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Dear Melissa,
This has been about
the most beautiful
summer I can remember.
Perhaps it has to do
with the fact that it is
the first summer in many
years that I haven't
been in school.
Finishing my Ph.D. this
past December has been a
gift that keeps on
giving. This summer I
have enjoyed much time
with family and friends
taking in the beautiful
weather and enjoying
some R & R. One of the
most memorable events of
this past year was
taking 20 incredible
women on a
yoga retreat this
past June. I thought I
would start August's
newsletter with ten
reasons why you should
attend the next
yoga retreat from
October 19-Imagine.
Ten Reasons to
Attend a Yoga Retreat
(1) Time to Yourself
A
yoga retreat is an
opportunity for
reflection free from the
demands of everyday
life. Imagine a time of
solitude liberated from
the daily needs of your
children, partners and
co-workers. Retreats
offer plenty of space
for quiet and solitary
reflection.
(2) The Food
During the retreat you
will be nourished by
seven nutritious
vegetarian meals
prepared by acclaimed
chef,
Nicola Lawrence.
Nicola's fresh menus
created from nutritious
whole foods will nurture
your body and soul and
promote optimal health
during your stay. You
will leave inspired to
make healthy
improvements to your
diet. Remember to bring
some extra pocket change
for Nicola's delectable
cook book
The Dao of Harmony Dawn
Cooking.
(3) The Yoga
Imagine an entire
weekend of yoga classes
especially designed for
your retreat by Melissa
West. A
yoga retreat allows
ample time for extended
yoga practice. One of my
participants last
session pointed out that
you receive more hours
of yoga instruction
during a retreat than a
whole
session of weekly yoga
classes! Extended
yoga practice allows
more time for the body
to unwind, release, let
go, and find peace in
your body, mind, and
spirit.
(4) The People
The people I have met on
yoga retreats are
some of the most
enlightened, intelligent
and thoughtful people I
have come to know.
Yoga retreats are an
amazing venue to form
lasting friendships and
deepen existing ones.
(5) The Location
Harmony Dawn, the
chosen retreat center,
is located just North
East of Toronto. The
location is close enough
so that it is a short
drive and far enough to
free yourself from the
hustle and bustle of the
city.
Harmony Dawn is an
ecologically friendly
resort powered by
natural solar and wind
power. You will feel the
healthy difference in
energy not living under
hydro wires for an
entire weekend.
(6)Yoga Nidra (Sleep
Yoga)
Participants on the
retreat are treated to
special sessions of yoga
nidra (sleep yoga) to
prepare the body for
sleep each night. Yoga
nidra is a form of deep
relaxation which guides
the body into a
conscious sleep. Yoga
nidra brings your body
into consciousness
deeper and more restful
than deep sleep.
(7) Pranayama
(Breath Practice)
My favourite part of the
yoga retreat is the
thirty minutes dedicated
to breath practice each
morning. Starting each
day with pranayama
clears the mind and re-
energizes the body.
(8) Walking
Meditation
We begin each morning
with a slow and quiet
walking meditation
through the natural
wooded area of
Har mony Dawn. This
beautiful form of
meditation allows you to
quiet your mind and
connect more deeply with
nature.
(9) Time of the Year
October is the most
popular time of the year
for yoga retreats. We
are lucky to have
secured a weekend at
Har mony Dawn during
this high-demand time.
The owners of
Har mony Dawn ,
Nicola and Andy, inform
me that the colours of
the leaves on the trees
on October 19-21 will be
a spectacular feast for
the eyes.
(10) Inspiration
A weekend
yoga retreat will
allow you to reconnect
with your greater,
divine purpose. Learn to
reconnect with your
spirit and the truth
within you. A
yoga retreat will
quiet your mind so you
can once again hear your
heart's desire and
gather the courage to
live in spirit.
I hope you will be
able to join us for my
fall yoga retreat from
October 19th-21st at
Har mony Dawn Retreat
Center. Visit
my website and
register now as
limited spaces are
filling up quickly.
Namaste,
Melissa West
Health and Wellness
phone: 905.686.0539
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The Global Mala
Project - Karma
Yoga |
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Join us for a
free 2 hour
Peace Yoga
offering at
The Wellness
Connection
in Ajax to
further the UN
International
Peace Day. This
yoga practice is
part of
Global Mala,
an initiative
designed to
unite 1008 yoga
studios
internationally
through
collective
practices on
Sept. 22nd.
Karma yoga
allows you to
attend the event
for free with a
donation. All
proceeds will go
to
Trees for the
Future. |
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Saturday
September
22,
1-3pm
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Learn More
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Yoga Classes
Hands on Health
Care |
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New
Yoga Classes
at Hands on
Health Care in
Whitby start the
week of
September 4,
2007
Mondays, Yoga
8:00-9:15 pm
Wednesdays, Yoga
6:30-7:45 pm
Wednesdays, Yoga
8:00 -9:15 pm
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Learn More
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September
Vegetarian
Cooking Class |
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Simple Suppers
for the Fall
No more excuses!
No more drive
through dinners!
No more dinners
from a box in
the freezer!
Join us to put a
variety of
quick, easy,
nutritious meals
on the table any
night of the
work-week.
Register
early to avoid
disappointment.
Cooking classes
fill up quickly
and always sell
out. |
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Saturday
September 22
5:00 p.m.
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Learn More
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Chakra Balancing
Workshop: The
Third Chakra |
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Join us for the
fourth in a
series of eight
workshops
at
East Village
Yoga. The
main issues of
the third chakra
are power and
energy. Our
goals with this
chakra are
vitality,
strength of
will, personal
power and
purpose. Join us
for a
workshop
combining
lecture,
interactive
activities,
yoga, and
mediation that
is designed to
bring energy and
balance to the
third chakra.
Sunday
September 23,
2007
East Village
Yoga, Pickering
1:00-3:00 p.m. |
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Chakra
Balancing
The Third
Chakra
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Learn More
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Yoga for
Menopause
Workshop |
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This
workshop
will give women
approaching or
in the midst of
menopause
information and
tools to help
manage the
physical,
emotional and
spiritual
changes. Learn
how to
experience your
passage into
menopause as a
positive event,
both physically
and spiritually,
using yoga as a
catalyst.
Date:
Saturday
September 29
Time: 2:30-4:30
p.m.
Location: Hands
on Health Care,
Whitby |
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Yoga for
Menopause
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Learn More
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New Yoga DVD |
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Yoga DVD #2:
Yoga for the
Upper Back, Neck
and Shoulders
This DVD uses
gentle yoga to
help you release
the tension in
your upper back,
neck and
shoulders. |
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Our Price:
$15 USD
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Buy Now |
Learn More
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New Yoga DVD |
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Yoga DVD #3:
Chakra Balancing
Yoga
Chakras are
the seven
spinning energy
centers of the
human body that
control every
dimension of our
physical, mental
and spiritual
well being. This
yoga DVD
introduces and
uses yoga to
balance each of
the energy
centers. DVD
Bonus: Mudras
and affirmations
for each chakra
are shared. |
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Our Price:
$15 USD
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Buy Now |
Learn More
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New Pilates DVD |
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Pilates DVD #1:
Pilates for
Posture
A person who
moves well in
his or her body
projects a sense
of power, grace,
self-confidence,
and personal
style. If your
posture is
equivalent to a
lazy slump, you
CAN end up with
a thick waist,
narrow chest,
and rounded
shoulders that
take a good 2
inches off your
natural height.
Good posture is
about more than
just looking
good; it's
essential to a
healthy,
well-functioning
body.
This DVD will
help you improve
your posture
through pilates
exercises. |
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Our Price:
$15 USD
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Buy Now |
Learn More
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Lifestyle
Coaching |
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I have just
finished up with
a couple of
lifestyle
coaching
clients,
including
Rebecca Peister,
whom many of you
have followed on
my
client profile
blog. This
has opened up my
schedule to take
on two new
clients.
Lifestyle
coaching focuses
on assisting
people in all
stages of
adulthood to
create a
fulfilled,
balanced and
healthy
lifestyle. The
lifestyle coach
explores the
client's
internal self,
heart and soul,
to identify core
values,
determine their
philosophy of
health and
clarify future
vision. Compared
to other types
of diet and
exercise
programs,
lifestyle
coaching
approaches the
client's life as
a whole. The
focus reaches
much further
than traditional
diet and
exercise
programs to
include personal
fulfillment,
home life,
career, budgets,
relationships,
personal growth,
and
spirituality. |
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Learn More
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