Peace in Nature Retreat to the Gulf Islands

May 23rd – 26th 2024

Enjoy three nights of peaceful relaxation, nestled in the quiet forest of Galiano island. This retreat is designed to allow time to drop into your practice while taking in fresh air, nourishing food, and gentle loving company.

We’ll arrive on Thursday evening and settle into our nests, then have two full days of enjoying island life, departing back to the city on Sunday afternoon. Breathe the fresh ocean air, walk amongst the trees, relax and enjoy the company of other yogis. On Sunday, we’ll gather for our closing practice and a sharing circle.

Here’s a brief itinerary (subject to change):

THURSDAY:
Arrival and check in to accommodations.

FRIDAY:
8:00 a.m. – Noble silence and meditation – until after yoga
9:30 a.m. – Hatha Yoga (Centre and Ground)
11:00 a.m. – Journalling / Sharing Circle
12:00 p.m. – Catered Lunch
2:00 p.m. – Hike to Bodega Ridge for fantastic views
5:00 p.m. – Catered Dinner at the North End Hall
8:00 p.m. – Sound Healing and Meditation

SATURDAY:
8:00 a.m. – Noble silence and meditation – until after yoga
9:30 a.m. – Hatha Yoga (Strengthen and Expand)
11:00 a.m. – Journalling / Sharing Circle
12:00 p.m. – Catered Lunch
2:00 p.m. – Vision Boarding with Meghan Budd
7:00 p.m. – Dinner out at Bodega Ridge (not included in retreat price)
9:00 p.m. – Campfire Jam

SUNDAY:
8:00 a.m. – Noble silence and meditation – until after yoga
9:30 a.m. – Hatha Yoga (Release and Relax)
11:00 a.m. – Sharing Circle, Herbal Tea and Snack
12:30 p.m. – Clean up / Farewell

What’s included in the weekend?

All levels Hatha yoga starts each morning at 9:30 a.m., followed by a nourishing catered lunch, and afternoon activities – some planned outdoors. We finish the day with yin/restorative yoga to enjoy the deep silence of the north end of the island.

Enjoy fresh catered meals (lunch on Friday and Saturday, and dinner on Friday) by island retreat chef Susie Petrina. Her homemade food is prepared with love and care and is a perfect complement to a weekend of yoga and healthy living. Susie has years of experience cooking for retreat and prepares a unique menu of nutritious food, taking into consideration dietary restrictions as necessary. Try her home made bread with butter, flavourful vegan beet soup, or her mix of delightful ingredients in salad nicoise and spinach pie. Crackers and quality cheese plates give a delicious array for every palate.

Spend time journaling, reflecting, and moving your body in a space that is designed to support you, and take a break from the demands of you day to day life. All activities that are planned are completely optional, and you can feel free to opt in or out of our scheduled agenda anytime.

Galiano island has lots of things to see and do, and our schedule is designed to give you the most options for your weekend, however, rest is always fine too – take it easy and enjoy the slower pace of life that the gulf islands offers.

Every retreat includes a guest teacher who offers a workshop (such as an herb walk, mushroom foraging tour, vision boarding, sound healing, etc.), so be sure to ask what’s special about the retreat you’re coming to! Each retreat is unique and curated to support finding peace and detachment.

VISION BOARDING WITH MEGHAN BUDD

Meghan Budd is a creative educator who inspires people to connect to self-expression and creativity. She promotes well-being through visual art, believing that creativity is a way to feel connected with ourselves and others. Through explorations with art materials, Meghan guides her students to follow intuition and go with the flow while creating. In her workshops, the focus is on process rather than product, allowing students to become more open to possibilities. Arts-based processes support people in mindfully connecting to the present moment, through the sensory system.

Using the technique of collage we explore our dreams and desires. Imagery and colour guide us to choose what we want to put on our board. To gain clarity, we consider what we would like to attract into our lives and embody those intentions in an artwork. Participants enjoy flow when composing their vision board as Meghan guides them through the process. You will learn collage and embellishment techniques and create a unique personal artwork. This artwork will serve as a lasting reminder of your vision and inspire us to take action on the things that are important to us. Let your creativity flow, there are no rules and no experience required.

Accommodation Options

There are excellent island accommodation options available on AirBnB, at the local Galiano Inn and Spa, or camping in the great outdoors.

Our friends and favourites on AirBnB are: Swallow’s Keep, Vilupti’s Place, Serenity by the Sea , Galiano Dream, and the North End Retreat. Ask us to help you find a place to stay!

Galiano Dream is a 25 minute drive to the N. End Hall, but follows the beautiful and natural scenery of Porlier Pass and is closer to shops and restaurants in the South End.

Getting There and Away

BC Ferries reservations can be made from Vancouver’s Tsawassen ferry terminal toward the southern gulf islands. The Salish Raven and the Salish Eagle both stop at Galiano as their first stop, almost exactly a one-hour journey from the mainland. Reservations are necessary and recommended, and you’ll need to arrive at the ferry terminal between 40-90 minutes before your sailing to ensure you keep your reservation.

Please visit BCferries.com to view schedules and plan your trip. Ideally, you’ll arrive on Thursday and return Sunday afternoon. Carpooling is recommended, but you will need a ride once you’re on the island if you’re planning to walk on or bring your bike!

Directions to the North End Galiano Hall – 22790 Porlier Pass Road

The N. End community Hall on Galiano is a beautiful facility designed for community gatherings. It has a full kitchen, large gathering room, and plenty of space for us to share and enjoy for the weekend. The hall is for our private use for the weekend, so please do bring props that you like including blankets, blocks, straps, and of course, your yoga mat.

The hall is in the North end of the island, about a 30-minute drive scenic drive from the Sturdies Bay ferry terminal. Turn left at the Hummingbird pub, and follow Porlier Pass Road to the northern tip of the island.

There’s plenty of parking in front of the Hall which is reserved for our use for the weekend, so it’s fine to leave your car in the lot if you carpool on our day trips.

Please note if you’re coming by bicycle, its about a 2-hour bike ride from Sturdies Bay.

What to bring and what to leave at home

Snacks to enjoy on our hikes and breaks are good to have with you, as well as something to share at our potluck on Saturday night. There are three grocery stores on the island that supply most things, and we will likely go to the Galiano Farmers Market on Saturday (summer only) where there’s lots of great things to eat! They are all in the south end – note this is about a 25 minute drive from the N. End Galiano Hall.

Warm layers, a water bottle, some cash, a hat, sunscreen, and extra socks are good things to pack. There are lots of birds on the island too, so if you have binoculars, you might be able to spot an eagle or a few rare birds along the way. A small day pack to carry on your hike and a container ensures that if you do find something to forage you can pack it out with you, or take some leftovers along. A journal and a pen to write down thoughts from your reflection time.

Please do bring yoga props – bolster, a blanket, blocks and a strap highly recommended! Some props are provided, so let us know if you need anything.

Galiano is a beautiful and natural gulf island, so we work to reduce any kind of plastic garbage or extra waste being left on the island. Whatever you pack in with you, please be prepared to pack out again – we will not be taking your garbage, but are happy to have your compost! Please limit your purchase of plastics and use only bio-degradable products while you are here.

Thanks for protect our local ecology!

Get a massage while you’re here!

There is a spa on the island, located near the ferry terminal who offer massage appointments, heavenly facials, and reflexology. Check out the full menu here, https://galianoinn.com/pages/spa-menu. Email spa@galianoinn.com to book ahead.

An excellent RMT has a public offering at Manzanitaville, near the local shops and restaurants in the South End. Book online via her website: https://angelathompsonrmt.janeapp.com/sign_in. Her rate is $130 for 60 minutes, or $150 for a 75 minute treatment.

Jessica (and Adina) will take massage appointments for our weekend retreaters at a private location. You can contact them directly by emailing them: galianoislandmassage@gmail.com. They offer $70/60min and $85.50/90min. Thai, deep tissue/relaxation or hot stone. The studio is at 1721 Porlier Pass Road (in the South end).

Good times for massage would be late afternoon or early evening (after 3 p.m.), after one of our outdoor excursions!

We aim to honour all the ancestral peoples of this sacred land, and acknowledge that Galiano island lies within the traditional territories of Penelakut, Hwlitsum, and within the traditional territories of other Hul’qumi’num-speaking peoples, as well as the ceded territories of the Tsawwassen First Nations.  

For more information, please watch this short video, published by the Galiano Conservancy.