We have in house wellness professionals offering regular informative sessions and workshops in a range of topics. We also have guest teachers and practitioners that join us for specialised sessions, as well as day and weekend workshops.
Ashtanga and Yin Yoga Weekend with Stephanie Nelson 29th September - 1st October
Friday 29th September, 6-8pm Breath-work and Meditation, Led ½ Primary Series Ashtanga Yoga In this workshop, we will begin with resonance breathing, progressing to single and alternate nostril breathing, and then short bandha and breath retention practices. These exercises will gradually build over the weekend prior to each Ashtanga class. The led ashtanga class will be technique driven, providing useful tips for working with sun salutations, standing and seated poses, and then finish with yin poses and deep relaxation to calm body and mind.
Saturday 30th September, 8.30-11am Breath-work and Meditation, Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga Self-directed yoga practice is one of the unique aspects of the Ashtanga method. Students move through the memorized sequence at their own pace. This session is suitable for those with previous Mysore-style experience.
Saturday 30th September, 12-1.30pm Everyday Asana – Cultivate Inner Fire for Daily Practice Practicing ashtanga yoga every day is demanding, and well, can be a bit boring if you are repeating the same thing over and over. In this session we will look at ways to enhance you practice attitude and energy by providing variations and modifications, research poses, and discussing ways to keep your practice moving in a direction of curiosity and inquiry with intelligence and care.
Sunday 1st October, 8.30-11am Breath-work and Meditation, Mysore-style Ashtanga Yoga Self-directed yoga practice is one of the unique aspects of the Ashtanga method. Students move through the memorized sequence at their own pace. This session is suitable for those with previous Mysore-style experience.
Sunday 1st October, 12-1.30pm Chant, Chat and Yin Chanting is purifying and heart opening. We will work through some of the key sutras of Patanjali’s Yoga with chanting and discussion. Other topics can be raised – if burning questions exist. And then once the mind is quenched, we will delve into a yin practice to release any remaining tensions.
All 5 sessions $220 Early bird price $200 (if paid before August 31st) Single sessions $50 each
book here
A little bit about Stephanie Nelson: Steph's first experience with yoga was in the West Village in Manhattan in 1996. At the time, she was taking a one-year break from her graduate studies at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She was fortunate to take a cashier position at the Integral Yoga Natural Foods Store and attend yoga classes there free of charge. After a few months, her main yoga teacher invited her to attend the Jivamukti Yoga School yoga teacher trainee graduation. This experience widened her eyes to other styles of yoga; from then on, she knew she was interested in a vinyasa-based asana practice. Her first ashtanga class was with Sharron Gannon, one of the Jivamukti founders.
She went on to complete my PhD in Immunology in 2001, and shortly after this her and her family relocated to Waiheke Island, New Zealand. She undertook a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre based at the University of Auckland Medical School over the next five years. A few evenings a week she attended ashtanga vinyasa yoga classes at the Yoga Academy, a yoga studio located between the medical school and the Waiheke Island ferry terminal. These classes provided a little bit of quiet refuge for her in the midst of raising small children and pursuing a career in academic research. When her tenure at the ACSRC was nearing completion, she decided to study yoga more intensely, and was accepted as an apprentice teacher under the guidance of Peter Nilsson at the Yoga Academy. She completed a 500-hour Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher training course over three years, including assisting in and eventually teaching at least two classes per week, ten hours a week of self-practice, and specific training modules and lectures.
In 2007, she established Waiheke Island Ashtanga Yoga - a small group of dedicated ashtanga practitioners. Steph has hosted renowned teachers Peter Sanson, Mark Robberds, and Kino MacGregor and Tim Feldmann on Waiheke Island. In addition, she has trained 19 yoga teachers using a mentorship-style approach and has been invited to guest teach in a variety of locales in New Zealand, and internationally in Byron Bay, Australia; Oakland, California, USA; Brattleboro, Massachusetts, USA, Shanghai, China; Ubud, Bali, Indonesia; Rarotonga, The Cook Islands; and Amman, Jordan. She has been a long-term student with senior teachers Peter Sanson and Dena Kingsberg, and has studied with the Jois family on several occasions in Mysore, India and at international conferences.
Steph is currently a PhD candidate in the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland in the Brain Dynamics Laboratory. Her thesis involves understanding the effects of yoga on brain dynamics and behaviour.
Finally, as a yoga teacher Steph is most interested in supporting students by inspiring daily yoga practice, meditation and breathwork in an accessible and sustainable way. These contemplative practices empower the individual in self-healing, a process that is an inevitable part of the human condition. As a yoga practitioner, she is seeking longevity and enjoyment of this miraculous life. Steph also have three amazing children, Huxley, Conrad, and Suri who make her smile every day. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook as Steph Waiheke.
Sound Sessions: Yin Yoga & Sound Journey
Facilitators: Ellie Smith & Melanie Eade
Tuning in with Blue Lotus Tea Yin Yoga with sounds from the Gong and Quartz singing bowls Chai + Chocolate + Chill
Friday 21st July 6-8pm $45
includes tea, chai and chocolate Mats, bolsters and blankets included
Ellie has been exploring the realms of ambient sound for the past 7 years, through her personal practice of journeying and through the portal of her gong and singing bowls. Her interest in sonic somatic experiences has evolved Sound Temple - @soundtemple.nz, which is a nomadic collaboration container, meaning she works alongside other facilitators of movement, intention and wellness. She believes combining resonant frequencies with the power of yoga, breathwork and ceremony creates an alchemic space ripe with potential for personal exploration, acceptance and transformation.
Mel is our resident yoga teacher with over 17 years of teaching experience. Her passion is with Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga however she has come to also love Yin Yoga for it's complimentary benefits.
Women’s Hormone Health Workshop with Ali Wilford
Join local registered naturopath Ali Wilford, for an informative & interactive workshop that will help you to understand the role hormones play in your health and wellbeing and how to rebalance them naturally.
Learn about • Roles and synthesis of estrogen and progesterone. • Hormone links to PMS, acne, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, period pain, clotting • The thyroid connection • The relationship to gut health, liver function, stress, and environmental toxins • How to balance your hormones naturally
Do you have symptoms of hormone imbalance - mood swings, acne, irregular periods, fibroids, PCOS, endo, early miscarriage, infertility, period bloating pain or clotting, breast tenderness, anxiety prior to your period, hot flushes?
Then this workshop is for you. Join us and find out how to rebalance your hormones and normalise your metabolism.
Date: 4th July Time: 6.45pm-8pm Venue: Oasis Wellness - 31 Matakana Valley Rd, Matakana Off street parking and easy access at 31a Matakana Valley Rd (behind Design Pod)
Bookings essential Cost: $15 prepay or pay cash on the night Spaces are limited, book now to secure your place. Contact Ali directly: Email or Phone
In this 2 and a half hour workshop with Scott Townsend, you will explore different aspects of breathing to improve your resilience and enhance your life. This workshop is for you if you want to: • Know more about breathing, health, and wellness • Be more calm, focused, and fulfilled • Have tools to better manage stress, anxiety, and depression • Boost your happiness and awareness • Understand how breathing affects your physical, mental, and emotional state • Strengthen your immune system, reduce pain, and improve health • Work on releasing blockages and past traumas • Sleep better and have more energy • Develop tools to develop more resilience and self-regulation • Bring more presence, peace, and patience to everyday life
What this workshop with cover:
Relaxation breathing Learn how to regulate your nervous system to reduce stress and anxiety, and increase calm, focus and clarity. Coherent breathing With HeartMath tools and methodology, learn how to balance your nervous system, tap into the power of your heart and create measurable coherence. Wim Hof Breathing One of the most powerful breathing methods for your breathing toolbox. Discover how to positively influence your nervous and immune system. Blended Breathing There will be other useful breathing tools and theories sprinkled throughout the workshop that are useful for everyday life. Limited spaces
A gong bath is designed to offer relaxation, emotional release, and pain relief. During this session you are invited to lie down on a yoga mat, getting comfortable with blankets and pillows. A facilitator then hits the gong, using a mallet. You simply stay inactive, to passively “bathe” in the healing vibrations of sound. A gong bath holds similar benefits as a warm, steamy tub. Oasis’ Gong baths will be offered in a calm and relaxing atmosphere, a low-lit warm environment with candles. You will be invited to lie down with cushions, bolsters and a blanket to help increase your sense of relaxation.
Gong bath, like all types of sound therapy, allows your brain to relax into a specific (Alpha and Theta dominant) brainwave state. In this state, your brain has time to download what’s been happening in your day. It allows you to process thoughts and emotions.
Helps with: - stress - fatigue - depression - trauma processing - boosts creativity - increases feelings of wellness - stimulates awareness and non-judgmental appreciation of the present moment
During a Gong bath, sound can be used as a point of focus, to meditate, rather than the breath or physical sensations. In this case awareness of sound is not used as a therapy, but rather as an anchor for the mind to come back to. Just like being mindful of breath, being mindful of sound requires finding a happy balance between vigilance and relaxation. A Gong bath is an excellent way to relax, recharge, and reset. It will give you a sense of peace, consciousness, and well-being. You can incorporate gong baths into your monthly self-care routine.
This class is open to everyone, there are no age limits or restricted conditions, and no yoga or meditation experience required. Props are provided for your comfort but feel free to bring your own yoga mat, blanket and cushions. You may also like to bring an eye pillow, or something to cover your eyes. Wear comfortable clothing.
Come along for an exciting and informative 90-minute workshop on inversions with our experienced yoga teacher. This workshop is perfect for anyone looking to improve their practice, build confidence, and deepen their understanding of inversions. Our small boutique studio provides a comfortable and intimate setting with limited spaces, ensuring that you receive personalized attention and guidance throughout the workshop. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to inversions, our teacher will provide options and modifications to suit all levels. Don't miss out on this opportunity to challenge yourself and explore new possibilities on the mat.
Date: TBA Taking expressions of interest now 90 min session, $50 per person, limited spaces, bookings essential
Join us for our Yoga Flow, Inversion, and Yin Workshop, where we'll delve into the common postures found in the Ashtanga yoga primary series. These poses challenge our internal strength, flexibility, and overall love of yoga. In this workshop, we'll place emphasis on the closing sequence, specifically inversions, providing an opportunity to practice Sirsasana (headstand) and Urdvha Padmasana (upward lotus pose), with options for variations available for all poses. After a brief intermission and a healthy treat, we'll complete the workshop with a restorative Yin Yoga session, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and at peace.
Date: TBA Taking expressions of interest now Two hour workshop, $100 per person, limited spaces, bookings essential
Outdoor yoga - special summer sessions
Through summer we offer outdoor yoga sessions. These sessions are suitable for all levels.
The 90 Minute yoga session will include breath work (pranayama), meditation, gentle poses, Sun Salutations with the rising sun, and moving with the breath. We finish with herbal tea and a chat. Bring your yoga mat, a towel to go under it, and something warm to start off with as it may be a little cool.
Summer dates through January & February - TBC Price TBC Please note: if raining, class will be held indoors. Booking for this is essential as we have limited spaces.
Cancellations
We have a no refund policy on workshops. These are one off events with limited spaces. When you buy your ticket this reserves your place in the workshop and inhibits others from booking in. If you can no longer attend you are welcome to sell/pass on your place to a friend. Please let us know if you do this so we can amend the booking details.