YOGA
Where do I begin? Strong intention, soft heart, big smile. Her presence sets a sacred and challenging space to practice yoga. Her voice sweet and comforting, yet daring and drawing. She beckons your strong self with gentle verbal and physical adjustments, awakening and persuading every cell in your body to reach higher, move beyond where you thought you could go. Chelsea brings a realness and vulnerability to her classes as she shares herself in small yet meaningful ways. Chelsea inspires, connects and moves me to want to be a better me. Namaste Chelsea Ray.
-Tara
I have attended several of Chelsea’s combined yoga/personal growth workshops over the past few years. Her honesty, empathy, wisdom and kind soul shines through in all of her work. I have always walked away with a renewed sense of self and also a deeper insight into many different aspects of my life and experiences. I am a beginner at yoga and have always felt comfortable and well taken care of by her instruction and attention to helping me achieve the poses in a way that is comfortable for my body. I feel blessed to know Chelsea ❤️.
-Meredith
I have had the honour and pleasure of being a student of Chelsea's for two years now. As cliche as it sounds, Chelsea has changed my life! I have learned to push my body and mind to it's edge and in this process, have learned patience, self love, perseverance and acceptance. I have major injuries and Chelsea is able to tweak poses sometimes in the most subtle way that allows my body to strengthen and form asana's that I did not think were possible for me. Chelsea’s work goes far beyond teaching poses. Her words of wisdom and the fact that she shares about her own personal journey and pain with raw honesty makes me feel safe and comfortable to share and relate about my own struggles.
I am changing and the poses are merely a response to the inner changes that happen while I'm on the mat but carry on while I'm out and about in my day. I am a truly grateful student and I struggle to put into words the profound effect that Chelsea has had on my life. I will be forever in debt to her. Chelsea is truly gifted and I am blessed to know her and to learn from and with her.
-Christina
Chelsea is a ray of sunshine ☀️. I’ll never forget my very first yoga class. I attended by myself and it was of course a full class. I was feeling very intimidated, nervous and WAY out of my element. As soon as she began to speak, my soul opened up and I felt a sense of comfort and safeness. I love how she gives life messages/teachings in her classes through personal stories or experiences. She is very relatable. I love how she encourages us to seek our inner self. I leave her classes not only feeling physically good but mentally aware as well.
-Sarah
Chelsea is “that yoga instructor” who made me fall in love with yoga! She is an incredibly strong women who radiates her strength to everyone in her practice. No matter what kind of mood I’m in as soon as I go to her class my soul smile! I feel truly lucky to have shared space and connected with her! 💗
-Dana
I have been practicing yoga with Chelsea for over a year now and can easily say that I have fallen in love with her and her style as an instructor. She has the ability to challenge me in many different postures I had not previously ventured to try as they are not commonly taught. She does a phenomenal job at listening to what people want and can read a room to gauge how they are feeling; adjusting her classes accordingly. She offers many different varieties of sequences ensuring people stay engaged and I consistently look forward to her class each time. Seeing the results that come with it is an added bonus. Ultimately, whether you are a beginner, mid-level or advanced yogi, and you haven’t been to any of Chelsea’s classes, retreats or workshops, I can guarantee with 100% confidence that you won’t be disappointed.
-Tracey
retreats
This past year, I attended one of her retreats in Kelowna BC❤️. I felt so welcomed and respected. Her accommodations were exquisite and the food was nothing but nourishing and healthy. I 100% plan to do another.
-Sarah
The back half of my thirties I've spent living in what I can only describe as a fog. Struggles at work, struggles with relationships, chasing something I can't really identify. Bigger, more, higher, farther, faster, next next next. I needed a reset. I needed to reconnect with myself, and find a reminder of what is real. I showed up to Chelsea's retreat having been out of yoga and meditation practice for many years, wildly out of shape in general, not knowing Chelsea at all, and certainly not knowing what to expect. At the very first session this young woman was offering perspective and suggestions which I initially dismissed as typical self-reflection stuff, but as the week went on it became very clear that everything Chelsea brought to the table was authentic and sourced from a place of real experience and true compassion for all of her students.
Chelsea managed to open me up to others, but probably most importantly to myself, helping lift the fog a little bit. I ended the retreat with a simple but important reminder to do the work. Chelsea clearly has done the work. Being surrounded by her energy for a short week did more for me than I believed was possible. Plus, I'm back to doing some pretty good handstands again! :)
-Ryan
I’ve been on two retreats with Chelsea and have registered myself for a third this coming winter. Even though I have been into yoga for the past few years now, retreats were a completely new thing for me and I can honestly say I was skeptical going into both as they were in two entirely different settings from what I was used to and I didn’t know what to expect.
The first Retreat: I originally thought of ‘shared accommodations’ as something I may not be too fond of. This ended up being complete non-issue and exceeded my expectations. It added so much to the experience by allowing me to get to know a great group of people that I may not have connected with as well otherwise. This was in a mansion in my favourite Canadian City; Kelowna. There was a TON of space in the place and you could choose a room with as little or as much privacy as you’d like, there were also many different lounging areas and washrooms that you never felt you were getting into each-others way. We had the most amazing chef cook every meal for us from Thai, to Mexican dishes and just something completely original and tasty each day. We normally had our meals on one of the super cute patios looking out on the Okanagan Lake with the amazing landscaping of Kelowna. Add two yoga classes per day, meditation, pool/lake time, one of the best massages and acupuncture sessions I have ever had, and this perfect week away had set the bar quite high for the next retreat…
My second retreat with Chels was Xinalani. If you haven’t heard of it, get on trip advisor and read the reviews! Pictures don’t even do this little paradise justice. This is such a hidden gem! But first, I have to say I was skeptical going into this trip because of the open air room concept and being an eco-resort, their systems not supporting hair dryers had me worried :D. If I can stay in an open air room alone for 7 days and enjoy it, then I think mostly anyone can. Bugs were not an issue in February whatsoever, from what I experienced. This whole trip was liberating for me from start to finish. From the second I stepped off the boat and onto the resort and seeing the beauty of being in the jungle as well as looking out at the ocean, to only packing one small bag the size of a carry on, setting up my mosquito net every night and letting my hair do its own thing. This retreat has exceeded my expectations by far, in every way. I had a sound sleep each night thanks to the open air room, with the sounds of the ocean, birds, outdoor noises etc.. The rooms, the resort itself, cleanliness , scenery, staff, AMAZING food, surrounding towns, Temazcal (sweat lodge), hike to the little town next door and also to the waterfalls, yoga with Chelsea twice a day and sufficient downtime to relax and have beach days made this one of my most memorable trips . I have never felt so at peace and relaxed as I did here. I normally go to Mexico feeling heavier and heavier each day, however this was the complete opposite. Between the yoga classes, to all the stairs on the resort, the hikes in between and the incredibly healthy but insanely good meals, I felt lighter and better each day that went by. I can truly say that this was a trip I came home from feeling completely restored and refreshed. I knew I couldn’t imagine myself not going back, so I have already booked for next year; same place, same perfect host and I can’t wait to be there again!
Finally, I really can’t say enough great things about Chelsea. Her ability to hold space for others is exceptional. I am so thankful she moved to Fort McMurray and I will keep taking advantage of her while I can.
-Tracey
I came to Chelsea's "A Life Well Lived" Mexico retreat on my own, without ever having met Chelsea or visited Xinalani before. Something in the retreat description just spoke to me - the idea that I would be taken care of, that it would an opportunity to shed some of the emotional baggage I was tired of carrying around, and that we would be immersed in yoga and nature for a whole week.The entire experience was magical - from the exceptional beauty and comfort of the yoga, dining and lodging facilities offered by Xinalani to Chelsea's intuitive teaching. Her yoga classes offered just the right mix of heartfelt insights and humor, challenge and rest, and her sequencing was effortless. She had a great sense for the emotional pulse of our group and by sharing insights from her own personal experiences, she created a space for others to do the same. All in all, Chelsea's retreat was an extraordinary experience in hitting the reset button, finding deep relaxation and renewal in a gorgeous location, and making new friends and connections. Now that I'm back home, I'm working to integrate some of "retreat life" into my daily routine and hope to convince others to invest in themselves by attending a retreat. Thank you Chelsea and Xinalani!
-Trina
As a busy full time working mom of 2 girls I didn’t allow myself much time for my mental and physical health, during spring break last year that changed. I took Chelsea’s retreat at La Casa and it was outstanding! The food, the location, the people I met all surpassed my expectations by a long shot. But it was the yoga and mediation with Chelsea that truly gave me the recharge I needed and reminded me that I needed this time alone. I am excited to attend future retreats with Chelsea. The time away at La Casa made me realize that when I take care of myself I am a better mom, wife colleague, friend and person.
-Heather
Chelsea Yoga Retreat was a unique treat for me. Not only was the program well thought out and presented, but it also imparted long-lasting benefits during the weeks and month afterwards. The Yoga exercises could be performed at any skill level so that nobody was left behind or needed to feel embarrassed about not keeping up. The atmosphere was relaxed throughout the retreat and participants were encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings so that all could benefit from each other. There were many "aha" moments of deep insights and understanding for me leaving me in an elated mood for a long time.
The chef, Tiffany's, vegan meals were nutritionally balanced, creatively presented and tasty beyond descriptions. They inspired a brand-new desire to change my eating habits and add variety to my diet. We also had great fun during the wine tasting presentation by a local sommelier with food pairing prepared by Tiffany.
To sum up, the program exceeded my expectations. The presenter's attitude was welcoming, cheerful and inspirational, and I felt recharged and rebooted at the end of the retreat.