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FeedFar and Away
Our resident expert offers insight into what you need to know about yoga retreats to select and enjoy the relaxing experience of a lifetime.
Staring at the words written in my journal, recording the first yoga retreat I ever attended, I smile. I now understand the magic of a retreat. Even though I have a regular yoga practice at home, while on retreat, away from the hustle and bustle of emails, voicemails and meetings, I go deeper into myself and find the ability to refocus and refine.
In 1994, I began spending at least one week a year on retreat. I committed to enjoying my practice of yoga on my mat in a far away place, relaxing in the sun, eating organic foods and drinking lots of herbal tea. When I got married, I encouraged my husband to do the same. He fell in love with the deep therapeutic focus of the time away. Now, our annual retreat serves as a remarkable touchstone into each other and ourselves. We return to our daily lives refreshed, rejuvenated and ever ready to take on the day to day.
Yoga retreats are the new vacation of choice for many people of all ages and yogic skill levels seeking an inner adventure in an exotic location during their much-deserved time off. The variety of yoga retreats, yoga vacations and adventures is on a steady rise. Many retreats now have options for participants to bring spouses who do not practice yoga and alternate activities and supervision for children.
But once you decide you want to take a retreat, how do you choose? How do you pack? How do you ensure that you come home feeling the way the individuals look on the brochure? Engage the process and enjoy.
Is it the time of year, the style of yoga, a particular teacher, the level of the practice presented, the amenities of the facility or the geographic location that you regard as most important in your selection of a retreat? Brainstorm this special time, and from lists of your preferences, begin your research. If a deeper connection into your preferred style of yoga or with a local teacher is most important, inquire into your teacher's and local studio's retreat schedule. Even if they are not leading retreats themselves, they may have personal recommendations and valuable suggestions.
If location or time of year is most important, begin your research on the Web. For a retreat to Bali, India, Greece or Costa Rica, visit the details available at yogadventures.com. For those to Thailand, the Swiss Alps, Gozo (Malta) and Morocco, we recommend yogatraveller.com. For retreats closer to home, in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, visit kripalu.org. For the west coast, explore yogaroads.com, based in Santa Barbara, California. Each of these traveling yoga experiences offers a variety of options for alternate activities in conjunction with your daily yoga practice, including massage, diving, golfing, hiking, horseback riding and surfing.
Upon narrowing your choices, contact the yoga teacher or retreat company for in-depth information, notes on what to expect while you are in their care, scheduling, and descriptions of accommodations. Information should be provided both quickly and thoughtfully. Particularly if you are traveling abroad, your host's thoroughness in response to your inquiries will be directly proportional to your experience with them on site. Inquire into the cancelation and refund policies, should you need to cancel for any reason.
On the retreat, just like any vacation, your participation during the experience will determine how you will feel when you return home. Ensure your rejuvenation; participate in accordance to your skill and energy levels at all times. A retreat schedule is an invitation into the full process but should be regarded as an invitation and not a list of requirements. Taking yoga multiple times per day for consecutive days can have incredible accumulative benefits as you will notice a marked increase in your strength and flexibility. However if, during the week, your energy level drops, appreciate your options for alternate activities, including just being still. If you feel tired one morning, sleep in. If you feel the classes are above your level, modify to keep yourself safe. If you feel a calling to investigate the sand and surf, do that. If you feel inspired to attend every class, attend every class and enjoy.
Your time away is precious. A yoga retreat is an incredible way to honor that time. Arriving home after the retreat, reflect back on your thoughts and musings, the grace of such sweet time will continue to soak in and regenerate your creativity and relationships. Let the retreat bring you deeper back into your life.
What to Bring
First and foremost, bring your own lightweight yoga mat. These are available at a variety of local stores and yoga studios or through a quick online visit to any of your favorite yoga Websites. Public mats are generally dirtier than you may prefer despite even the best efforts of your host facility.
If you generally use a strap or block, contact your host and ask if these props are going to be available for all participants. If not, bring your own.
Pack clothing appropriate for the climate and alternate activities.
Inquire as to whether or not you will be able to wash yoga clothing to establish the number of bottoms and tops you will need.
Inquire into the need for specialized items such as your own towels, flashlights, bottled water, or bug spray.
