The Gift of Ground: A Yoga & Nature Immersion

We needed a special venue for our Gift of Ground retreat, and we found it at Hollyhock Lifelong Learning Centre. Secreted away on Cortes Island at the mouth of British Columbia’s Desolation Sound, with buildings tucked beneath the spreading bows of old-growth cedars and access to a coastline populated by orcas and eagles, Hollyhock embodies the natural immersion that is this retreat’s central focus.

The Centre’s commitment to environmentalism is evident in its green building practices, and all-organic, locally-sourced menu, and is leavened through relationships with the First Nations on whose lands the Centre is built. Combine all this with beautiful accommodations, a library, hiking, kayaking, and massage and bodywork services, and you have everything you need to leave your hectic city life behind. For nearly forty years, Hollyhock has provided a nurturing and supportive environment for holistic learning and growth. What better place to deepen your practice and reconnect with the natural world?

Stunning buffet-style all-organic vegetarian meals are served up three times a day at Hollyhocks cosy Dining Room, and once a week the chefs pull together to produce a fresh-caught seafood feast accompanied by beach side BBQ oyster appetisers. Produce is sourced primarily from the Centre’s very own intensive organic garden, and chefs are happy to accommodate any specific health or dietary restrictions. And if you happen to find yourself a little peckish between meals, you can grab a bite from a 24-hour snack bar stocked with bread, condiments, fruit, coffee, and tea. For more information please see: https://hollyhock.ca/experience/

Hollyhock offers a variety of accommodation options to suit most styles and budgets. Cosy up to a loved one in a Couple’s ocean side room, share a Twin room with a friend, get communal with a Dorm room. All built accommodation will feature tasteful decor, plenty of exposed wood, and natural light. For those looking to reconnect with the land, booking a Tent site is also a terrific option. Whatever you choose, your accommodation costs will include your food, amenities, and access to one of the most stunning natural environments on earth!