Come back to yourself

A Note from Julie

Take ten minutes.

Reconnect, touch home and reset.

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Dear friend,

In our daily rhythms, it is easy to forget our homeground of okayness, ease and potentiality. Today, I invite you to step away from the noise and share a gentle rest and reset together.

I have recorded a heartfelt video message for you—a few reflections and a meditation practice. Settle comfortably into your seat or sofa, and let my voice offer you a restorative space and an invitation to return to your home ground of wellbeing.

Returning to Your Essence

A gentle reminder for the days ahead

Bragg Creek, Alberta Oct. 30 - Nov 1, 2026

An entire weekend to rest, connect, reset and renew. Ask Julie about a special 'bring a friend' rate available until Thanksgiving!

EXPLORE THE RETREAT

Cycling Albania

May 7-14, 2027

An active, locally guided holiday, hosted by Julie & Mitch

20% Discount until October 16

EMAIL JULIE TO LEARN MORE

Tuscany, Italy

May16-21, 2027

Meaningful practices bookend delicious days of slow Italy

EXPLORE THE RETREAT

Thailand, early December 2027

Currently being lovingly curated...details to emerge

EXPLORE THE RETREAT

I hope today's video brings a wave of calm and grounded presence to your week. I would love to hear how it resonated with you.

With warmth and gentle care, Julie Bohonos Founder, Body Mind Ease

—Ease begins the moment you give yourself permission to simply be.—

Body Mind Ease

Do more or what you love, longer into life.

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 Body Mind Ease. All rights reserved. bodymindease.com

Spring mirrors my heart

Hello friends,

As a late spring finally blossoms here in Canmore, my heart peeks out of its cocoon of the past few months.

This sense of reawakening has been a long time coming, especially since I committed to a period of deep self-inquiry and inner-work earlier this year.

My intention was to confront my deepest self-limiting patterns, shine a light on my blind spots, and fully embrace suppressed emotions. Looking back, I have to ask: what was I possibly thinking? 

 Marianne WIlliamson’s words were part of the inspiration to jump right into the murky waters of my human condition: “When we let our own light shine, we subconsciously give others the permission to do the same.”

Our one precious life asks us to shed protective veils and rewrite programming that no longer serves us. In quiet alignment, lingering post-concussion symptoms forced a sacred pause, deepening the well of  inner work. 

Impatiently, I looked for immediate clarity on specific situations. Instead, what settled upon me, like a late spring snowfall, was an unexpected inventor of resistance:

Judgement  -  'this is taking FOREver!) 

Justification - 'you're actually fine Julie, just get on with it'

Placating - 'it's all good, life happens',  ‘it’s okay”

Comparing -'It could be worse, other have it so much harder'

Skimming the surface had left me frozen despite the sun. I am learning that true optimism requires more than a cheerful glaze; it demands the quiet courage to meet each emerging feeling fully and honestly.

On a quiet woodland walk, I see my heart mirrored in the unfolding of spring.  unfolding. nature mirrors my heart. From the newly thawed soil, something deep and mysterious has stirred. Exquisite bursts of color and complex shapes appear - the brave, bristled crocuses lead the eventual parade of wildflowers. Encountering a calypso orchid brings me to my knees for close study, perhaps a silent, deep bow to Grace. 

Life is asking the flower to be a flower,  me to be me, you to be you. 

What conditions are required for us to stand in our own quiet splendor? What specific nourishment allows us to emerge, softly yet fully, from our hiding?

I have identified some essential forms of nourishment for me my heart, that may resonate with yours:

1. Meaningful community 

2. In-person connection

3. Nurturing environments you can melt into. 

4. A heartfelt team of support, whether one other or more likely, many others.

5. Practice what I love, teach what I practice. This includes:

   1. iRest Yoga Nidra, 

   2. Somatic, therapeutic movement/yoga

   3. Qigong! 

With that in mind, let’s gather and grow. ♥️

Do what you love longer; find peace when you are stopped.

An adage in my practice and sharing of therapeutic yoga has long been: “Do what you love, longer into life.” However, I've come to realize that I need to add to that: "and be okay when you can’t.”

Julie, Railay Bay Thailand, 2026

While rock Climbing in Thailand just a couple weeks ago, one aspect of why and how I practice yoga the way that I do was clear.

After hosting two glorious retreats, it was time for family play on the rock faces of Railay Bay. Here, the rewards of regular, intentional  practice kicked in.  My personal practice, that I also share on retreats,  consists of purposeful, and inquisitive, meditative,  evidence-based movements which prioritize function over form.

They are designed to foster deep listening, strength, connection and responsiveness and a deep sense of safety. It’s super rewarding and fun when it comes together doing an activity I love.

Yet, life is not always a smooth trajectory of safety, success and embodied empowerment. I was reminded of this just last week.

On the first morning after returning home from a month of tropical living, I was completely out of my Canadian winter routine. I set out for the usual dog walk, neglecting to put on my boots with built-in ice cleats. Although the sidewalks and streets were clear, our favorite off-pavement trails were treacherously slick. I ignored the intuitive thought to "go back for the cleats”. I managed to stay upright for the entire 40-minute walk—until I didn't! With one small step to cross an icy slope, I fell backwards, hitting my head in a way I'd never experienced before.

Thankfully, the resulting concussion symptoms were mild, and I am already feeling much better a week later. My daughter, Lauren, wisely reminded me that I possess the tools to navigate these challenges, and to be present and grounded with the physical discomfort and the "brain fog." She is absolutely right, and for that I am deeply grateful. We all experience phases in life when we are capable, and phases when our body is not. 

To me, self-care practices that teach us to move with life's inevitable ups and downs, all within the foundation of being okay no matter what, are vital. This profound sense of just 'being' is as constant and accessible as the air we breathe; we just haven’t learned to recognize it.

This doesn't negate the times when we feel like we are a mess, or we feel hopeless about something. "Being okay" aren't the perfect words to describe the aspect of us that has never been hurt or broken. From that unshakable ground of basic being, life ebbs and flows.

I wasn't the only one who returned home from retreat to a difficult situation. Tracy Rohl shared that as her plane touched down on the Canadian tarmac, she received news about the loss of a loved one. She confided in me, saying, "I have never felt so light and aware of myself as I did after two weeks with you. I will get back there, now that I know what it takes. You gave us the tools, and it is up to us to use them." When I asked Tracy for her permission to share her words, she added, "I really believe each and every one of us on the retreat with you feels that."

The principles of therapeutic yoga and meditation are not just for the good times. They are the scaffolding that allows us to meet difficulty with a deep, quiet strength, and perhaps even a bit of grace. Whether it's a tumble on the ice or another unexpected challenge, the tools of self-awareness and gentle movement pave the way for resilience. My hope is that we all continue to prioritize the small, consistent self-care practices that reveal our inherent 'okayness'—a truth that sustains us, no matter the terrain.