Insights From Our Yoga and Meditation Retreats on Bowen Island, BC

Welcome to the Nectar Retreat’s blog, where we share ancient, healing mind-body-spirit practices that honour the changing seasons, the intelligence of the body, and the desire for harmony within and external to us. Nestled in the coastal rainforest of Bowen Island, just a 20-minute ferry ride from Vancouver, BC, Nectar offers yoga and meditation retreats designed to nourish your system and support your return to what’s essential. Our space is a New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler trusted destination for those seeking health and wellness retreats in British Columbia, and draws renowned facilitators and visionaries to host yoga, movement, consciousness, and spiritual retreats.

August As A Saturation Point

August holds a particular kind of threshold. The pace of summer begins to shift. Gardens stretch into overgrowth, calendars brim with plans, and a subtle undercurrent of transition starts to stir.

This time of year, many of us arrive at a quiet saturation point, holding more in our minds and bodies than we intended. Over-sunned skin, unfinished lists, and even a yearning to return to a routine again. At Nectar, we think of August as the season of exhale, and the preparation to begin shedding for the autumn that September will bring.

Practices for Shedding Stress

Letting go doesn’t always happen in one gesture; it’s often a layering off. These selected postures are slow, grounding, and supportive of the body’s natural capacity to unwind. They offer release within our muscles, but also in the deeper beliefs and patterns we hold when we’re trying to keep up. If you’re looking to deepen your yoga practice for relaxation and calm, you may also find our recent blog post on breathwork for regulation helpful.

These shapes are frequently integrated into our late summer outdoor yoga classes on the pier at Snug Cove (one of the most popular things to do on Bowen Island). You may also notice shedding as part of the dialogue within our retreats and wellness programming, especially during restorative and reflective moments. If you’re wanting to practice with us from home, we invite you to play this Spotify playlist, and hold these yoga postures with us…

Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
Release the hips and surrender control

Our hips tend to be a catchment for what we don’t process, whether they are tension from travel, relationships, and emotional bracing due to life’s stressors. Pigeon allows us to approach these deeper holdings with compassion and breath.

How to Practise:

From downward-facing dog or tabletop, bring your right knee forward behind the wrist.
Stretch the left leg long behind you.
Keep the hips level and soften into the fold. Feel free to use a block to support your head.
Breathe here for 1–3 minutes before switching sides.

Why It Matters:
This pose offers both structural and emotional decompression, and is especially helpful for those who sit for extended amounts of time. It’s a frequent favourite in our Bowen Island yoga retreats, where guests come to gently unwind stored stress in a calm, forested environment.

Bowtie Pose (Garbhasana)
Unravel the upper back and soften the inner dialogue

This posture unravels the mid-back and shoulders, a zone often clenched in times of stress or urgency (did you know that the terms ‘neck stretches’ and ‘stretching exercise for neck’ are among the most highly searched stretches on the internet?)

How to Practise:

Lie belly-down and cross your arms beneath your chest, like a soft hug.
Rest your forehead on the mat or a block.
Allow gravity to gently release the upper back.
Switch the arm cross halfway through.

Why It Matters:
This deeply restorative pose invites slowness and self-compassion. Often included in our silent yoga retreat programming, Bowtie Pose helps create a moment of personal intimacy and ease.

Forward Fold or Wide Leg Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)
Ground through the legs and clear the mental fog

Inversions can be potent without being complex. This fold cools the mind, stretches the inner legs and spine, and encourages the kind of surrender that simply asks us to allow.

How to Practise:

Stand with legs hips apart or wide, feet parallel.
Inhale to lengthen the spine.
Exhale and fold forward, letting the crown of the head descend.
Rest hands on the floor, a block, or ankles.

Why It Matters:
This pose stabilizes the nervous system and draws awareness inward. It’s particularly helpful for those navigating emotional sensitivity / reactivity or overwhelm as the seasons shift, or are in a metaphorical seasonal shift.

Softening Does Not Need A Reason ( & VACATIONS on Bowen Island Does Not Need A Reason)

Letting go is rarely loud, and more often than not, asks us to simply be instead of do. To do it in an embodied way is more of a quiet decision to meet the moment without tension. Actions in the body may be exhaling fully, unclenching the jaw, or even saying no without guilt or apology.

As we approach the end of summer, we invite you to make space for this kind of softness, so you can let the Earth to hold your weight. Nectar’s 2-night yoga and breakfast-included stays offer gentle structure for those looking to rest, reflect, and reset. We also host multi-day retreats, day retreats, and other community offerings throughout the year, focused on embodied healing, spiritual inquiry, and seasonal integration. (And if you're here just for the day, consider relaxing at our sister venue, Mist Thermal, a private sauna and cold plunge spa on Bowen Island, where you can relish in a 90 minute or 120 minute Nordic spa circuit. Or try our outdoor Hatha yoga classes right here on Bowen Island during the summer on a Saturday or Sunday morning from 9-10AM.

About Nectar Yoga Retreat

Set among the tall cedars and ocean air of Bowen Island, Nectar Yoga Retreat offers modern yet soulful accommodations, nourishing vegetarian meals, and intentionally curated yoga and meditation retreats in BC. Together with our sister brand, Mist Thermal, Nectar is a leading destination for those seeking spaciousness, rest, and reconnection through wellness retreat experiences.

Works Cited

Disclaimer: The practices shared in this blog are intended for informational purposes only and are not a replacement for professional advice. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new wellness routine, particularly if you have health concerns, are pregnant, or have physical limitations. Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The authors and publishers are not liable for any injuries or adverse effects resulting from the use of these practices.