Join PranaShanti yoga teacher Lindsay Morris and celebrated guitarist Tim Bedner for a mini-retreat that blends meditation and yoga with the distinct pleasure of live acoustic music, to help raise your vibration, shake off the winter blues, and shift your energy for the new season.
Lindsay is a yoga teacher, dancer, and retreat facilitator, who believes in the healing power of music. Guitarist Tim Bedner is a modern lyrical composer and improviser, and an award-winning teacher and performer.
Reviewers have called him “a talent and a force, playing with grace, style, passion, and inventiveness.” His CD recording “Of Light and Shadow” debuted in the #1 spot of the CMJ jazz chart.
Your time together will include the following elements (subject to slight changes), all drawing inspiration from the lessons that nature offers at this time of year:
Opening circle and meditation
Yin + Yang style practice, including slow flows and longer holds in deeper stretches, with grounding touch offered (optional/based on consent) and the accompaniment of Tim Bedner on guitar
Social break with herbal tea and light snacks provided
Guided journalling and arts-based reflections
Closing circle
“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” – Confucius
Please bring your journal, if you have one. All other arts materials will be provided. Dress in comfortable clothes for your yoga practice, and bring layers for added comfort. Yoga mats and props provided for use during the retreat day. No previous yoga experience required. Variations and modifications will be offered, and as always, let your body be your primary teacher.
Cost: $155.00 per person before June March 31, 2027. $175.00 per person thereafter.
Healthy light treat/snacks and herbal tea are included.
Our 3,000-square-foot Education Centre offers a spacious open-concept training area with high ceilings, abundant natural light, and excellent ventilation. Amenities include a fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, kettle, and dishware, a dining area with tables and chairs, two gender-neutral washrooms, and our Administration Office.
Practice postures that encourage a healthy, happy pregnancy and birth. Connect with other as you move your body in ways that feel good and help alleviate some of the common effects of pregnancy.
You will learn breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as simple postures that can be beneficial for your pregnancy, labour and motherhood!
Each week we will discuss topics such as pelvic health, incl. pelvic floor and pelvic stability, diastasis prevention, pain management and birth positions.
These classes are perfect for every stage of pregnancy. In fact, many women stay from beginning thru to their due dates!
Dates and Times:
6-week series
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm each evening
Cost: $190.00 per person for the 6 week series.
$40.00 per person Drop-In Fee.
No previous yoga experience is required.
A birthing partner is welcome to attend at no additional cost.
Location: PranaShanti Education Centre, 950 Gladstone Ave., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON.
Heart of Yoga: Practice, Presence, & Purpose | Day Retreat
Saturday, May 8th, 9:00am - 6:00pm
In-Person Day Retreat
Step away from the busyness of daily life and return to what yoga is truly about.
This Day Retreat is an opportunity to slow down, turn inward, and connect with yoga as a living practice — one that supports peace of mind, self-awareness, and purposeful living.
Whether you are a dedicated yoga student or a practicing teacher, the morning session offers space to deepen your relationship with yoga beyond the postures. The afternoon session is designed specifically for teachers wishing to refine their skills, confidence, and connection to the teachings.
Morning Session: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM For yoga students and teachers
The morning is devoted to cultivating inner awareness, calmness, and a deeper understanding of yoga’s timeless wisdom.
We begin with a welcoming opening circle, setting intention and creating a shared container of presence and connection. From there, you’ll be guided through a meditative yoga practice that emphasizes breath, mindfulness, and inward attention rather than external performance.
Breathwork and guided meditation will support nervous system regulation and mental clarity, followed by a dharma talk and group discussion exploring how yoga works with the mind and supports inner peace. We’ll discuss the Eight Limbs of Yoga as a practical framework for living with greater balance, awareness, and purpose — both on and off the mat.
The morning concludes with a gentle integration period, including herbal tea, reflection, and collective gratitude.
This portion of the retreat is suitable for all levels and does not require prior knowledge of yoga philosophy.
Afternoon Session: 2 PM – 6 PM For yoga teachers, recent graduates and teacher trainees
The afternoon offers a supportive, skill-building environment for teachers who want to strengthen their confidence, refine their teaching skill, and integrate philosophy into real-world teaching.
There will be a Q&A circle where questions and challenges around sequencing, communication, confidence, and the practical realities of teaching are welcomed openly. A hands-on adjustments refresher will revisit ethical, consent-based, and trauma-informed touch, with time to practice alignment-based assists for foundational postures.
Through a philosophy session rooted in the Bhagavad Gita, you’ll explore how ancient teachings can be translated into meaningful class themes and accessible language for modern students. The afternoon also includes peer teaching practice, allowing you to cue, sequence, and receive constructive feedback in a nurturing, non-judgmental setting.
We close the day with reflection, gratitude, and a grounding closing circle to integrate what you’re taking forward into your teaching and personal practice.
This retreat is an invitation to remember why you came to yoga — to reconnect with presence, purpose, and the heart of the practice.
Cost:
Morning Session: $145.00 per person before March 31, 2027. $160.00 per person thereafter.
Afternoon Session: $145.00 per person before March 31, 2027. $160.00 per person thereafter.
Full Day Retreat: $270.00 per person before March 31, 2027. $320.00 per person thereafter.
Note:
For 200 hour certified Yoga Teachers the credits for this training are eligible for CEUs with Yoga Alliance.
This course is also part of our Yoga Alliance 300 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training.
Our 3,000 square foot Education Centre offers a large open concept training area with high ceilings and an abundance of natural light and excellent ventilation. There is a kitchen with fridge, microwave, kettle and dishware. We have a dining area tables and chairs, 2 gender neutral bathrooms, lending library and our administration offices.
Practice postures that encourage a healthy, happy pregnancy and birth. Connect with other as you move your body in ways that feel good and help alleviate some of the common effects of pregnancy.
You will learn breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as simple postures that can be beneficial for your pregnancy, labour and motherhood!
Each week we will discuss topics such as pelvic health, incl. pelvic floor and pelvic stability, diastasis prevention, pain management and birth positions.
These classes are perfect for every stage of pregnancy. In fact, many women stay from beginning thru to their due dates!
Dates and Times:
6-week series
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm each evening
Cost: $190.00 per person for the 6 week series.
$40.00 per person Drop-In Fee.
No previous yoga experience is required.
A birthing partner is welcome to attend at no additional cost.
Location: PranaShanti Education Centre, 950 Gladstone Ave., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON.
Practice postures that encourage a healthy, happy pregnancy and birth. Connect with other as you move your body in ways that feel good and help alleviate some of the common effects of pregnancy.
You will learn breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as simple postures that can be beneficial for your pregnancy, labour and motherhood!
Each week we will discuss topics such as pelvic health, incl. pelvic floor and pelvic stability, diastasis prevention, pain management and birth positions.
These classes are perfect for every stage of pregnancy. In fact, many women stay from beginning thru to their due dates!
Dates and Times:
6-week series
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm each evening
Cost: $190.00 per person for the 6 week series.
$40.00 per person Drop-In Fee.
No previous yoga experience is required.
A birthing partner is welcome to attend at no additional cost.
Location: PranaShanti Education Centre, 950 Gladstone Ave., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON.
Skillful Sequencing: Designing Smart, Safe, and Creative Classes for All
Friday, May 28th, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
In-Person and/or Online Course
For Yoga Teachers of ALL disciplines!
Build on your 200-hour teacher training and take your sequencing skills to the next level.
Learn how to create intelligent, safe, creative and effective sequences for mixed-level group classes. Embark on this transformative journey and become a skilled and compassionate yoga teacher who creates sequences that resonate with students of all levels of practice.
Sequencing is where knowledge becomes teaching. This comprehensive course offers you the opportunity to master the art of crafting safe and effective sequences tailored for mixed-level group classes. Whether you’re an experienced yoga teacher or embarking on your teaching journey, this training is designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to guide your students toward holistic well-being through thoughtfully structured practices.
In this training, you’ll apply an alignment-based approach to intelligent and creative class that is grounded in applied anatomy and sound biomechanical principles. By applying this methodology, you will learn to guide your students through poses with a keen focus on correct alignment, facilitating enhanced benefits and a reduced risk of injury. These principles will empower you to offer guidance that not only enriches the physical practice but also nurtures a deeper connection between the mind, body, and breath.
Program Outline:
You’ll learn:
Principles of progressive and sequencing
Applied anatomy of yoga poses
Biomechanics and the difference between alignment and action
How to effectively prepare students to safely move toward more challenging poses.
Strategies for form and flow-based classes
How to sequence a series of classes and plan a course curriculum
Pose options and prop variations to address the needs of all your students.
How to effectively teach mixed level sequences that benefit everyone in class
How to create sequences that are intelligent, purposeful and creative
You’ll receive a manual that includes sequencing templates for full-spectrum classes as well as postural categories including backbends, hip openers/twists/seated poses, arm balances/inversions, and restorative yoga. You’ll also practice energetic, elemental, and theme-based approaches to sequencing.
You can expect an interactive combination of lecture, individual exercises, small group work, and practice building and teaching pose sequences.
Learning Objectives:
Build confidence and the skills needed to adapt your teaching to all levels and abilities.
Deepen your understanding of alignment-based technique
Learn how to progressively prepare students for more challenging poses
Learn safe, effective, and creative methods for creating and presenting sequences that benefit everyone in your class.
Whether you’re fresh from your 200-hour training or have been teaching for years, Skillful Sequencing will help you turn your knowledge into thoughtful, intelligent classes that meet your students where they are.
Pranashanti Testimonials from Skillful Sequencing Training 2024:
Thanks again for sharing your masterful knowledge on the art and science of sequencing, in a fabulously useful learning weekend peppered with micro to existential ah-ha moments. It was definitely one of the most helpful trainings I've ever taken. - Sue Szabo
I am so grateful to have participated in your Skillful Sequencing training! I came home not only having gained knowledge but also feeling more confident and grounded in myself! Thank you! - Patricia Marks de Chabris
Thanks again for the great course Barrie. I am already using many of the skills I learnt in the course in my classes. - Tina Whitmore
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge, it was an amazing course which I will value forever. - Venus Chirip
Dates and Times:
Friday, May 28, 2027 to Sunday, May 30, 2027
Friday, May 28, 2027: 6 pm ET – 9 pm ET (3 hours)
Saturday, May 29, 2027: 9 am ET – 4 pm ET (6 hours)
Sunday, May 30, 2027: 10 am ET – 2 pm ET (4 hours)
Cost:
$495.00 per person with our EARLY BIRD SAVINGS! Save $55.00 when registering before March 31, 2027.
$550.00 per person thereafter.
Fee includes the training, manual and certificate.
If you live away from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and would like printed training materials to be sent to you, please ensure you sign up at least 10 days before the course start date in order for us to ship the materials to you. Otherwise e-documents will be provided, where possible.
Note:
For 200 hour certified Yoga Teachers this course provides CEUs with Yoga Alliance. This course is also part of our Yoga Alliance 300 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training.
Our 3,000 square foot Education Centre offers a large open concept training area with high ceilings and an abundance of natural light and excellent ventilation. There is a kitchen with fridge, microwave, kettle and dishware. We have a dining area with table and chairs, 2 gender neutral bathrooms, Lending Library and our Administration Office.
