Being a Person of Colour I never gave much thought before to being a person of colour.  I was born in Canada; my parents were born in Canada and even one of my grandparents was born here.  I was fortunate to grow up in a multicultural community where I did not feel like I was much different from other people.  As a child, I remember racial slurs being used towards…

Spring 2020 Update "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." -  Alan Watts   Hope everyone is staying well.  With this new, temporary way of life, we thought we'd share a few updates and some of our favourite things to do while physical distancing.Unfortunately, we have had to postpone a few retreats until it's safe to travel…

Bodyweight HIIT Workout Looking for a high-intensity, bodyweight workout that you can do at home?  Give the following HIIT workout a try which was created by our co-founder and personal trainer, Lisa Gordon.  All you need is a yoga mat (if you are doing it in bare feet on a slippery surface like a wood floor), towel (or socks), water and your favourite workout music.  Click here to link to…

5 Simple Vegetarian Recipes With most practicing physical distancing by staying at home during COVID-19, many of us, out of necessity, or perhaps because we now have more time, have been firing up our culinary skills in the kitchen!  For those looking for simple, healthy and delicious ideas, below are some of my favourite recipes.  Each can easily be adapted to be vegan or include your choice of meat-based protein.…

Staying Well While Social Distancing It's a very uncertain and unsettling time for everyone, and it's hard to believe that the entire world is facing some level of isolation right now. While we all distance ourselves from society it is more important then ever that we look after our mental and physical well-being. Below we have listed some recommendations for staying well during social distancing. Keep Moving -  Just because our…

Intentional Goal Setting We recently had the pleasure of hosting an Evening of Yoga and Intentional Goal Setting at RYU in Vancouver with Renew Retreats. The evening began with a 1-hour yoga practice guided by our co-founder, Melanie Yip, where our guests first built a stable foundation and ignited their personal power and self will.  Afterwards, we had short break and enjoyed refreshments provided by Bucha Brew and Conscious Cookie,…

 Wellness Trends in 2020 The health and wellness industry gained momentum at a rapid pace over the past decade and we don't expect the growth to slow down over the coming decade.  Below are our top 5 predictions for the biggest wellness trends in 2020. 5. Fitness Wearables  With Apple's continued focus on improving the Apple Watch and Google's acquisition of Fitbit we can expect to see huge advances in…

Yoga Class Types For anyone new to yoga, the different types of yoga classes available may be confusing.  Below are some of the most common types of classes offered.  Please note that the following descriptions are a general guideline as the intensity and style of a class can vary depending on the studio, gym or instructor.   Hatha Today, Hatha usually describes a slower moving practice where poses are held for…

Unplugging We recently returned from two weeks in Baja California Sur, Mexico.  What was planned as a working holiday quickly became our very own wellness retreat.  It wasn't until we arrived in Mexico that we realized how exhausted and stressed we both felt.       Throughout our vacation, we worked as planned, but left ample time to relax, reflect and nourish our minds and bodies so we could feel well…

Training for a Half Marathon I have run a few marathons in my life, but have realized that the half marathon is my favourite distance.  Training for a half doesn’t overtake your life, the longest run is no more than two hours and you don’t have to make significant changes to your diet if you already eat healthy.  It also doesn’t feel as hard on your body or leave you…