Gwen Zest for Life Yoga

Gwen Zest for Life Yoga

Partager

As a Yoga teacher and habit nerd, I help people build solid routines that support busy lifestyles, making their growth truly rewarding to witness.

I am a RYT-500 certified Yoga teacher. Teaching since 2020 and continuing my education every year to offer high quality Yoga sessions
My goal is to help people find more balance and happiness in their life through the Yoga practice

13/06/2026

Next week's schedule is a little special to celebrate the Wellness & Yoga week on Bonaire ๐Ÿฅณ

Organized by , this week promotes all the actors of wellness, self-care, Yoga & any other practices that help you feel better ๐Ÿค—

Will you join us?

08/06/2026

Every week, without fail, I see the same thing happen during relaxation.

Someone lays down on their back & after a few moments starts looking for a more comfortable position.

Usually it's the lower back.
Or the hips.

Almost every time, the first solution is the same: putting a block under the hips to try & stretch the area that feels tight.

๐Ÿ›‘ The interesting thing is that the place where we feel tension is not always the place that needs our attention.

Sometimes the lower back is uncomfortable because the head isn't supported properly.

Sometimes the hips are holding on because the legs don't feel supported.

Sometimes the body isn't asking for more stretching at all.

๐Ÿ“ข It is asking for support!

One of my favorite parts of teaching is helping students explore those little adjustments. A blanket under the knees. Support behind the head. Something under the arms. Small changes that often look insignificant until you see what happens next.

Very often the change is immediate. They stop looking for a better position, their face relaxes immediately, their breath slows down, the shoulders soften, the hips start to let go & the lower back settles. Nothing dramatic has happened, we haven't stretched harder or gone deeper into anything, yet suddenly they can just be there, comfortable enough to rest.

I think we often assume that where we feel the tension is where we need to work. We try to stretch it, mobilize it or release it directly. But the body is rarely that simple. What we feel in one place can be the result of something happening somewhere else, & often the most effective thing we can do is provide support rather than stretching.

That's why I spend so much time helping students find the right setup for relaxation.

Because relaxation is not just lying down on the floor.

It's creating the conditions that allow the body to finally let go.

The best part? Once someone experiences that, I see them reaching for the same props week after week, because relaxation finally feels relaxing ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿผ

Have you experienced that? What did you change & which props are you using?

31/05/2026

๐‰๐ฎ๐ง๐ž | ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐Ÿ๐ข๐๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž & ๐Ž๐ฉ๐ž๐ง๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ

A new month, a new theme, & new ways to explore your practice.

This June, we'll work with Confidence & Openness. Not the kind of confidence that comes from pushing our limits, but the confidence that comes from knowing ourselves well enough to choose what we need.

Our Sunday classes will focus on the diaphragm, exploring the connection between breath, posture, nervous system regulation, & the way we move through life.

Tuesday & Thursday classes will focus on the hips, creating space where many of us hold tension, while building strength, mobility, & support around this important area of the body.

Monday classes continue with a different sequence each week. While the movements & MFR practices might change, you'll find familiar practices throughout the month that help release tension, improve blood & lymphatic circulation, & bring the body back into motion.

As always, the goal is not to perform the poses perfectly, but to leave each class feeling a little more connected, a little more open, & a lot more confident in yourself.

_________________________________

๐Œ๐จ๐ง๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ“:๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐ฉ๐ฆ - ๐˜๐จ๐ ๐š & ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐š๐ ๐ž Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio
๐“๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐ฉ๐ฆ - ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š ๐˜๐จ๐ ๐š Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio
๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐š๐ฆ - ๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š Sand Dollar Bonaire (outside class)
๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ—:๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐š๐ฆ - ๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐…๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio

From 12$/class or join via partnership (check with your employer)
Mats & props included.

โœจ Why sign up for class?
โœ”๏ธ Saves your spot
โœ”๏ธ Helps your teacher plan (tea included!)
โœ”๏ธ Keeps things smooth & easy
โœ”๏ธ Keeps you committed
โœ”๏ธ Respects everyone's time

All levels welcome.

Just bring yourself!

Please message me if youโ€™d like to join.

Photos from Gwen Zest for Life Yoga's post 18/05/2026

~ Thoughts from the mat ~

Yesterday morning I woke up exhausted. I went to bed too late, I didn't sleep good & my period started.
I chose to start the morning intentionally before going to teach 2 classes.

I choose a practice for female health from a platform where I'm practicing with teachers I know. Most of the time, I don't practice by myself. I like to follow a teacher. I knew my body needed movement but without pushing. I know that because I've learned throughout the year to feel or listen to what I need. & yes, sometimes I still get it wrong.

Anyway, I did the practice. I also checked my phone & answered messages. I cuddled with my pets & sometimes missed a few movements during the practice. I skipped the relaxation.
All of this made this practice perfect. It made it fit in my life. It made it happen.

This is your reminder to watch out for the barriers we bring on ourselves.

I recorded a new podcast episode about this today where I share more personal experiences where my practice was nothing close to the picture perfect practice we tend to imagine but it was truly useful.

Have you felt the same sometimes? The pressure? Or the relief of doing it imperfectly?
Let me know!

13/05/2026

THANK YOU to all the participants & donors who made this event a huge success.

Thank you for opening the door of the Cat Palace.
Thank you for the support.
Thank you for doubling the donations.

Cats on Bonaire will have a little sweeter life today thanks to you ๐Ÿ˜ป

If you know a place with stray cats and/or feed them, please reach out to the Stray Cat Project Bonaire on Facebook.
If you're looking to bring a new friend home, visit the Cat Palace at the shelter.

They all deserve love, stray or family ๐Ÿงก







Photos from Gwen Zest for Life Yoga's post 05/05/2026

This conversation felt like one of those where you know youโ€™re going to go deep, but you donโ€™t quite realize how many layers are going to unfold once you start.

In the last podcast episode of "Yoga that Works", I invited to join me & we went into the gut-brain axis, digestion & the nervous system, but not just from a surface level, really exploring how all of this is constantly interacting in your daily life, how it influences the way you feel, think & move through your day.

What I loved about this is how it bridges science & real life. There is so much to learn, but it never feels overwhelming, it actually makes things clearer, more tangible, more usable.

We talked about why so many people experience discomfort, how the signals in the body can be misunderstood, & how yoga can become a tool you can actually use in those moments, not just something you do on the mat once a week.

Itโ€™s curious, itโ€™s insightful, itโ€™s practical, & yesโ€ฆ we had a lot of fun with this one too.

If youโ€™ve ever wanted to understand your body a little bit better & actually know what to do with that information, listen to this one!

This conversation came up following a talk Tiffany gave during the innovation conference. This inspired me to bring more awareness on this to my students so I created a class for my Yoga & Massage Monday evenings & recorded a series for the Life Lab! It's already online so go check it out!

Thank you Tiffany for joining me on this one ๐Ÿงก

04/05/2026

New month, same schedule, new experience on the mat.

Each class this May comes with new sequences, a new way to explore what your practice can bring you, not by adding more, but by refining how you move, how you feel, how you support yourself.

This monthโ€™s theme is sustainable power.

Bringing strength with ease, without creating extra tension where it is not needed.
Finding that place where the body is strong but not rigid, where the mind is focused but not tight.

A practice that supports you not just while you are on the mat, but in everything you do outside of it.

Because if what we build here cannot last, cannot adapt, cannot move with you, then it is not really supporting you.

_________________________________

๐Œ๐จ๐ง๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ“:๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐ฉ๐ฆ - ๐˜๐จ๐ ๐š & ๐ฆ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐š๐ ๐ž Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio
๐“๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐ฉ๐ฆ - ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š ๐˜๐จ๐ ๐š Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio
๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐š๐ฆ - ๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š Sand Dollar Bonaire (outside class)
๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ—:๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐š๐ฆ - ๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐…๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio

From 12$/class or join via partnership (check with your employer)
Mats & props included.

โœจ Why sign up for class?
โœ”๏ธ Saves your spot
โœ”๏ธ Helps your teacher plan (tea included!)
โœ”๏ธ Keeps things smooth & easy
โœ”๏ธ Keeps you committed
โœ”๏ธ Respects everyone's time

All levels welcome.
Just bring yourself!

Please message me if youโ€™d like to join.

Photos from Gwen Zest for Life Yoga's post 03/05/2026

I think the cats loved it, but I might not be objective ๐Ÿคญ

On Saturday morning, 18 of you joined for something very simple.

We sat, we breathed, we practiced slowly & quietlyโ€ฆ surrounded by cats.

What was beautiful to witness is that it was not just respectful for the cats, it was actually a shared space.

No forcing, no chasing, no disturbance, just people arriving softly into the moment, and cats doing exactly the same, coming close when they felt like it, resting when they wanted, receiving attention in their own way.

A reminder that presence is not only something we create, it is something we allow.

This was never about doing more, but about doing less, about taking a break from the rushing, about regulating the nervous system, and just being there with the breath.

And in that space, something shifts.

We will share next week the total amount that was raised for Animal Shelter Bonaire and the TNR program, supporting sterilisation, care, and long term solutions for the cats on the island. Every cat in the cat palace is ready for adoption & you can trust us when we say 7 cats is NOT too many ๐Ÿ˜‡

For now, just thank you for showing up the way you did ๐Ÿพ

Stray Cat Project Bonaire
Animal Shelter Bonaire
Flamingo Island Veterinary Center
Stichting DierenLot
Travelling Animal Doctors
Bonaire Nu

26/04/2026

This week starts a little differently.
There will be no class on Monday with Kingโ€™s Day, a small pause to enjoy the island, the celebrations, maybe a slower start to the week or something completely different from your usual routine.

We come back to the mat together for the rest of the week.

As always, the schedule is here for you to meet you where you are, whether you need to move, to slow down, or simply to take a moment to reconnect with your body and your breath. Just like in the practice, you get to choose what supports you best that day, instead of trying to fit into something fixed.

On Saturday, we have a special fundraising event, a chance to come together, to practice, and to support something beyond ourselves.

Sunday is still here to close the week on the mat or to start a day off fresh!

Looking forward to seeing you this week ๐Ÿงก

_________________________________

๐“๐ฎ๐ž๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐ฉ๐ฆ - ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š ๐˜๐จ๐ ๐š Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio
๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ”๐š๐ฆ - ๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ž ๐‡๐š๐ญ๐ก๐š Sand Dollar Bonaire (outside class)
๐’๐ฎ๐ง๐๐š๐ฒ ๐Ÿ—:๐Ÿ‘๐ŸŽ๐š๐ฆ - ๐Œ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐  ๐…๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio

๐’๐ฉ๐ž๐œ๐ข๐š๐ฅ ๐œ๐ฅ๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐…๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐š๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ž๐ฏ๐ž๐ง๐ญ with and Cat Project Bonaire
Saturday May 2nd at 9am at the Cat Palace.
Details here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CLy8mmTJw/

From 12$/class or join via partnership (check with your employer)
Mats & props included.

โœจ Why sign up for class?
โœ”๏ธ Saves your spot
โœ”๏ธ Helps your teacher plan (tea included!)
โœ”๏ธ Keeps things smooth & easy
โœ”๏ธ Keeps you committed
โœ”๏ธ Respects everyone's time

All levels welcome.
Just bring yourself!

Please message me if youโ€™d like to join.

12/01/2026

~Thoughts from the mat~

How much are you REALLY listening to your body?

As I finish to teach another Monday evening class, something strikes me again. Are my students coming up in a seated position at the end of the class because I've guided them there, because they see others doing it or because it is REALLY what they need right now?

The pressure to follow & do like others in a Yoga class is not unknown. But how much are we actually aware of it?

If it happens on the mat, it happens in life. Social pressure, following, doing because "that's how we do it".
I spent my entire life questioning this. So that's no surprise I bring these questions to the mat as well, in my own practice but also in my teaching.

Here is what I bring to the mat, hoping this will reach my students:
"Do what feels good for you now"
"No rush to do anything"
"Allow yourself to be weird"

Because the best moments I've seen in classes is when each of my students are doing something different. Then I KNOW...they are listening to themselves.
And this feels like the biggest win for me as a teacher.

๐ŸงกGwen

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