Living a balanced life is not a simple task, it takes planning and commitment to take the time to unwind and release stress – time that so many of us can’t seem to find. That’s why I was so happy to accept an invitation to try a three-day yoga retreat in Tremblant with Juna Yoga. At the end of May, I left my beloved Montreal mania behind for a weekend of health, sport and nature. I was looking forward to the shift in speed, the return to Zen and the opportunity to try something new, because this particular retreat included yoga on the water, on a SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard)! If you’re feeling the need to reconnect with your inner yogi, I can’t stress (pun intended) enough how amazing this retreat is.
Juna Yoga was founded by Nadia Bonenfant – an amazing athlete and sweet soul. Nadia is a surfer chick and a yogi (fun meets zen) and she had the idea to create contemporary yoga getaways for modern women. Nadia’s retreats are perfect for any lady looking for a break, whether it’s for you and your BFF, a group of gal pals, a mom, or even just on your own… it’s very accessible, you don’t even need to have practised yoga before, Nadia and her yoga sidekick, Gen, are there to make sure everyone is mastering their moves and balancing their moods.
Since the weather was a little chilly that weekend, some of our yoga sessions took place right in the luxury of the Côté Nord Tremblant log cabin where we were staying (in front of the fireplace!). In the afternoons, we would walk down to Lac Supérieur and suit up to practice paddle boarding and yoga on the lake. The Stand Up Paddleboards are quite easy to manage and wider than a surfboard to allow for all sorts of yoga postures. Since we were in full wetsuits, falling in was not unpleasant, but actually quite refreshing. I only took one wet tumble while trying to perfect my warrior pose.
Back at the cabin, manning the stoves were Lynne and Sophie from Ferme Morgan (an organic farm in the Laurentians). They brought with them all the produce for the weekend and prepared loving, hearty and healthy meals. In the mornings, we would rave about Lynne’s homemade granola and in the afternoons she gave us quick cooking demos (like how to clean and cook stinging nettle). They even took care of doing the dishes, a bonus for a retreat from stress.
Saturday afternoon we took a nature walk with local biologist Sophie Dion, of Mont-Tremblant National Park. It was fun to find out about the different types of wildlife, plant life and fish that can be found in the area.
What I liked best about the weekend was meeting women from different walks of life who shared the same desire to unwind and reconnect. We traded in our routines of work, high heels and cocktails for working out, green tea and hiking boots. And we did it au naturel (i.e. no makeup for three days)! Most of us also took advantage of the professional massage therapist who offered optional treatments during the retreat. A massage only added to the whole unwinding experience!
If you’d like to get away and get Zen, the next SUP yoga retreat at Tremblant is July 8-10. There’s even a spot reserved for one lucky woman if you want to enter the Juna Yoga giveaway on Facebook!
Getaway and Namaste, Ladies!
Check out these other awesome retreats with Nadia:
Juna Yoga goes global
Country Bliss: SUP + Yoga + Ecology in Tremblant (July 8-10)
Love = Seaforth: Surf + Yoga + Art in Nova Scotia (Aug 9-13)
Sweet Summer Trails: Yoga + Mountain Bike + Ecology in Tremblant (Aug 16-18)
Yoga + Surf + SUP 7 nights and 8 days in O’ahu, Hawaii (October – for women AND men, it’s the annual open-to-all retreat – great for couples!)
Yoga + Ski + Snowshoe in Tremblant (Jan 17-19 and March 14-16, 2014)
Yoga + SUP in Montauk, Long Island (summer 2014)
Juna Yoga SUP day retreats:
Balnea in Bromont (July 5-6, choose one or both days)
Vermont (Aug. 31)
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Juna Yoga Retreats
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