Itinerary:

3:30-4:00 pm Arrival:

On the afternoon of Sat Oct 26, arrive at the bright, zen, newly-renovated space at 1805 Gaspe, which is located right HERE. The easiest parking is in the back, behind the building, from where you can enter through the back door. Unroll your mat, and settle in for refreshing yoga beside more lovely humans.

4:00-5:00 pm Yoga Class:

Revitalize with this uplifting class to flush circulation and cleanse toxins. We’ll mindfully build strength, regain mobility, tone our core, and stretch out sticky spots. I’ll offer modifications to safely suit your own joints, injuries, and pelvic floor health.

Everyone is welcome. You belong in this all-levels, all-bodies asana class.

Yummy:

5:00-6:00 pm Yummy Food:

Elevate your experience with scrumptious provisions. This delicious, plant-based, gluten-free dinner will be catered in such a way as to be waste-free—meaning there won’t be any garbage created.

Amy Longard studied at the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC, and then the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to become a registered holistic nutritionist and to gain a more sophisticated understanding of exactly how plants impact our health. She’ll prepare a light & yummy meal that still saves some space for the wine or mocktails.

Afterwards, it’s only a 3-min walk to the scenic Ottawa River Pathway that winds along the river, where you can stroll & daydream. Or choose to chat & laugh with others on the walk. Or even stay indoors to read, write, sketch, or nap. Stretch out on your mat and soak up the self-care.

Wine & Mocktails Tasting:

6:00-7:00 pm Wine & Mocktails:

Our tastebuds lend themselves well to mindfulness. For those of you sipping different “low intervention” wines (the opposite of industrial wines), you’ll learn why all low-intervention wines are organic, but not all organic wines are low-intervention. Passionate wine enthusiasts, Ashley & Erin, from Talk Natty To Me, will guide us through the tasting of a few “low-intervention” wines, and teach us about the simplicity & sustainability of this old-yet-new approach to grape growing & winemaking.

For those of you who are driving, not drinking, or preferring a zero-proof option, I’ve got you covered! Come savour different mocktail options, and delight your palate. Let’s try something new…together.

Give your glass a gentle swirl, then appreciate each unique aroma, appearance, body, and flavor. Let your palate guide you.

Final Yoga Class:

7:00-7:30 pm (Funny) Final Yoga Class:

After the food & beverages, there’s a lot of giggling. You’re making new friends, you’re feeling connection to a new community, and you’re in a festive mood. Kick back with this warm & welcoming yoga community. There will be ample giggling in this short yoga class. Relax and de-stress with these closing stretches & a final meditation. Ahhhh.

7:30-8:00 pm Goodbyes or Dancing:

Then we pack up our bags, share some hugs, and float home (taxi, Uber, designated driver).

Or…. don’t go home! Extend the fun & come dancing with me very close by. Read more about this unique dancing place, and buy your dancing tix asap right HERE.

What to Bring:

What to Bring:

Slippers/socks, clothing layers to peel on/off & water bottle.

1 Yoga mat, 1 blanket, 1 block if possible. Otherwise, let me know about borrowing.

1 bowl & spoon. While we practise yoga, Amy will serve the main course into your very own bowl!

Optional A good book/journal/sketch pad/knitting if you prefer a more introverted, quiet break time.

Zoe will bring eye pillows & straps, unless you prefer your own!

If you’re coming dancing afterwards, then bring super comfy shoes (‘m bringing runners), and maybe a halloween costume. Tix for the dancing are HERE.

Hesitant?

Hesitant?

My teaching style is safe, uplifting, and refreshing. I also have a hidden superpower. I can make yoga accessible to everyone in the room---beginners and seasoned yogis alike. Both Netflix potatoes and marathon runners. So bring your hunched shoulders, bring your aches, and bring your juicy body. You belong with us.

If you register with a friend, then you’ll both save on each of your registrations with the buddy discount.

Investment 1 person (sliding scale):

I’m struggling right now - $150
I’m feeling lucky + able to afford regular rate - $175
I’m grateful that my registration can support someone else right now - $200

Investment 2 people “Buddy Discount” (sliding scale):

We’re both struggling right now - $250 (save $50)
We’re feeling lucky + able to afford regular rate - $300 (save $50)
We’re grateful that our registration can support someone else right now - $350 (save $50)

Retreat Itinerary:

Itinerary:

10:00-10:30 am EST
Arrive, unroll your mat, and sigh with relief.

10:30-11:00 am EST 
Zoe teaches a short yoga class, curated for bone health (osteoporosis-safe).

11:00am-12:00 pm EST
Margaret Martin’s intelligent, in-depth virtual presentation about bone health, density, porosity, and helpful tips. Followed by Q&A.

12:00-1:00 pm EST
Catered lunch that is bone-density friendly & siesta (stroll on the paths, read, sketch, knit, or nap!).

1:00-2:00 pm EST
Zoe teaches yoga class to reinforce and apply what we've learned. 

2:00-2:30 pm We say goodbye and float home.

Two Yoga Classes:

Enjoy these two (2) uplifting yoga classes to flush your circulation and cleanse out toxins. It’s going to feel spectacular to mindfully build strength, regain mobility, tone our core, and stretch out the sticky spots.

We’ll give special attention to building muscle tissue where it supports your spinal health and stablizes your core body. I’ll offer modifications to protect your joints, injuries, and the porosity of your bones.

I can’t wait to get moving with you. We’ll rinse our brain with cerebrospinal fluid. We’ll open up our bronchial tissues, lovingly, in these all-levels, all-bodies, all-ages classes.

Friend Discount:

If you register with a friend, then you’ll both save $25 on each of your registrations.

Our Osteo Expert:

Margaret Martin is a Physical Therapist with nearly 40 years of clinical experience.

Her expertise is in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis through evidence-based therapeutic exercise, safe movement and fall prevention. For the last 20 years, she has concentrated on bone health and has treated thousands of patients for their osteoporosis, osteopenia and low bone density.

Margaret is the author of three books on osteoporosis, an extensive library of videos, and a 15-hour continuing education course for Physical Therapists and other health professionals on the prevention and treatment of bone loss.

I’ve attended a training with Margaret, so I know first-hand that her presentation will be educational, intelligent, in-depth, and thorough. She has set aside time for a Q&A, as well.

Delicious food:

This event will feature a different caterer, named Amy Longard. Together, we’re having fun planning a tasty, nutrient-dense, rainbow-coloured lunch. Under discussion is a hearty, substantial, bountiful “buddha bowl,” drizzled with a zesty tahini sauce. We brainstormed a dessert that involves chocolate, of course. As a nutritionist & chef, Amy will ensure that this lunch is good for your bone health: calcium, Vit D, K, C, magnesium, potassium.

Savour fresh provisions to revive your body and uplift your mood, followed by a something sweet. These beautiful plant-based refreshments are gluten-free, dairy-free, and are catered in such a way as to be waste-free (meaning no garbage).

If you’re relishing the rare opportunity for quiet, then you might take a stroll to hear your own thoughts. We’ll be near two beautiful green spaces with pathways. Or choose to chat & laugh with the other participants. Or even stay in for a quiet siesta. You might read, write, sketch, knit, or nap. Stretch out on your mat, yawn, or close your eyes. True self-care.

What to bring:

Slippers/socks We can’t wear shoes inside building.

2 small weights. Time for weight-bearing!

1 Yoga mat, 1 blanket, 2 blocks.

1 bowl & spoon. While we practise yoga, Amy will serve the main course into your very own bowl!

Clothing Layers to peel on/off & Water bottle.

Optional A good book/journal/sketch pad/knitting if you prefer a more introverted, quiet break time.

Zoe will bring eye pillows & straps, unless you prefer your own!

Registration:

If you register with a friend who is new to my classes, then you’ll both save $25 on each of your registrations.

Hesitant?

My teaching style is safe, uplifting, and refreshing. I also have a hidden superpower. I can make yoga accessible to everyone in the room---beginners and seasoned yogis alike. Both Netflix potatoes and marathon runners. So bring your hunched shoulders, bring your aches, and bring your juicy body. You belong with me.

Registration:

If you register with a friend who is new to my classes, then you’ll both save $25 on each of your registrations.

This is a sweet space for you to slow down, give your body some love, and replenish your energy. Stretch, strengthen, breathe and feel connected. Eat delicious, fresh, bright, allergen-free, waste-free catered refreshments. Indulge in a siesta or stroll. Savour flavanoid-rich, antioxidant-packed chocolate tasting and learn about the bean-to-bar process from a professional chocolate curator.

And then, of course, there are two scrumptious yoga classes. This retreat at 1805 Gaspe Ave (off of St Laurent) is designed for you. Carve out this one day.
Please Note: These retreats fill very quickly. Start lining up your babysitter/dogsitter now, and maybe invite a friend to join you.

Itinerary:

10:00-10:30 am
Arrive:

Carrying your yoga mat, you’ll arrive at the bright, zen, newly-renovated space at 1805 Gaspe, which is located right HERE. The easiest parking is in the back, behind the building, from where you can enter through the back door.

The building is nestled beside lots of green space, including pastures. You might see some some of the elegant RCMP horses who perform in the annual Musical Ride and are stabled here! We’ll be a short walk from the Ottawa River Pathway.

Unroll your mat, turn off your phone, lie down near other lovely humans, and sigh with relief. Everyone will have a different body, with varying levels of experience, and everyone will belong.

Refreshing Yoga:

10:30-11:30 am
Refreshing Yoga:

This first yoga class is all about circulation, movement, and detoxifing your body. We’ll get that cerebrospinal fluid to rinse out your whole brain. We’ll open up our bronchial tissues, lovingly, in this all-levels, all-bodies class.

In this uplifting yoga class, you’ll revitalize, build strength, regain mobility, tone your core, and stretch out the sticky spots. I’ll offer modifications to suit your injuries. You’ll want 2 yoga blocks to make this class safe and accessible (if you don’t have any yoga blocks, indicate so upon registration).

Lunch & Siesta:

11:30-12:30 pm
Lunch & Siesta:

Savour fresh provisions to revive your body. These beautiful plant-based refreshments are gluten-free, dairy-free, and catered in such a way as to be waste-free (meaning no garbage). Stephanie Wheaton and I are having fun planning a tasty, nutritious refreshment for you.

For your siesta, it’s only a 3-min walk to the scenic Ottawa River Pathway that winds along the river, where you can stroll & daydream. However, you could also choose to chat & laugh with others on the walk. Or even stay in for some golden silence. You might read, write, sketch, or nap. Stretch out on your mat, yawn, or close your eyes. True self-care.

Be back, ready, and on your mat by 12:25 pm…

Chocolate Tasting:

12:30-1:45 pm
Chocolate Tasting:

The lovely “chocolate curator,” Joanne Mutter, will educate us about bean-to-bar chocolate. What does that mean? Joanne says that, “it’s the exact opposite of Industrial Chocolate. The term refers to chocolate that is crafted directly from the cocoa bean, often produced in small batches and primarily by artisan chocolate makers.”

Based on any allergies in our group, Joanne will carefully select & introduce to us samples of exquisite bean-to-bar chocolate. We’ll learn a bit about soil care, micro-climate, how to detect the different roasting flavours, and even stories about the actual chocolate makers behind each chocolate that we taste—-just like at a wine tasting.

(I asked Joanne to bring a few extra bars in case you wanted to purchase some, via credit card/square or cash)

Soothing Yoga Class:

1:45-3:15 pm
Nourishing Yoga Class:

This second yoga class is about replenishing your energy and recharging your battery. Unwind deeply and completely. During this soothing yoga class, we’ll stretch out the sticky spots, mindfully strengthen our muscles, and open up our lungs. You’ll notice a feeling of comfort in the sounds of each other breathing, chuckling, sighing with relief. Those are the sounds of community and a shared sense of belonging.

3:15-3:30 pm
Good byes

Say your goodbyes, get some hugs, and float home in your relaxed and refreshed body.

What to bring:

What to bring:

Layers & Slippers just in case it’s muddy/rainy/cold.

1 Yoga mat, 1 blanket, and 2 yoga blocks Can’t bring these? Hopefully you already indicated this upon registration. If not, let me know!

Water bottle

A good book/journal/sketch pad/camera if you want a more introverted, quiet siesta time. Everyone recharges their energy differently.

Hesitant?

Hesitant?

My teaching style is safe, uplifting, and refreshing. I also have a hidden superpower. I can make yoga accessible to everyone in the room---beginners and seasoned yogis alike. Both Netflix potatoes and marathon runners.

So bring your hunched shoulders, bring your aches, and bring your juicy body. You belong with me.

SOLD OUT!!

Soooo sorry that this event filled up so quickly! It happened in less than 24 hours. Please add yourself to the waitlist. And, if there’s enough interest, then I’ll run a second chocolate-tasting retreat for all of you, on another date:

Arrival & Refreshing Yoga:

2:00-2:30 pm
Arrive:

Carrying your yoga mat, you’ll arrive at the bright, zen, newly-renovated space at 1805 Gaspe, which is located right HERE. The building is nestled beside lots of green space, including horses!

Unroll your mat, turn off your phone, lie down near other lovely humans, and sigh with relief. Everyone will have a different body, with varying levels of experience, and everyone will belong.

Refreshing Yoga:

2:30-3:30 pm
Refreshing Yoga

Revitalize with this uplifting yoga class to flush your circulation and cleanse out toxins. We’ll mindfully build strength, regain mobility, tone our core, and stretch out the sticky spots. I’ll offer modifications to suit your joints & injuries. You’ll want 1 or 2 yoga blocks to make this class safe and accessible (if you don’t have any yoga blocks, indicate so upon registration).

This is the yoga class where we’ll move and detoxify our whole body. We’ll get that cerebrospinal fluid to rinse out your whole brain. We’ll open up our bronchial tissues, lovingly, in this all-levels, all-bodies, all-ages class.

Delectable Bites & Stroll:

3:30-4:30 pm
Delectable Bites & Stroll:

Savour fresh provisions to revive your body and uplift your mood. These beautiful plant-based refreshments are gluten-free, dairy-free, and are catered in such a way as to be waste-free (meaning no garbage). Stephanie Wheaton and I are having fun planning a tasty, nutrient-dense, rainbow-coloured, light meal for you.

If you’re relishing the rare opportunity for quiet, then you might bundle up and take a stroll to hear your own thoughts. It’s only a 3-min walk to the scenic Ottawa River Pathway that winds along the river. And you might also spy some some of the elegant horses from the RCMP Musical Ride that are stabled here! However, you could also choose to chat & laugh with the other participants on the walk. Or even stay in for a quiet siesta. You might read, write, sketch, or nap. Stretch out on your mat, yawn, or close your eyes. True self-care.

The three (3) RMTs and I will be setting up for the Restorative Yoga & Massage. We might have moved your mats around.

Around 4:20 pm, get all cozy and ready for the Restorative Yoga & Massage portion.

Restorative Yoga & Massage

4:30-6:00 pm
Restorative Yoga & Massage

Next, immerse yourself in relaxation. Restorative yoga postures offer deep rejuvenation to shift you out of the stress response, and into the parasympathetic nervous response, where your body can finally unwind, repair, and nudge your digestive system back into life.

This is the class when you’ll need the most props/blankets/cushions (to use as bolsters). The props are used hold up your body in these supported restorative shapes. We stay in each restful posture for several minutes. Remember how sometimes we begin/end the class with a reclining pose where we use lots of props, blankets, and cushions to support the length of your body and you almost fall asleep? Well this is a whole class like that! Yes. Can you believe it?

Mini Massages:

Mini Massages:

During each luxurious pose, the three (3) massage therapists will circulate around sequentially to give each of you a mini massage, depending on which body part is accessible and injury-free in that pose.

For example, in the first pose an RMT might massage your skull or neck. In the next posture, either the same or a different RMT might massage your back or your hip, and so on. You might even fall asleep because the whole class is spa-like and glorious.

You’ll be given an anatomy card where you can circle any body parts that you don’t want to have massaged, in case of injuries, complications, etc.

This Restorative Yoga with Massage is a great way to digest food and integrate your new wellbeing into your brain’s scaffolding. Like pressing “save” on a document, we want to repattern our nervous system so that you’ll be able to return to this new default setting whenever you want.

6:00-6:30 pm Goodbye

We’ll pack up our belongings, and float home with a refreshed sense of calm and levity.

Benefits of Massage

Soak up the benefits of massage to your sense of self—-physically, mentally, emotionally.

• improved circulation

• stimulation of the lymphatic system

• reduction of stress hormones

• relaxation

• increased joint mobility and flexibility

• improved skin tone

• improved recovery of soft tissue injuries

• heightened mental alertness

• reduced anxiety and depression.

• reduced muscle tension

Itinerary:

2:00-2:30 pm
Arrive

2:30-3:30 pm
Refreshing Yoga with Zoe

3:30-4:30 pm
Delectable Bites & Stroll or Siesta

4:30-6:00 pm
Restorative Yoga with Zoe, and Massage with three (3) RMTs circulating around the class in each pose.

6:00-6:30 pm
Say goodbye and float home.

What to bring:

Slippers to wear inside the building, just in case there’s slush/salt tracked in, and to stay extra cozy.

Yoga mat Can’t bring your own? Hopefully you already indicated this upon registration. If not, then let me know asap :)

Layers to peel off if you’re too warm/cold.

Water bottle

Two (2) yoga blocks If you can’t bring your own, then hopefully you already indicated so upon registration. If not, then let me know asap :)

3 blankets (what??) Yes. Two of the blankets are for propping/supporting in the restorative poses. The third blanket is for warmth, cushioning underneath you, and for neck support. If you own a bolster, then you could bring your bolster. But I’ve designed the class to work with 3 blankets & 2 blocks :)

A good book/journal/sketch pad if you prefer a more introverted, quiet break time. Everyone recharges their energy differently.

Science of sound therapy:

According to studies exploring the effects of singing bowls, participants demonstrated these physiological benefits more than the people in the control group:

• Decreased heart rate

• Reduction in negative mood.

• Lower anxiety & stress.

• Changes in heart rate variability (this varying fraction of a second between each heart beat is a very strong indicator of your health outcomes).

• Decreased symptoms of distress, depression, pain.

• Improvements in blood pressure & respiratory rate.

• Reduced tension & fatigue.

• Increased positive mood.

Sat Aug 19:

9:30-10:00 am
You arrive & get settled

10:00-11:00 am
Refreshing Yoga class with Zoe

11:00-11:15 am
Bio Break

11:15-12:15 pm
Sound Bath with Heather & Restorative Yoga with Zoe

12:15-1:15 pm
Tasty, fresh, catered lunch (allergen-free), and siesta free time (sketch, walk, journal, or chat with others).

1:15-1:45
A guided moving meditation & breathwork

1:45-2:00 pm
Say goodbye & float home. 

What to pack:

Yoga mat (can’t bring your own? Please reserve one upon registration).

Layers to peel off if you’re too warm.

Water bottle

1 or 2 yoga blocks (can’t bring your own? Please reserve one upon registration). Do you have osteoporosis, back pain, really tight hamstrings? Then I suggest you bring 2 blocks.

4 blankets (what??) Yes. 4 blankets that we’ll use as bolsters in the Restorative Class. If you can’t bring 4 blankets, then bring 2 blankets + 2 cushions (an even number of each).

A good book/journal/sketch pad if you prefer a more introverted, quiet siesta time. Everyone recharges their energy differently.

Hesitant?

My teaching style is safe, uplifting, and refreshing. I also have a hidden superpower. I can make yoga accessible to everyone in the room---beginners and seasoned yogis alike. Both Netflix potatoes and marathon runners.

We use props to make yoga suit your specific body. In this case, you’ll need the 4 blankets & yoga block to create the supported postures in the restorative class, as well as for a safe spine in the more refreshing class.

So bring your hunched shoulders, bring your aches, and bring your juicy body. You belong with me.

Only two (2) spots left tomorrow!

Mini Yoga Retreat: Majestic Menopause

Is this only for people in menopause? Nope. This 1/2-day mini yoga retreat is designed for anyone ready for self-care and learning. Come and be kind to yourself, refill your cup, and re-energize. Let yourself be spoiled. Finally take care of your own body and mental health. We’ll practise yoga, eat delicious healthy food, re-learn peri- and post- menopause, have some laughs, and then practise yoga again.

When kids lose their baby teeth, we take photos, we celebrate, there might be a treat or visits from the toothfairy, and we regale each other with funny tooth-losing stories (the time I tied one end of the dental floss to a hammer, and dropped the hammer). And remember how much time and attention we spent learning about each aspect of puberty (body odour, zits, sexuality, tampons). By the time it was our turn, we knew a few things. So why all the mystery around menopause? We’re going to re-brand majestic, marvelous, magical, magnificent menopause (if you haven’t arrived there yet, then come learn what’s around the corner). How does yoga help us thrive through magnificent menopause?

Itinerary

• Arrive and relax.

• Indulge in an uplifting asana (yoga) class to flush your circulation, clear your mind, and reacquaint yourself with your unique body.

• Savour fresh, light, gluten-free, litter-free catered provisions during our break (please notify me of any allergens upon registering). Or treat yourself at home if attending over zoom. Then relax, daydream, read, write, sketch. This is your siesta!

• Soak up an informative workshop about peri- and post- menopause.

• Close the retreat with a nourishing and reassuring asana class to restore your energy levels.

• Say goodbye :)

Logistics:

When: Sun Oct 24th from 10:00-1:00 EST
Where: All outdoors, at Fairbairn House in Wakefield, Quebec (map is HERE).
Who: All lovely humans belong here.
Why: Replenish your energy levels, oxygenate your body, and reassure your nervous system. Lovingly invest in your wellbeing.
Investment: Sliding scale for pandemic times!
To pack: Warm blanket, thermoses with hot beverages, yoga props (mat, blocks, strap), extra pair boots/shoes if you don’t want to muddy your mat, full outdoor gear for rain/snow (gloves, hat, long underwear, jacket…I might even wear snowpants…this will be hilarious), mask for certain moments, proof of vaccination (easy to do right HERE), your smile & a readiness to go with the flow!

Includes:

The best of all pandemic variables:
2 safe outdoor yoga classes
Tasty nourishing provisions (plant-based, waste-free, without dairy, gluten, nuts)
Hike or Leisure time
Port-a-potties on site & a roof to protect us from rain
Everyone is verified double-vaccinated
Oodles of space to spread out; everything takes place outdoors
A feeling of belonging & comraderie in-person (that’s right, not Zoom!)

If it’s sunny:

First, you dress very warmly, with more layers than you think you’ll need. You park at the Fairbairn House Heritage Centre in Wakefield, Quebec (map HERE). Carrying your own yoga mat, blanket, and a warm thermos, we‘ll meet at this wooden sound stage, which is on the Fairbairn House property. We’ll greet each other and space out our mats on the grass around the stage. We’ll probably giggle, because the grass will be uneven, and we’re out of practise with socializing!

If it rains:

In the event of inclement weather, we’ll walk across the road (less than a 1-minute walk), and meet under this lovingly-restored red-covered bridge. We’ll spread out our mats inside this airy, capacious, vaulted covered bridge (a well-loved wedding reception venue!).

Opening yoga class & meditation:

Once on your yoga mat, you unwind deeply and completely. During this safe, refreshing, and accessible yoga class, we’ll stretch out the sticky spots, mindfully strengthen our muscles, and open up our lungs. You’ll notice a feeling of comfort in the sounds of nature—water, birds, breeze—and especially in the sounds of each other breathing, chuckling, sighing with relief. Those are the sounds of comraderie, community, and a shared sense of belonging.

Leisure or Hike:

You choose. You might seize this opportunity to read, write, sketch, nap in the sun: true self-care. Or you might be ready for some “forest bathing,” which has a powerful effect on our memory, cognitive skills, mood, and self-regulation. Right on the Fairbairn House property is the beginning of Hendrick Trail—a short hike (1.8 km loop trail) that brings you through the woods, across fields, back into the woods, and past a waterfall (or the reverse, depending on which way you start the loop).

Delicious, healthy food:

Savour some delicious, healthy, brightly-coloured provisions to nourish your body and uplift your mood. This plant-based lunch is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and is catered in such a way as to be waste-free (meaning no litter, no garbage). The caterer and I have been dreaming together to make the entire meal tasty, nutrient-dense, rainbow-coloured, and easy to digest. We can eat under the soundstage, or at the many large picnic tables around the Fairbairn House grounds. Or, if you’re relishing the rare opportunity for quiet, then choose one of the many benches around the property where you can process and hear your own thoughts.

Final meditation & movement:

This is a much shorter yoga class to help us digest our food and integrate this feeling of wellbeing into our bodies and minds. It’s kind of like pressing “save” on a document; we want to repattern our nervous system to recognize and remember this grounded feeling that comes from self-care. As always, this class is safe and accessible for all bodies.