Sweet Spirit Yoga LLC

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A Return to Joy

Yoga was an important part of my life, long before I ever realized. Worry and panic attacks peaked in my mid 20s. After making my health a priority, I found a passion for fitness classes. I loved how I felt after a yoga class, both mind and body. When I was pregnant, I went to Blooma Yoga and continued their at home yoga dvd for all my trimesters.

I continued yoga at home and didn’t think much about how it was shaping me, until my late husband was diagnosed with cancer. I searched for yoga poses to help both of us with physical and mental struggles. Meditation and prayer with him became a daily practice for us. We met with our pastor for healing prayer every week. I read to him at night and recorded meditations for him to use when I was not with him. He loved to hear my voice, it soothed him, he said.

Yoga was not on my mind, but what was I doing all along? I was learning the principles of yoga.

When the calendar neared the five year mark of my late husband’s death, depression was consuming me. I had lost who I was at my core. The constant companion of grief frustrated and overwhelmed my daily life.

I restarted talk therapy and found Azitala offered Reiki which intrigued me. I was tired of being sad and was willing to try anything. After my first Reiki session, I released heavy emotions being held in my body. Discovered anger and fear living inside of me that needed to be released. Reiki became an important part of my daily life.

I continued to learn about Yoga, both poses and breathwork and the positive affect they had on my mind and body. In 2021, I went on my first Sweet Spirit Retreat. This was a stepping stone into my journey, completing both my yoga teacher and Reiki Master training in 2023.

I remarried to my best friend on July 1, 2023, becoming both a wife and a widow. This new chapter of my life allows grief and joy to co-exist.

The combination of Reiki, Yoga, and using essential oils has been the turning point in my grief journey. I am passionate about sharing tools with others and helping them find joy again in life.

Join Julianna Wednesday, Oct 25 for an evening of Connection & Care for Grief & Loss. You’ll experience a gentle movement & breath practice to support better sleep, a mini Facial Reflexology session, herbal foot soak, refreshments, & time in community.

This event takes place in Otsego, MN.

Julianna Czech

Julianna shares Reiki and yoga with others in her free time. She is a mother of 2 boys, a wife, widow, and hobby farm enthusiast. Her chickens, goats, cats, and dog provide her with daily comic relief and therapy!

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My First Blog Post

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.

This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.

Meet Amber

Amber Perry is a yoga teacher and mentor, retreat host, and wellness provider.

Amber began her yoga journey as a student more than 20 years ago. Becoming a teacher cracked her heart and soul wide open. She loves to guide students deeper into the mind-body connection in a safe, gentle, & loving manner.

Amber was inspired to create a company that provides experiences to not only alleviate stress, but also build authentic, sustainable, and joyful lives within community. This became Sweet Spirit Yoga.

Amber is RYT 500 and holds certifications in Facial Reflexology, Thai Yoga Bodywork, and Energy Medicine Yoga Foundations.

In her spare time she loves to spend time outdoors, run around with her 3 kiddos, read whatever she can get her hands on, and concoct deliciousness in the kitchen.

Retreat Providers Fall 2024

One highlight of each Sweet Spirit retreat is the opportunity to share some INCREDIBLE providers with you all!

JennieRuth Warren (bottom left in photo) is E-RYT-200, 500RYT, YACEP Sound Healing and Light Work Practitioner. Her background as a classically trained musician inspired an interest in studying the healing effects of frequencies and sound on the body. This led to the development of her healing practice, offering sound baths and healing experiences, both publically and privately.

She will be offering healing sound sessions at the November retreat, both one-on-one and in our large group sessions.

Connect with JennieRuth at yogawithjennieruth.com or her CD, “Healing Waves of Sound by JennieRuth,” can be found on all major music streaming platforms.

Rebecca Benstead (bottom right of photo), Health Advocate, Equity Facilitator, Integrative Body/Energy Work Practitioner, and the visionary behind, Collective Wellness, LLC.

She/They brings their passion, blending a combination of Eastern and Western modalities in breath, stillness, and deep listening to further individual and collective healing. Rebecca helps bring people into their bodies so that they can disrupt old narratives and patterns that may be inhibiting health and progress.

I (Amber) have personally experienced Rebecca’s transformative sessions. She builds safety & trust with clients and holds space for whatever may come.

Our November retreat attendees will have the opportunity to experience one of Rebecca’s integrative sessions!

Amy Miller Strand (top left) is an absolute gem of a human and has provided her services at 9/10 Sweet Spirit retreats! She’s an incredibly talented bodyworker with a growing portfolio of modalities, and even opened her own yoga & bodywork studio this year: Rising Phoenix Yoga & Bodywork!

Amy will be offering massage and bodywork at the retreat in November at Minnesuing Acres and providing sound experience as well.

Amy Gunderson McNeil (top right) of Vital Balance is back providing services at November’s Reclaimed Retreat at Minnesuing Acres!

Amy has been a chiropractor for 20 years in central Minnesota. During this time, she has learned a variety of skills to offer that complement chiropractic care. Some of those include: acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, myofascial unwinding, facial reflexology and lymphatic drainage.

Amy has wonderfully soothing energy and will be offering her unique Pure Energy Facial Meditations at the retreat, an incredibly relaxing, rejuvenating experience that has had profound impact on my health!

Meet Rachelle Escher (bottom middle) of Healing Creek Massage!

“My name is Rachelle and I am the owner of Healing Creek Massage in Elk River, MN. I opened my business in April 2022 after working as a massage therapist in Plymouth for 4 years. The unspoken energy exchange that takes place during a massage therapy session is my favorite way of connecting with other souls. My goal is to offer a safe and comfortable space for my clients to relax and decompress.”

Rachelle offers a beautifully soothing massage experience and is likely to put you to sleep.

Join us in November at Minnesuing Acres for the “Reclaimed” Sweet Spirit Yoga Retreat!

Can You See Yourself at a Yoga Retreat?

Picture the fire crackling and hot tea waiting… you check into your room and enjoy some quiet time before dinner, make a few new friends around the table, then end the evening with a tension-relieving class.

You enjoy a peaceful slumber then wake up for Morning Yoga to get your blood flowing. You linger around the table after breakfast, making the morning coffee last just a little longer. You head back to the yoga space for a workshop that deepens your practice and sends you home with Energy Medicine tools.

The rest of the day is yours for the making.. it may include a transformative session with one of the providers, or perhaps some time exploring outside, with a break for another goodness-filled meal made from scratch. Mid afternoon you might follow the sound of the drum up to the loft for a time of Intuitive Movement. You slip a nap in whenever it calls you.

After the evening meal, you bundle up to stroll a candlelit path under the stars. The lodge warms you on your return, and you drift up the stairs to settle under your blanket for a Restorative practice with Healing Sound.

Sunday morning feels bittersweet… you feel the pull to return home but the cozy lodge begs you to linger. You meditate under the morning sun before the final shared meal. A closing circle leaves you with a blessing for the journey.

You return to “real life” changed, yet somehow even more you.

Ready to Retreat?

Winter Retreat at ARC 2/2-2/4

Spring Retreat at Minnesuing Acres 4/18-4/21

#1 Ingredient: Loving Intention (A Xanadu Recipe Recap)

If you’ve never set foot in the kitchen at The Hideaway at Xanadu let me just tell you- it is like stepping into Grandma’s kitchen! You are enveloped with not only the warmth and smells of our latest culinary endeavors, but also a sensation of being surrounded by all the loving hands that have prepared meals here.

Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup welcomed everyone on retreat arrival night (Spoiler alert: Old Bay is the secret!). Shredded chicken is a nice addition if you’re a meat eater.

Nothing like waking up to an egg bake! Here’s one of the recipes we used this year: Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole.

I switched it up this year and held a workshop in the dining room: Mindful Connections Through Meals. I loved hearing more about everyone’s background and how it has affected their cooking and eating experience. We chatted about the value of pouring love and mindful intention into our meals and how our children notice these things.

We also made one of my favorite recipes: Perfect Paleo Chicken Salad. (The homemade mayo is amazing!).

A simple salmon recipe with oven roasted seasonal veggies capped off our Friday evening after a chilly day of horseback riding adventures.

I typically make oats on the stovetop, but for a group this size we used the slow cooker so we could wake up to a ready breakfast.

For one person, start with

1/3 cup rolled oats

1/3 c almond milk (or preferred milk)

1/2 ripe banana

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of cardamom

1/2- 1Tbsp ghee

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. As the liquid cooks down, gradually add about 1/3 c water. I love to top mine with more cinnamon, a drizzle of almond butter, and a sprinkle of walnuts. Enjoy! (This sweet & simple recipe is from Sabrina Bawa).

Paleo White Chicken Chili is another favorite recipe I shared with the group, along with Quinoa Vegetable Soup (some people combined the 2 and loved it!).

The last morning of our retreat we all gobbled up the Maple Pecan Breakfast Bake, along with Nicholl’s incredible veegie scramble.

Food is one of my favorite parts of the Xanadu retreat each year, and this year the kitchen team’s support was no less than incredible! Endless thanks to Nicholl & JennieRuth for all their hard work!

Cooking for a group of women who truly appreciate it is an absolute blessing and I hope we have many more years of this to look forward to.

Enjoy!

Amber Perry

Amber loves sharing yoga & wellness tips & tools for everyday life. Find her at a retreat or sharing her skills in a cute little space in Otsego.

Sweet Spirit Home

Embodiment: A Fall Retreat Recap

Tracee Stanley defines embodiment as, “a sense of carrying the wisdom of the practice in your cells- you are in such a deep relationship with the practice that it becomes part of you… this is a key component to being able to ‘transmit’ a teaching to students.”

As yoga teachers, we need to/get to embody the practices and principles we wish to share with others.

I need to/get to practice deep rest

I need to/get to practice working with my body’s Energy Medicine

I need to/get to practice communing & meditating with nature

I need to/get to practice receiving & being vulnerable

In order to share these powerful practices & principles on retreat.

My hope & prayer for each retreat is for everyone to head home with a new “real life” tool and to experience some form of all of the above. And even while hosting a retreat this weekend, I got to experience each of these practices.

I rested in a sound bath my collaborators shared. I rested on my Bio Mat each night before bed.

I continued my daily Energy Medicine Yoga practice.

I walked barefoot whenever possible and spent extra time “scouting” our nature meditation spots.

I wept as I heard much-needed words that spoke to my heart. I received hands-on love from friends. I had the support I needed to step away for a day to take care of my people at home. I had a hand to hold while I made my way tearfully through the closing reading.

I have endless gratitude for the 17 Sweet Spirits who shared their weekend with me.

Extra thanks:

To Tanya Rice for your hands

To JennieRuth Warren for your heart

To Nicholl Holas for your love

To Amy Miller-Strand for your energy

To Liz for your smile

To Kristy for your kindness

To Michelle for your openness

To Tammy for your grace

To Heidi & Rachelle for your dance (sorry for putting you together here but it was a historical moment)

To Sammi for your sweetness

To Jamie for your words

To Rachelle for your goodness

To Maria for your steadiness

To Jennifer for your generosity

To Melissa for your stories

To Arika for your spirit

To Nicole for sharing this magical island with us each year.

All my love,

Amber

Fall 2023 Itinerary- Mindful Connections at Xanadu

*We reserve the right to alter the schedule at any time without prior notice and YOU reserve the right to attend or not attend any of these offerings.

Thursday, Oct 5, 2023: Arrive 4-5:30pm.

5:30pm Welcome dinner

7:15pm Mindful Movement & Reiki with Tanya

Friday, Oct 6, 2023:

7am Energy Medicine Yoga with Amber

8am Breakfast

9:30 Mindful Connections & Meals Workshop with Amber

12pm Lunch

1-5:30pm Silver Sage Guest Ranch for horseback riding, walk, or outdoor yoga (your choice) & charcuterie

7pm Dinner

8 pm Community Bonfire

Saturday, Oct 7, 2023:

7am Mindful Morning Movement with JennieRuth

8am Breakfast

9:30am Minding Your Elements Workshop with Tanya

12pm Light Lunch + afternoon free for treatments

6pm Dinner

7:30 Sound bath (JR & Amy)

Sunday, Oct 8, 2023:

7:15am Nature Meditation

8am Breakfast

9:30 Closing Circle

Accessible Yoga Retreats in Minnesota

One of the questions I frequently get asked is “why did you decide to host yoga retreats in Minnesota?”

Several years ago I began to dream up these retreats. I spent countless hours poring over retreat locations online, focusing on areas that have already been made popular for yoga retreats, such as Joshua Tree. Somewhere along the way I started to wonder what I would have to offer that the locals in these locations weren’t already providing. There were so many incredible-sounding providers and offerings out there, and while it would still be a dream come true to teach in such a place, something wasn’t quite right.

Part of the challenge I saw for me personally was having enough time to fully “retreat,” while not being away from my family longer than I was comfortable with. A longer, out-of-state retreat also seemed out of my personal budget, therefore beyond the reach of the people I was interested in working with and providing retreats for.

Looking around me, the solution seemed obvious. This state I have called home for all of my 40 years has more to offer than many people realize. I find my spirit renewed each time I step on one of the nearby trails, take a dip in a lake, lie down on a snow-covered hill, or spend a quiet evening gazing up at the stars. There was a “ah-ha moment” as I began to see how the retreat activities could connect with our everyday lives.

My retreat location search shifted to the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, no more than a 3-hour-drive away. It wasn’t easy, but I found a handful of options that fit into my budget and dream retreat scenario.

Sweet Spirit Yoga was born (Under the name of “Sattva Spirit”! I kept the name for about a year or so until it no longer resonated and after many more brainstorming sessions Sweet Spirit came along).

I saw the opportunity to provide retreats that were affordable and accessible to more people, along with realizing what a major value that is for me. Many of my retreat guests are moms, employed full-time, and have other responsibilities that can make it difficult to get away. I love having options that they can enjoy guilt-free!

Our incredible Land of 10,000 Lakes is full of beauty and talented people. I find myself incredibly blessed to be sharing yoga retreats here.

***I recognize that while the retreats may be accessible to some, they are not accessible to all. If you are experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to explore other options with me.

Amber Perry

Amber loves sharing retreats in MN (& now Wisconsin!). She is passionate about sharing tools folks can use “off the mat” and in daily life. She shares her work through retreats, group classes, private yoga sessions, Thai Yoga Bodywork, & Facial Reflexology. Most of all, she just really loves people.

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Same Me, New Place (yes, another move!)

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the location in Rogers where I recently hosted an open house is not going to be a long-term fit for Sweet Spirit.

As of August 1, my private sessions for Facial Reflexology, Thai Yoga Bodywork, & private yoga will now be taking place at 9201 Quaday Ave NE #204. (Anyone who has appointments on the calendar for August or recently pre-purchased a facial meditation package should have already heard from me to let you know there will be no “interruption” to your service.) I am still on the hunt for an ideal spot to share yoga classes with the Rogers community, because I know it is needed here!

Now that the “official business” is out of the way, can we talk about how hard it is to let go? If I’m completely honest, I am very tired of practicing this lesson. I have taught countless yoga classes themed around “Aparigraha,” or non-possessiveness, aka letting go. In The Yamas and Niyamas, Deborah Adele suggests the value of “Aparigraha” is “to let go and to pack lightly for our journey through life, all the while caring deeply and enjoying fully.” I have read that passage no less than 25 times, yet my heart still struggles to balance the two- I care deeply and enjoy fully, and then I don’t want to let go.

BUT… I am a firm believer that the Divine speaks to us not only through the natural world, but also through the love and support of folks around us. The message I have continually been served in recent days is to let go and trust in the process. Suzanne Begin, director of the ARC, shared these words that spoke to my heart: “Why do we struggle to let go knowing that the replacement is an upgrade. It is not as if we are in a cosmic game of ‘Let’s Make a Deal,’ where it’s a 50/50 chance if the value of the item we gain is greater than what we give up. There is a 100% guarantee it is of greater value to our Soul.”

What are you struggling to release? There is a 100% guarantee the replacement is of greater value to your Soul.

Please enjoy this photo of me letting go, trusting the process, & finding quite a bit of joy in warm parkakeet feet on my body despite the look on my face.

Amber Perry

Amber loves sharing retreats in MN & Wisconsin. She is passionate about sharing tools folks can use “off the mat” and in daily life. She shares her work through retreats, group classes, private yoga sessions, Thai Yoga Bodywork, & Facial Reflexology. Most of all, she just really loves people.

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Support Sweet Spirit’s Opening

Are you ready to Glimmer, Glow, or just feel downright Luminous?! I am THRILLED to be able to share these open house specials with you!

Jump in “at the ground floor” with my new offerings and/or join me for one of the upcoming preview classes July 31. {Extra-special rates will be available in person only at the open house Saturday 7/15 from 9am-12pm.}

If you’re new to the Pure Energy Facial Meditation experience, I can’t wait for you to try it! Each session is deeply relaxing, starting with a hot towel for the face and very gentle movements applied with hands or a reflexology tool. This protocol has honestly changed my life and been instrumental in my path of healing over the past year.

I appreciate your support more than you all can ever know and cannot wait to share this healing modality with you all.