The Yoga Diaries
Learning mindfulness by immersion at a secluded
wellness retreat on Bowen Island
By Alyssa Hirose
Local Getaways BOWEN ISL AND
W
hen I'm packing for any trip, I'll optimistically
shove a single set of workout clothes into the
bottom of my bag (where, usually, it remains until
I get home). But the day before leaving for Nectar Yoga
Retreat, I make sure my husband Chris and I have three
sets each: this two-night getaway on Bowen Island, just
northwest of Vancouver, promises at least one hour-long
movement session per day. After the 20-minute ferry ride
from Horseshoe Bay, we'll be joining—or infiltrating—a
group of diehard yogis on a journey of introspection and
relaxation surrounded by the gorgeous Pacific Northwest
landscape. Unsure of how I should mentally prepare,
I focus on outfits. Three pairs of socks will have to be
enough, because lately mine have been going missing.
DAY ONE
A woman named Lynne checks us in, then gives us a
short tour of the Nectar grounds. She's the most soft-
spoken person I've ever met—having a delicate whisper
of a voice must be an asset, if not a requirement, when
one works at a remote yoga retreat. We walk by the three
minimalist A-frame cabins, the four cottages and the
lodge, where we'll gather soon for orientation and then
again every morning for a communal breakfast. A short
walk up the hill, there's Mist Thermal Sanctuary, a sauna/
cold plunge experience that opened on the property
in January 2025. In the opposite direction, there's the
geodesic yoga dome, where all of Nectar's guests will
meet for meditation, breathwork and movement. As we
navigate the gravel pathways, my husband quietly says for
one night only at the Yogadome several times in his best
monster-truck-announcer impression. That voice would
not be an asset if he wanted a job here.
Jokes aside, Chris is much better suited to this kind
of experience than I am. He likes to meditate, and he
prioritizes his own physical and mental wellness (read:
he'll go to the community centre sauna solo or devote
an entire gym session to stretching). My own movement
routine isn't about inner peace (read: I prefer a fitness
studio that blasts club beats while a chiselled instructor
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