At Mist Thermal on Bowen Island, we are held by the forest in the heart of the island, adjacent to our sister brand, Nectar Retreat. The conifers and ferns, the steam rising from our eucalyptus outdoor showers, the dry heat from our wood fire saunas, the chilling warm and cold tubs, they speak a language beyond words. But there’s a way to meet them, to listen and respond. That way is through breath.

Breathing with awareness in the sauna and cold plunge is not just a technique, it’s an extension of yoga and a form of remembering. A way to reconnect to the body’s wisdom, and to restore the connection between mind, body, and the elements.

Below are a few simple breath exercises to accompany you through your thermal circuit, offered not as prescriptions, but as gentle prompts. Each one is intended as an anchor for the inner movement that happens when the body meets hot and cold.