​There is something very special about Bali where I hosted a Restorative Yoga Retreat from March 17-22, 2017.   To begin, there are so many beautiful places to visit from the waterfalls, temples, volcanos and the rice terraces, and getting from place to place is easy with the help of your Bali taxis.   An unplanned day can easily be filled with breathtaking surprises and your taxi will likely share their insights on what places your should visit along the way.  The food in Bali is fresh and the flavors are delicious.  There are so many varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, you can order healing juices and other dishes with local flavours or ayurvedic blends.  We enjoyed every meal at the Yoga Barn Garden Kafe to the dinners we had out with the group, including Kafe, Soma, Atman Nourish Kafe.  I just love the Balinese Gado Gado, a dish of steamed vegetables with the most decadent spicy peanut sauce.   I ordered is several times during my stay. 

I was honored to spend the retreat with nine other participants from Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States, and quite humbled that three of my Ottawa students made the long treck to Bali to participate.  We opened the retreat at Studio Wayan at the Yoga Barn on the Friday with a beautiful flower mandala which decorated the room, and every participant received an "Offering" basket with what they would need for the week: a journal, hand-pillows, spa certificate, the agenda for the week, and some printed materials about Bali.  Every day was inspired by a theme which was reflected in the meditations, yoga classes, excursions and group workshops and activities.  I also had my participants do some research about the Balinese culture to present at the end of the retreat.  Everyone who participated brought something to the retreat, and I learned something from everyone.  When we closed the retreat on March 22 (with another beautiful flower mandala) and we shared our experiences for the week and shared their insights about what they learned while being in Bali such as the importance of the rice fields, some insights on Hindu culture, the story of hanoman, the significance of offerings and the tradition on how children are named based on the order they are born.   

I just love Bali.  I find it such an easy and magical place to visit.  Even though things may not go according to plan...  (like losing your passport for the first four days of your trip, drinking water from the tap and not feeling so great, losing your voice half-way through the retreat, and trying to teach a quiet restorative class while there is an ecstatic dance party with hundreds of people in the studio next door...) ... things still have a way of working out.  

I am so appreciative of the opportunity to have hosted this retreat at the Yoga Barn.  I learn so much from the places I visit, and the people that I meet along the way.  Until next time.  Namaste.  

Time spent is nature is always time well spent... On August 22-26 I hosted a yoga retreat at Cabana Eco Cabins in Lanaudiere, Quebec along with Amy Longard, who nurtured us with the most amazing vegan food.  We arrived Thursday evening settled into out rustic cabins along the river and enjoyed a decadent meal prepared by Amy, set our intentions for the 4 day retreat, and closed the evening with a restorative yoga session as we listened to the sound of the rain.   Each day started with an early morning guided meditation, breakfast, and a yoga practice.  We enjoyed complete silence until 11:30 am each morning.  Although some people though this would be impossible, many actually enjoyed the experience and the luxury of not having to comment, talk or make conversation.  Sometimes it feels like such a relief to find quiet, and just watch the thoughts in your head.  

Each morning we enjoyed a slow-flow yoga and closed the day with a blissful  restorative yoga practice.  In the afternoon participants had the option to go for a hike in the amazing trails in the park just across the bridge from the cabins, or enjoy some personal free-time.  On Sunday afternoon, I hosted a "Happiness workshop" inspired by Max Strom, which gave participants some perspective about where they spend their energy and what brings them joy and happiness.  On the last night, I treated the  participants to a hot-stone restorative yoga class, where I guided participants to a hot-stone restorative class as I placed some hot-stones carefully on the body for each pose. It is a very warm, soothing and healing practice.  The wonderful hosts at Kabania had also started everyone's wood stoves that evening,  so we were all warm and cozy to fall asleep in our cabins that night.  We closed off the weekend with a delicious brunch where people chance to share their thoughts about the weekend.  

​Many people came on the retreat to find stillness, calm, quiet, rejuvenation, and relaxation.  Although most of the participants were used to more active styles of yoga, many of them appreciated this slow style of yoga.  Combined with the most decadent and healthy food, and the sights and sounds of nature, it made it the most amazing retreat!  Looking forward to hosting another one next year.  

What a wonderful experience it was guiding this group of 26 students for my first 3-day Restorative Yoga Training.  A big thank you for the support from my wonderful assistants Julia Long and Guy Church.   Congratulations to all of the participants!

In restorative yoga, the use of props is essential so that students feel supported in order to be able to relax and let go in a pose.  When the body is fully supported, our muscles eventually let go of tension, our thoughts start to calm, and our breath slows down.   The same is true about finding support in our daily lives...  When we have the support we need - whether this support is social, emotional, financial, or physical,  we can relax and let go. 

During my restorative classes, I guide students through a series of long-held poses with the use of props for support.  In large classes, its sometimes difficult to guide every student to 'optimal' support with the use of props, but when I can, I like to come around and offer adjustments, props, or blankets in order shape the body in certain angles so that it triggers the nervous system to relax.  In some cases, you can tell when students still feel agitated in a pose and need some assistance to fully relax.  Maybe they have their mind on something outside of the class, maybe are just not comfortable in a certain pose.  In these cases (and with their permission), I can work with them to find the props they need to find comfort.  Sometimes I offer hands-on support - perhaps providing a slight pressure on a certain part of the body (such as the forehead), or maybe massaging the hands or feet which also have a calming effect on the body.   In the end, my intention is to help students find the support they need in order to relax.  

​It also makes me happy to be able to provide this support to them.      
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In restorative yoga, it is essential to find comfort and support in poses, so that we can enjoy the benefits of this practice. 

Depending on the shape of your body, your bone structure, and flexibility (connective tissues, muscles, joints and ligaments) poses will vary from student to student. Here are various options for just one pose - Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend. 

Join me for 3 hour workshop this weekend at PranaShanti Yoga Centre to explore various ways to support the body or deepen the stretch in various yin and restorative poses.   For more information visit the workshop section of my site or visit www.pranashanti.com. 

Props can be used in yoga to help the body stretch, strengthen, balance, relax or improve body alignment.  They can help students experience the pose more profoundly and safely.  Students often ask me what is the difference between yin and restorative poses. In yin, we hold poses for a shorter amount of time (5-10 minutes) compared to restorative poses which can be held from 5-20 minutes.  In yin poses, we are looking for a stretch in the joints and ligaments (connective tissues), while still relaxing the muscles in the body.  However,  in restorative poses we are looking for a more gentle opening of the body rather than a deep stretch in the connective tissues or muscles.  In restorative poses, we also want to support the body in a way that the muscles in the body completely relax, and feel fully supported by the use of props.  When the body is fully supported, we can let go.  
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​In restorative poses, we are looking to calm our nervous system, ease tension in the body, and calm the mind.  Our aim is to be comfortable in the pose so we can stay for a longer length of time.  In both styles of yoga we can make use of props to enhance the stretch, or relax the body.  In the yin version of childspose (a), we can support the knees and ankles with blankets, and also use sandbags on the lower back to ground the body and deepen the stretch along the spine.  A block could also be used to support the head if the forehead does not touch the mat.  Setting up for child's pose in a restorative practice (b) takes more time, but the student also stays in the pose for a longer period.  It might not be possible to have access to all of these props, but there are key areas to support the body so that we can find ease in the pose.  Finding comfort is essential so that the body can feel relaxed and the muscles can let go.   In this restorative version, blankets are used to support the knees and ankles,  props are used to place the body in angles so that the body can relax.  A rolled up blanket tucked in at the waist can be used to help the back to round. These props can be modified to suit the student in this pose.  

Deepen your yoga practice and learn ways to use props in various yin and restorative poses on March 5th, at Prana Shanti Yoga Studio.  Anne will guide you through a series of yin and restorative poses, with various uses of props.  By using props, we can support the body so that it can extend beyond habitual limitations, or feel supported so that it can completely relax and let go.  

Visit www.pranashanti.com or my Workshop and Trainings for more information. 

Easy pose (Sukhasana), the seated posture often used for at the beginning and at the end of a yoga practice, is sometimes not that easy.  Some people find it difficult to find length in the spine and their heads fold forward with their backs are rounded (a).   In some cases, people have knee issues, tight hips or sensitive ankles and find it difficult to hold the pose for a long period of time.   In my classes, I often recommend using props to allow for the spine to lengthen, and offer options to support knees and ankles, so that you can find ease in the pose.   
If you find that your back is rounded in this pose (b),  I would recommend sitting on a prop to tilt the pelvis forward so that you spine can lengthen.  This will allow for the natural curve in the lower spine.  You can choose to sit up on folded blanket (c), a block (if you are sitting in this pose for a short period of time) (d) or on a bolster (e).  By sitting up on a prop, this allows for the knees to fold forward, so that the knees are lower than the hips. If this doesn’t happen, there is no need to force anything, just find the support you need to find ease in the pose.  For those with tight hips, or knee issues, I would suggest sitting higher up, and to support the knees with blocks (f).  If you find you are using up energy to keep your knees up, place some blocks under the knees so you are not struggling in this pose.