Vitality Retreat Recap
Behind-the-scenes stories, memories, reflections, photos, information, and quotes from the October Vitality Yoga Retreat at Deep Portage.
It all started on Friday morning with an uninvited skunk in my attached garage. Our family was in a tizzy. How do I pack up for the retreat and keep the skunk from spraying all of our belongings? Did I mention we have two rambunctious boys? A 4 year-old, 21-month-old… oh yeah and a black lab, and a cat. Skunk - please don’t spray!!
I managed to pack up without incident. Awhile later the hiding critter waddled out of the garage. My 4-year-old was the first to proclaim, “Hey, that’s a porcupine!!” Woops. Whew. Okay this was a great result. No spray, a fun wildlife siting without incident, and I’m on my way to retreat land in the woods.
The drive to Deep Portage was stunning. Bright yellow aspen leaves against the backdrop of deep green spruce and pine trees. The retreat felt like it started in the car.
We kicked off the official start to the retreat with a delightful dinner by Green Scene Market & Eatery. An incredible stew hit just right for a cool and drizzly fall evening. Someone at my table proclaimed, “Wow this retreat is phenomenal. Well done!” and then we all laughed because we hadn’t even done anything yet but eat! That’s a true testament to just how good the food is.
Our opening circle and first yoga class commenced in the stunning Great Hall. That giant fire place and huge windows overlooking the changing fall colors took my breath away.
With darkness setting in earlier in the fall, we enjoyed a cozy feel with twinkling candles and fireplace glowing. We embraced the dark and felt the call to hibernate in MN soon.
Stacy and Bryana co-led the first yoga session. Bryana established our focus for the weekend on breathwork. We practiced dirga, three-part breath and ujayii, ocean breath.
“The earliest yoga was a science of holding still and building prana through breathing”
The retreat them was Vitality. The definition of vitality is “the state of being strong and active; energy.” With that, we focused much of our yoga sessions on pranayama (breathwork) paired with movement. Pranayama is a Sanskrit word, “prana” means life energy or life force and “yama” means control - aka breathwork or breathing practices.
“When we breathe, we expand our life force.”
There is nothing like learning and practicing quality breathwork strategies to access the feeling of being truly alive, strong, and well.
All throughout the weekend, retreaters happily hopped into Stacy’s gorgeous wood-fire mobile sauna + cold plunge. Silver Creek Sauna Co. is a mobile sauna small-business in Two Harbors, MN run by our very own Stacy Nightwine and her husband Phil. They have a beautiful cedar sauna, with a glass door, and sweet little wood-stove. This sauna + optional cold plunge experience mixed into the weekend is soooooo wonderful!
Saturday Morning we kicked off the day with a dark and quiet meditation with Jessica in the Great Hall.
Following meditation, retreaters had the option to either head outside for a sunrise hike to the lookout tower above the trees or stay inside for more yoga.
Elizabeth led a restorative yoga session. Props, long-held postures, delicious breathing. Elizabeth guided students in box breathing and many were able to fully experience mindfulness with their breath.
Gabriela led an exhilarating vinyasa flow. Students had fun playing with lion’s breath and crow pose. A great class to let go of tension, stress, and remind your body of how strong and capable you are.
“Once you master breath you master your emotions. When we meditate, it’s our breath that elevates us to a higher state, and it’s also our breath that anchors us to earth. Our breath both energises and calms, awakens and relaxes. It really is the core of our being.”
Jessica led a gentle yin session. A slower paced class with long-held postures for ultimate comfort and relaxation. Yin involves longer holds to stretch the fascia and increase joint mobility. Jessica also guided students in the practice of 4-4-7 breathing.
Eating once again, was highly anticipated! Brunch was delivered by Green Scene and we merrily sat in the Dining Hall and observed the changing leaves through the giant picture windows. There’s nothing like enjoying a quality meal that you didn’t have to prepare, and don’t have to clean-up. :)
Stacy led us through a midday light-hearted yoga session. Complete with “glamour poses” and “10-minute plank holds” … nudge, nudge, wink-wink! She had us relaxed, smiling, and giggling all throughout. She taught is prana mudra for vitality and guided us through the practice of Bhramari Pranayama, bee breathing.
The afternoon was filled with fall sunshine and adventure. Indoor rock climbing and a nature hike to the bog were highlights.
Jami Nelson of Just Juice in Nisswa, MN led a workshop on Vibrant Vitality. The focus was on living with energy, enthusiasm and health. Mindfully and intentionally eating were topics discussed. In true, Just Juice fashion, Jami provided participants with a Fall Vitality Smoothie recipe to try at home.
On the topic of juice, we once again thoroughly enjoyed Jami’s thoughtful and beautifully prepared fresh juices over the weekend. There’s nothing like starting my day with a “wellness shot” before coffee. That’ll zip ya right awake and give you energy and then some! Thank you Jami!
Certified Yoga Teachers had the option of earning 13 continuing education credits at this retreat. We met as a group on zoom prior to the retreat, and gathered for a small-group discussion while at the retreat. Participants read the book Breath by James Nestor, wrote a reflection paper, and practiced techniques from the book throughout the weekend. They are bringing fresh ideas back home to both their personal practices and to their students.
Our last asana (yoga posture) class of the day was taught by me (Bryana). Our breath focus was on dirga, ujayii, and surya bheda pranayama. Surya bheda allows for focus and balance in both body and mind. The practices involves “one breath into the right nostril, and exhaling through the left for several rounds.” - James Nestor, Author of Breath
“Be aware that this stripped-down approach is as good as any. It requires no batteries, WI-FI, headgear, or smartphones. It costs nothing, takes little time and effort, and you can do it wherever you are, wherever you need. It’s a function our distant ancestors practiced since they crawled out of the sludge two and a half billion years ago, and technology our own species has been perfecting with only our lips, noses, and lungs for hundreds of thousands of years.”
Our yoga posture focus was on eagle pose. We moved gently through eagle on our backs, seated, and finally in standing. We concentrated on strong dirga and ujayii breath throughout class. We concluded our session with three rounds of “om” together. Inviting our personal ability to create vibration to set ourselves up for the highly anticipated sound bowl vibrations later that evening.
After another show-stopping dinner, we flooded the Great Hall in anticipation of a sound bath + yoga nidra session with Elizabeth Sorenson and Jessica Baumhofer Frank. Cozy with our pillows, blankets, layers, and yoga mats. We laid down and listened to a relaxing yoga nidra, followed by Elizbaeth’s sound bowls, ocean drum, and twinkling chimes. ahhhhhhh
The last event of the night was the outdoor campfire. With the new moon and eclipse we were hoping for some great star gazing. Unfortunately the clouds had a different idea for us that night. It didn’t stop us from enjoying a big fire out in the woods. We happily chatted away, and then hiked back to our rooms for restful sleep.
One of our retreaters, Kris, was called to wake up and get outside in the dark at twilight. At 5:30am on Sunday she witnessed the clearest sky of twinkling stars. Check out this photo she shared with me.
Beautiful Kris! I’m so happy you committed to making this incredible experience happen for yourself! Many of us would stay in our cozy covers.
Our last morning started with meditation with Stacy, followed by our final yoga class with Stacy & Bryana, and then our closing circle. We concluded our session with nadi shodhana, alternate nostril breathing for balance and clarity, and one last group om for one last sense of the community built throughout the weekend. The sun flooded through the giant windows in the Great Hall. Many of us stuck around the grounds afterward to get one more beautiful hike through the fall colors in.
“THE BREATH IS LIFE’S TEACHER
Observe me, says the Breath, and learn to live effortlessly in the Present Moment.
Feel me, says the Breath, and feel the Ebb and Flow of Life.
Allow me, says the Breath, and I’ll sustain and nourish you, filling you with energy and cleansing you of tension and fatigue.
Move with me, says the Breath, and I’ll invite your soul to dance.
Make sounds with me and I shall teach your soul to sing.
Follow me, says the Breath, and I’ll lead you out to the farthest reaches of the Universe, and inward to the deepest parts of your inner world.
Notice, says the Breath, that I am as valuable to you coming or going… that every part of my cycle is as necessary as another… that after I’m released, I return again and again… that even after a long pause – moments when nothing seems to happen – eventually I am there.”
THANK YOU!
What a weekend. Thank you to all of the retreaters who came out to the northwoods with us!!
Special thank you to Rohana Olson for your incredible photography of our weekend together.
Thank you to our Boreal Bliss Team: Stacy Nightwine, Jessica Baumhofer Frank, Gabriela Kaiser, and Elizabeth Sorenson. You guided incredible classes for everyone!
Thank you to Alison Olson Cox for providing well-loved individual Thai Yoga Bodywork appointments for folks. And thank you to Jill Jacobson for your wonderful massage appointments!
The whole weekend is made possible by the best team ever. Thank you, thank you!
“When the breath wanders the mind is unsteady, but when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still.”
“One conscious breath in and out is meditation.”
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.”
“When you feel like life is out of focus, always return to the basics of life. Breathing. No breath, no life.”
“I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart: I am, I am, I am.”
