Greetings and Happy Spring to all. It is an amazing time of year on Vancouver Island. We are enjoying fresh greens and radishes from the garden, Chocolate Mint that keeps coming back year after year and parsnips that survived the winter. Between planting the summer garden and harvesting the endless Nettles that are growing wild, we have managed to put together an incredible schedule for our upcoming season.
If you have access to Fresh Nettles, brew up a cup of this antioxidant enriched elixir and read on…….Nutritionally nettles are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron and numerous trace elements as well as a range of vitamins. The young shoots can be used in soups and stews and in place of spinach.

DAY PASSES TO PADMA'S VANCOUVER ISLAND RETREAT

A day-rate for local residents is now offered at the Padma Yoga and Meditation retreat in Sooke!

Sunday May 21 and Friday May 26, 2006 will be open for $99 each (includes gst).

The schedule is:
10 am to 12noon: Philosophy of Yoga/Meditation
Noon: Lunch (Sample menu, catered by Milagro Retreats) Coconut Yam Soup, Homemade Spelt Sourdough and Chick Pea Salad
2:00-2:30 Meditation
Yoga and Breath Work class 2:30 -4:30pm.
Silk Road Tea and Prana-infused snacks are included
Please come and invite your friends to these glorious days on the spectacular west coast!
Please email or call to register for one or both of these days.

ANOTHER DELICIOUS RECIPE WITH NETTLES

Stinging Nettle and Goat Cheese Spanakopita (serves 6)

6 cups fresh Nettles (spinach may be substituted)
2 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Ghee or unsalted butter
3 leeks minced
2 cups diced mushrooms
3 Garlic cloves minced
1 cup goat cheese, either chevre or feta
1 Tbsp dried Dill or 3 Tbsp fresh
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
6 sheets of phyllo cut into 4 equal strips. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to use
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 Tbsp Poppy seeds (Opt)

1) Steam nettles until soft. Drain and chop
2) While you are steaming the nettles, saute the leeks in olive oil and ghee over medium heat until softened. Add salt and mushrooms, saute 10 minutes or until liquid evaporates.
3) In a medium bowl combine tofu and dill
4) Combine all ingredients and let cool
5) Take one strip of phyllo and brush with olive oil, layer one more onto and repeat olive oil
6) Place 2 Tbsp of filling at the bottom corner and roll in triangles edge to edge (there should be a diagram on the phyllo packaging)
7) Brush top with olive oil and repeat with remaining ingredients
8) Bake at 375 until browned approx. 20 minutes

***This can be made into a vegan dish by using olive oil instead of ghee and 1 block firm organic tofu instead of goat cheese***

WOMEN'S YOGA TEACHERS TRAINING IN TODOS SANTOS

A Posi-Ananda Ashtanga Based Yoga Teacher Training Certification for Women in Baja, Mexico.
August 1 to August 12, 2006 In Todos Santos, Baja, Mexico

This Certification Program Includes:
Shared accommodation at the Todos Santos Inn.
Fresh fruits, avocados, nuts and spring water provided throughout the course
10-12 hours daily instruction of Asanas, anatomy, Pranayama, meditation, sequencing and teaching practicum by Skyy and a group of competent and experience teachers.
Certificate of completion for 100 to 200 hours of training and a letter of reference for the Yoga Alliance Registry.
Guidelines for ideal dietary practices to obtain and maintain higher energy levels and radiant health.
Chakra stimulating practices. Principles for a more conscious communication.

Phone: 1-866-399-4253 Toll Free
Email: valma@herizenadventures.com

ILLUMINATION RETREAT IN TOFINO, B.C.

August 25-28th, 2006
Join Milagro Retreats and Sacred Earth Journeys for an eclectic blend of teachings in Tofino, B.C. This Illuminating 3 day weekend will be filled with daily Yoga, Meditation, 5 Rhythms and Feldenkrais classes. Participate in the most magical event of the summer in Tofino…The Lantern Festival.

All-inclusive Package includes:

3 nights shared accommodation at the Tofino Botanical Gardens
3 Dinners, 3 Brunches
Organic Silk Road Tea and Prana infused snacks
2 Yoga Classes with Lesley Ormiston
2 Yoga/Sacred Dance Classes with Hemalayaa Behl
2 5Rhythms Sweat your Prayers Classes with Lucia Rose Horan
1 Feldenkrais Class with Carsten Hunter
Lantern Making Party
Admission to the Botanical Gardens all weekend, including the Lantern Festival on the eve of the 27th

YOGA DANCE & SACRED CEREMONY RETREAT IN TOFINO, B.C.

August 31st -Sept. 4th, 2006

Join Hemalayaa for a 5 day/4 night Retreat in Beautiful Tofino, B.C. This long Weekend will weave an integrated practice incorporating Hatha flow yoga, moving meditation, fun Indian dance styles and sacred ceremony's from the East and West Indian traditions.

A sweat lodge ceremony will be lead by special guest, Andrew Soliz. Andrew's spirituality comes from the Lakota, Native American tradition. He will be here all weekend with us with options in having healing body work sessions and sacred teachings of the spirits.

This Luxury All-Inclusive Package
Includes:
4 nights shared accommodation at the Tofino Botanical Gardens
4 Dinners, 4 Brunches
Organic Silk Road Tea and Prana infused snacks
Morning yoga classes & evening dance and/or yoga class
Admission to the Botanical Gardens all weekend long


This weekend will nourish your passion for life, the power of community, communion with nature and open your body to abundant joy. We will explore meditation in motion, connected to a heart-centered practice. The experience will renew and refresh our approach to the yoga of life with joy, grace and inner harmony. The intimate group holds the space for both personal intimacy and communication to one's self, each other and Mother Earth.

WOMEN'S YOGA AND SURF WEEKENDS IN TOFINO, B.C.

How are you speding the longest days of the year? Join us June 23-25th in Tofino for one of these affordable 2 night packages. If camping is not your style, we have added an accommodation option at the new Clayquot Field Station in the Botanical Gardens.

We have an amazing line-up of teachers this summer joining us fom Hawaii, Colorado, Vancouver and Victoria. Other dates include:
July 7-9th
July 21-23rd (Almost SOLD OUT!!)
Aug 11-13th
Sept 8-10th


Sample Menu and Itinerary
Friday
4-6pm check in and set up camp
7pm Dinner and campfire **Roasted Polenta cakes with Mushroom Marinara Sauce and Organic Greens w/ Maple Balsamic vinegarette**
Saturday
8am Breakfast **Silk Road Tea, Rise and Shine Museli, Organic Blueberries and Homemade Yogurt**
9-10:30am Eclectic Yoga class with special Guest Teacher
1:30-4:30pm Surf Clinic w/ Surf Sister
6pm Dinner and campfire **Monks Thai Curry with Organic Brown Basmati Rice and Cucumber, Jicama and Mint Salad**
Sunday
8am Breakfast **Silk Road Tea, Rice Pudding with Fruit Compote and Homemade Yogurt**
10-11:30am Eclectic Yoga class with special Guest Teacher
1:30-4:30pm Surf Clinic w/ Surf Sister

Attune with Mother Nature and nurture the Goddess within at one of these All-Women Retreats.

THE FULL MOON IN SCORPIO Friday May 12, 2006 11:51PM PDT

This is the Full Moon to honor the transformative power of truth-telling. This Full Moon is the final piece of the New Moon in Taurus ritual you performed two weeks ago. This is the night to freely release the goals you set at the New Moon, and let the universe support your hard work with its magic. Since this Full Moon falls in a water sign, releasing your intentions near a stream, river, lake, or ocean is particularly powerful. But before you let go, have one last look at your goals. Whom do they truly serve? What will they bring to the world?
~LISA DALE MILLER~

A YOGA JOURNEY TO MACHU PICCHU AND THE SACRED VALLEY

Join Tara Crete for an inspirational retreat to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This is an amazing journey; one that combines exploration of an ancient culture and yoga practice (Knowledge of yoga not required). The Inkas had a deep reverence for Pachamama, mother earth, and possessed and utilized their connection to this spirit in order to develop a deeper experience of themselves. On this journey we will connect with Pachamama by visiting ancient ruins, participating in native shamanic ceremonies held sacred by the people of this land and attuning ourselves with the aid of our guide and shaman to the enigmatic energy and mystery of the Sacred Valley.

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