Thursday, October 29, 2026
6:30–8 PM • $40 • In-Studio Workshop
With Kylie Grogan

There is a special kind of sweetness that comes with fall: the warmth of a cup held between your hands, the scent of cinnamon and apples, crisp air, changing leaves, cozy blankets, and evenings that invite us to slow down.

Finding the Sweetness is a 90-minute restorative fall experience designed to help you step away from the busyness of everyday life and settle into the warmth and comfort of the season.

What You’ll Experience

Your evening begins with a mindful apple cinnamon tea ritual—a simple opportunity to pause and enjoy the warmth, aroma, and sweetness of the season.

Kylie will then guide you through gentle yoga therapy practices, mindful movement, breathing, and restorative postures designed to ease areas of holding, support body awareness, and encourage nervous system balance.

Warm, seasonal aromatherapy will be woven throughout the experience. As movement comes to a close, you’ll settle into restorative rest and an autumn-inspired guided visualization, allowing the sights, sounds, and feelings of fall to carry you toward stillness.

The evening concludes with an immersive sound healing journey using soothing instruments and gentle vibrations to encourage deep relaxation and quiet.

You’ll Leave With

• A softer, more settled body
• Simple practices for returning to the present moment
• A renewed sense of warmth, ease, and seasonal grounding
• Space to notice the small moments of sweetness that are already here

Who This is For

This gentle, beginner-friendly workshop is for anyone who would welcome an evening to slow down, get cozy, and reconnect with themselves as the seasons change.

No previous yoga experience is needed. Come as you are.

What to Bring

Please wear comfortable layers and bring your yoga mat. All other props are provided.

Come as you are, settle in, and give yourself an evening to find the sweetness already here.

About Kylie Grogan

Kylie Grogan is a Yoga Among Friends teacher who brings a gentle, supportive approach to yoga therapy, restorative practice, and mindful relaxation. Her workshops create space to slow down, reconnect with the body, and cultivate greater ease.

Learn more about Kylie →

Frequently Asked Questions

A 4-Hour Workshop with Jana Sutherland
Saturday, November 7, 2026 · 3-7 PM
$60 · In Studio · Limited to 20 Participants

Yoga can support us through every stage of life—and our practice can continue to evolve right along with us.

Join Jana Sutherland for an afternoon exploring how yoga can support balance, strength, mobility, joint and bone health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being as we age.

Through movement, breath, reflection, restorative practice, and meditation, you’ll explore practical ways to support your well-being now and in the years ahead.

All levels are welcome, including beginners.

What We'll Explore

During this four-hour workshop, Jana will guide you through:

• An accessible look at current research on yoga and healthy aging

• Yoga practices that support balance, strength, joint mobility, and bone health

• Breathing and mindfulness practices for emotional well-being

• Reflection and connection around the experience of aging

• Restorative yoga and a guided meditation to close the afternoon

This isn’t about resisting age or asking your body to perform as it once did. It’s an invitation to explore how movement, breath, awareness, and everyday choices can help you continue to meet life with strength, resilience, and possibility.

What You'll Take With You

You’ll leave with a greater understanding of the practices and daily habits that can support you as you age, along with movements and breathing techniques you can continue to explore at home.

Every participant will receive a booklet with information and exercises from the workshop to support continued practice.

Who Is This Workshop For?

Aging Well is for anyone curious about how yoga can support health and well-being throughout the aging process.

No previous yoga experience is necessary. Experienced students and those completely new to yoga are equally welcome.

✨ Continue the Practice on Sunday

Workshop participants are also invited to Jana’s Aging Well yoga class on Sunday, November 8 at 11:00 AM, at no additional charge.

The class will build on Saturday’s workshop and offer another opportunity to explore the movements, breathing practices, and ideas introduced during the afternoon.

Advance registration is required for the Sunday class. After registering for Saturday’s workshop, you’ll receive a registration code to use when signing up for Sunday’s class. Enter the code at checkout and the $20 class fee will be reduced to $0.

For those who do not attend Saturday’s workshop, the Sunday class is $20 with regular registration.

About Jana Sutherland

Jana Sutherland is a teacher at Yoga Among Friends whose thoughtful classes center on essential, foundational movement. Her teaching blends gentle guidance with purposeful practice, helping students cultivate both inner calm and lasting physical vitality.

In Aging Well, Jana brings that same approach to an exploration of how yoga can help us navigate the aging process with greater awareness, resilience, and joy.

Want to learn more about Jana’s approach to yoga? Read her reflection, Yoga in My Life: Finding Calm, Community & Connection, where she shares how her own practice has evolved over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Part of Veterans Yoga Project Gratitude Week
Thursday, November 12, 2026 · 6:30–7:30 PM
$20 suggested donation · Collected at the event
All levels · Beginners welcome

Join Nadine Bahaveolos for an accessible, all-levels chair yoga fundraiser during Veterans Yoga Project Gratitude Week. Through mindful movement and breath, we’ll come together in gratitude for veterans, military families and our community.

Beginners are warmly welcome.

A $20 donation is suggested and will be collected at the event; 100% of donations benefit Veterans Yoga Project.

What to Expect

Nadine will guide a one-hour chair yoga practice designed to be accessible to all levels of experience. Beginners are warmly welcome.

Through mindful movement and breath, the practice reflects the principles of Mindful Resilience Yoga and offers space to reconnect with steadiness, presence and community.

No previous yoga experience is needed.

Supporting Veterans Yoga Project

Veterans Yoga Project brings yoga and mindful resilience practices to veterans, military families and communities.

During Gratitude Week, participants across the country come together through yoga to honor those who have served and help support Veterans Yoga Project's work.

Your donation at this class will go directly to Veterans Yoga Project.

About Nadine Bahaveolos

Nadine Bahaveolos, RYT-500 and Yoga & Mindful Resilience Instructor, is a longtime yoga practitioner and educator who believes in the healing and restorative possibilities of breath and mindful movement.

Her teaching brings a warm, nurturing and grounded perspective to the practice. In December 2024, Nadine completed Mindful Resilience Training through Veterans Yoga Project and now serves the organization as a volunteer instructor. Her connection to this work is also personal: she is the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and granddaughter of World War II veterans.

Join Us

Come as you are for an hour of movement, breath and connection—and an opportunity to express gratitude through practice.

Chair Yoga Fundraiser for Veterans Yoga Project
Thursday, November 12 · 6:30–7:30 PM
Yoga Among Friends
4949 Forest Avenue
Downers Grove, IL 60515

Suggested donation: $20
100% of the donations collected at the event will go to the Veterans Yoga Project.

Frequently Asked Questions

with Aimee Forsberg Ottosen

Saturday, November 21, 2026 · 1–4 PM
Three-hour workshop · $55

Make space before the season begins

Before the celebrations, obligations, and full calendars arrive, give yourself an afternoon to pause and tend to yourself.

Join Aimee Forsberg Ottosen at Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, IL, for a workshop blending Ayurvedic learning and guided yoga practice. Together, we’ll explore practical ways to care for digestion, make room for rest, and respond to mental clutter, everyday stress, and the constant pull of digital connection.

Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of health and well-being that considers daily habits, seasonal rhythms, and individual needs. This afternoon offers space to explore that perspective and consider what might support you as the holidays approach.

What to expect

The first two hours: learning and conversation

Through lecture, discussion, and time for questions, you’ll explore:

• Ayurvedic perspectives on digestion and seasonal balance.

• Everyday habits that support rest and steadier energy.

• Ways to create space around mental clutter and emotional stress.

• A more intentional relationship with digital connection.

The final hour: guided yoga practice

Bring the afternoon’s learning into your practice with an hour of guided yoga centered on balance and renewal.

You may leave feeling more grounded, with a clearer sense of what you need and a few manageable ways to care for yourself through the holiday season.

Meet Aimee

Join us

Give yourself time to unplug, reflect, and make space for what supports you.

Saturday, November 21 · 1–4 PM
$55 per person · All experience levels welcome

Led by Lynette Pitrok and Ashley Logan

Workshop | Wednesday, November 25, 2026
6-7:30 pm | $45
All experience levels welcome

Rest, Receive, and Return to Yourself

Before the holiday gathering, give yourself an evening to soften, breathe, and be supported.

Join Lynette Bromiel and Ashley Logan for a 90-minute restorative yoga and sound healing workshop at Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove. Through supported postures, awareness of the breath, guided meditation, and the sounds of chimes and alchemy singing bowls, you’re invited to set down a little of what you’ve been carrying and make room for rest.

With gratitude as our intention, we’ll create space to reconnect with ourselves before turning toward the celebrations and connections of Thanksgiving.

What to Expect

• 45 minutes of restorative yoga with Lynette Bromiel: Rest in gentle poses supported by blankets, bolsters, and other props, with time to soften and notice your breath.

• 45 minutes of sound healing and guided meditation with Ashley Logan: Settle into a comfortable resting position while Ashley plays chimes and alchemy singing bowls and guides your attention inward.

There is no need to push or achieve. This is a quiet practice of receiving support.

Whether you’re new to yoga, returning after time away, or simply in need of a pause, all experience levels are welcome.

Meet Your Guides

A Few Helpful Details

What is restorative yoga?

Restorative yoga uses props to support the body in comfortable resting positions. Poses are held for several minutes, giving you time to settle without actively holding yourself in place.

What happens during the sound meditation?

You’ll rest in a comfortable position while Ashley plays chimes and alchemy singing bowls and offers guided meditation. There is nothing to learn or perform; you’re invited to listen and notice your experience.

What should I wear or bring?

Wear comfortable, warm clothing that is easy to rest in. All props and mats are provided. You’re welcome to bring your own mat if you prefer.

Come Rest With Us

Make a little room for yourself this Thanksgiving. Come as you are, receive support, and spend an evening returning to what helps you feel grounded and connected.

$45 per person · All experience levels welcome

Enjoy 7 nights at Good Hope, an 18th-century Georgian estate in the Jamaican countryside.

Join Laura Jane Mellencamp and a community of like-minded friends for a weeklong yoga retreat at Good Hope in Trelawny, Jamaica. Set within lush green hills and peaceful tropical surroundings, Good Hope offers a beautiful place to rest, practice, connect, and experience the warmth of island life.

The private beach, scenic views, nourishing meals, and open-air spaces create the perfect environment for slowing down and deepening your yoga and meditation practice.

An Unforgettable Yoga, Meditation & Travel Experience

Laura Jane has designed this week to support stillness, self-inquiry, and the joy of practice in community. Classes will blend Hatha yoga, mindfulness meditation, sutra study, chanting, and therapeutic principles that can be carried into your daily life.

This week offers a balance of rest and play, with time for practice, beach visits, shared meals, quiet reflection, and connection. Whether you are newer to yoga or have practiced for years, this retreat is open to all levels and life experiences.

This yoga retreat is for all ages and all life experiences — perfect for all levels of practitioners, yoga teachers, and bodywork therapists.

Private yoga sessions will also be available.

Sample Daily Schedule*

(Optional to meet each student’s needs)
• Early morning hike and meditation
• Breakfast
• In-depth yoga practice with Laura Jane
• Lunch
• Free time to explore this beautiful and healing environment
• Late practice includes asana, chanting, sutra study and meditation
• Dinner
• Evening shared sangha

*Schedule is subject to change.

We will be going down to the private beach most days (15 min from the Coach House). Price includes daily transportation to the beach.

Accommodations

Good Hope is about forty minutes from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Our group will have the entire retreat property at Good Hope, including the Country House (also known as the Great House), the Coach House, and a few detached cottages.

The Country House and Coach House are two beautiful cut-stone buildings with sweeping views of the valley. Each has seven bedrooms and a multi-level, open floor plan that offers a lovely balance of spaciousness and intimacy — ideal for a yoga retreat where there is time to gather, rest, and retreat inward.

Each bedroom includes air conditioning, ceiling fans, and an en-suite bathroom. Recently renovated, the property also features a 50-foot infinity edge pool, open-air dining terrace, tropical gardens, and access to Good Hope’s private beach house, located about 15 minutes away.

Meals are served family-style, and the pace is slow, relaxed, and deeply welcoming.

The cost of the retreat includes:

• Roundtrip airport transportation to & from the resort

• Deluxe accommodations for 7 nights. All bedrooms have bathrooms, A/C, and ceiling fans

• 3 gourmet, mostly vegetarian meals daily with some seafood meals during the week. Gluten/dairy-free options are available upon request

• Water, teas, & juices

• Daily yoga classes & sutra studies—Private yoga sessions are available

• Full use of all resort amenities - including pool, beach, boogie boards, paddle boards, kayaks, river swimming, hiking trails, movie night, yoga room, pool table, ping pong table, and ADSL internet access.

• Daily transportation to and from the private beach

• Sales & hospitality taxes

The retreat cost does not include:

• Airfare to Sangster Intl Airport in Montego Bay

• Spa treatments (massage, mani/pedis, reflexology, etc.)

• Alcoholic beverages & personal purchases

• Optional excursions such as golf, dining in local restaurants, pottery classes, painting classes, horseback riding, rafting, snorkeling, fishing, Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, Chukka Adventures (zip lines, river tubing, horse and buggy rides, dune buggy rides, ATVs, and history talk of local area)

• Travel insurance (highly recommended)

• Gratuities

Registration

Refund/Cancellation

A $700 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your space. If you need to cancel before November 1, 2026, payments made beyond the deposit may be refunded, less any non-refundable costs already paid by Yoga Among Friends. Cancellations on or after November 1, 2026 are non-refundable unless your space can be filled by another participant.

All cancellation requests must be made in writing. Travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect your investment in the event of illness, travel delays, emergencies, or other unexpected circumstances.

Interested, but have a few questions before you commit?

with Laura Jane Mellencamp, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, MA

Step away from the familiar and into the spacious beauty of Scotland.

Join Laura Jane Mellencamp and the Yoga Among Friends community for six nights of yoga, meditation, friendship, exploration and renewal in the peaceful countryside of Perthshire, where the Scottish Lowlands meet the Highlands.

Surrounded by rolling green hills, ancient woodland and wide-open skies, we’ll have room to move, breathe, wander, rest and remember something we often lose in the pace of everyday life:

the simple joy of being fully present.

Laura Jane is bringing the spirit of Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, Illinois, to Scotland for a retreat designed around meaningful practice, spacious days, beautiful surroundings and the kind of community that has brought retreat participants back year after year.

All levels of yoga experience are welcome.

A Retreat for Practice, Presence & a Little Awe

There is something about leaving our usual surroundings that helps us see more clearly.

On retreat, there is nowhere else we need to be.

We can begin the morning in practice. Eat together. Walk. Explore. Take a nap. Read a book. Sit quietly. Laugh around a fire. Let the landscape surprise us.

Laura Jane has shaped this week to create room for stillness, self-inquiry, meaningful practice, and the joy of being in community. Our time together will weave Hatha yoga, mindfulness meditation, sutra study, chanting, and therapeutic principles into practices that are both grounding in the moment and useful when you return home.

There will be a natural rhythm of practice and rest, reflection and exploration, quiet time and shared experience. Some days may invite you inward; others may open into a walk through the countryside, a shared meal, laughter, or simply time to sit and take in where you are.

This retreat is open to all ages, all life experiences, and all levels of practice. Whether you are newer to yoga, have practiced for years, teach yoga, or work in the healing and bodywork professions, you are welcome here.

Come as you are, with a willingness to participate, explore, and listen.

What Your Week in Scotland Includes

The retreat package currently includes:

• 6 nights of accommodations in the Perthshire countryside

• 3 meals each day, beginning with dinner on arrival day and ending with breakfast on departure day

• Group ground transportation between Edinburgh Airport and the retreat center during True Nature’s designated transfer window

• Daily yoga practices with Laura Jane

• Meditation, breathing practices and opportunities for quiet reflection

• Personal retreat time to rest, walk, read, explore or simply do nothing for a while

The property includes beautifully restored accommodations, contemporary lodges, gardens, walking paths, outdoor gathering spaces and private hot tubs. A spacious, fully equipped yoga studio provides mats, bolsters, blocks, straps, blankets, meditation cushions and weighted eye pillows

Space to Explore Scotland

Practice is part of retreat.

So is adventure.

During free time, possible activities may include:

• countryside walks and nature hikes

• Scottish ceilidh dancing

• sound bath sessions

• massage

• evenings around the firepit

• whisky tasting

• excursions to places such as Edinburgh, Stirling, St Andrews or Perth

Optional activities are subject to availability and are not included unless True Nature specifically lists them as part of the retreat package.

And there is no requirement to fill every open hour.

A quiet afternoon with a book may be every bit as important as an excursion.

Meet Your Retreat Leader: Laura Jane Mellencamp

Laura Jane Mellencamp, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, MA, is the founder and director of Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, Illinois and has spent decades studying, practicing and teaching yoga.

Her work extends well beyond physical postures. Laura Jane brings together traditional yoga teachings, meditation, breath, yoga therapy and her graduate background in clinical and counseling psychology to help students explore yoga as a practice for the whole person.

She is a certified yoga therapist and member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and has led classes, workshops, trainings and retreats in the United States and around the world.

What students often remember most, however, is not a credential.

It is the feeling of being welcomed exactly where they are.

That same philosophy has shaped Yoga Among Friends for more than 25 years: thoughtful teaching, small classes, meaningful practice and a community where people at many different ages and stages of life can practice together.

Your Retreat Home in Perthshire, Scotland

Our retreat will be set on a private estate in Perthshire, Scotland, surrounded by rolling hills, fields and woodland.

The property brings together restored historic buildings and contemporary lodges arranged around a central courtyard. Rooms include ensuite bathroom facilities, and each accommodation category offers its own combination of location, room size and accessibility by stairs.

Shared and single rooms are available in several categories.

Retreat Tuition

Current tuition ranges from:

Shared accommodations: $4,495–$4,645 USD per person

Single accommodations: $5,295–$5,445 USD per person

A non-refundable $50 processing fee is added at registration.

True Nature requires a non-refundable, non-transferable deposit to reserve your place.

For the most current deposit requirements, payment schedule and registration details, please refer to True Nature Travels.

Getting to Scotland

Participants will fly into Edinburgh Airport (EDI).

True Nature provides one group ground transfer between Edinburgh Airport and the retreat center in each direction. Flights need to fall within the designated arrival and departure windows to use that transportation.

Do not purchase airfare until True Nature confirms that the retreat has met its minimum registration requirement.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended.

For specific flight windows, travel policies, insurance information and payment questions, use the current information provided by True Nature Travels.

Scotland Yoga Retreat FAQs

Ready to Come to Scotland?

If something in you is already imagining the green hills, morning practice, shared meals and time to simply wander, listen and breathe, perhaps this is your invitation.

Join Laura Jane and the Yoga Among Friends community in Scotland, September 27–October 3, 2027.

Registration, payments, accommodations and travel arrangements are managed by True Nature Travels.

Not quite ready — or wondering whether this retreat is right for you?

Laura Jane would be happy to talk with you.

One Last Question

What would it feel like to give yourself a week with nowhere else you need to be?

Maybe the answer is not something you need to figure out just yet.

Perhaps you simply begin by making a little room for the possibility.

With love,
Laura Jane