Retreat with us in the tranquility of the northwoods.
experience the powerful impact of art, movement, and nature.
“Art and aesthetics can quite literally rewire your brain.”
Camp Olson in Longville, MN boasts over 1,000 acres of land to roam.
Nestled between three scenic lakes and endless miles of pines, you are sure to feel connected to the great outdoors. There is a special kind of magic at Camp Olson that you have to experience to truly understand.
Book Club + Retreat Theme Explained
We love a good book club! The entire theme of this weekend retreat is inspired by our obsession with this book: Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross.
A life-altering journey through the science of neuroaesthetics, which offers proof for how our brains and bodies transform when we participate in the arts--and how this knowledge can improve our health, enable us to flourish, and build stronger communities.
One of the biggest aha moments in the research, said Magsamen, “was that you don’t have to be any good at an art form to derive great benefits. I sing. I write really bad poetry. I dance. I collage. We’re not talking about being a virtuoso. It’s simpler and more accessible than that.”
“It took a while to get people to exercise 20 minutes a day, and now it’s drilled into our heads that you have to find a way to walk or get on the treadmill,” Ross said. “We hope with this book to create a movement of people who understand that what art does to rewire your brain is just as important as those 20 minutes, and that every day is an opportunity for some kind of self-expression. It’s our birthright. It’s part of being human.”
Art and its huge impact encompasses many things…
join us and experience it for yourself!
Definition of
AESTHETICS
a set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art
There’s no better place to appreciate beauty than in the northwoods of Minnesota at camp olson in longville
What’s included
Lodging for 2 nights/3 days
Organic, Delicious, Catered Meals provided by the Green Scene in Walker, MN. (Friday Dinner, Saturday Breakfast & Dinner, Sunday Breakfast). You can read more about this amazing catering service in a blog we shared about Erin here.
4 yoga classes
Meditation sessions
Book club: Your Brain on Art
Art incorporation and specific workshop sessions; writing, painting, zentangle, music/sound and more
Over 1,000 acres of land to explore with many options for hiking/mountain biking trails
Kayak, canoe, paddle boards available for recreational use
Wood-fired, lakeside sauna + opportunity to cold plunge into picturesque Little Boy Lake!
Campfire + star gazing
Painting * Music * Writing * Nature Meditation * Mindfulness * Yoga * Sauna
Notice the powerful effect of your brain on art!
Yoga Teachers + Boreal Bliss Team
Bryana Cook
LICSW, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP
Bryana welcomes you to integrate practical applications of yoga. She teaches gentle and fluid yoga and meditation classes, focused on breathwork, paired with soothing and methodical movements. Her teaching is accessible and inviting.
Bryana co-owns Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats and teaches gentle and beginner friendly yoga in the Walker/Longville area. In addition to yoga, Bryana is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW). She loves to pair topics of mental health with the practical tools of yoga.
Amanda Imes
MS, RYT 200, COREPOWER YOGA SCULPT | ECONOMIST
Amanda is a master at creating a welcoming group space. She teaches vinyasa, while you may be moving fast-paced, she keeps things light, upbeat, and fun. She loves breaking away from strict, straight lines and tapping into creative, fluid movements.
Amanda is co-owner of Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats and teaches energizing yoga classes on the north shore of Lake Superior.
Amanda is an economist for the State of MN; twice each year she helps produce a forecast of Minnesota’s state General Fund revenues and expenditures for current and future bienniums. Amanda turned to yoga in 2009 to balance stress and anxiety and fell in love with the practice.
Amanda enjoys reading, hiking, camping, running, working out, laughing, travel, and spending time with her husband.
Amanda was certified to teach Yoga Sculpt through CorePower Yoga in 2014. She’s taught around 1,000+ yoga sculpt classes in the past 8 years. She obtained her 200 RYT certification through a 250 hour trauma informed training at the House of the Gathering Yoga School in Duluth.
Stacy Nightwine
RYT 200, Yin Certified
Stacy is inclusive, warm, and inviting. Her approach to life centers on laughter. To know Stacy is to love her.
Stacy teaches gentle, lighthearted and accessible yoga classes. Prepare to smile and find ease in your practice with Stacy.
She lives in Two Harbors, MN and teaches weekly yoga class through her business: Lake Effect Yoga. Stacy also owns and operates a mobile sauna in Two Harbors: Silver Creek Sauna Co. with her husband Phil.
But she doesn’t stop there! Stacy is a full-time Financial Service Representative at the North Shore Federal Credit Union. She helps people with opening new accounts and taking consumer loans. Consumer loans are for personal loans, or vehicle camper loans etc. Stacy says, “I enjoy helping people budget their money and balancing their accounts. I wear a lot of hats at the credit union. My favorite part is as a teller. I love helping people with their transactions, and making sure they have the best products that support them.”
Last but not least, Stacy supports her husband Phil’s small business: Nightwine’s Land Services. This business specializes in brush clearing, excavation, building site prep, driveways, snow removal and lots more. Phil Recently got certified in pest spraying for yards and events. Stacy helps with bookkeeping on Phils business and any odds and ends he needs: i.e. holding the flashlight and handing him tools. :)
Catherine (Cat) Cronemeyer
PsyD, LP, CZT, RYT 200 Boreal Bliss
Cat lives in Minneapolis with her husband, two kitties (Dash and Octavis) and a rescue turtle (Myrtle). Thank goodness her husband has restraint, otherwise she would have a house filled with animals! She loves creating art and teaching art, learning, and spending time outside.
She became a Certified Zentangle Teacher in 2020. Zentangle is an art form focused on gratitude, appreciation and building drawings “one pen stroke at a time.” Cat graduated from Boreal Bliss’s yoga teacher training program from the second cohort and enjoys teaching gentle vinyasa classes. With her love of learning, she has already been thinking about a 300 hour yoga teacher training.
Cat is a doctorate level (PsyD) Licensed Psychologist (LP) who works in private practice. In addition to her private practice, she owns Catinka Ink, where she teaches Zentangle and other art classes (alcohol inks, mixed media, etc.), sells art and facilitates her own wellness retreats. Cat has also partnered with Jai Dee Wellness where she consults, co-facilitates retreats and teaches yoga and art classes.
Daphne Ponds
RYT 200 | Nurse, Attorney
Daphne is one of the newest graduates of the Boreal Bliss YTT program. Daphne's teaching invites you to come as you are to the mat with all your imperfections; take what you need and leave the rest. Daphne teaches a gentle slow flow to help alleviate stress in the body and relax the mind. Daphne's interests involve movement, breathwork, writing and meditation to address underlying symptoms of grief, trauma, addiction, and anxiety.
Daphne is an executive manager with the State of Minnesota; her job focuses on healthcare facility licensing and regulation. Daphne has practiced yoga since 2016 and sought to deepen her practice after experiencing increasing symptoms of anxiety, grief, and trauma associated with her own mental health journey. She hopes her yoga teaching can serve other yogis by providing tools to help them navigate their own mental health journeys.
Jill Jacobson
Massage Therapist
Jill grew up in northern Minnesota. She went to college for Horticulture, Floral Design, and Massage Therapy. In 2014, she married into the Jacobson family who owns Hiawatha Beach Resort on Steamboat Bay of Leech Lake, 8 miles north of Walker. She is currently a stay-at-home mom of three little ones.
Massage is where she finds peace and relaxation; a way to ground herself and connect with the energy of others. Jill has been doing massage for about 9 years. She loves to be able to provide a modality where people can begin to heal and restore their mind, body, and spirit.
Alison Olson Cox
Thai Yoga Bodyworker, RYT 200
Alison is a yoga teacher, Thai yoga bodyworker, attorney, and had a past life experimenting with all kinds of exercise and sports activities!
She completed her yoga teacher training through Devanadi School of Yoga and Wellness, fell in love with Thai yoga bodywork and pursued TYB training through Devanadi as well.
Alison is a pure treat in session! She helps you to feel so comfortable and relaxed. Thai yoga bodywork is an incredible experience while on retreat!
Photography
Shawna Vine Photography
will be joining us for this retreat!
Shawna captures the essence of a weekend retreat with perfection. We love her laidback style and ability to make you feel at ease in front of her camera. Thank you Shawna - we are so excited to have you return to retreat with us!
For the planners…
Yoga Sessions and Retreat Facility
Our yoga, meditation, workshop sessions, and meals will take place outside as much as possible. When needed, we also have beautiful and spacious indoor options to enjoy.
Arrivals and Departures
Please plan to arrive by 3pm on Friday. Departures beginning at 10am Sunday.
Lodging Options + Pricing
All lodging options are in beautiful locations on the Camp Olson campus. These sleeping arrangements are not your average summer camp options! All prices include tax.
Shared room
4 twin beds in your room
Private entry/exit
Short walk to bathrooms: shower house with showers, toilets, sinks
Investment for Retreat: $540 per person
Shared cabin
4-6 twin beds in your log cabin (we would only put a max of 4 people in a cabin together unless you request a larger group space)
Private entry/exit
Short walk to bathrooms: shower house with showers, toilets, sinks
Investment for Retreat: $560 per person
Semi-private room
Two twin-beds in your shared room with one other roommate
Private entry/exit
Short walk to bathrooms: shower house with showers, toilets, sinks
Investment for Retreat: $575 per person
Private room with Twin bed
Private room within a shared log cabin - “Health Lodge” (6 bedrooms total in the Health Lodge)
2 shared full bathrooms
living room and full kitchen
Investment for Retreat: $600
Private room with Full bed
Private room within a shared log cabin - “Health Lodge” (6 bedrooms total in the Health Lodge)
2 shared full bathrooms
living room and full kitchen
Investment for Retreat: $650
Camper or Tent Space
Reserve a spot to bring your own camper or tent for the weekend
Investment for Retreat: $450 per person
Registration
*Registering for this retreat? Please check your emails as this is how we will communicate with you leading up to the retreat. Expect a survey 5-6 weeks prior with questions re: roommate requests, dietary restrictions, and more.
Sold Out - email hello@borealblissyogaretreats.com for waitlist
BIPOC Scholarships
As part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion in the yoga space, we are offering scholarships to Black, Indigenous, people of color for our fall and winter yoga retreats. Please fill out a BIPOC scholarship application here. Thank you!
Policies
Cancellation policy
8+ weeks notice: $40 fee
4-8 weeks notice: $80 fee
4 weeks and less notice: 75% of total amount fee
14 days or less notice: no refunds available
We hope that you can appreciate the amount of time, love, and energy we wholeheartedly put into each retreat. Not just during the event, but the many months leading up to it.
QUESTIONS?
Email us at hello@borealblissyogaretreats.com
