7GEN co-owners Acosia Red Elk, left, and Wendy Hinkle share their philosophy and explain how they use movement as a tool for healing July 2, 2025, at their downtown Pendleton wellness center. The center combines modern fitness with Indigenous philosophy through group classes such as high-intensity interval training, yoga, breathwork and dance. (Yasser Marte/East Oregonian)

PENDLETON — A once-quiet bank building in downtown Pendleton now pulses with new energy, serving as a sanctuary for movement, meditation and healing.

Sunlight streamed through the windows Jul y at 7GEN, illuminating a space bank tellers, deposit slips and ledgers once occupied. The downtown Pendleton building now serves as a wellness hub, offering body and energy-based workouts that promote mental and spiritual well-being.

Co-owners Acosia Red Elk and Wendy Hinkle opened the center in December, drawing inspiration from the “Seven Generations” philosophy rooted in many Indigenous cultures that honors the wisdom of seven past generations and considers the effect on seven generations to come.

“Everything we do has a ripple effect,” Red Elk said. “We must think with the seventh generation in mind — how our words, actions, reactions and stewardship of resources will impact those who come after us.”

Blending modern movement with Indigenous philosophy, the center offers group fitness classes that range from high-intensity interval training to various styles of yoga, breathwork meditations and dance sessions.

The class lineup includes types of yoga, meditation and more, providing a wide range of options to support physical and mental well-being.

Much of the center’s programming is rooted in movement — all activities that, Red Elk noted, help stimulate the release of dopamine and serotonin, natural chemicals that support mental and emotional well-being.

“Wellness, to me, is a byproduct of our daily life,” Red Elk said. “It’s about how happy we are in our careers, our environments, our relationships—everything.”

Staying physically healthy, she added, helps people show up fully in the world because wellness isn’t about appearance — it’s about the experience.

Hinkle said wellness involves the entire body and mind.

“Throughout your life, your body and cells respond to trauma and stress,” she said. “They carry that weight, often silently. Movement is one of the most effective ways to help the body release it.”

With a background in both healthcare and movement, Hinkle has seen how wellness plays out in various settings.

“From a wellness perspective, I see how much of it depends on mindset,” Hinkle said. “You have to get uncomfortable to grow.”

In addition to classes, the wellness space is evolving into a destination for out-of-town visitors, with packaged retreats tha combine wellness, culture and adventure.

“We’ll be holding many retreats — everything from one-day to four-day events,” Red Elk said. “Some will be built around tourism. You might spend a weekend doing yoga and going to take the underground tours, horseback riding on the reservation with the Minthorn sisters or visiting the Pendleton Woolen Mills.”

In partnership with the MotoLodge, some retreats offer all-inclusive packages that may include swimming in the river, sitting in a sweat lodge, soaking in the hot springs or foraging for fruits and plants before gathering for breathwork ceremonies.

Red Elk and Hinkle also are developing tourism-focused partnerships with Pendleton Underground Tours, the Pendleton Woolen Mills and local hotels.

Catering and support for local vendors will play a central role in the retreats, bringing in area restaurants for catering and inviting small vendors to set up booths at the studio to sell their products during events.

“We want people to experience Pendleton — what it’s really like here,” Red Elk said. “A day in the life of someone from this area. Learning the city’s history, the culture, while also doing yoga, breathwork, sharing circles, group dance — all the things you’d expect from a wellness retreat.

Since opening in December, 7GEN has become more than a wellness space — it’s building a network of partnerships that stretch across Pendleton and beyond. Red Elk said the business is working with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and its Tribal Youth Program, where she and Hinkle teach yoga classes.

“We’re also partnering with Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center’s diabetes program,” she said, “which allows people to access class passes, drop-ins and monthly memberships — fully covered through Yellowhawk.”

Red Elk said 7GEN plans to expand into the school system this coming academic year.

Partnerships are in development with the Pendleton School District and nearby communities such as Athena, offering yoga and fitness classes to students.

“We opened this space because we wanted a safe, really cool place for people to come and do healthy stuff together,” Red Elk said.

7GEN is at 256 S. Main St., Pendleton. Hours of operation vary based on the class schedule. To book a class, schedule an appointment or become a member, wellness enthusiasts can visit the 7GEN website or follow the center on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.