Yoga Retreats

During this retreat, we will explore the concepts of prana (vital energy), pranayama (control of the life force), and asanas (postures) to better understand the energetic principles underlying the functioning of our body and mind. Developing this understanding will help us elevate our minds and prevent negative and unhealthy patterns. Ultimately, it will lead to a yoga and meditation practice conducive to a happy and healthy mental life.

Topics covered will include:

• Prana, pranayama, and increased mental well-being
• Nadis (energy channels), chakras, and experiences in the astral body
• Physical, mental, and spiritual relaxation
• Mental flexibility and inner peace
• Cultivating healthy thought patterns

Disengage from the distractions of your busy life and immerse yourself in a 5-day yoga and meditation retreat set in the peaceful Laurentian mountains. Along with daily yoga classes, nutritious meals, and nature walks, you will learn how to establish a solid meditation practice that can help you regulate your emotions and gain greater clarity and balance in your life. You will leave feeling rejuvenated and equipped to continue your inward journey at home. This retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Kanti Devi (Yoga Acharya)
A direct disciple of Swami Vishnudevananda since 1969, she is the Yoga Acharya for the centers in South America and Canada. She is known for her charisma and dedication.

Topics Covered:

1. What is self-healing?
2. Healing the three bodies and five layers
3. Resilience in life struggles and stress
4. The yoga and Ayurveda way of life
5. Increasing and balancing prana
6. Learning lessons on karma
7. Going to the root causes of suffering
8. Sadhana: conscious training
9. Overcoming obstacles from the environment
10. Healing emotions and relationships
11. Cultivating selfless love
12. Finding your purpose
13. Pratyahara: sublimating habits and desires
14. Protecting and strengthening the mind (japa yoga)
15. Positive thinking in daily life
16. Meditation: what it is and what it is not
17. Self-inquiry and self-surrender to be free from karma
18. Satsangs and helpful connections

Swami Sitaramananda is an Acharya (spiritual teacher) of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and has been part of the lineage of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda for over 40 years. She is based at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, CA, USA, as well as at the Sivananda Yoga Resort and Training Center in Dalat, Vietnam.

Having traveled and taught in many countries, including India, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Russia, she has a deep interest in the teachings of classical yoga and Vedanta, particularly in mental and emotional healing. Swami Sitaramananda is an advocate for the effects of yoga and meditation on health. She created the Sivananda Yoga Health Educator Training Program, an 800-hour intensive program designed to bridge medical sciences and classical yoga. Her background is in social and community work in Canada.

In this Bhakti Yoga retreat, you will study and practice various devotional techniques, including ritualistic worship (Pujas), mantra chanting, and prayer, aimed at transforming negative emotions into unconditional and universal love.

You will also learn about the fundamental symbolic representations of the divine (Devatas) present in Hindu mythology and temple worship.
The retreat will culminate with the renowned annual festival of Kaavadi at the Subramanya Ayyappa Mariamman Temple, celebrating Lord Subramanya.

Most students practice yoga with the common goal of finding ease and grace in their movements, as well as strength and stability in their postures. Aligned postures are fundamental to achieving these goals while increasing health and vitality. Correctly aligning asanas unleashes the wisdom and healing power of yoga. Alignment begins with knowledge and is followed by its application in our postures.
These workshops are dedicated to sharing knowledge of alignment. They are fully experiential, conducted on-the-mat, and presented in a yoga class setting. The specific principles of postural mechanics and alignment are explored using cutting-edge applications of anatomy and exercise physiology, while remaining consistent with classical yogic philosophy.

We will explore the path of Raja Yoga as taught by Patanjali Maharishi in the Raja Yoga Sutras. This retreat will delve into the workings of the mind and the control of our thoughts. The scriptures present the five types of vrittis (thought waves) and the five klesas (sources of suffering), along with methods to harmonize our inner conflicts, resulting in a clearer and more focused mind.
These teachings offer a wonderful message of hope and encouragement, enabling us to rise above the stages of depression, turmoil, and fear, and to find a center of peace within ourselves—untouched by the changes and challenges of life.

Join us for a week of fun for the whole family, featuring adult and kids’ yoga classes, games, arts and crafts, and outdoor activities.
The entire family will have opportunities to enjoy canoeing, bicycling, and outings in the beautiful Laurentians. A dedicated team of ashram staff will run daily children’s yoga classes, provide snacks, and organize activities, allowing you to attend your own yoga class, meditate, or take time for personal reflection.

Important Note: Children aged 5 and under require parental supervision for all activities throughout the program.
Who Should Attend?
All family members are welcome, especially the kids! No prior yoga experience is needed.
Booking: Families with children must contact us directly to book their stay.

“Who am I?” Discover the deepest answer to this essential question and undertake a journey that will lead you to the source of happiness and joy inside you. During this retreat, we will explore our true nature (which is existence, knowledge and bliss absolute), study meditation techniques and learn fundamental philosophical principles such as discrimination and detachment to make better choices, be less affected by events and face the ever changing nature of our lives with solid grounding, clarity and tranquility of mind.

Topics covered will include:

• Brahman: the principle of oneness
• The power of Illusion (Maya)
• False identifications (Upadhis)
• Who am I (Atman)
• Vedanta meditation technique: Neti Neti

Swami Svatmavidyananda Saraswati, PhD, is a widely recognized as scholar of Advaita Vedanta . Teaching Internationally through lectures and seminars. She is a disciple of Pujya Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswati is known for her expertise in interreligious engagement and Advaita Vedanta. She is the Acharya of Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam and its centers throughout the United States.

Applying the principle of positive thinking into all of our activities can significantly improve our relationships and increase the quality of our life. Join us for this uplifting retreat and discover the power of thoughts; learn the basic tenets of Vedanta, the philosophy of Oneness, and explore practices that will help you to improve the quality of your mind, leading you to more calmness, greater wellbeing and further self-development.

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

Experience Ayurveda presented and taught by an authentic Ayurvedic Doctor Sonal Bhatt. Learn how to take care of your body and mind with the help of this ancient holistic system of medicine that has been practiced in India for more than 5000 years. Ayurveda (the science of life) promotes a holistic approach to health by creating harmony between the body and mind.

Open to all with or without experience or knowledge of Ayurveda and Yoga.

• Introduction to Ayurveda
• Discover your Ayurvedic Constitution.Learn about your body and mind’s personality through the Ayurvedic perspective on the three Doshas and the three Gunas.
• You will learn your own daily routine according to your own constitution for the four seasons.
• How to do your oil self-body massage using the right oils for your own constitution.
• Ayurvedic nutrition class.
• Preparation of herbal home remedies: We will learn the benefits of Ayurvedic home remedies and we will make some Ayurvedic home remedies.

Dr. Sonal Bhatt is a highly qualified Ayurvedic physician and Panchakarma specialist from one of the leading Ayurvedic universities in India, Jamnagar Ayurvedic University. She is also a Registered Holistic Nutritional Consultant from CSNN Toronto. She has been practicing as an Ayurvedic consultant, Panchakarma specialist, teacher, and researcher in India, Canada, and North America for over 30 years. Dr. Bhatt is director and owner of Sonal’s Ayurveda Panchkarma Centre in Toronto and currently practicing and teaching Ayurveda and offering holistic health services. Dr Bhatt will be available to give private consultations.

Asanas or yoga postures can bring countless benefits to the body and mind. They don’t only stretch the muscles and reduce stress levels, but also improve bodily functions, energize the body and mind and increase physical and mental strength Join this unique retreat and deepen your yoga practice thanks to special yoga classes with specific themes and variations. In addition, there will be 30-minute Asana workshops each day for in-depth training in specific postures, and sessions during which we will learn different yogic techniques to develop will power and mental flexibility to better face the changing circumstances of our lives.

Topics covered will also include:

• Benefits of asanas on the various body systems
• Asana variations to increase the flexibility of hips and shoulder girdle
• Challenge yourself – try out some new variations
• How to balance muscle length and muscle strength
• Evacuate stress and tensions away through asanas

Modern life has become synonymous with stress, especially for those living in cities. In addition to affecting mood and outlook, scientific studies consistently show that stress negatively impacts long-term health. In this program, you will learn how to use ancient wisdom and practices found in yoga to help cope with life’s challenges and become more balanced and fulfilled, no matter where you live! You will return home with fresh perspectives and new skills to incorporate into your daily life to prevent being “stressed out”.

Kindle the fire of yoga within you. Dive deep into the practice of asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques) in yoga classes adapted to your level (beginners, intermediate-advanced). In this retreat, we will look at the concepts of prana (vital energy), chakras (energy centers) and nadis (subtle energy channels) in order to better understand the philosophical and energetic principles underlying the yoga practice. Developing this understanding will eventually lead you to a profound spiritual experience which will elevate your practice of yoga and meditation.

Topics covered will include:

• How to make the asanas (postures) steady and comfortable
• Steps towards greater physical and mental flexibility
• Improve your asana practice through deep relaxation
• Prana, pranayama and increased concentration
• Nadis (energy channels), chakras and experiences in the astral body
• From yoga to an inner awakening

The Sanskrit language is considered to be one of the most ancient and sacred languages in the world. It opens the door to yogic scriptures and the subtle world of spirituality. Sanskrit is an eternal, vibrant ancient language and learning it is a fulfilling experience that adds richness and authenticity to a yogic lifestyle and is the key to a conceptual understanding of India’s tradition of sacred knowledge, unlocking the ideas and insights of Yoga, Ayurveda and more. During this retreat, you will learn the basics of the Sanskrit alphabet and an introduction to mantras and chants from the yogic canon. Open to all!

let go of the past, with all its stored memories of injuries, is a prerequisite for personal growth. During this retreat, we will study the nature of our subconscious mind and practice various yogic techniques to help us overcome negative mental habits, allowing our true, understanding, and loving Self to emerge.

This week of asana practice focuses on specific postures and sequences within the Sivananda tradition to help the physical body grow stronger and regain flexibility. Each day will highlight a particular aspect of asana practice, helping the body become more attuned, balanced, and supple. It is often said that muscle length and strength go hand in hand—so as we increase flexibility, we also build strength.

• Monday – Focus on Sun Salutations & Alignment
• Tuesday – Focus on Forward-Bending Variations
• Wednesday – Focus on Back-Bending Variations
• Thursday – Focus on Inversions & Balancing
• Friday – Meditative Class : Long posture holds to cultivate strength

Enjoy a relaxing yoga holiday and a unique experience immersed in nature. Take a deep breath and find new strength and inspiration in the healing Laurentian Mountains, surrounded by the beautiful natural setting of the ashram. This rejuvenating retreat includes a holistic practice of yoga postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), deep relaxation (savasana), group meditations (satsangs), nutritious vegetarian meals, and inspiring talks on yoga philosophy. You’ll also enjoy forest walks and, weather permitting, an evening around a bonfire. You’ll leave feeling refreshed, uplifted, and more deeply connected to yourself and the natural world.