfectly around Montana’s weather moodiness; meal after meal of healthy, healing food; a fire ceremony to seal in the power of healing and intention…and above all, moment after inspirational moment with our cancer kickin’ cowgirl yoginis. These women embody strength, grace, courage and beauty in too many ways to count. I am hard pressed to describe how much each of them inspired me; I will draw on that inspiration for a long time, I am sure.

Right here, right now I feel the need to shout out some cowgirl sized thank you’s, to: our Montana Yoga Photog Larry Stanley, for capturing these images (more here!); to Montana Horse Sense for their amazing horse whispering; to the Keep A Breast Foundation for offering their Treasured Chest breast casting to our cancer kickin’ cowgirls; to Hill Botanical and Wizbang hats for donating goodies for our overflowing goodie bags; to the Double T River Ranch for donating our stay at one of the most amazing venues in Montana; to JADE Yoga for the pink mats, and to Athleta for the pink bracelets.

Yeehaw & Namaste. Thanks to the C vs. C girls for embodying that phrase this weekend.