Workshops and Retreats

VIEW FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIALTY CLASSES

 iRest® Fundamentals:
​A 6 week series
with Susanne Hutchinson
Mondays, through March 31 
6:00-7:15 pm Pacific on Zoom
$90 for the Series or drop in to any single session for $16

Register

Mondays, February 24-March 31
​6:00-7:15 pm Pacific, Online via Zoom
$90 for the series, or drop in to any single session for $16. You can also use your class pass for any single session.
Preregistration required. You will receive a Zoom link in your email prior to the start of class.
​CEU's for Yoga Alliance available!

Whether you are brand new to iRest Yoga Nidra, or have been taking classes but are wanting to spend a bit more time exploring the fundamental aspects of the protocol, this Fundamentals Series is for you.

Each week, Susanne will guide you through an in-depth exploration of a different step of the iRest protocol. Class will consist of some lecture, discussion, and a guided practice.

This series can serve as a great place to begin before taking one of Jennifer’s advanced series, or as a supplement to the weekly drop-in classes.

Week 1 - Inner Resource - Discovering our felt sense of security and well-being - February 24
Week 2 - Intention and Heartfelt Desire - Laying the foundation of Sankalpa: making commitments that support our heart’s longing - March 3
Week 3 - Body sensation - Sensing and welcoming the body as sensation - March 10
Week 4 - Breath sensing - Experiencing the breath as a flow of energy that moves through the body - March 17
Week 5 - Meeting thoughts and emotions - March 24
Week 6 - Joy and Well-being - Welcoming joy independent of objects or circumstance, and Realizing our Essential Nature - March 31

This series will run continuously, every 6 weeks. So if you miss one week, no worries! You can catch it the next time around, or drop in to any single session that you want to spend more time exploring. 
Next series runs April 14-May 19!

​Yin Yoga w/Healing Touch
with Aubra Heller
March 21
​​$35

register

with Aubra Heller
​March 21
6:30-8:00 pm
Space is limited to 10, preregistration required
In-person only, $35
 
This workshop combines Yin yoga and Thai Massage. Find meditation and release in guided self-massage and restorative yoga postures. Students can also opt in to feel-good assisted stretching and massage offered by the instructor as they soften into yin poses.

Upcoming Dates: April 18, May 16

 Friday Night iRest® Yoga Nidra
 with Jennifer Kenworthy
March 28
6:30-8:00 pm, both in-person and on zoom!
​Register on the weekly class schedule, $35

Register

iRest Yoga Nidra is a meditation and relaxation practice that enables you to be able to handle the stress and strains we feel in daily life. Derived from the Yoga tradition, iRest is an evidence-based approach with research that shows it is helpful with healing anxiety, sleep, and chronic pain disorders, as well as increasing wellbeing and joy.

This special Friday Night class begins with simple movement to help you ease tension in the body, followed by calming breath work before the deeply relaxing and restorative practice of Yoga Nidra.

No previous experience is necessary, and all are welcome.​
​Upcoming Dates: April 11, May 9, June 6
​

Sattva Yoga Journey:
Expanded Consciousness
with Kalyani Julie Hsu
Saturday, March 29
1:30-3:30 pm, $45

Register

Saturday, March 29
1:30-3:30 pm
$45
 
If you have an interest in the depth practices of yoga, join Kalyani for a Sattva Yoga Journey as part of your exploration. Sattva Journeys begin with a brief introduction to the theme being woven into practice, followed by an extended seated pranayama and kriya practice. Although the bulk of the practice will not be postures, hatha yoga postures are included and are used to ground and distribute energy after this deep work together. Journeys generally end with a partially guided meditation to continue the internal practice.

Those unfamiliar with kriyas will be introduced to a variety in the journey. Kriyas are practices working on the level of energy and can be activating or calming. They are generally repetitive in nature, allowing one to experience an expanded state. Kriyas may be breath-based or mantra-based.

In this particular journey, we will be exploring the state beyond identification with the ego. Most of our time is spent entangled in the workings of the lower mind and ego. There are a multitude of yogic practices aimed at allowing the practitioner to see what is always present within – the state of expansion outside of ego that is always at peace and connected to Spirit, regardless of circumstances. Getting glimpses of that space in practice can significantly change the way we are afterwards as we move out into the world.
​
This extended practice is most appropriate for students having at least several months of experience with yoga. Please come with a relatively empty stomach and an open mind! Having lunch is ok; just eat light and early.

Yoga in Action:
A Community Gathering
Sunday, March 30
4:00-5:30 pm, FREE

Sunday, March 30
4:00-5:30 pm
FREE! All welcome!
 
Current events can leave us feeling overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, or even isolated. You are not alone!

Come join us for what we envision will be a regular gathering in a safe container where we can hold space for one another, and find ways to meet the moment of these turbulent times.

We will begin with a short guided centering meditation, followed by a time of sharing and discussion. We'll share some practical tips for self-care and regulating your nervous system, as well as some ideas for engaging in small acts of resistance. (Small acts add up!) We'll close our time with a longer guided meditation to help you feel reset and connected.

All are welcome, and feel free to bring a snack to share! No RSVP required! Just come!

Wednesday Workshop Series: 
Yoga for Chronic Stress and Tension 
with Heather Hested
April 2, 16, 30, and May 14
​7-8:30 pm
$115 for the series

Register

​Wednesday Workshop Series
Yoga for Chronic Stress and Tension
Wednesdays, April 2, 16, 30 and May 14 
7:00-8:30 pm
$115 for the series
 
Is your body tight with knots? Does life leave you feeling constricted? Or the weight of stress cause you to feel exhausted? Are your neck, mid-back and hips routinely stiff and achey?Release stress, release tension and ignite vitality with the play of yoga, also known as, lila.
Or as George Bernard Shaw put it, “You don’t stop playing because you get old. You get old because you stop playing.”

We can feel old when life feels hard and our being: connective tissue, immune, circulatory, cardiovascular, cognitive and nervous systems aren’t well due to chronic stress and tension.
In this lila (play of yoga) series, you’ll:

• Use non-linear and dynamic movements to boost fascia fluidity and lymphatic drainage
• Experiment with sound and vibration to unlock physical gripping and mental holding
• Tap into imagination and visualization to build resiliency in body, mind and spirit connections to alleviate suffering

Learn new and small practices to regularly spark your systems with aliveness and your wellbeing with lila, the play of yoga, and live daily life with more ease!

There is no previous yoga experience necessary. You are enough. Showing up is enough. All practices are an invitation, nothing is required and you can participate as you choose. There are props and adaptations available, always. This is a therapeutic series with a short intake to complete and return prior to the first session. There will be a brief check-in at each session.

iRest® Meditation for Challenging Times
A 4 week Series
with Jennifer Cabanero
Tuesdays, April 8-29
6:00-7:15 pm
$80 Early Bird until March 8/$90 after March 8

Register

Tuesdays, April 8-29
6:00-7:15 pm Pacific on Zoom
$80 Early Bird Price until March 8
$90 after March 8
Preregistration required. A zoom link will be emailed you before the start of each session.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the challenges and uncertainties of life and are looking for a way to support yourself, this 4-week iRest® series is designed to help reduce stress and anxiety, as well as boost resilience.

iRest Yoga Nidra helps us grow our capacity to meet life with a fresh perspective and gives us the tools to find our equilibrium in the midst of ups and downs. It's an easy-to-use form of guided meditation that can be practiced anywhere, any time. These benefits are noticed even when iRest is practiced for as little as 10 minutes a day.

What to expect:
In each class of this 4-week series we will be practicing the self-care tools needed to restore our inner sense of ease and well-being amidst the turmoil of life. During each class there will be time to check in or ask questions, a short lecture, and a 35-minute iRest practice. Each iRest practice will be recorded and sent to participants each week.
​
No experience necessary to participate in this class.

Functional Breathing Series: 
A Doorway to Wellbeing
with Heather Hested
April 12, May 10
1:00-3:00 pm
$45 per session 

Saturdays, April 12th, May 10th
1:00-3:00 pm
Both in-person and on Zoom. Please choose which option you will attend upon registration. 
$45 each 
 
Functional breathing can change everything and help you develop a harmonious relationship between your breath, body, cognition, nervous system, emotional regulation and overall wellbeing. In this 3-part series, each two hour workshop builds upon one another so it’s great to take all three and just as easy to participate in a single workshop since all information is relevant to your physical, energetic, mental and emotional health.

Part Two (April 12) : Carbon Dioxide Needs a Rebrand! 
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) often gets a bad rap. Updated research and new understanding about the breath and respiration shows that CO2 is necessary for the health and repair of physiological systems. More CO2 isn’t bad, and you may not be getting enough from the way you breathe. So what’s happening, chemically, when you breathe and why is CO2 more important than you think?From this workshop you’ll:

• Learn the bio-chemistry of breathing
• Learn what ‘air-hunger’ is and why it’s important
• Learn common breathing misperceptions in yoga
• Learn and practice breathing exercises that bolster CO2

Part Three (May 10): Diaphragm Dome is Home 
In the middle of the body the diaphragm is literally at the center of it all. Plus, the super highway of regulation, the vagus nerve, runs through the diaphragm. Your breath affects everything: cognitive health, neural circuit dynamics, aerobic metabolism, stress reduction and mood regulation, and more. Why? The vagus nerve holds some answers. Change your breathing and be on the journey to change your life.
From this workshop you’ll:

• Learn about the vagus nerve and the benefits of vagal tone on wellbeing
• Learn which internal systems are affected by the diaphragm’s movement and why
• Learn and practice up-regulating and down-regulating breathing practices

No yoga experience is necessary. Simply a spark of curiosity and desire to learn more about your breath and breath work through a yogic lens to support vitality and wellbeing.

Register for Part Two

Register for Part Three

Teaching Restorative Yoga: 
The Art and Science of Supported Rest
with Susanne Hutchinson
April 25-27 at the studio!
$375

Register

April 25-27
Friday - 5:00-8:00 pm
Saturday - 11:30-5:30 pm
Sunday - 11:30-5:30 pm
$375
Space is limited. Preregistration required. 
 
Restorative poses are poses of being rather than doing. - Judith Lasater
​It is well documented that the chronic stress of modern life is making us sick. As the prominent and pioneering Restorative Yoga teacher and author Judith Lasater says, “…the antidote to stress is relaxation. To relax is to rest deeply.” Restorative Yoga is a practice that allows the body to rest deeply in postures fully supported by props. When fully supported, the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation response) is stimulated, and the body can rest at ease letting go of physical and mental tension. When practiced regularly, this can lead to improved sleep, digestion, lower blood pressure as well as relieving stress and anxiety.

During this experiential training, you will:

• Understand the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and how Restorative Yoga promotes the relaxation response
• Learn the latest research on the effects of stress and why and how Restorative Yoga works as an antidote
• Learn traditional Restorative Yoga postures with adaptations and variations for individual needs
• Learn the many ways to use a variety of props to support the body
• Learn how to build effective Restorative Yoga sequences
• Understand considerations for students who are pregnant
• From a trauma-informed perspective, learn how to create a welcoming and safe environment for your students

CEUs available.  

Sattva Yoga Journey:
Spring Detox
with Kalyani Julie Hsu
Saturday, April 19
1:30-3:30 pm, $45

Register

Saturday, April 19
1:30-3:30 pm
$45

If you have an interest in the depth practices of yoga, join Kalyani for a Sattva Yoga Journey as part of your exploration. Sattva Journeys begin with a brief introduction to the theme being woven into practice, followed by an extended seated pranayama and kriya practice. Although the bulk of the practice will not be postures, hatha yoga postures and slow flow are included and are used to ground and distribute energy after this deep work together. Journeys generally end with a partially guided meditation to continue the internal practice.
 
Those unfamiliar with kriyas will be introduced to a variety in the journey. Kriyas are practices working on the level of energy and can be activating or calming. They are generally repetitive in nature, allowing one to experience an expanded state. Kriyas may be breath-based or mantra-based.
​
In this particular journey, we will be exploring the yogic approach to detoxification. Springtime is often considered the time to release toxins on all levels: in the physical body, energetic body, and mental/emotional body. Detoxifying on all these levels allows us to be less weighed down and dull, and instead feel freer, lighter and more alert as we move forward.

This extended practice is most appropriate for students having at least several months of experience with yoga. Please come with a relatively empty stomach and an open mind! Having lunch is ok; just eat light and early.

Introduction to Ayurveda
with Kalyani Julie Hsu
Saturday, May 3
11:30 am-3:30 pm, $90

Register

Saturday, May 3
11:30 am-3:30 pm
$90

Yoga and Ayurveda generally go hand in hand, with yoga being a spiritual journey and Ayurveda being the lifestyle practices that support that journey.  Ayurveda brings us into better balance in our bodies and minds to support more fully experiencing the union that is yoga. Ayurveda includes guidelines for diet, herbs, lifestyle and even specific breathing, posture and meditation practices. Although Ayurveda is an ancient system, it is still completely relevant today and can complement modern practices.

What you will learn in this workshop:

• The five elements and three doshas of Ayurveda
• Your own constitution
• The difference between the constitution you were born with and how it currently exists in the individual (prakruti and vrikruti)
• The Ayurvedic principles of “like increases like” and “treat with the opposite”
• A variety of daily and seasonal practices to support balance
• An overview of how food can be used to create and maintain balance
• Pranayama, asana and meditation practices to balance each of the doshas
• How Ayurveda ultimately supports your spiritual journey

This four-hour workshop will be a blend of lecture and experiences, with the experiential piece including various pranayama, asana and meditation practices to feel firsthand the effect on the tridoshic system in your own body and mind.

Songs of the Breath & iRest® Yoga Nidra:
A Mini-Retreat
with Kelly Walker
Saturday, May 17
1:00-3:00 pm, $45

Register

Saturday, May 17
1:00-3:00 pm, in-person only
$45, preregistration required
  
I hum
steady
like the slow ringing of a bell
and when silence descends
I sit in deep quiet
lost in the shimmering applause of every cell!
​
This mini-retreat highlights the vibrancy of sound via yogic breath practices and a deeply restful iRest Yoga Nidra practice. Pranayama, or breath practices, will be woven through a slow progression from an opening restorative pose to a gentle, easy whole body stretch. These will be followed by an exploration of breath practices, taken while seated, supine, and standing, creating a gateway to inner exploration and well being. The finale will be a rich guided iRest® Yoga Nidra practice, the Sleep of the Yogis. This total experience is designed to uncover pathways to relaxation, peace, well-being, and our Essential Nature of wholeness, while witnessing the truth of each moment.

This 2-hour mini-retreat will include:

• An opening restorative pose for turning inward
• Gentle stretches for whole body release
• A variety of guided breath practices for meditative vibrancy, including special variations of Hum Breath (Bhramari) and Ocean Breath (Ujjayi) exploring the sounds of the breath
• A guided iRest Yoga Nidra practice for rest and inner exploration

Please feel free to dress comfortably in warm clothing, if you like. Thank you in advance for arriving 10-15 minutes before the experience starts and for bringing a yoga mat. Doors are closed five minutes after the session starts.

“Pranayama is an art form, a way of communicating – purifying, detoxifying, spiritually enlightening, freeing. Its gifts, numerous and varied, accrued through practice. Enjoy creating energetic pathways with abandon…”
-Linda Oshins, “Pranayama: A Compendium of Practices”

Registration now open!
iRest® Yoga Nidra Level 1 Training
with Jennifer Cabanero
June 13-15 and 20-22
In-person at The Yoga Tree

REgister

June 13-15 and 20-22 (see detailed schedule below)
with Senior iRest Trainer Jennifer Cabanero
In-person at The Yoga Tree
Early Bird Price: $1,495  (Available through May 13, 2025)
Regular Price: $1,695 

iRest Yoga Nidra Level 1 Trainings are designed to provide you with the basic principles, history, theory, practice, and delivery of iRest. This will allow you to incorporate the simple 10-step iRest protocol into your personal life, professional teaching, and/or clinical practices. 

This training is a multi-day practical and experiential program that teaches the research-backed 10-Step iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation protocol. It offers you all of the tools and experience required to deeply enrich your personal practice and teach the fundamentals of iRest to others.

This training is a dedicated time to embark on a journey to discover your unwavering inner resource of wellbeing and unlock simple and profound tools that transform how you meet yourself, navigate life and learn to support others to do the same. 

Who is this training for? Our students usually fall into three categories:

• The self-practitioners: People from all over the world who are seeking authentic connection, relief from inner turmoil, or are simply curious about meditation as a tool for self-inquiry.
• The 1-on-1 practitioners: Yoga therapists, psychologists, clinicians, and practitioners of the healing arts looking to learn new skills and incorporate this complementary practice into their toolbox. 
• The group facilitators: Professionals looking to teach iRest to people in general settings like yoga classes and more specialized treatment facilities such as rehabilitation centers. 

What will I learn?

• How to better understand your thoughts, emotions, and difficult experiences so that you can use them as messengers toward inner freedom and renewed ease.
• How to move beyond attachment and identification with your body, mind, and experiences to uncover feelings of peace, wholeness and authenticity.
• How to apply the 10-step iRest protocol in your own life and deliver it as an offering to individuals and groups.

By the end of the training you’ll be confident and competent in your personal practice and ability to guide and teach others.

Schedule:
Weekend 1 Friday-Sunday June 13-15
Friday, June 13:
3:15 PM - 3:30 PM Orientation
3:30 PM - 8:00 PM Program
Saturday, June 14:
9:00 AM-6:00 PM Program
12:30 PM-2:00 PM Lunch
Sunday, June 15:
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Program
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch
Weekend 2 Friday-Sunday June 20-22 
Friday, June 20:
3:00 PM - 8:00 PM Program
Saturday, June 21:
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Program
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Lunch
Sunday, June 22:
9:00 AM-5:30 PM Program
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch

Sattva Yoga Journey:
Welcoming the Light
with Kalyani Julie Hsu
Saturday, June 28
1:30-3:30 pm, $45

Register

Saturday, June 28
1:30-3:30 pm
$45

If you have an interest in the depth practices of yoga, join Kalyani for a Sattva Yoga Journey as part of your exploration. Sattva Journeys begin with a brief introduction to the theme being woven into practice, followed by an extended seated pranayama and kriya practice. Although the bulk of the practice will not be postures, hatha yoga postures are included and are used to ground and distribute energy after this deep work together. Journeys generally end with a partially guided meditation to continue the internal practice.

Those unfamiliar with kriyas will be introduced to a variety in the journey. Kriyas are practices working on the level of energy and can be activating or calming. They are generally repetitive in nature, allowing one to experience an expanded state. Kriyas may be breath-based or mantra-based.

In this particular journey, we will be exploring the concept of light in yogic philosophy. Light is very symbolic in yoga, including representing the light of clear perception, pure consciousness and Spirit. The sun and the life-giving light it brings is therefore highly celebrated in yoga. Having just passed the summer solstice, this is a wonderful time to shine the light of awareness within, allowing us to connect deeply with the clear and balanced state deep to the busy mind.
​
This extended practice is most appropriate for students having at least several months of experience with yoga. Please come with a relatively empty stomach and an open mind! Having lunch is ok; just eat light and early.

Registration now open!
iRest® Meditation Silent Retreat
with Susanne Hutchinson and Kelly Walker
August 29-31, 2025
Aldermarsh Retreat Center on Whidbey Island

REgister

August 29-31, 2025 
With Susanne Hutchinson and Kelly Walker
$850 Early Bird Price until June 25, 2025/$900 after June 25
Price includes shared lodging and delicious vegetarian meals prepared by Ayurvedic Chef, Aria Peterman

Aldermarsh Retreat Center on Whidbey Island
6436 Maxwelton Rd.
Clinton, WA 98236

Silent retreat is a chance to connect with ourselves at a deeper level. With fewer distractions we become tuned in to our inner life, our hopes, and our dreams. We also become aware of the beliefs that we have about ourselves and the world around us. With time, as the stream of thoughts begin to slow down, we experience mini-moments of true calm and peace. In this way, silent retreat can yield fresh perspective, and bring clarity to our state of mind. Coming out of silence, there is often a renewed sense of gratitude for ourselves and for life just as it is.

The ancient non-dual teachings behind iRest Yoga Nidra help us to reconnect with our essential nature; the part of ourselves that is grounded, whole and unchanging no matter what occurs in our lives. Retreat is a precious time that we can set aside to dedicate our selves to nourishing our inherent wholeness.

This retreat offers the perfect combination of guided iRest meditation, body-sensing movement, breath-sensing, sitting, walking, and co-meditation. It is through practicing meditation in movement, stillness, and with others that we experience first hand how these teachings come alive for us as a practice of life.
This retreat is open to students of all levels who wish to sample the fullness iRest offers for health, healing, and wholeness of being. Come prepared to explore stillness, movement, laughter, and delight.

Upon registration, please let us know of any food allergies or dietary restrictions and if you are coming with a friend or would like us to pair you with a roommate. All rooms are shared lodging. 

VIEW FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIALTY CLASSES