What We’ve Learned From Our Yoga and Meditation Retreats at Nectar on Bowen Island, BC

Welcome to the Nectar Yoga Retreat blog, where we explore movement, seasonal rhythms, and wellness practices to nourish the nervous system and reconnect you with what matters. Located in the forests of Bowen Island (just a short 20 minute ferry ride from Vancouver), Nectar offers yoga and meditation retreats for those seeking clarity, rest, and connection in nature. Our programming is part of what makes Nectar a destination for those exploring wellness retreats in British Columbia or seeking a transformative yoga and meditation retreat near Vancouver.

pranayama TO REGULATE IN July

By mid-summer, the outward-facing energy of the season often reaches its peak. Schedules are full, we linger late as daylight extends, and the urge to maximize can be a form of (internal or external) pressure. With all this brightness, it becomes essential to return to self and attune to your natural pace.

Breathwork, or pranayama, offers a practical and powerful way to regulate your energy and mood. Through conscious breathing, we gain a tool for recalibrating our emotions, refining our focus, and cultivating our sense of presence, without needing to withdraw completely.

Whether you’re feeling overstimulated or simply seeking a greater sense of internal alignment, these breath practices help clear the mental field and remind you of your priorities. You may also find our recent blog post, Nourishing Your Calm: Techniques To Relax and Centre Yourself be supportive.

Practices for Mental Clarity and Energy

These foundational techniques support different layers of your mind, body, field (sometimes called aura), and spirit. They’re simple enough to practise at home or while travelling, and are often included in our yoga and meditation sessions at Nectar. Listen to our latest playlist via Spotify below. You may also find lighting a candle, such as Nectar’s beautiful non-toxic, coconut soy wax candles, helps set the tone in your breath practice.

Bhramari (Bee Breath)
A Breathing Technique For Clarity and Calm
Bhramari is a gentle humming breath that creates soothing vibrations in the skull and chest. The sound acts like an internal tuning fork, quieting mental agitation and supporting a meditative state. Many guests at our silent yoga retreats on Bowen Island report that this practice helps them feel grounded and clear.

How to Practise:

Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Inhale through your nose.
As you exhale, gently hum, like a bee buzzing, with your lips closed.
Try lightly covering your ears with your fingertips to intensify the inward focus.
Continue for 5-10 rounds. You amy notice that your mind begins to soften.

Why This Breath Technique Helps:
Bhramari has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce heart rate, and modulate brainwave activity associated with calm and attention. A 2023 clinical review in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing linked Bhramari practice to improved cognitive function and decreased anxiety symptoms.

Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath)

A Breathing Technique For Energy and Focus
This invigorating breath practice clears the mind and stimulates the body through rhythmic, forceful exhalations. Kapalabhati is traditionally seen as a kriya (specific sets of practices to clear and unlock energy channels or chakras in the body), but its mental effects are equally profound.

How to Practise:

Sit upright and place your hands on your lower belly.
Inhale gently.
Exhale sharply through the nose while actively pumping the abdomen. Inhalations are passive.
Begin with 30 repetitions, then pause and breathe naturally. Complete up to 3 rounds.

Why This Breath Technique Helps:
Research shows that Kapalabhati improves cerebral oxygenation and stimulates areas of the brain associated with attention and decision-making. One study published in International Journal of Yoga found Kapalabhati increases alpha and beta brain wave activity, suggesting both a relaxed and alert state.

Note: Avoid if pregnant, or if you have high blood pressure, cardiovascular conditions, or other medical conditions of concern.

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

A Breathing Technique For Emotional Equilibrium and Integration
Also known as a balancing breath, Nadi Shodhana helps to integrate the left and right sides of your being, supporting clarity and evenness of mind.

How to Practise:

Sit comfortably and form Vishnu mudra with your right hand by folding your index and middle fingers.
Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through the left.
Close the left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right.
Inhale through the right, close it, and exhale through the left.
That completes one round. Practise for a total of 6–12 rounds.

Why This Breath Technique Helps:
A study in Frontiers in Neuroscience showed that breathing, especially alternate nostril breathing is a fundamental rhythm of brain function. The slow, deliberate patterning offers a meditative rhythm, ideal before sleep or during decision-making moments.

Returning to What’s Essential

Though we’ve been sharing these breath practices as techniques, breathwork for self regulating is actually far more than a technique, as it’s a way of coming back to yourself and caring for your needs in the present moment. In the summer season, where it can easily scatter your attention, these practices offer a steadying and grounding rhythm. They can clarify your thinking, sharpen your perceptions, and renew your energy, all beautiful ways to optimize your health. Though ultimately, optimization aside, breath is aliveness. Each breath has the potential to help us renew faith, to trust ourselves to life itself.

About Nectar Yoga Retreat

If you’re looking for deeper guidance or space to unwind, our 2-night yoga and breakfast included stays on Bowen are designed to support your nervous system through movement, breath, nature immersion, and stillness. Nectar Retreat Centre also offer various multi-day retreats, focusing on spirituality, yoga, and more. (And if you're visiting Bowen for the day, join us most weekends for outdoor yoga at the Snug Cove Pier from 9–10 am, May through October.)

Set in the heart of a forest on Bowen Island, just a 20 minute ferry ride from the mainland of BC, Nectar offers design-forward cabins and rooms, nourishing meals, and immersive yoga and meditation programming in harmony with the rhythms of the Earth. Alongside our sister brand, Mist Thermal, a private sauna and cold plunge sanctuary, Nectar is one of North America’s leading wellness destinations.

Works Cited

Disclaimer: The practices shared in this blog are intended for informational purposes only and are not a replacement for professional advice. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new wellness routine, particularly if you have health concerns, are pregnant, or have physical limitations. Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The authors and publishers are not liable for any injuries or adverse effects resulting from the use of these practices.