September Views - A Time for Change
Posted on: September 2, 2010
Energetically, there is a feeling and onset of change here on the West Coast. In September, students go back to school, schedules shift, and there can be a sudden chill in the air that comes with the autumn changing of the trees. The parks are noticeably more quiet, fruit stands close and Yoga by the Beach wraps up for another year.
In our family, we are welcoming the fall with yet another big adjustment. The anticipation of a little baby girl this January, means big life changes for my husband and I! Now, years of intention and preparation bring us to this amazing place…an exciting and sometimes scary place of unknowns. But here we go! We’re working together to continually balance families, careers and all the things that are most dear to us.
Body Harmony Yoga has already visibly established the addition of a talented Administration Assistant and teacher (Shaina Trumble), as well as four new experienced teachers to the schedule (Kari Winfield, Sarah Harrison, Catherine Wang and Loretta Dugaro). This season, we have also added some different and exciting Wellness Workshops and classes. So please peruse the website and take a moment to book a session which will naturally move you towards growth and change.
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend and check the schedule for any class cancellations before attending. We look forward to seeing you and having everyone back this fall!
Blessings,
Lori, Shaina, Ellen & Teachers at Body Harmony
Congratulations Allan Gauthier! Allan decided to challenge himself this summer by coming to 30 classes in 30 days, and he succeeded! Allan explains his yoga experience…
“My yoga journey started last summer. I was hoping that the stretching would help out my marathon running. After two months, I surprised myself by taking a full 10 minutes off my previous best time when I ran the Victoria marathon in October.
I returned to yoga again in June due to an injury, but something different happened. I found that each class would be better than the last. I started to understand what it meant to “breathe into your hips, or breathe into your lower back”, and it felt great to do that. To quote one of the instructors, I am now learning to “cultivate my intention” during the whole class.
Every single class is different here. Even if go to the same instructor, you will be taught new stretches, breathing techniques and strength routines. As a beginner, I am very pleased that the instructors will carefully guide me into the proper position for new poses, as well as correct my posture, to ensure I don’t feel any pain, and to maximize the benefits of the various poses. I am just beginning to understand the yoga journey is a very long road to travel, and it may take years and years to reach a destination….at least I’m hoping it will take that long!”
This seminar provides a fun environment to introduce participants to the appropriate skills to increase personal safety and empowerment. Self-defence involves a combination of awareness, assertiveness, and action where necessary. Attendees learn about the key elements of preparedness, prevention, and protection that apply to situations from a simple nuisance up to an assailant. Raymond has over thirty years experience in martial arts and applies his kinesiology degree in the area of health and wellness. Iain has over twenty years experience coaching and instructing athletics.
Sunday September 12th
12:30 - 2:30 pm
$20 plus hst - Preregister Now
Learn the basic life saving techniques of CPR and removal of an obstruction for kids under 8 years old. DID YOU KNOW the #1 reason for doing CPR in infants is choking (0 to 1 year)? And the #1 reason for doing CPR in children is drowning (1 to 8 yrs)? Michele Labelle worked as Respiratory Therapist at BC’s Children Hospital for 16 years in the ICU and special care nursery. She brings her experience to teaching CPR in a fun and realistic approach to saving your child’s life. Please read the white pages of the telephone book (pp. 26-28) on safety and come with a teddy bear (or small doll) and piece of paper and pen. Minimum 10 students.
Sunday September 26th
12:30 - 2:30 pm
$20 plus hst - Preregister Now
Join us for practicing Hatha Yoga postures and breathing exercises that are done in an environment that welcomes your baby. You will improve your endurance, flexibility, and pelvic floor movement in a fun and safe space. You will feel better and appreciate being in a community with other moms and babies (aged 4 weeks to 10 months). Fun stories with tea and cookies are shared after class!
Mondays September 13th to November 29th (Class is Full)
Wednesdays September 15th to November 29th
11:00am - 12:00pm
10 Classes / 11 Weeks for $135 plus hst - Preregister Now
Do you suffer from bloating, low-energy, ‘brain-fog’ or digestive concerns? These are common signs of excess toxins overloading your system! Come work with Sarah in Yoga for Digestive Health and Detoxification and work through a progressive specifically designed gentle practice that allows your mind and body to release and detoxify , winding down with aromatherapy and savasana in a warmed room. Take home exercises, lots of breath-work, and nutritional guidance for your best inner health! With over 5 years of cumulative experience working with healthcare practitioners including naturopaths, colon-hydrotherapists, pharmacists, natural pharmacists, aromatherapists, Sarah brings her varied experience to you and to your best health… from within. Sign up early to make the commitment to your best health, from within.
Thursdays September 16th to November 25th
11:00am - 12:15pm
10 Classes / 11 Weeks for $135 plus hst - Preregister Now
Banyen Books and Sound welcome back Deva Premal and Miten, accompanied by Manose on bansuri flute for another evening of ecstatic music, “The Yoga of Sacred Song and Mantra.” Song and Kirtan will float through the air as we join in on the chanting, aligning hearts in a spirit of oneness.
Sunday, September 12 at 7:30pm
Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver
Tickets Range from $25 to $55 (plus HSt & fees)
Tickets are reserved, and are available at
Banyen Books, 3608 W. 4th Ave, Vancouver, 604-737-8858 or;
Centennial Theatre, 604-984-4484
The Bowen Island Retreat & Cleanse at Xenia Sanctuary is going ahead this spring! Secure your space for a refreshing weekend that will include:
~ 3 Nights in Shared Accommodations
~ 3 Cleansing Breakfasts
~ 3 Healthy Vegetarian Lunches
~ 2 Delicious Vegetarian Dinners
~ 5 Yoga Classes & 5 Sitting Meditations
October 14th to 17th, 2010
Thursday 8pm to Sunday Noon
$100 Deposit due at sign up. Final payment due one month prior to departure - Preregister Now
Retreat Orientation Friday October 1st from 7:30-8:30pm.
When you’re going through a particularly stressful or anxious time, pampering yourself is an amazing way to bring more joy and peace into your life. By using pure and natural ingredients in your home spa treatments, you will decrease the amount of chemicals in your life and you increase your sense of calm and serenity!
- Add sea salt, seaweed or algae products to your bath. These will stimulate blood circulation, help your body excrete toxins and tone your skin.
- Use lavender, eucalyptus, rose, lemon, or tea tree pure essential oils in a steam shower. These scents help to calm your nerves.
- Apply mud or seaweed to your skin to draw out any impurities and hydrate your skin.
- Create a natural scub with a mixture of olive oil and salt or sugar to remove dead skin. Gentle exfoliation will give your skin a glow, and you will also be able to enjoy the massaging aspect of the therapy too.
- Massage your feet and hands with a calming essential oil such as lavender, melissa, chamomile or rose. You might be surprised how many sore spots you have on your hands and feet.
Fresh, local produce is not only better for you but also for the environment. Here are some tips to 
On the way to your next class, check out our new and imporved outdoor sign!
Yes! Lori will be down at John Lawson Park in West Vancouver for Mixed Levels Hatha Yoga instruction Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 - 11:30am. Classes run from June 15th to September 2nd weather permitting. (We will be there even if it is cloudy but not if it’s drizzling or raining). Please bring a yoga mat and beach towel, along with some sunscreen. Arrive at least 10 minutes early, especially if you prefer a spot in the shade. Class fee is $10 cash or you may use your BHYS pass. Right now until June 18th, you can purchase 9 Weeks of Unlimited Yoga for $99! Do join us for this opportunity to lift your spirit and get in touch with nature.
We have all experienced anxiety or a sleepless night. So when you’re restless, or it’s 3:30am and you haven’t had an adequate sleep, what do you do? Rather than allow your mind to run wild, look at it as an opportunity to simply focus on the moment. Sit still or lie down in śavāsana (the corpse pose), deepen your breathing, and just be with the sensations in your body. If you are truly in the moment, you will experience a peacefulness that can embrace the whole range of experience. No longer preoccupied with all the things that were making you anxious or keeping you awake, you settle into a sincere acceptance of what is. To develop this ability with ease, we need continual practice. Fortunately, a regular yoga practice can make you a mindfulness master!
Congratulations 
Save the HST on all passes by purchasing prior to June 1st. Our additional promotional offer:
Do you suffer from bloating, low-energy, ‘brain-fog’ or digestive concerns? These are common signs of excess toxins overloading your system! Come work with Sarah in Yoga for Digestive Health and Detoxification and work through 
Calling all Goddesses! Join resident yoga teacher Teresa Campbell for an 
On June 4th, Deepak will speak in Vancouver on his latest work: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul~How To Create A New You & The Ultimate Happiness Prescription~The 7 Keys to JOY and Enlightenment…plus much more! This is a new talk for 2010 with many fresh insights, practical tools, experiential components, and the solid foundational material Deepak Chopra is known for. We are pleased to offer you an opportunity to save 10% when you use our promotional code YOGA when purchasing your seats to see Deepak Chopra bring his most radical statement about healing yet. The latest work from the most well known expert on health and wellness shows why spiritual wellness must come first to facilitate lasting change. Come and see why Dr. Mehmet Oz says that 
Discover the original Avatars and learn how their ancient wisdom can profoundly change the way you view the world. Jeffrey Armstrong’s wise counsel and insightful teachings have already affected hundreds of thousands of people around the world — his goal is to 
Commitment is strong word. Dedicating oneself to an engagement means a decision has been made and the integrity of word behind that decision will be tested. Whether the commitment involves a couple of hours for physical participation, a year of obligation to school/work, or a lifelong pledge to a spouse, we can expect an energetic shift. This type of shift is needed for life to grow and flow.
On June 4th, Deepak will speak in Vancouver on his latest work: Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul~How To Create A New You & The Ultimate Happiness Prescription~The 7 Keys to JOY and Enlightenment…plus much more! This is a new talk for 2010 with many fresh insights, practical tools, experiential components, and the solid foundational material Deepak Chopra is known for. We are pleased to offer you an opportunity to 
Experience an interactive workshop where you will bond to your baby and your partner, while celebrating this amazing stage in life! 
Have fun creating a 
Do you suffer from bloating, low-energy, ‘brain-fog’ or digestive concerns? These are common signs of excess toxins overloading your system! Come work with Sarah in Yoga for Digestive Health and Detoxification and work through 
Calling all Goddesses! Join resident yoga teacher Teresa Campbell for an 
Warmly, Jane.”
The Spring 2010 Yoga Retreat & Cleanse at the Xenia Retreat Center on Bowen Island was a huge success!