Women’s Yoga for Scoliosis
with Deborah Wolk
Salt Spring Island, BC
June 27-30, 2019
This workshop will be held on beautiful Salt Spring Island on the West Coast of Canada. MAP
ABOUT THE RETREAT
Women’s Yoga for Scoliosis: Practices for the stages of life — Adolescence, Fertility years (menstruation; prenatal and postnatal), and peri / postmenopause.
When was your scoliosis diagnosed? Was it during a hormonal shift like adolescence or menopause? Did your curve degree change when you had children? Did your bone structure change when you took drugs for breast cancer or osteoporosis, or when you got hormonal treatments?
Scoliosis presenting itself or progressing further (or resolving!) post-adolescence is rarely talked about in the medical community, but it is both real and common.
How can a yoga practice support the scoliotic body during these hormonal shifts—whether natural or chemically-induced? Or, conversely, how can a yoga practice specific to scoliosis help us adjust to our hormonal shifts as they are bound to happen and simultaneously contribute to a healthy bone structure.
Join Deborah Wolk for this unique melding of women's yoga in the tradition of Geeta S. Iyengar and Yoga for Scoliosis on the majestic west coast of Canada! Enjoy a revitalizing and rejuvenating 4-day retreat surrounded by the wildlife of Salt Spring Island while learning to manage scoliosis with yoga at all stages of life. This retreat workshop is for all levels, as well as for students with spinal fusions. Teachers who work with students who have scoliosis are also encouraged to attend.
ABOUT THE DESTINATION
Salt Spring Island is known as the largest and most popular of the many gulf islands on the west coast of Canada. With its spectacular coastal and pastoral scenery, the island offers many outdoor activities, as well as the opportunity to explore dozens of artist studios and artisanal farms and markets. The workshop will be held at the wonderful Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. Salt Spring Island is a quick float plane ride from Vancouver International Airport. Or you can arrive via a stunning ferry ride from Vancouver or Victoria.
ABOUT DEBORAH WOLK
Having practiced yoga for her own scoliosis since 1994, Deborah has found that alignment-based yoga can control back pain and arrest the progression of the curvature and twist. In January 2015, Deborah founded Samamkaya Yoga Back Care and Scoliosis Collective in New York City – the only Yoga Center specializing in back care and scoliosis operating as a workers’ cooperative in the world! Deborah’s yoga teaching is inspired by her mentors, Elise Browning Miller, Bobbie Fultz, Genny Kapuler, Karin Stephan and Donald Moyer, and by therapeutic practices observed at medical classes at The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India. Her understanding of the organs is supported by ongoing study of Experiential Anatomy with Genny Kapuler and through her work with teacher Rachel Lynch-John in Body-Mind Centering techniques, a study she loves as much as Yoga itself. Deborah Wolk is certified by IAYT.
COST
Workshop Only Package - $425 +tax
Sliding scale available
Full Retreat Package - $780 +tax
(Book by April 30 to save $50 on the Full Retreat Package!)
Full Retreat Package Includes:
Daily yoga, movement, meditation and relaxation classes
Catered meals and snacks
Shared accommodation
Shuttle from airport or ferry terminal
ACCOMMODATION
Participants will stay on site at the lovely Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. Rooms are double or triple accommodation, with a small number of private rooms available for an extra cost.
Camping is available for a reduced cost.
TRANSPORTATION
Get to Salt Spring island by sea on BC Ferries, to either the Swartz Bay or Long Harbour ferry terminals. If you are arriving from Victoria (Vancouver Island), you will need to be on the Swartz Bay Ferry to Fulford Harbour route. If you are traveling from Vancouver, you will need to take the Tsawwassen Ferry to Long Harbour. You can also travel Vancouver Tsawwassen to Victoria Swartz Bay and then on to Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring. There are many different sailing choices, check BC Ferries for more info.
Get to Salt Spring island by air from Vancouver to Salt Spring Island (40 minutes). Harbour Air runs sea planes from Downtown Vancouver and from Vancouver Airport (YVR/South Vancouver) to Ganges Harbour on the island. Alternate airlines are Sea Air and Saltspring Air.
You will be picked up from your arrival spot on Salt Spring island - all we need to know are your flight or ferry details. Contact us or we will be in touch closer to the retreat.
RETREAT SCHEDULE (Subject to Change)
Thursday June 27, 2019
Arrivals
6pm-9pm Dinner & Introduction
Friday June 28, 2019
8:00am – Breakfast
9:30am - 12:30pm – Morning Morning Session
12:30pm - 1:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm - 4:00pm – Break
4:00pm - 6:00pm – Afternoon Session
6:30pm - 9:00pm – Dinner & Lecture/Activity
Saturday June 29, 2019
8:00am – Breakfast
9:30am - 12:30pm – Morning Session
12:30pm - 1:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm - 4:00pm – Break
4:00pm - 6:00pm – Afternoon Session
6:30pm - 9:00pm – Dinner & Lecture/Activity
Sunday June 30, 2019
8:00am - Breakfast
9:30am - 12:30pm – Morning Session
12:30pm - 1:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm – Departures