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yells at me). When all the guests—there are 13 of us in total—meet in the lodge for our orientation, we're asked to introduce ourselves, and say our word of intention for the astrological new year. Chris picks "rising," eliciting oohs from the other guests. They're experts: including Chris and I, only five of the 13 have never been to Nectar before. The rest have already fallen in love with this forest retreat. They are "real" yoga people. And just as I'm beginning to feel entirely out of my element, Andrea, who is leading the orientation cross-legged on a soft grey sofa, says, "Yoga is for everyone—for every mind, for every body." With that, we're off to put that to the test: the first lesson starts just after orientation. Inside the yoga dome, the instructor, Sarah, starts by talking about the full moon happening tonight. It's a good time to charge your crystals in the moonlight, she says, then she lists some of the wild- life—ducks, deer, owls—that we're likely to see during our stay. After that, she guides us through our first movement session. For an amateur like me, it feels very stretch focused. There are no challenging poses or upside-down acrobatics. It's more about breathing and being aware of your body and your energy. It's a very pleasant intro- duction to a world I don't yet feel a part of. DAY TWO The first morning starts at 8 a.m. with a half-hour guided meditation, so I'm excited when Andrea says we'll begin the session lying down. But it's not for our comfort: we're about to do a breathing exercise that, according to the instructor, may create a heightened sense of aware- ness and leave you feeling invigorated. We do a pursed-lip, in-in-out breathing pattern for the duration of a song. Then, we dive into a more typical meditation, imagining energy that starts in our toes and slowly flows up through the rest of our bodies. My husband later says that, going by my breathing, I was likely asleep during this portion of the morning (I think I simply transcended to a higher plane). But I am very awake during the movement that follows: while Andrea offers plenty of adjustments and options, this class is Local Getaways BOWEN ISL AND more physically advanced. I feel confident, though, largely because I've noticed that no one seems to care at all how downward my dog is. That sense of anonymity fades during breakfast. A dish of potatoes, quinoa salad, toast and a hard-boiled egg is sitting at every spot at the long table when we enter the lodge post-yoga. There is no human in sight, which feels a bit like Beauty and the Beast. (Later, I learn that the food was prepared by the lovely retreat chef, Aya, rather than by a chorus of sentient cutlery.) Lynne floats in while we're eating to pass around "conversation cards"—notecards printed with questions like "What smell makes you feel nostalgic" and "When was the last time you felt unbridled joy." Many opt not to answer the latter, a sign of how important this stay is; if nothing else, it's an opportunity to slow down, reflect and reset. The conversation cards do their job, and soon everyone is chatting over their quinoa and coffee. Like us, a couple of other guests have booked in at Mist Ther- mal Sanctuary after breakfast. As we walk up the winding forest path- way toward Mist, the full beauty of the It 's a St retc h C lo c k wi se fro m to p : N e cta r 's A -fra m e s in gl e - o c c u p a n cy c a b in s a re m o d e rn a n d c oz y. Th e g e o d e s i c Yo g a D o m e b e ats a ny swe at y stu d i o in th e c it y. Th e l o d g e is a p e ac eful c o m m u n it y g ath e rin g p l ac e (a n d w h e re ve g eta ri a n b re a k fa st is s e r ve d p ro m ptly p o st-yo g a). 62 To p, c l o c k w i s e : R o b i n B o n n e r, L a u r a Z e k e, R o b i n B o n n e r, C h r i s Gir a r d , R o b i n B o n n e r ; illu s t r a t i o n : D a r i a c h e k m a n /A d o b e S t o c k ; i c o n : Ta s t y_ c a t /A d o b e S t o c k B C B U S I N E S S . C A J U N E 2 0 2 5

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