Taking time each day to relax and renew is essential to living well.

A life lived on overload affects health, sexual function and reproduction, relationships, job performance, athletic performance, and, most important, our sense of self. The effects of stress have reached epidemic proportions in our lives, and stress related diseases have become a medical specialty.

Regardless of the trigger, stress is often accompanied by one or more negative effects - impatience, frustration, irritation, anger, muscle tension, headache, indigestion, or poor elimination. One thing is certain: The more stress we experience, the more its effects compound within us. When stress becomes chronic, a residue builds up in the body that can lead to disease.

Stress Can Make You Sick

In a chronically stressed condition, the body’s capacity to heal itself is compromised, either inhibiting recovery from an existing illness or injury, or creating a new one, including high blood pressure, ulcers, back pain, immune dysfunction, reproductive problems, and depression. These conditions add stress of their own, and the cycle continues.

“When we refuse to take the time to treat our bodies, emotions, and minds with reverence and love, they will often remind us - not so kindly - by failing to respond when we need them. Our ability to think clearly recedes. We may experience sadness and depression. After a time our lack of ease may allow disease to creep into our life. Then we are obliged to take care of ourselves. It is much more pleasant and fun to do so willingly, before any dis-ease invites itself to your life. Love for yourself is love for all.” — Nischala Joy Devi

The Relaxation Solution - Restorative Yoga

The antidote to stress is relaxation. Relaxation is a state in which there is no movement, no effort, and the brain is quiet.

Restorative yoga poses are often referred to as ‘active relaxation.’ By supporting the body with props, we alternately stimulate and relax the body to move toward balance. Some poses are beneficial overall, others target an individual part of the body, like the lungs or the heart. All create specific physiological responses that are beneficial to health and can reduce the effects of stress-related disease.

Radiant Rest: Restorative Yoga for Women

Restorative yoga offers the body a chance to rest deeply and revitalize. Whether you are feeling fatigued, stressed, or simply need to slow down and tune into your body, a restorative practice can make a real difference to how you’re feeling both mentally and physically. Restorative postures work on calming the nervous system and quieting the mind, countering the stress response.

Join me for my Spring session of Rest & Reawakening!

Spring Equinox Energy - In March, under the influence of the Moon of Winds, two forces come together: rest and reawakening, a space in which one is created from the other.

Spring is all about expansion! I designed this seasonal yoga session to help you ease into spring with a beautiful blend of gentle yoga, yin yoga, and nourishing restorative yoga. We’ll focus on rebalancing our energy from root to crown while releasing tension in the neck, opening the sides of the body, and lengthening the insides of the legs.

As we transition from winter to spring, this is the natural time of year to cleanse our body, mind, emotions, and our spaces.

Rest & Reawakening is your invitation to press pause. Enjoy 3 soothing hours devoted to unwinding and softening into a deeply nourishing and restorative, feminine yoga practice.

One very simple and effective way to nourish your nervous system and support your hormonal health is to create time for rest, to retreat away from life’s daily challenges, even just for a short time.

My intention with these radiant rest sessions is to help you:

• Create time and space for yourself to retreat
• Relax and restore your whole being
• Release stored physical, mental, and emotional tension
• Shift stagnant energy
• Nourish your nervous system
• Replenish your adrenals and support your immune system
• Relieve the effects of chronic stress
• Reclaim the feeling of spaciousness, presence, and calm
• Rebalance your mind and body
• Connect with your feminine energy centers (heart-space and womb-space)
• Deepen your self-awareness while listening and connecting to your body’s wisdom

With a feminine approach, we practice in a way that honours the rhythm of our own cycles and stages of life as well as aligning with the seasons and the phases of the moon. We will explore therapeutic practices to improve our health, energy and wellbeing as women.

Each restorative session will be unique and can include the following holistic practices:

• Cleansing, Centering & Grounding Practices
• Reflection, Self-Inquiry, Journaling, Intention Setting
• Gentle, Intuitive, Feminine Yoga & Movement
• Heart-Womb Connection
• Body-Sensing, Breathwork, Mantra, Mudra
• Meditation & Visualization
• Restorative Yoga
• Yin Yoga
• Yoga Nidra
• Reiki

Remember, slowing down and resting not only enhances our physical wellbeing, but it also provides the opportunity for emotional cleansing, healing, and growth. When emerging from your retreat time, you may find that you can move forward with more ease, positivity, and clarity.

May we all grow wiser, calmer and more grounded in our femininity, in order to better support ourselves and those around us. Love for yourself is love for all.

This is a single 3-Hour Session: $100+hst

Sat March 23rd, 1:30-4:30 Register Here

Sat April 6th, 1:30-4:30 Register Here

Radiant Rest sessions are specifically for women, no yoga experience is necessary.

Space is limited to an intimate group of four. Yoga mats and all props are provided.

Note: Radiant Rest sessions can also be scheduled privately (1:1) and for private groups. Please contact me for details.

If you have any questions about these sessions, please email colleen@wanderwithin.ca. 

Wishing you rest, relaxation and healing, Colleen