Yoga, Health, and Wellness Articles + Recipes

Yoga retreats are an opportunity to literally turn off the buzz of Smart phones, television, computers, traffic and the rest of those modern conveniences that over-stimulate us and keep us stuck in “fight or flight” mode. The profound relaxation and joy established while disconnected from “real life” helps us tune in to how we’re feeling and appreciate the present moment. When you arrive to your retreat, external noise is silenced, and profound peace is accessible. Unlike when you’re home focused on all life’s daily responsibilities, you can get quiet enough to hear your thoughts, experience your feelings, savor delicious food (prepared by someone else), and lose yourself in new surroundings. A great retreat is one where you have the freedom to listen to your inner voice.

A yoga retreat is a nice opportunity to take a step back from the distractions of daily life. They also help you focus on and immerse yourself in your yoga practice, while also experiencing new places with new people. As rejuvenating as this experience can be, many find the idea of a retreat slightly intimidating. Yes, for some, even a retreat may seem daunting at first, as many wonder if it's really a relaxing vacation or a challenge that puts you too far outside your comfort zone. Here's a few handy tips and tricks to help you get the best out of a yoga vacation and feel ready to immerse yourself in yoga and travel. Pick the right retreat Your experience all depends on the retreat you choose, as different retreats have different areas of emphasis and intensity. Some are more yoga focused, some have more time for sightseeing and others are more about delicious food. Others incorporate other things like meditation, reiki, time in nature or even wine tasting and cooking classes. Some are more of a vacation and others are more serious about yoga. If you're craving discipline and practicing multiple challenging yoga classes each day, there's a retreat for you. If you want a vacation on the beach with nice relaxing yoga class as an addition, there's a retreat out there for you also. Make sure you look around and find the retreat that suits you best. Some are more of a vacation and others are more serious about yoga. At most retreats, all classes and activities optional, which means you get to choose your own adventure and are not confined to a strict schedule either.

Vacation on your mind, but yearning for something different? Let’s retreat with a cause in the yoga haven of India, where the ancient science of the Vedas has proliferated into a compelling alternative lifestyle which is sustainable, self-empowering, and enriched with deeply seated wisdom. The legacy of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda ricochets in this birth land of ancient yogis and world peace leaders. In the far North, the Himalayas stand in all its majestic glory where yoga has been a way of life since long ago. And in the deep South, in the tropical stretches of Kerala, Ayurveda, the priceless medicine of the Vedic civilization is still maintained in lived practices. Where else can you spend your days off to get rejuvenated and feel the power surging within at a cellular level, but here in India! Here are reasons why you must experience this awesomeness as your next vacation.

Every year, we use our hard-earned money to jet off to a spellbinding location where we hope to break away, relax, recoup, learn new cultures and meet new people. We choose to go on vacations to get away from the hustle of everyday life, spend quality time with our family or friends, be surrounded by nature, get quiet time to put things in perspective and resolve long-standing mental as well as emotional issues.

“The result of contentment is total happiness. The happiness we get from acquiring possessions is only temporary. We need to find new ones and acquire them to sustain this sort of happiness. There is no end to it. But true contentment, leading to total happiness and bliss, is in a class by itself.” – T.K.V. Desikachar

We are constantly relating to our environment and surroundings as a means of understanding ourselves. We relate to our dogs, our friends, our bosses and especially our lovers as a way of seeing ourselves or adding greater meaning to our dynamic personalities. When we are relating to our boss, we may see the side of us that is anxious, hard-working and tenacious. When relating to our dog, we may see a side that is care-free and adventurous.

These days there are so many options when it comes to travel. Sometimes it can even feel overwhelming when trying to make a decision of where to go and what to do. Here are a couple of pointers that can help to shed some light on why yoga retreats are a fun and easy way to have the vacation of a life time.

What exactly is a retreat? The definition from Webster is an act or process of withdrawing; a place of privacy or safety; a period for prayer, meditation, study, or instruction under a director. I would add, a period of time you completely unplug and disconnect from your normal routine, responsibilities, and distractions, to focus completely on yourself and your needs.