Sun Peaks Yoga has a new location and class options, offering indoor health and wellness activities in a community full of outdoor recreation.
After a challenging few years navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a location change, Sun Peaks Yoga owner Kayla Alfred has once again shifted her programming, this time following the closure of the Sun Peaks Community Health Centre in October 2025.
While working with former operator STEPS in the health centre, Alfred offered classes for patients and community members without being charged rent, which meant she could keep costs affordable, even free at times.
Now, she is running classes at the Hearthstone Lodge and LIFT Total Health. Class costs have increased marginally, but participants now have more options, with access to spin classes, Tai Chi, a sauna and more, Alfred said.
“Lift Total Health and Sun Peaks Yoga have partnered,” she explains. “You can buy a membership at either place and attend classes at either place.”
Extra sauna time through Lift Total Health is not included, however folks can get a 50 per cent discount on drop-in sauna passes outside of their class times when booking through Sun Peaks Yoga.
At the Hearthstone Lodge, Alfred offers at least three classes a week, citing the central location, small class sizes, private space and views as benefits.
Folks can find Alfred at Lift Total Health the other three days, where she teaches spin, yoga and meditation. For more information on her schedule visit her Instagram at SunPeaksYoga or website at sunpeaksyoga.ca.
Balance, recovery and energy health
Sun Peaks is a unique place to teach yoga, where balance and recovery are prominent, Alfred said.
With the majority of her clients skiing or traveling, Alfred’s classes focus on balance and recovery.
“What people need here at any age is balance,” she explained. “We slip on the ice all the time. The conditions vary. You can leave the house in the morning and it’s icy, you come back and it’s slushy. It changes so much throughout the day that I think that’s the main thing that we want to focus on in Sun Peaks.”
Asking her participants what they need from the classes is also one step Alfred takes to ensure folks are getting the most out of their time with her.
“If it was a powder day and people were skiing, I’m not going to offer chair pose because their legs have already done enough chair pose,” she explained.
Teaching in Sun Peaks brings in a clientele dedicated to being on the slopes as much as possible, regardless of age.
“A lot of my trainings, like the yoga therapy, expect you to get a lot of senior citizen clients, or folks who are older with more injuries,” she said.
Alfred said she was looking forward to providing a more gentle yoga to folks who needed it, but quickly learned “Sun Peaks people are built different.”
“It does not matter how old they are. They all want to do the push up. They all want to do the downward dog. They all want to do the deep lunge. Just because it says an age next to their name does not mean that they want to take it easy here.”
She also focuses on offering a space to work with the energetic body, Alfred said, taking into consideration the weather, emotions and current events of the village.
“If it’s cold, I’m going to make sure I build up energy. If something sad has happened in the community, I focus on holding space for that.”
This is the main difference between her teachings and typical mobility coaches, she explained.
“I offer that extra breath work and meditation.”
Welcoming folks to an inclusive space
Alfred sees inclusivity, empathy and education as key to operating her classes.
“I just don’t think there is space right now to be excluding anyone from the room or conversation.”
On her waivers, Alfred asks for names and pronouns and uses the opportunity to explain to participants why she asks for this information, offering a moment of education for folks to learn about pronouns and identity.
“Same thing, when I’m teaching, I don’t say guys and gals,” she explained. “I try to say folks or loved ones or sweet ones or weirdos.”
In line with offering an inclusive space, Alfred reiterated that folks should come as they are and take what they need from her classes.
“You don’t have to be fit to do yoga,” she said. “You don’t have to be perfect to do yoga. You don’t even have to be in a good mood to come to a yoga class… all you have to do is breathe.”
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