Ancient Beauties: Ferns and Where to Find Them On Bowen

Ancient Beauties: Ferns and Where to Find Them On Bowen

Ferns, among the oldest plant species on Earth, are nature’s quiet survivors. With origins dating back more than 360 million years, they’ve thrived through major environmental shifts, even outlasting dinosaurs. Today, these graceful plants can be found in forests, gardens, and homes, offering both beauty and environmental benefits.

Ferns are part of a group of plants known as Pteridophytes, which include over 10,000 species. Unlike flowering plants, ferns reproduce through spores and do not produce seeds or flowers. These ancient plants played a significant role in shaping our planet’s ecosystems, and according to the Australian National University, some modern-day coal deposits are believed to be remnants of ancient fern forests.

The fern’s resilience lies in their adaptability. Species like the Bracken Fern and the Staghorn Fern can survive in harsh conditions, including poor soil and limited sunlight, making them a symbol of endurance and perseverance.

Relaxation Techniques Rooted in Nature: Forest Bathing with Alder Trees on Bowen Island

Relaxation Techniques Rooted in Nature: Forest Bathing with Alder Trees on Bowen Island

Spending Time with Trees Reduces Cortisol Levels

Welcome to Nectar Yoga Retreat’s wellness blog, where we explore holistic and yoga practices that deepen your connection to nature, self and other relations. If you’ve been on this journey with us, this year on our wellness blog, we’ve been focusing on the mind-body-spirit benefits of plants and certain fungi. This month, we’re spotlighting the alder trees residing on the forest where Nectar is located, and the therapeutic practice of forest bathing with these majestic trees.

The Healing Power of Forest Bathing

Forest bathing, or "Shinrin-yoku" from its Japanese origins, is more than just a walk in the woods. It’s a mindful practice of immersing oneself in the forest atmosphere, engaging all the senses, and finding solace in one’s relationality with all of nature. Studies have shown that being among alder trees and other trees in the form of forest bathing significantly lowers cortisol levels—the body’s primary stress hormone. This reduction in cortisol is linked to decreased blood pressure, improved mood, and enhanced immune function, making forest bathing one of the most effective relaxation techniques available.

Plant Medicine | Trees of the Pacific Northwest

Plant Medicine | Trees of the Pacific Northwest

Here at Nectar Yoga Retreat on Bowen, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest of Canada, we are blessed with an abundance of different flora and fauna, each lending its unique properties to our environments. Guests staying with us through our Nectar Experience Packages or attending our day / evening events or overnight spiritual retreats often share how the presence of trees during their Bowen Island getaway makes a lasting impression on their wellness within.

As part of the living yoga practice and our commitment to being stewards of the land, part of our practice of Svadhyaya, the Yama translating to self-study, is learning the wisdom of the trees. 

Exploring Turkey Tail Mushroom: Benefits, Identification, and Uses from Bowen Island's Premier Wellness Retreat

Exploring Turkey Tail Mushroom: Benefits, Identification, and Uses from Bowen Island's Premier Wellness Retreat

Read below to learn more about Turkey Tail mushroom, including:

  • Turkey tail mushroom benefits

  • Turkey tail mushroom identification and look alikes

  • Turkey tail mushroom benefits for skin

  • Where to buy Turkey tail mushroom

  • Turkey tail’s spiritual significance

  • Nectar’s own adaptogenic chai recipe with Turkey tail mushroom

Pitta Dosha is Associated with Fire and Water in Ayurveda

Pitta Dosha is Associated with Fire and Water in Ayurveda

If you are familiar with general Ayurvedic practices and the three doshas (where you may also hear of vata body type, kapha body type, and pitta body type), you already know that the summer corresponds to the Pitta season.

If you want to learn some of the fundamentals of the doshas, we cover that in “The Three Doshas Defined.

As we retune our inner rhythm to the energies surrounding our own and the seasonal Pitta dosha this season, we explore the principles surrounding the Yama, Satya.

Are you curious about the Raja yoga system and more details about the Yamas and Niyamas? We outline everything in our blog post, “Overview of the Raja Yoga System.

Nectar Yoga Explores Burdock Benefits, Recipes, and the Spirituality of the Plant

Read below to learn more about Burdock, including:

  • What Burdock looks like

  • How to forage for Burdock

  • The versatility of Burdock and why it's often recommended by herbalists

  • A profile of what burdock root tastes like

  • Various methods for preparing Burdock at home, including five nourishing (and delicious) recipes, including a Burdock Root tea recipe and how to make kinpira gobo (braised Burdock Root).

  • and more

Nectar Yoga Explores Isvara Pranidhana: Surrendering to the Sacred

Nectar Yoga Explores Isvara Pranidhana: Surrendering to the Sacred

At its core, Isvara Pranidhana calls upon us to release our grip on the illusion of control. The practice urges us to let go of the ceaseless pursuit of ego-driven ambitions and the false belief in our hyper-individuality-based abilities. Here at Nectar Yoga Retreat, sitting with humility as a teacher is a lifelong journey.

Picking Dandelions: When to Harvest and How to Make Dandelion Root Coffee and Dandelion Tea

Picking Dandelions: When to Harvest and How to Make Dandelion Root Coffee and Dandelion Tea

While all parts of the plant are edible, each should be harvested at specific times for optimal flavor. Here’s how to get the best leaves, roots, and flowers from your dandelions.

Drinking a coffee substitute made from dandelion root benefits you by providing a nutritious hot drink without caffeine.