The Happiness Retreat in English

Name: The Happiness Retreat in English
Start: 2026-11-13
End: 2026-11-15
Location: International Art of Living Centre

13 Chem. de l`infinité, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, QC G0X 1N0, Canada

Up to 21 in group

November 13 - 15, 2026

Retreat Highlights

Restore Yourself Fully in 3 Transformative Days
Each day of this retreat is a journey towards wholeness through learning breath-work or pranayama, yoga guiding you to establish a harmonious lifestyle for yourself. The pace is gentle and relaxed, allowing you to settle into the experience fully.
What to expect
Oftentimes, you find yourself weighed down by anger and regrets of the past or anxieties about the future. The mind vacillates back and forth, leaving you disconnected from the present moment, where happiness truly resides. The SKY breath meditation uses the powerful Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique to bring the mind back to the present moment and connect you to your inner power. Based on ancient Vedic wisdom, this unique breathing practice uses various rhythms of the breath to balance your emotions and give you a boost of energy.
Benefits of SKY
You gain focus and clarity to take on life’s challenges with a smile. As the mind and emotions harmonize, you experience a significant reduction in stress and anxiety and an overall improvement in health. Many participants share experiences of relief from various long- and short-term health issues. As an added bonus, participants receive a take-home practice easy enough to include in their daily self-care routines.

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Anneliese

Samer

Ralph

Anneliese Speidel

Daughter of German immigrants, Anneliese was born and raised in Quebec, learning German, English and French. At the CEGEP she added Spanish, after which she traveled to Spain and Germany for a year. Back at home, she worked for Lufthansa German Airlines for 10 years. She then had 2 children and took full advantage of her role as a mother. In 1998 she began her spiritual journey with the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. In 2003 she met Sri Sri and she knew she had found. She did all the Art of Living courses offered to her to become a Sri Sri Yoga teacher in 2008 and then also to teach Art Excel, YES! And the Art of Happiness. She lives at the canadian Art of Living Retreat Center since 2024, where she is teacher and manager, dedicating her life to service.

Samer Tamaz

Samer has been an active volunteer ever since he encountered the Art of Living Foundation in 2004 while residing in Montreal. From 2015 till 2021, he got fully involved in Educational, Healthcare & Humanitarian projects geared by the Art of Living and its sister's organization (International Association for Human Values) implemented in Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan and benefiting people of various age groups, ethnic background and social status. Enriched by his middle-east exposure, Samer has since returned to Canada and is currently based in the enchanted International Art of Living Center in Quebec province. He dedicates his time in conducting breath, meditation and yoga -related programs.

Ralph Matta

Ralph has been a dedicated teacher with the Art of Living Foundation for the past 21 years, imparting wisdom to a diverse array of individuals, from working professionals—including teachers, doctors, and lawyers—to university students. He also teaches the Volunteer Training and teacher Training programs supporting the development of future teachers within the organization. In addition to his teaching, he plays an integral role in the Canadian Art of Living Teacher Training Desk. With a rich professional tapestry, Ralph’s career journey has taken him from computer engineering to project management across a spectrum of small to large enterprises. He is also a successful entrepreneur with ventures in e-commerce and the health and wellness sector. One of Ralph's most admirable qualities is the serene yet powerful presence he brings to each program he teaches.

Details of this retreat

[en:]

This program will be conducted in English

Oftentimes, we find ourselves weighed down by anger and regrets of the past or anxieties about the future. The mind vacillates back and forth, leaving us disconnected with the present moment, where happiness truly resides. The SKY Breath Meditation uses the powerful Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique to bring the mind back to the present moment and connect us to our inner power.

Based on ancient Vedic wisdom, this unique breathing practice uses various rhythms of the breath to balance our emotions and give us a boost of energy. We gain focus and clarity to take on life’s challenges with a smile. As the mind and emotions harmonize, we experience a significant reduction in stress and anxiety and an overall improvement of health. Many participants share experiences of relief from various long- and short-term health issues. As an added bonus, participants receive a take-home practice easy enough to include in their daily self-care routines.

(Note: Repeater fee: $125 – contact us for repeater discount code at wellness@artofliving.ca.)

SCHEDULE:

DAY 1
2:30 pm : SESSION

6:30 pm : SUPPER

7:30 pm : SATSANG

DAY 2

7:00 am : SADHANA/YOGA/MEDITATION/PERSONAL PRACTICE

8:30 am : BREAKFAST

10:00 am : SESSION

1:00 pm : LUNCH

2:00 pm : PERSONAL TIME FOR:

Nature walk
Swimming
Boating
Artistic Self-Expression
Gardening
Seva / Karma Yoga
Rest
Personal time

6:30 pm : SUPPER

7:30 pm : SATSANG/CHANTING/KNOWLEDGE SESSION

DAY 3

7:00 am : SADHANA/YOGA/MEDITATION/PERSONAL PRACTICE

8:30 am : BREAKFAST

10:00 am : SESSION

1:00 pm : LUNCH

2:00 pm : PERSONAL TIME/DEPARTURE

[fr:]

Ce program sera enseigné en Anglais

Souvent, nous nous tourmentons avec la colère et les regrets du passé ou avec l'anxiété liée au futur. Le mental vacille entre les deux, ce qui nous déconnecte du moment présent, là où se trouve le bonheur véritable. La SKY Méditation du Souffle comporte la puissante technique de respiration Sudarshan Kriya, qui ramène le mental dans le moment présent et nous met en contact avec notre pouvoir intérieur.

Basée sur l'ancienne sagesse védique, cette pratique de respiration unique comprend l'utilisation de divers rythmes respiratoires pour équilibrer nos émotions et nous donner un regain d'énergie. Nous obtenons la concentration et la clarté nécessaires pour relever les défis de la vie avec le sourire. À mesure que le mental et les émotions s'harmonisent, nous constatons une diminution considérable du stress et de l'anxiété et une amélioration de notre santé globale. De nombreux participants témoignent du soulagement de divers problèmes de santé aigus et chroniques. En outre, les participants apprennent une pratique qui peut être facilement intégrée dans leur routine de soins quotidienne.

(Remarque: frais de répéteur: 125 $ - contactez-nous pour le code de réduction de répéteur à bien-etre@artofliving.ca)

HORAIRE
JOUR 1

17h30 : SOUPER

18h30 : SÉANCE

JOUR 2

7h00 : SADHANA/YOGA/MÉDITATION/PRATIQUE PERSONNELLE

8h30 : PETIT DÉJEUNER

10h00 : SÉANCE

13h00 : DEJEUNER

14h00 : TEMPS PERSONNEL POUR :

Randonnée
Baignade
Canoe/Kayak
Expression artistique
Jardinage
SEVA/KARMA YOGA
Repos
Temps libre

18h00 : SOUPER

19h00 : KIRTAN/CHANTING/SÉANCE DE CONNAISSANCES

JOUR 3

7h00 : SADHANA/YOGA/MÉDITATION/PRATIQUE PERSONNELLE

8h30 : DÉJEUNER

10h00 : SÉANCE

13h00 : DÎNER

14h00 : TEMPS PERSONNEL/DÉPART

[:]

Schedule

Retreat schedule

Day 1
17:30 Arrival/Fresh and warm supper
18:30 Introduction to the concept and practices of SKY

Day 2
07:00 Learning breath-work, yoga, meditation, or personal practice
08:30 Full vegetarian and vegan breakfast
10:00 Session (learning key takeaways and discovering more about asana, pranayama, mudras, meditation, philosophy, and nutrition)
13:00 Vegetarian lunch, eat all you want
14:00 Free time to discover the beautiful surroundings ** hiking, swimming, boating, artistic self-expression, gardening, service, or personal time**
18:00 Vegetarian and vegan supper
19:00 Kirtan, chanting, or knowledge session

Day 3
07:00 Daily yoga, breath-work, meditation, or personal practice
08:30 Full Vegetarian/Vegan breakfast
10:00 Session (Deepening your experience)
13:00 Vegetarian lunch, eat all you want
14:00 You are welcome to stay and enjoy the trails, the ambiance, and the new friends. Depart at your leisureE

Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

International Art of Living Centre, 13 Chem. de l`infinité, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, QC G0X 1N0, Canada

Directions

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Recommended Airports
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YUL - Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (135 km)

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Driving directions
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Type the following address for GPS: 13 Chemin de L’Infinite, St-Mathieu-du-Parc, QC G0X 1N0
PLEASE NOTE: From Rte 351, DO NOT turn into Chemin du Lac Gareau. Instead, drive to the Yellow Sign (see picture) at the entrance of the Centre and turn in. This is Chemin de L’Harmonie. Drive for about 1 Km to the Reception on the left.
The data signal as you approach the center is spotty, therefore, the center recommends that you save a screenshot of your direction, save offline maps, or carry a printout.
Airport: Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Airport transfer available: Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (CAD 80 per person)

Additional charges may apply.

Accommodation

Without Accommodation

Hermitage Shared

Room shared with up to 3 other people, shared bathroom, WIFI

Bodhi/Cabin Sharing

Room shared with max of 2 other people, private bathroom, wifi

Bodhi Couple

Private room with bathroom and wifi for couple or any two adults. Second Adult should register for same retreat choosing same accommodation option.

Bodhi Private

Private room, private bathroom, wifi

Chalet Couple

Two people need to register together for the same course to avail this option. Private chalet with kitchenette, bathroom, balcony for couple or group of two

Chalet Private

Private chalet with kitchenette, bathroom and wifi

Venue & Amenities

A/C in Rooms

Free Wifi

Spa

Sauna

Pool

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Tour Assistance

Hot Tub

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Restaurant

Fitness Center

Yoga Studio

Housekeeping

Bicycles For Rent

Nestled in the pristine Mauricie region we offer:

Numerous freshwater lakes and nature trails
Extensive organic gardens and orchards
Delicious sattvic cuisine
Calming, Ayurvedic massages offered at on-site spa
Serene meditation hall for yoga, meditation and ceremonies
Outdoor fire pit for cool evenings

What's Included

Daily breath-work, yoga, and meditation sessions
Singing, chanting, and knowledge sessions
Enjoy nature walks, hiking, kayaking, swimming, snowshoeing, and other seasonal activities
2 nights of comfortable accommodation
Daily wholesome delicious vegetarian meals

What's Not Included

Ayurvedic treatments (on request)
Airport shuttles are available at CAD 160 roundtrip (on request)

Customer Reviews

No reviews available.