Welcome to Episode #26 of the Wild Yoga Tribe Podcast! This week, I welcome Hörður Bender onto the show, a yoga teacher from Iceland. He is an entrepreneur, a horse whisperer, a garlic farmer, and a yoga teacher. In recent years he has taken people up to the mountains to meditate, and on yoga and horse riding retreats at his farm, Efri-Úlfsstaðir. Hörður believes that our brain is like a young stallion that needs to be tamed, and that the Icelandic horse is the biggest teacher. My conversation with Hörður Bender, a yoga teacher from Iceland, was so grounding as he talked about the powerful connection of horses and how his horses teach him mindfulness. Hordur shared his love of Iceland with us, the wild natural beauty and how the lack of noise helps keep his inner world still. As a garlic farmer, a horse whisperer, and a yoga teacher, Hordur Bender is a man who lives what he teaches. We talked extensively about what Hörður learns from his horses. He revealed how sensitive, alert, and present his horses are, and how they embody true mindfulness. Just by being close to them, sensing their breath and their energy— you feel more grounded and still. Hörður is actually the first farmer ever to grow garlic in Iceland. He wanted to attempt to grow something that is difficult to grow in Icelandic soil as a testament to how magnificent mother is. “Part of the journey is also seeing what can mother earth give and supply us with.” As Hörður says, “Here we are in a rock in the middle of the Atlantic. The Icelandic nature keeps you very alert. You always have to be aware of the forces of nature.” Iceland reminds us every day who is in control— and it’s not the humans! Curious about yoga in Iceland and all the yoga retreats Hörður offers? Tune into the episode to find out more. Tell me more about Hörður Bender Hörður Bender is the owner of a horse and garlic farm, a place where Icelanders and people from all over the world come to celebrate the Icelandic horse. The environment surrounding his farm is filled with natural wonders— including mountains, volcanoes, and the Atlantic Ocean. and he leads yoga and horse retreats in Iceland, with a strong focus on mindfulness and connecting with to the most earth-connected creatures that Iceland has to offer— the Icelandic horse. What’s in the Iceland episode? The power of yoga multiplies when paired with horse riding and with natural beauty Horses embody true mindfulness In Iceland, your awareness of the forces of nature is heightened Mountain top yoga: a place and space for rethinking Retreats with no schedule, with no clocks Who is in control? It’s not the humans! Connect with Hordur https://mriceland.is/ https://www.youtube.com/c/MrIceland https://www.instagram.com/mistericeland/ https://www.facebook.com/MrIceland.is Want more? Head on over to my website https://wildyogatribe.com/thepodcast/ Questions? Comments? Let's get social! https://www.instagram.com/wildyogatribe/ https://www.facebook.com/wildyogatribe https://twitter.com/wildyogatribe Everything you need is just one click away! Check out all the resources here: https://linktr.ee/wildyogatribe