5 zen things to do in Vancouver, Canada's epicentre of chill
Vancouver is famous for its thriving health and wellness industry, and, if I may, its om-centric culture, so it's no surprise that the laid-back city has a plethora of options for those looking to get "zen". Everyone from daily-practice Yogis to stressed-out, time-crunched Type-As hoping to tap into the potential health benefits of yoga and meditation (which is everything from lowering blood pressure to easing depression and anxiety!) have countless choices. The choices themselves? They range too, from the straightforward to the seriously out-there. Here are our top five favourite ways to get in that Lotus Land state-of-mind.
Hit The Dharma Temple for Yoga Nidra
This cozy little East Van studio occasionally offers full-length Yoga Nidra classes, but also includes the practise in their Kundalini and Dharma Yoga classes. Yoga Nidra is designed to evoke a state somewhere between rest and sleep that resets the parasympathetic nervous system. The practise involves lying down on a mat, covered in blankets, and doing a guided relaxation. The times we've attended, it's involved a relaxing body scan meditation and visualization that left us feeling refreshed for hours later. "It's very important to us that the practises we share at The Dharma Temple are balanced and leave space for healing," the studio's Sara Jade Gooding tells us in an email. "Everyone is trying to manage busy lives, and there is a great deal of stress on our nervous systems in these times when we are always connected to devices." This community-minded centre also offers free meditations on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Take a restorative yoga class at Semperviva
Restorative yoga is a slow, gentle practise that involves just a handful of poses per session. You cushion yourself with bolsters, cover your eyes with tiny soft pillows, wrap yourself in blankets, and allow yourself to be enveloped in comfort. The practise, essentially adult naptime, promotes deep relaxation and is meant to transition your nervous system from fight-or-flight mode into a state of profound rest and revitalization. For best results, try Tianne Allan's excellent class at Semperviva Kits Beach. Her voice is impossibly soothing, and the meditations she offers help induce a peaceful, dreamlike state. http://www.semperviva.com
Meditate at the Shambhala Centre
The Shambhala Centre is a community hub for mindfulness-awareness meditation, a 2500 year-old tradition. It offers both free learn-to-meditate classes and free open meditation hours. Head to their light-filled, incense-scented Heather Street hall, settle into the silence, and feel the stress melt away.
Try a Gong Bath Meditation at Just Yoga
This unique form of meditation, essentially a therapeutic sound session, is gaining popularity around the world. Participants lie on mats and allow the sound vibrations from a large gong instrument to wash over them, apparently triggering a rest response in the nervous system. The sensations are unusual, and the skill level of the Gong Master plays a big role in the experience, but when it's done well – as it is at Just Yoga – there's really nothing like it.
Laugh your way to good health with a Laughter Yoga Club
You won't want to miss giving this unusual form of yoga a try. Developed in 1995 in Mumbai, India by Dr. Madan Kataria and his yoga teaching wife, this fusion of easy movement, breathing exercises and children's games attempts to harness the healing benefits of laughter.
It's now practiced in 65 countries worldwide, and Vancouver is home to several thriving clubs, including one for cancer patients. Surprisingly joyful, our session led to out-of-control belly laughs and more fun than we'd had in ages. Take that, stress!
Or try your own Yoga at home with Boho Beautiful: