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September Newsletter


The Yoga of Mind Chatter

Tonight I taught my last Gentle Class for the month of August. As we move from one chapter into the next, there is always a moment of gratitude for the time period that is passing. A gentle acknowledgement of time spent and lessons learned. I see the progress in my students, and we can all look back and go, “Yeah, we did that. We got that. We grew from that.” 💕

For me, this summer, much of the yoga I really practiced was off the mat. I showed up for (most of) the things I committed to and gave every person in front of me all of my attention. But what most people don’t know is that my deep work with yoga was happening in the deafening silence of 1 A.M. conversations with myself. These moments felt like cascades of feelings as my heart yearned, broke, and continued to re-organize itself around the shifts in my life. Some big. Some small. Life is in constant flux after all.

And what I found most interesting is that in those moments, I had to ask “Teacher Emilee” to tell me what to do; after all, she knows, doesn’t she? Doesn’t she always talk about how to use the practice of yoga to weather the storms of our lives?

And she would say:

Remember to breathe.

Focus on your foundation.

You got this.


When I say these words in class, they bubble forth not from me—the messy Emilee-- but from the Emilee in the privileged and momentary seat of the teacher with a lesson plan. Because the truth is that the yoga poses are just a byproduct of the work we are doing mentally when we show up to class. When we learn to sit with ourselves in the heat and turbulence of an asana or meditation class, we are teaching our inner self to handle the ebbs and flows of our mind so that we can sit in the heat of our feelings. We learn to step back from the situation and see something bigger, and larger, than ourselves instead of focusing on the internal dialogue. Even as a yoga teacher who professes knowledge on this subject, the practice is real. And it doesn’t always look pretty, serene, or graceful. It sometimes filled with snot. Ha.

As you probably know sitting with overwhelm is difficult to do-- even within a Satsang of a yoga class. But as many of us can attest to, the practice of working with the mind is more difficult to do by yourself, as you listen to the clock ticking seconds away in the echo of a quiet house. It is difficult to do when the world just doesn’t make sense and when your mind trills off the list of things you spent the entire day busy trying to ignore.

But that is where the work is—in the messy parts of life. The poses are just the beginning- they’re just the entry point to the self-awareness we cultivate on our mats. It is the process of observation, self-reflection, all while constantly checking of the ego.

What I discovered this summer is that only way out of the spinning of the mind was to turn and face it. To regain the centeredness. And in those moments, I needed to turn inwards and move with my training... through my breath, my foundation, and use my desire to overcome to keep going.

Even if it’s just one breath at a time. One step at a time. One day at a time.

All we can do is ask ourselves, “What is the next right thing for me to do?”

It is with deep gratitude and honor to take my yoga students through the experience of checking on themselves and being a part of their own self-education and empowerment. In so many ways, this community inspires me to keep showing up for myself, and you all give me an opportunity to keep saying the words we all need to hear.

Remember to breathe. Focus on your foundation. You got this.

I love you, Grassroots Community. 🌱🌱🌱

-Emilee

-              9/4 The Science of Calm with Emilee https://momence.com/l/15hzdjdX

-              9/11 Yoga Nidra with Elena https://momence.com/l/MjhwrbVM

-              9/18 $30 Special Event: Magical 75-Minute Sound Bath for Autumn Attunement with Samantha and Emilee https://momence.com/l/P0hwjvVx

-              9/25 Ground and Grow with Shannon https://momence.com/l/x9hkOoPL

>>>NEW THINGS AND SCHEDULE SHIFTS FOR SEPTEMBER

  • Carla Fritchie is teaching Monday Nights at 5:30p.

  • Sherry Stofko is adding a workshop class on Mondays at 6:45p.

  • Sarah Seltzer is taking up a yin class on Sundays at 6p- except for the final Sunday with Erika for her Sacred Sunday Reset

  • Farmer’s Market Yoga continues Saturdays at 9a (Mills Park). All proceeds to go Boys and Girls Club.

  • Emilee is teaching a Power Series on Tuesdays/Thursdays at 5:30p to build towards Wheel Pose.

SPECIAL EVENT: 9/10 | 7p SOUND & CRYSTAL HEALING LIVE SOUND EXPERIENCE W/ CRYSTALS & THERAPY DOG

Experience something truly unique. Join Angie of The Healing Wolf for an immersive sound journey featuring ancient Aztec and Mayan instruments, crystal energy, and the calming presence of Mischa, her husky service dog. Come settle in, listen deeply, and experience the healing power of sound.

Sign Up for this Pop Up Event

ENHANCE YOUR SUNDAY WITH YIN AND SOUND

Find Balance with Yin Slow down, soften, and come home to yourself. Find Balance with Yin is an invitation to step out of the noise and into the quieter wisdom of your body.

AUTUMN EQUINOX WORKSHOP WITH BRIGETTE | SUN SEPT 20 | 1p

90 MINUTES Sunday, September 20, 2026 1:00 PM

A new season and a return to the balance of light and dark arrives with the fall equinox on September 22nd. It's a perfect time to take stock in what we harvested under the summer sun and decide what seeds we are planting deep in the soil to sprout in the spring. Join Brigette for some movement, meditation and journaling to gain clarity on our energetic callings and intuitive messaging.

REIKI MONTHLY CIRCLE AND TRAININGS—COMING UP!

Monthly Reiki Circle 9/3 5:45p

Level 1 Certification: 10/17 + 10/18

Reiki Training with Karen McCraw TWO Sessions to learn the Healing Art of Reiki in October Saturday/Sunday October 17th and 18th Saturday 12p-4p Sunday 9a-5p Fee: $175 Time: 12hrs/2 days Join Reiki Master, Karen McCraw, for a 12-hour easy to follow course that will be the basis you need for self-practice to become attuned to Reiki’s natural energy healing system. For more information, reach out to karenmolina04@gmail.com


Sign Up for Reiki Level 1 https://momence.com/l/K1h0zvjO


Level 2 Certification; 11/7 and 11/8

Reiki Level II Training with Karen McCraw 📅 Saturday, November 7 | 1:00–5:00 PM 📅 Sunday, November 8 | 1:00–5:00 PMGrassroots Yoga & Fitness Center Pre-requisite: Completion of Reiki Level I


Sign Up for Reiki Level II https://momence.com/l/dahVl1re



KARMA CLEAN-- SUN | SEPT 13 | 12:30P

Do you love Grassroots? Do you see how big this resource is for our community? We need your help. Brigette and I do not collect salaries for the cleaning of the studio. Part of our plan is to create a collective for healers who take a shared interest in this space. So if you enjoy the resource of Grassroots and want to help us keep it nice, please consider signing up for the Karma Clean this week. Even if you don’t make it, it let’s us know who wants to help be stewards of our beautiful space so we can keep you in the loop.

Next one is Sunday, Sept 13 at 12:30p.

Click here to get added to the list for reminders.

FIND YOUR CENTER: A POWER SERIES WITH EMILEE AND BRIGETTE | TUESDAY AND THURSDAYS IN SEPTEMBER

Find Your Center: A Power Series What happens to your center when things get hard? This Tuesday/Thursday power series uses challenging, dynamic movement as a laboratory for exploring steadiness under pressure. We’ll build strength, stamina, and heat while learning to notice our own tendencies toward pushing, resisting, reacting, or checking out. Inspired by the yogic teaching of the gunas, each practice invites you to work intensely without losing your equilibrium—to find clarity within effort, steadiness within challenge, and a little more space between what happens and how you respond. Come ready to work hard, pay attention, and find your center.

NEW COMMUNITY MEDITATIOON WITH PATT - STARTING LATE SEPTEMBER

Tuesdays 3:30-5:00 9/22-10/13 | in person & online

Join Patt for this course of Community Meditation.

WRITE YOUR LIFE: BRIGETTE IS TEACHING A WRITING WORKSHOP WITH WNC

Your life is full of stories worth writing. Our very own Brigette Pugh is heading back to the writing classroom! Join her at WNC this September for Write Your Life—a creative workshop exploring the stories that brought you here and writing your way toward what comes next. Poets, memoirists, fiction writers, and curious humans welcome!

RETREATS

MOLLY DAHL Fall Ayurveda & restorative Yoga Retreat 2026 Led by Molly DahlSupported by Ascent Physical Therapy & Grassroots Yoga Center

A Season of Rest Begins Here.6 Weeks of Restorative Yoga | Wednesday Sept 23 - Oct 29

5:30 - 6:45pm Yoga Classes @ Grassroots Yoga Center (6)

Sync your system with the cycles of Nature, winding down the busyness of summer and preparing for a slow and gentle fall and winter.

ERIKA OLIVAS + WANDA LARUSSA The Desert Reset | September 20th – September 27th, 2026 | AMADO, ARIZONA

TUNING CHAKRAS, SETTLING SYSTEMS, AND FINDING YOUR OASIS IN COMMUNITY

Imagine finally exhaling. Not because everything around you has changed, but because something within you has shifted. You return home carrying more than memories of a beautiful retreat. You return with the skills to live with greater presence, deeper connection, increased resilience, and the profound knowing that the life you long for is much closer than you ever imagined. Visit thedesertreset.org to book your space.


PERSONAL TRAINING WITH TESSA

Already train with Tessa? No worries! If you prefer to add a session once in a while to focus on any of my drop in options rather than using one of your regular sessions, or just want to get an extra workout in here and there, you know what to do! Let's work together to build the right solutions for your unique body and goals! Reach out to her at 775-443-9500 for questions.

PSST… SENSORY ZEN DEN TEASER.

Hey, did you know there’s a new project underway at Grassroots? Evelyn Grime and Stephanie McIntosh are putting together a cozy nest of sensory goodness for us. This project is currently in progress and I look forward to leaking more details soon 🫡

Alright, September. We got this.

 
 
 

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