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Join us for our annual
Yummy Summer
Yoga for Round Bodies Retreat!

at Shanti Retreat Centre on Wolfe Island
with Tiina Veer, RMT ERYT-500

Thu Aug 14 to Sun August 17, 2014

Join us for this wonderful body-positive self-care event, the annual
Yummy Summer Yoga for Round Bodies™ Retreat with Tiina Veer on Wolfe Island, August 14-17! A special wellness & self-care weekend just for us big girls, with Shanti Yoga Retreat Centre as our playground, all to ourselves. Yoga, relaxation,
swimming, sauna, local whole foods, comaraderie all beckon.

Relaxing, rejuvenating, healing!
Body-positive, lighthearted, fun!

All levels welcome
(yes, including beginners!)

Shanti Retreat is on Wolfe Island, near Kingston, Ontario*
On 11 acres with 1,000 feet of private waterfront
2 Docks | Swimming trampoline | Canoes & kayaks | Infrared sauna
We'll have the whole retreat centre to ourselves! 

SHARED ROOM - $634 (all incl.)
SEMI-PRIVATE ROOM - $676 (all incl.) - SOLD OUT
PRIVATE ROOM - $845 (all incl.) - SOLD OUT

Register NOW!
ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT

Includes comfortable shared accommodation† (private rooms sold out),
delicious, nutritious vegetarian‡ meals made from local, organic ingredients,
all classes with Tiina, and use of the facilities (infrared sauna, canoes, kayaks, grounds).
Thai Massage treatments and Holistic Nutritional Consultations available for an extra fee.

Footnotes:
* Driving?  2hrs from Ottawa/Syracuse, 3hrs from Toronto, 3.5hrs from Montreal/Rochester.
* Not driving?  Train or bus to Kingston (ferry to the Island, pickup at ferry dock); carpooling available.
† No bunk beds here!  Comfortable shared rooms, each room w/ its own bathroom.
‡ Not vegetarian?  Fear not! Vegetarian fare is a specialty of yoga retreat centres and Shanti does it very well. It is *not* vegan, i.e., eggs and dairy are included. Special diets/food allergies can be accommodated.

Tentative Schedule:

A NOTE ABOUT THE SCHEDULE
This is YOUR retreat, and you can participate in as much or as little as you like!
Take part in everything and still have plenty of free time in the afternoons, or choose to
take more free time for yourself during the retreat—as much as you want—it's totally okay!
Part of retreating is about enjoying free time:  to read, to sleep-in or nap, to socialize,
to amble aimlessly, watch the sky, find a meditative spot and contemplate...

Your retreat, your choice!

What do I need to bring?

You really don't need to bring much! Think casual weekend at the cottage. Comfortable clothes for yoga + lounging, a couple of extra items for layering in case of a cool evening, comfortable walking shoes, your toiletries. A bathing suit and beach towel if you want to swim. A book you want to read, a craft you want to work on, etc. Bug repellant, though Shanti's location is not very buggy, especially in August. Sunscreen. We'll have yoga gear (mats, props) at Shanti, but if you have your own, please bring.

If you have particular snacks you like, feel free to bring them. Dry goods are best as the communal fridge in the coffee area is small (peanut-free is always advisable in group settings). Shanti, like most other retreat centres, does not serve alcohol. However, if you would like to enjoy a glass of wine with your dinner, you are welcome to bring it.  You may be asked to share!  ;)

Most importantly, bring your beautiful, beaming self for a weekend of pure self-care!

A bit about Shanti and
retreat centre etiquette & culture

Some of you have perhaps never been to a wellness retreat or a retreat centre before, and it can feel a bit intimidating or daunting. If that's the case, or you just want more info, this section is for you!

Retreat centres are ideal sanctuaries for yoga retreats—they are away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, in lovely pastoral, or natural settings. They have what's required for yoga practice: a classroom, mats/yoga props, privacy, peace and quiet. They are often owned and operated by people who are serious practitioners of yoga and meditation themselves, and they usually operate on minimal staff, offer shared accommodation and buffet-style meals to keep costs down.

Shanti does all of this in such a gorgeous place—on 11 acres with 1000 feet of private waterfront, right where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River—and with amenities that are much more "grown up" than many of the more basic centres that offer dormitory/bunk-style accommodations, communal washrooms, etc.

At Shanti, bedrooms are attractively-appointed, decorated with items from the owners' world travels, have comfortable beds (NO bunks), each room has its own bathroom. Rooms are either in the original Inn building or in modern cabins. The common spaces in the main Inn are cozy, the perfect place for curling up with a book, or for casual gatherings.

Food at yoga retreat centres is usually vegetarian. Though not all yoga practitioners are vegetarian, many choose to be as part of "yogic lifestyle," as it is in line with the yogic concept of Ahimsa ("non-harming"). Yoga retreat centres are known for delicious vegetarian fare, and Shanti is no exception. Their meals are tasty, hearty, balanced, whole and nourishing (and prepared with love and passion for healthy, organic, local fare). Shanti is vegetarian, not vegan, so eggs and dairy are included on the menu. Special diets can be accommodated, e.g., dairy-free, vegan, etc. Most produce is right from Shanti's own garden or local organic farms on the island. Meals are served buffet-style, and there is a lovely window-lined dining room as well as a large patio for dining al fresco.

Many spiritual retreat centres are communal in nature, where retreat participants are expected to contribute to washing dishes and even cleaning. This is NOT the case at Shanti, you will only be asked to (a) bring your dishes back after each meal; (b) bring your linens/towels to hampers in the Inn at the end of your stay; (c) keep your own mug (provided) throughout the weekend; and (d) respect the peaceful nature of the setting. Also, in yoga settings it's customary to remove shoes upon entry to any building.

Shanti is a gem among retreat centres in southern Ontario. It's simple, but far from basic, it's comfortable and attractive, with tasty, hearty, nutritious food, beautiful water views from everywhere, stunning sunsets. Can you see yourself there? We can't wait to see you there! Contact Tiina if you have any questions. And remember, you don't have to be a "hardcore yogi" or even a practitioner of yoga at all to enjoy a yoga retreat centre. You can just be you, while enjoying what a yoga retreat/centre has to offer. Join us!

About Sharing Space

Some of you coming to the retreat will know others, may know your roommates, but some of you won't. For many, it may be the first time rooming with a stranger in a long time, if ever. If sharing a room with women you don't know is just not your thing, that's understandable, but hopefully you will not let that hold you back from coming to such a rare and special retreat.

If we all just remember some very basic rules—pretty much the stuff we all learned in kindergarten—it's totally do-able. E.g., be respectful of each other, be kind, share, be tidy, be tolerant of each other, etc. You get the idea, the basics! Easy-peasy.