Downward Dog for Warriors

Join us for Downward Dog for Warriors, a special community yoga fundraiser in support of K9s For Warriors—the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs for veterans living with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma. This uplifting class combines mindful movement, breathwork, and connection to honor those who have served while raising funds to match veterans with their service dogs.

• A Welcoming Yoga Class: All levels are welcome—from beginners to experienced practitioners. The flow will be grounding, energizing, and heart-centered, guided with care to meet you where you are.
• Community Connection: Come together with neighbors, friends, and families who share the intention of supporting our warriors and creating positive change.
• Inspiration & Purpose: Hear about the incredible work K9s For Warriors is doing and how your donation directly helps save lives—both human and canine.
• Healing Vibes: This isn’t just a yoga class; it’s a chance to breathe deeply, move mindfully, and leave feeling uplifted, empowered, and connected.
• Give Back with Every Pose: Your ticket/donation helps fund the training of service dogs that are paired with veterans—transforming lives through unconditional love, loyalty, and healing partnership.

Your presence is more than just rolling out a yoga mat. It’s about standing together as a community, sharing healing energy, and making a tangible difference in the lives of veterans who need it most. With every stretch, breath, and moment of stillness, you’ll be contributing to a mission of healing, hope, and resilience.

✨ Together we stand. Together we heal. ✨

The event will be held at the Silverleaf Amenities Event Pavilion in Saint Augustine, FL. For GPS, use the address:

218 Silver Forest Drive, Saint Augustine, FL 32092

This will take you to the Silverleaf Amenities Center. The Event Pavilion is located behind the center, just past the pools. Parking is available along the Amenities Center and nearby streets — look for signs and volunteers to guide you if needed.

Info: Breathwork is the practice of intentionally using your breath to influence your mental, emotional, and physical state. More than just “deep breathing,” it’s a tool to shift how you feel in real time. By slowing and deepening the breath, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system — the body’s “rest and restore” mode — which lowers stress hormones, reduces heart rate, and helps us feel safe and grounded. This simple yet powerful practice can release tension, quiet racing thoughts, and bring clarity and focus.
Regular breathwork has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, boost mood, improve energy, and even support trauma recovery by helping the body let go of fight-or-flight patterns. It reconnects you to the present moment and strengthens the mind-body connection.
At Downward Dog for Warriors, we’ll open with a guided breathwork session to help you arrive fully, calm the mind, and prepare for a heart-centered practice — leaving you balanced, grounded, and ready to flow.

Info: Our Downward Dog for Warriors yoga flow is designed to be welcoming, empowering, and heart-centered — perfect for all experience levels. This class links breath with movement in a smooth, intentional sequence to create a sense of grounding and release. We’ll begin with calming breathwork and centering, then gently build heat with flowing movements like sun salutations, warrior poses, and gentle twists that open tight hips and shoulders, improve strength, and enhance balance. Each movement is guided by the rhythm of the breath, creating a moving meditation that quiets the mind and leaves you feeling clear and connected. Modifications and options will be offered throughout so everyone can move at their own pace and comfort level. We’ll close with grounding stretches and a guided relaxation to leave you feeling restored, energized, and deeply supported — all while coming together to honor veterans, first responders, and their families.

Info: We’ll end the practice with a deeply restorative 10-minute guided meditation designed to calm the mind and seal in the benefits of the flow. You’ll settle into a comfortable resting position as soothing words guide you into a state of deep relaxation. The gentle tones of a sound bowl and soft chimes will wash over the space, helping release lingering tension and quiet the nervous system. The vibrations create a meditative atmosphere that encourages the body to fully let go, while the mind drifts into stillness. This final moment is an invitation to reflect, breathe, and offer gratitude — for yourself, for those we honor, and for the healing energy we create together. Participants often leave feeling lighter, more grounded, and renewed, carrying a sense of peace with them long after the event.

Info: After class, we invite anyone who’d like to stay to join us for a short Q&A session highlighting the missions of K9s For Warriors and Path to Peace.
You’ll hear inspiring stories about how K9s For Warriors rescues dogs and trains them to become lifesaving service animals for veterans, and learn how Path to Peace supports not just service members but their entire families through yoga therapy, breathwork, meditation, and community programs.
This is a great chance to ask questions, connect with the cause on a deeper level, and find out how you can get involved — whether through volunteering, future events, or ongoing support.
Participation in this portion is completely optional — you’re welcome to simply enjoy the yoga class and guided meditation, or stay to connect and learn more.

Host or Publisher Annette Kohls