By early Friday afternoon I could tell everyone was really embracing “retreat mode”. I was zipping through camp on an electric bike after starting the wood-fired sauna. Throughout the campus, I observed many a solo delight of folks sprawled in the sunshine by the lake; in the grass, on the dock, on a bench - you name it. It became apparent to me that everyone felt at-home at Camp Olson.

This retreat was a lovely Thursday through Sunday fall getaway at the beginning of October. Time and space for all of the many things there is to do at this expansive Northern Minnesota camp. We have a variety of choices for retreaters to choose from each day: specialty yoga classes, art classes, hiking, paddling, sauna, campfire, Ayurveda workshops, fresh cold-pressed organic juice orders and mocktail happy hour, specialty appointments in massage, Thai yoga bodywork, or Ayurvedic pulse reading. Not to mention how well we were fed by Green Scene. UFFDA! It was quite the dynamo weekend.

Meanwhile, everywhere you looked and walked at Camp Olson felt like a total autumn dream. The leaves were beautiful, the weather was 10/10. It sprinkled on us for a bit on Saturday during our hike. Did that stop us? Of course not.

On Thursday, we had arrivals, massage appointments, a mocktail bar, and an early afternoon yoga class with Alison Olson Cox. There was so much happening I didn’t get a photo of Jami’s adorable fall Just Juice mocktail bar overlooking the fall colors and Little Boy Lake. Thank you again Jami - what a delightful way to begin a retreat!

The grounds at Camp Olson are so expansive and beautiful. A fun aspect for us staff is that we zip around the campus in a golf cart and electric bike. This brings us a childlike thrill as we take our “shifts” to zoom down to the sauna to add wood and keep it toasty.

Dinner was a phenomenal Greek inspired number by the Green Scene. I helped myself to many of the wild rice crispy bars after dinner. We had a large group welcome circle and then split off to retreater’s choice: yoga class with me (Bryana) or a lightning bugs watercolor class with Cat Cronemeyer.

The art classes throughout the weekend are pure enjoyment: watercolor, Zentangle, alcohol inks, and even combo classes. Cat is a wonderful teacher and really knows how to engage the group in artistic expression no matter where they are at. Her classes are fun, relaxing, meditative, and thoroughly inspire that ever elusive “flow state”. She really helped us to embrace through practice our book club read, In Defense of Dabbling by Karen Walrond.

*Sidebar: I’m thrilled to let you know that Cat will be teaching art classes at our winter Rest Yoga Retreat this February! Art classes by the fireplace feels like a requirement. I digress..

In the mornings, there were options for sunrise yoga, a guided paddle on quiet private lakes with Katie Ryan or Stephanie Schneider, an art class, or the luxury of sleeping in.

On Saturday morning, during Stacy’s class, we witnessed a particularly vibrant red sunrise for a matter of mere minutes: providing a rush of gratitude and appreciation for the day ahead.

After morning options, everyone gathered for a delicious brunch. Then we were off again for guided hiking, paddling, yoga, art classes, Ayurvedic workshops, massage or Thai yoga bodywork sessions, and more!

Ayurveda workshops were once again taught by Vanashree Belgamwar of Vanashree Ayurveda. She included an introduction to Ayurvedic concepts workshop. She added a really fun Ayurvedic cooking class this year. Vanashree also provided the opportunity for individual Ayurvedic pulse reading appointments. During the cooking class, her adorable son was her cooking assistant. Might I add we were all thoroughly impressed at his truly helpful assistant skills! What a delightful and inspiring mother/son pair - thank you both.

Thai yoga bodywork sessions with Alison Olson Cox were occurring all weekend long. Massage with Candace Henry of Exhale Massage & Wellness, and Jill Jacobson of Hiawatha Beach Resort as well. What a top notch way to fully send yourself into relaxation mode for the weekend. Not having to drive home after a bodywork session, but instead blissfully go about dilly-dallying through a retreat weekend, is seriously the best.

On Friday and Saturday nights, we treated the group to yoga and live music sessions. Katie Ryan played her baritone ukulele and sang. On Friday night, Bryana taught gentle yoga during the music, and then mixed in the sound bowls at the end. On Saturday night, Stacy teamed up with Katie for another highly enjoyable yoga and music session. We’ve really come to love the way we do these live music and yoga pairings. We encourage the group to sing-along: use your throat chakra, and also enjoy the way singing or humming along can enhance the full body experience through even more vibration and sound. It’s a unique and rewarding way to spend an evening.

On Saturday night, we gaped at the brilliantly clear night sky and cozied up to the lakeside campfire. Some jumped in the sauna and lake, some sat around the campfire. We sang camp songs, laughed, and shared hidden talents. One of my favorite campfire moments were the two retreaters who confidently and comically led us in singing songs in rounds on a couple of occasions. I really enjoyed not being the leader and just joyfully singing along! Thank you ladies, it was pure joy.

In the end, I honestly have mixed feelings about wrapping up this blog. I’ve really been dragging my feet on it. It’s my last retreat recap of 2026!

Thank you to our staff, to Camp Olson, and our partnerships with local women-owned businesses- it is so above and beyond glorious to work with you! In the same vein thank you to our retreaters. What a delightful group to spend a weekend in the woods with. Truly! It’s an honor.

I feel so so happy and fulfilled when looking back at this October retreat, and to that end the full year. This Flow retreat was a phenomenal way to wrap up this 10th year of Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats.

I can still hear the crunching of the leaves underfoot while we cheerfully hiked through the forest together. Soon it will be the quiet padding of snow underfoot… and I’m so serious when I say - I cannot wait.