An Extra Dash of Relaxation: A Recap of Our Yoga Event
Let’s imagine a perfect spa day: You arrive at the spa early. You make your way to the Finlandia sauna to see what time the Aufguss rituals are on. Maybe you’ve got a massage booked or a body care treatment. Maybe you head to the panoramic pool for a bit or start your thermal cycle in the eucalyptus steam room and cold plunge right out front. Whether you’ve been known to sit by the fire in the Lounge or sway the day away in a hammock, today, August 22, there’s something new on the menu: 5 yoga classes.
Our First-Ever Yoga at the Spa Event
Morning Yoga With Sandrine
It’s 10:30 a.m. and the sun is finally peeking through the clouds after days of gloomy weather. The grand windows of the yoga space above the Banya sauna are still closed to keep away the morning’s chill. Soft music plays on. Mats are occupied. It’s time to meet our first instructor of the day: Sandrine.
Some of this morning’s participants might recognize their instructor, but where they wonder? The answer is simple: in a sauna. Over a decade of yoga practice led Sandrine to pursue a career as a yoga teacher after graduating Law School. “Without my yoga training, I would’ve never become a Rituals Artisan” she explains how working here, telling a story through choreography in saunas while training as a yoga teacher allowed her to fulfil her craving for movement.
With this morning’s yoga class, Sandrine happily shares a different passion with the spa’s guests. As the class continues, students are invited to partake in creative and challenging poses, an indicator of their teacher’s past as a ballet dancer. As she uses Koshi chimes—an instrument similar to wind chimes—to punctuate a restorative twist position, she reflects: “Yoga is more open than dance, it’s more body positive, and I enjoyed moving to something that is less restrictive.”
The class ends on a high note, literally, as Sandrine takes out a crystal singing bowl she brought from home during Savasana. As her students slowly make their way out of the room, she reminisces, “I actually gave a yoga class here last December. It was in preparation for my yoga exam. It was before the spa opened, early in the morning, and there had been a massive snowstorm the night before. Attendance wasn’t quite the same as it was today! It’s amazing to feel the difference between then and now.” And so her day continues, and maybe she’ll see her yoga students on the sauna benches of the rituals she’ll partake in today.
Midday Yoga with Brandon
As we run into Gabrielle Seguin, one of the event’s organizers, she exclaims how she’s heard plenty of people around the spa saying things like “oh this is different!” and “we should sign up!” It’s only midday but the event is well on its way to success.
It’s 12:30 p.m. now and Brandon arrives in a room full of sunshine and soon full of students. He’ll also be here to host the 2:30 p.m. class. As he makes the space his own, he opens the large windows to let the air and the sounds of nature flow through the space.
In Chelsea for the day with plans to stop in Mont-Tremblant before heading home to Montreal, Brandon is a social entrepreneur, community builder and Lululemon ambassador. “I got into yoga for my mental health,” he explains, “yoga moves much more than our physical bodies and can transmute a wide variety of issues.” It’s his first time at the spa and he’s excited to provide visitors with an extra dash of relaxation.
As the class Brandon described as a slow hatha ends, and the signing bowls resonate one final time, he makes his way down the stairs and disappears among the other guests, ready to enjoy his own spa adventure.
Evening Yoga With Kas
Rehydrating with a cup of tea or a glass of lemon-lavender twist or mint and cucumber-infused water always available in a corner of the space above the Banya sauna, guests arrive for the final two yoga lessons of the day at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. with Kas.
Back from three years managing a studio and teaching yoga in Ireland, today’s two classes are her first on North American soil. Next week, she’ll be off to Australia for the next three months. While she’s at Nordik, she shares her passion about yoga and the connection it creates with her students. She makes space for warmth and community as golden hour bathes the spa in warm sunlight. Guests are invited to slow down, tune in and reconnect with their mind, body and spirit.
“It’s delightful to give folks another moment of peace in an already wildly tranquil space” Kas exclaims after the class. And as she mentions hoping to one day return, we can’t help but agree.
Whether you were there with us this past August 22 or are reading this in the hopes that we announce our next event, we invite you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to find out about our next event, be it yoga or something else.