Retreats
Take a pause from the concerns of daily life and come enjoy nature and the beautiful settings of the Ashram. Immerse yourself in yoga practice, meditation and yoga philosophy workshops, and learn how to attain greater well-being and better connection with yourself during these retreats. Designed to unwind, appease the body and calm the mind, they will help you recharge your entire being, and provide you with a fresher and more positive outlook on life. You will also learn practical tools that will allow you to maintain a peaceful state throughout the demands of everyday life. After these energizing retreats, you will be able to face the challenges of life with more peace, clarity and strength!
September 2023
The Art of Self-Consciousness
Transform and expand your consciousness, enhancing your body and mind natural potential. You will learn and practice empowering techniques allowing you to experience physical, mental and spiritual well-being and to regain a sense of balance. You will return home feeling confident and calm.
Click the link to register for
September 4 to 8 Week Retreat
September 8 to 10 Weekend Retreat
Yoga and Meditation Retreat
Disengage from the distractions of your busy life and dive into a 5-day yoga and meditation retreat in the peaceful setting of the Laurentian mountains. Along with daily yoga classes, nutritious meals and nature walks, you will learn how to establish a good meditation practice that can help you regulate your emotions and give you more clarity and balance in your life. You will feel rejuvenated andequipped to continue your inward journey at home. This retreat is suitable for beginners as well as experienced practitioners.
Teacher: Saraswati is a long-time staff of the Sivananda organization and director of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Toronto. It will be a joy for her to share her experience and help you dive deeper into your spiritual practice.
Click the link to register for
11 to 15 September Week Retreat
Cultivating Good Habits
“You sow a habit and reap your destiny.” As Swami Sivananda suggested our destiny is in our own hands and changing our habits can surely change our life. Come explore yogic tools for self-transformation (yoga postures, meditation and mind-control technics) and learn how yoga can help you to eradicate bad habits and develop new positive ones.
Click the link to register for
18 – 22 September Week Retreat
22 – 24 September 24 Weekend Retreat
Yoga and Nature
Enjoy a relaxing yoga holiday and a unique experience in nature. Take a deep breath and gain new strength and inspiration in the healing Laurentian Mountains in the beautiful natural ashram setting through a holistic practice of yoga postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), relaxation technics (savasana), group meditations (satsangs), nutritious vegetarian meals, stimulating lectures on yoga philosophy and dynamic walks in the forest as well as a bonfire (weather permitting).
Click the link to register for
25 – 29 September Week Retreat
October 2023
The healing power of sound

Topics covered include:
- Sound as a transformative and healing energy
- The power of mantras and kirtans
- From emotion to unconditional love
- How to choose and use mantras
Step-by-step guided chanting
Click the link to register for
2 – 6 October week retreat
Thanksgiving weekend: Yoga for optimal health

Click the link to register for
6 – 9 October weekend retreat
Increase your Vital Energy

Click the link to register for
9 – 13 October week retreat
13 – 15 October weekend retreat
Inspiring tools to spiritualize your life

Click the link to register for
16 – 20 October week retreat
The Art of Positive Thinking

Topics covered will include:
- The nature of thought and its inherent power
- Developing a healthy body-mind connection
- Samskaras: how habits are formed and how to transform them into positive forces
- How to create powerful positive affirmations
- Aims of life (purushartha): self-effort and karma
- Thought creates destiny: the self-transformative power of the mind
Click the link to register for
20 – 22 October weekend retreat
Chair Yoga Training with Anjaneya, Micheal Hutkins

Other topics taught include anatomy of aging, tools for communicating with a population that often has limited hearing and sight and how to approach retirement homes and community. While designed for yoga teachers, those who work regularly with the elderly or wish to share yoga with loved ones can also benefit from this training. The course will count as 20 hrs credit for continuing education with the yoga alliance.
Program Schedule
Friday
3:00pm Check-in
4:00pm Hatha Yoga Class
6:00pm Dinner
7:30pm Satsang (silent practice, mantra chanting, talk) *
10:00pm Lights Out
Saturday
5:30am Wake Up Bell
6:00am Satsang* or Silent Walk
8:00am Hatha Yoga Class
10:00am Brunch
10:45am Karma Yoga
12:00pm Practice and Theory Chair Yoga Workshop
6:00pm Dinner
7:30pm Satsang*
10:00pm Lights Out
Sunday
5:30am Wake Up Bell
6:00am Satsang* or Silent Walk
8:00am Practice and Theory Chair Yoga Workshop
10:00am Brunch
11:00am – 2:30pm Practice and Theory Chair Yoga Workshop
3:00pm Room Check-Out
Michael Hutkins (Anajneya) is a 500hr trained teacher in the Sivananda lineage. He has been teaching chair yoga for over 15 years, making yoga accessible and fun for people of all ages and abilities. He is always amazed at how open seniors are to every aspect of yoga, from the physical to meditation, philosophy and even chanting.
Click the link to register for
20 – 22 October weekend retreat
The Joy of Cooking

Pure and natural food helps us to keep a healthy body and a sharp mind so we can lead our spiritual quest successfully. Do you wish to know more about the diet and its benefits in spiritual and day-to-day life? Join us for this weekend retreat and discover how you can improve your diet, heal with the help of spices, and go beyond your food addictions for a more happy and fulfilling life. In addition to meditation sessions, chanting, yoga classes and afternoon lectures, you will be able to enjoy a special cooking class in which everyone can actively participate!
Click the link to register for
23 – 27 October week retreat
Halloween family week-end retreat, From darkness to light

Click the link to register for
27 – 29 October weekend retreat
05:30 am | Wake-up |
06:00 am | Satsang (meditation, chanting, lecture) |
08:00 am | Asana class |
10:00 am | Brunch |
11:00 am | Karma Yoga |
12:00 pm | Bhagavad Gita or Kirtan lecture |
02:00 pm | Main lecture on philosophy or anatomy |
04:00 pm | Asanas and pranayama practice class |
06:00 pm | Dinner |
08:00 pm | Satsang (meditation, chanting, lecture) |
10:00 pm | Lights out |
What to bring:
- Comfortable as well as warm clothing
- Notebook and flashlight
- Sandals or slippers for indoors, walking shoes
- Towel, toiletries, Neti pot
Getting to the Yoga Camp
Students are responsible for making their own way to the Camp. Details on how to get to the Camp will be sent to you upon registration. Please arrive on the day before the course is scheduled to begin and plan your departure for the day after the course finishes. Please do not arrive late or plan to leave early. You are welcome to arrive a few days early to acclimatize to the new environment or stay longer after the end of the course.
Arrival and departure
For all courses/trainings/certifications: Please plan to arrive the day before the course begins and depart the day after it ends.
Yoga Vacation Programs: Attendance to all or part of the program is accepted. You may choose your dates of arrival and departure.
Room check-in time: 3 pm
Room check-out time: 11 am
After you arrive, feel free to join the yoga class at 4 pm and dinner at 6 pm. Families with children 12 and under MUST contact us directly to book their stay.
The practice and especially the teaching of yoga demand a high degree of self-discipline and purity.
To ensure the success of the program, participants are required to attend all spiritual activities, meditation sessions, lectures and asana classes.
Meat, fish, eggs, black tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, drugs and nudity are prohibited during the course as they are counterproductive to yoga practice. Participants who do not comply with the Ashram rules may be dismissed from the course. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cater to personal dietary preferences beyond the yogic lacto-vegetarian meals.
Check-in/Check-out: Check-in time is after 3:00 pm. Checkout time is before 11:00 am. Check-in/out at reception in the Main Lodge. When checking out please clean your room of litter as best as possible then bring your used bed sheets and towel to reception and retrieve a clean set. Conservation and recycling: Please conserve water while bathing and washing. Report any leaking taps and toilets to reception. Save electricity by turning off lights and electrical items when not in use. Be aware of how much paper products you use. Used batteries can be left at reception. Kindly use the recycling bins found in the common areas. Any used items of clothing can be donated at reception. Remember: “Every action matters” when consciously living in yoga. Dress code: Please cover shoulders, upper arms, midriff and legs at all times, including during asana classes and especially temple visits. Fire hazards: Please do not burn candles, incense, mosquito coils, etc. in your room, dormitory or tent. Food: We serve a vegetarian, nourishing and balanced diet with proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and plenty of local vegetables. Snacks are available at our Health Hut during high season. We do not serve meat, fish, eggs, garlic or onions. Alcohol, tobacco and drugs are prohibited. Hygiene: Please leave the premises, rooms and bathrooms cleaner than when you arrived. For hygiene reasons, please leave your Ashram pillows, blankets and sheets in your room. Karma Yoga: The Ashram is run by volunteer staff members. Selfless service (karma yoga or seva) is an essential part of the Ashram experience. Maintaining a positive spiritual atmosphere requires participation from all the guests and staff. In addition to staff duties, we ask all students to contribute one hour each day to help upkeep the Ashram. A small task can make a big difference. Kindly meet the karma yoga coordinator at reception at 10:45 am, after morning meal, to arrange your assignment. Laundry: Coin-operated laundry facilities are located in the ground level of the Registrations building and can be used during daytime hours. Quarters and dollar coins are required ($1.50). The wash cycle lasts about 30 minutes, and the dry cycle, 60 minutes. Lights out: Kindly respect the silent time after evening satsang on your way to your room. Please turn off all lights and observe silence by 10:30 pm to ensure everyone gets adequate rest. Massages: We offer a variety of massages yearround (Deep Tissue, Swedish and Thai). Appointments for these services can be made at reception. Ayurveda consultations with our doctor, treatments and massages are available at the Ayurveda Clinic during high season. Personal Belongings: A safety deposit facility is available for your valuables and cell phone. Ask reception. The Ashram cannot accept responsibility for anyone’s personal belongings. Consider labelling your yoga mat, bags, shoes and other items left in common areas. Phone calls: Payphones can be found on the north entrance of the Registrations building and downstairs in the Lodge. Phone cards are available in the Boutique. Cell phones: To ensure a full Ashram experience, we ask that all cell phones are set to silent mode or are turned off. Making or receiving phone calls or text messages can distract a yogi and their friends from their yoga practice. The Boutique has alarm clocks, but you can also let the Ashram bell guide you through the day. Photography: To ensure people’s privacy during their stay, photography or video recording is not permitted during satsang, pujas, or asana classes. See the Ashram Director if you have any questions. Punctuality: For everyone’s benefit, kindly arrive to classes, events and satsangs on time or even a little early so you can settle. Leaving your room at the 10-minute bell will help you arrive on time. Punctuality promotes peace for all participants. Note: The doors are locked at the start of the meditation sessions and opened once chanting begins. |
Mail: You can leave any outgoing mail at reception. If you are expecting any mail, check with reception. Relationships: Kindly restrain expressions of affection in public, such as kissing and hugging. Women’s and men’s dorms: Kindly respect the gender privacy of these dorms. Couples are advised to observe celibacy as part of the spiritual discipline. Sauna and swimming pool: A wood-fired dry sauna is available yearround. An outdoor pool is open during the summer when the lifeguard is on duty. Kindly wear discrete swimming clothes in the sauna and pool. Bring an extra towel to sit on. Shoes: Please remove your shoes and place them on the shoe racks when entering any of the buildings. Schedule: It is expected that all students attend all satsangs, lectures and asana classes. To help upkeep the Ashram, we ask that all students contribute one hour of karma yoga each day. Silence: To maintain the tranquil setting of an Ashram, we aim to observe silence before the morning and evening satsangs and especially at mealtimes. Maintaining silence conserves energy and promotes a peaceful environment. To maintain the energy received during evening satsang, try to observe silence for the remainder of the night. Spiritual respect: Kindly maintain a respectful attitude when near an altar, satsang hall or temple. When sitting, sit cross-legged or in a chair. Kindly refrain from pointing your feet towards any altar, deities or teachers during satsang and lectures. Kindly do your best to remain in the satsang hall for the entire satsang. Staff: Staff members are willing and able to answer any of your questions. Feel free to go to them with your questions. They will most often be wearing yellow and white. Suggestions, comments and special requests: If you have any suggestions, comments or special requests, feel free to write them down with your name and drop them into the suggestions box at reception. Feel free to mention any immediate concern to a staff member. Temples: The many Ashram temples, large and small, are available for visiting and silent meditation during your free time. You are welcome to visit the Krishna Temple, the Master’s Statues near the dorms and the Sivananda Temple on the pond for silent contemplation or meditation. At the top of the hill is the Subramanya-Ayyappa and Mariamman Temple, and inside these temples are more temples. Kindly enter the temple of your choice in silence. Visit each temple with grace and awareness. You are welcome to prostrate in front of each murti, then sit to feel the resonance of the temple. There are donation boxes inside the Subramanya-Ayyappa and Krishna temples. Feel free to donate to help the maintenance of these temples. Kindly leave food and drink outside of any temple area. Water: The tap water is city water. We also offer pure artesian well water for drinking. Bring your own water bottles and fill them at the pump located in the middle of the Ashram, near the first step of the Peace Trail. To prevent any spreading of bacteria, please keep your bottle away from the tap or hose when filling in order to avoid contact. If drinking from a hose please keep mouth away from the end of the hose. Physical harassment: The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres of Canada disapprove of and condemn any form of harassment directed at guests, staff or visitors. Specifically, no harassment, proposals or innuendos with a sexual connotation will be tolerated during any program or activity organized by the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres of Canada. Guests participating in such programs are accordingly made aware of this policy and invited to apply it in their personal behavior whilst on our premises. Any guest who thinks she or he may be the victim of unsolicited advances or any other form of sexual harassment is asked to notify a Swami or the Director immediately in order for corrective action to be undertaken without delay. Complaints made to a Swami or Director will be treated confidentially, and the alleged violator or any third party will not be advised of the complainant’s identity without the latter’s consent. |
“My experience at the ashram was quite transformational in the sense that one finally can spend time with oneself, go deeper within and search for answers, whatever your questions may be. There is no other time to think about trivialities or thoughts conjured by our minds. You are moving in unison with everyone else who is physically present on this journey, through your daily routines of Asanas, breath practices, prayers and chanting and a different regimen of nutritious food for your body. Once you allow your mind and body to settle and accept your new circumstances, being open to these new experiences becomes the key to the spiritual transformation which one so honestly seeks and desires.”
~ Guest, March 2017
All registrations for a TTC are done online. Students are requested to fill in the online registration form and make their payment at the same time. The Yoga Camp will then send you more logistical information.
For more information, please contact us at:
[email protected] or 819-322-3226
Refund Policy
If you wish to cancel your registration before the start of the course, the original payment will be refunded less:
- $150 CAD (more than 3 months from course start date)
- $200 CAD (less than 3 months from course start date)
- If you contact us before the course begins in order to transfer to another teacher training course, a $300 CAD administration fee will be charged. Some restrictions may apply, and this change can only be done once.
Once the course starts:
- If you do not show up and do not contact us, no refund will be issued.
- If you decide to leave during the first three days of the course, we will refund your original payment less an administration fee of $450 CAD.
- No refunds will be issued after the 3rd day of the course.