This is a newly edited article written in 2018. The beauty of Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana is equally as beautiful as the Mount Shasta area, but the Ranch holds a special magic I have never felt anywhere else, and the people who take care of our every need at us at the Ranch are amazing. Information about our upcoming retreat can be found at the end of this article.

Even if you cannot physically retreat with us for a full 7-days, this article will help you see how you can retreat at your own home by joining one of our Soft Yoga classes on Zoom.

I'm sitting in a small cabin near Mount Shasta, California, looking out at the beautiful Lake Siskiyou,
a place I never knew existed until someone told me it was where I needed to be.

From the cabin, with a view of the crystal-clear lake, I deeply inhale the beauty and crisp air. Breathing slowly in and slowly out, I feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to visit the special place where I will teach future yoga teachers. Although it was a long, costly drive that required significant planning to leave my work back home, I'm so thankful for the invitation from a fellow teacher and for my willingness to accept it.

As I take a moment to sit with my warm tea, I notice that the teabag has a message for me. It reads:

Peace of mind comes peace by peace.

And there it is, attached to my teabag – a truth that is both simple and true. I was not searching for the secret of life as I had been when I was younger. Instead, I was invited to experience something new: a new location and a new type of tea. I accepted the invitation and was given a cozy cabin and a simple bag of soothing herbal tea.
The message found me.

Reflecting on three decades of teaching yoga primarily to newcomers who are either anxious or have sustained injuries in yoga classes or other physical activities, I find that these students are often brought to my classes by a friend or family member who encourages them, saying,
"This is where you need to be. This style of Yoga is different."

As a result, they confront their anxiety about trying something new, getting injured, or being embarrassed, and they show up, usually just to appease a friend or a relative.

Piece #1 – Accept the invitation and show up for yourself and others.

Upon arriving at any of my classes, students are told that all they are asked to do is lie down, get comfortable, and focus on their breathing. Most feel puzzled and confused, expecting exercise, but as they surrender to my guiding words, they begin to experience a "shifting down", a dropping into the present moment, and to relax, a state they have never felt, may have never felt before.

Piece #2 – Lie down and let go of the need to "do."

The more they stay with their breath and trust the process, the safer they feel, and the more the tightness or pain begins to leave their body and melt into the floor. They begin to trust the truth behind my words:

It is more important to focus on the breath than the asana.
They start to believe that the breath will lead them into poses when and if they are ready, and that if the body is not ready to move into asana, that is OK.

Piece #3 - Focus on the breath; let the breath lead the way.

By being willing to attend a class, lie down, and breathe their stress, pain, or emotional strain into our yoga room floors, whether in a physical or virtual room, we all create beautiful healing energy. This is a gift to themselves, which they then pass on to others.

Piece #4 - Surrender into healing energy.

From this deeply relaxed state, the students begin to unravel their worries and fears as they practice conscious surrender. The mind begins to unite with the body and the breath, calming both the body and emotions. Physical disturbances and old painful memories may begin to release.

Piece #5 - Where can you let go?

They begin to realize that the simplest poses are often the most effective. Although it may seem as though nothing else is happening at any given moment, the longer one stays in a pose and focuses on connecting with specific body parts, the more space opens for healing and renewal.

Piece #6 - Simple poses and longer holding create a deep experience.

Sometimes it is the body letting go of tension and physically going deeper. Other times it is an experience of diving deeper into our inner bodies or light body.

Peace of mind comes peace by peace.

I've seen firsthand, with my students and myself, that the many puzzle pieces of life begin to come together when we start practicing this method of letting go. Some of the most common comments I hear from students as they leave my classes are:

~ I feel like I just got a full-body massage.
~ I came in with pain in my back, and it is no longer there.
~ I just can't believe how fast time went by!
~ Can I just sleep here?

When they return to class, their comments are frequently:
~ I can't believe how well I slept at night after your class!
~ We moved so gently – why are my muscles and organs talking to me now?
~I feel muscles. I have never felt in any other type of exercise. I feel my abdominal awakening!

Then comes the next piece of the puzzle as they ask:
How often should I practice this soft, gentle yoga?

Well, how good do you wanna feel?

Remember – peace of mind comes piece by piece.

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I invite you to experience this peace with us:

Experience MIMSY - Meditation in Movement Soft Yoga

Live Zoom Class: Sundays at 10:30 am (PST) or private sessions.

www.agentleway.com

Retreat for 7-nights with Lanita and Diane:

June 13-20, 2026 - Feathered Pipe Ranch just outside Helena, Montana

Visit their website for rates and registration. www.featheredpipe.com

The scholarship application period is February 14 – 28, 2026.

https://featheredpipe.com/feathered-pipe-foundation/feathered-pipe-scholarship-fund/

Copyright February 2026-Lanita Varshell (Edited from an original 2018 article)