Habit: “ a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up”
How we dress, how we think, how we move. It is how we wear this material life we are moving through. It comes from the same root in Sanskrit that gives us “to hold”, grab, grasp and planet…but also to receive and dwell within
RETREAT OVERVIEW
Join Beverly Akhurst surrounded by the inspiring energy of Nectar Yoga, Bowen Island (the unceded territory of Nexwlélexwm) for this 2 night journey to change your habit. To read more about Nectar Yoga, click here.
Habits are far more than biting your nails when anxious, they are the ways of being we live within, that take hold of us over time. We start to believe we are them and that they are part of us rather than something we can choose to change, to let go of, to no longer be bound to.
August is the perfect time to start looking at what habits we wear (like nuns) and start allowing ourselves to shed their weight. In the depths of summer clothing becomes light and airy. You can see this lightness in the attitudes of everyone you see. You can feel it internally in the desire to explore and play.
Through movement, meditation, conscious breath, journal prompts and immersion with the creative force of the nature that inhabits every space at Nectar, you will learn that you can do the same with the more esoteric habits you wear. Stop holding on to the bindings of the things of life you no longer wish to be defined by and find new habits that you want to “clothe” yourself in.
**This retreat can be a wonderful follow up for anyone who attended the June retreat and is also perfect as a stand alone experience.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
2-night accommodation of your choice*
*(if you choose a shared accommodation, we suggest booking with a friend)All meals (2 dinners, 1 lunch, 2 breakfasts)
Group Orientation
Outdoor Yoga (weather permitting)
Meditation
Yoga Nidra
Journal Prompts
Moon Salutations
Free Time
Workshops + Metaphorical Release
Closing Circle
THE PRACTICES
Feel held and supported while Beverly guides you through movement that is accessible to all levels, ages, and bodies.
THE FOOD
During your retreat, you will enjoy delicious and nourishing plant-based meals curated by our preferred caterer, Chef Erik. All meals are served in our Onyx Lodge at our long table, Family Style.
Erik creates menus that change with the seasons, so you can expect to enjoy a unique dish with every meal. All dietary needs will be honoured and all dishes can be made with vegan and/or gluten free options. Nectar Yoga’s kitchen is a strictly meat + fish free facility.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Whether you choose our cozy, vintage-inspired A-frames, our well-appointed deluxe cottages, or our simple private rooms, the moment you step into your accommodation, you know you’ve entered a safe place to unwind and relax.
Each space is imbued with its namesake stone’s positive vibrational properties and colour accents for support, grounding and attunement to the natural world.
DELUXE COTTAGES | Amethyst, Jade and Quartz
Shared Accommodation | Sleeps 2 in Twin Beds with attached bath
Scandinavian-inspired deluxe cottages were designed with simplistic coziness in mind. Comfy beds, soft linens, fluffy pillows and a reading window seat offer perfect places to snuggle up to a loved one, or with a good book and a warm mug of tea. Wake up and take a luxurious morning shower in the gorgeous bathroom, or take it outside in the steamy, year-round outdoor shower adjoining the bathroom. A covered porch lined with warm cedar perches you with a perfect view of the property’s centrepiece, our magnificent maple and alder grove trees.
Choice of 2 XL twin beds *close together, so we recommend booking with a friend
Covered front deck with year-round seating
Reading nook with picture window
Writing desk
Mini fridge, kettle, mugs, assorted teas
Ensuite bathroom with indoor and outdoor shower
Natural, locally-made toiletries
Smart TV and in-room Wi-Fi
Clean, non-smoking facility
FOREST COTTAGE | Moonstone
Shared Accommodation | Sleeps 2 in Twin Beds with attached bath
This cottage offers similar amenities as our deluxe cottages with added seclusion. Wake up to sunbeams illuminating the room through the windows before sipping tea on your porch nestled on the edge of our Alder grove. After a day of exploring the Island, a rustic outdoor shower awaits you, stocked with sweet-smelling, natural products to lather on.
Choice of 2 XL twin beds *close together, so we recommend booking with a friend
Private deck
Reading chairs
Mini fridge, kettle, mugs, assorted teas
Ensuite bathroom (toilet and sink, shower outside)
Outdoor shower (located on the deck)
Natural, locally-made toiletries
Wi-Fi
Clean, non-smoking facility
A-FRAMES | Opal, Jasper and Sunstone
Private Accommodation | Sleeps 1 in a Double Bed with detached shared bath
Warm, pine-clad angled walls welcome you at our modernized 60s-throwback A-frames. The comfy beds and luscious linens await your dreams, while the picture window and its lush foliage views await your daydreams. Use the space for creative pursuits, or as a basecamp for a walk in the forest. Rainy day? Sit outside on your covered porch and enjoy the fresh, pine-scented ocean air and the sound of raindrops caressing the old-growth trees.
Private Accommodation, sleeps 1 guest
1 double bed
Covered front deck with year-round seating
Access to 2 shared, detached bathrooms with shower
Natural, locally-made toiletries
Wi-Fi available in the Onyx Lodge
Clean, non-smoking facility
ONYX LODGE ROOMS | Emerald + Turquoise
EMERALD ROOM
Shared Accommodation | Sleeps 2 in Twin Beds with attached bath
Located upstairs in the Onyx Lodge, this simple shared room with attached bath is the perfect oasis for your retreat journey. Enjoy the pine clad attic ceilings, cozy carpet and lovingly appointed attached bathroom with rain shower.
Twin Beds
*(image shows room set as a king, but beds pull apart as twins)
*Beds close together, so we recommend booking with a friendAttached bathroom with shower
Natural, locally-made toiletries
Smart TV
In-room Wi-Fi
Clean, non-smoking facility
TURQUOISE ROOM
Private Accommodation | Sleeps 1 in a Double Bed with shared, detached bath
This cozy room is the perfect space for solo travelers. The window opens to a view of our property and the comfy bed offers a space for restful sleep.
*Please note that these rooms are located upstairs in the Onyx Lodge, so some sound from the kitchen and Onyx Lodge gathering space is to be expected during waking hours.
Double bed
Detached, shared bathroom with shower
Natural, locally-made toiletries
Smart TV
In-room Wi-Fi
Clean, non-smoking facility
THE PRACTICE SPACE - THE GEODESIC DOME
Our geodesic dome is the sacred hub of Nectar. To preserve and respect this energy, we ask that the space is used mindfully.
Usage of the dome includes all props (blocks, bolsters, blankets, straps). We encourage guests to bring their own mats. If props are used, it is asked that they are put away mindfully.
During the cooler months we heat the dome with a wood burning fireplace. Perfect for adding the element of fire in the cooler months.
Guests are advised to dress in layers to maintain their preferred body temperatures.
THE ONYX LODGE | LOUNGE + DINING ROOM
Your arrival at Nectar Yoga is down a long forested driveway, across a bridge over a babbling stream, and at the end will emerge our Onyx Lodge, Nectar Yoga's communal gathering space.
Outside the Onyx Lodge is a parking area and a central check-in boutique, Nectar Goods, that welcomes our arriving guests. The front entry has an enclosed boot room with adjoining bathroom. After removing your outdoor gear, you will enter into the central space. With soaring 25' ceilings overlooking the alder forest, casual sofas and lounge chairs, a long family dining table, double doors that open to a covered outdoor space with a secondary seasonal dining area and relaxing outdoor sofas.
WHAT TO BRING
A smile or two
Your favorite snacks
Layered clothing for the season
Journal and pen
Water bottle
Travel mug
Waterproof footwear
Comfortable clothing
A Yoga Mat
Any crystals or tools you generally incorporate into your practices
If you have a meditation pillow that you love to use, please bring it
A special note from Beverly unique to this retreat: "Everybody please bring one thing you wear that always brings you joy, or makes you feel alive and empowered. And, please bring one thing you never feel good in or is from a part of your life that doesn’t really serve you anymore."
THIS RETREAT IS FOR YOU IF…
You love the outdoors
You want to learn more about yourself
You like slow, mindful yoga practice
You want some time for introspection, for yourself
THIS RETREAT IS NOT FOR YOU IF…
You have a serious health condition
You cannot sit (in any position) for 30 mins straight
You cannot eat vegetarian food
INVESTMENT & REGISTRATION
$600 - $750 All-inclusive (please view our registration page for room costs)
Payment in full required to secure your space. Non-refundable, non-transferable.
Payment can be made by Credit Card online (with a 4% fee) or via e-transfer.
Taxes applicable – all prices are in Canadian dollars
*Travel to/from Nectar Yoga on Bowen Island is not included
PAYMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS
Once booked, this retreat is non-refundable. In the event of a government ordered closure, your booking will be moved to another date or you will be issued a credit valid for 12 months that you can use towards our Nectar Experience Package. No refunds will be given.
HEALTH + SAFETY:
We continue to take measures to ensure the safety of our guests and staff. We are following all BC Government requirements. To read about the current requirements, click here.
Please click here to read our latest policies. This retreat is non-refundable.
ABOUT BEVERLY
Beverly’s journey of Yoga and Wellness started with a desire to stretch and grew into a need to stretch all limitations of belief that kept her and keeps others from experiencing lives that are fulfilling, healthy, empowered and embodied.
15 years into her explorations of yoga as a student, at the age of 42 she became a teacher. Thai happened after experiencing her fathers cancer journey as a stress event that put her in a cardiac unit for a week hooked up to monitors with doctors who believed that the best thing she could do was have a part of her heart burned out and a possible pacemaker placed in.
However Beverly had an idea. She went back to her Yoga and Breathwork and proved her theory right to herself. She had been exhausted, stressed, heartbroken and disconnected. And thus began her journey of discovery. It started with becoming a teacher and has progressed over the past 13 years to studio owner, to School owner, to Wellbeing Coach, Facilitator, Forest Bathing Guide and more.
She has taken a deep dive into exploring how the human body moves and functions while researching how the very nature we are created from can be the pathway to a deeper connection to life. Weaving all of this together into her Yoga, Workshops, Group Facilitations Programs and Retreats and Private offerings, she has become known as a bit of a body whisperer although she prefers to think of it all as connecting with Ritam…the rhythms of everything in life that guides our physical, energetic, mental and sensory worlds. Find out why getting to know yourself intimately is the most loving thing you can ever undertake in this life.
