Have you ever reached that point when everything around you is falling apart and you need a serious break? Most of us, especially in busy cities with equally busy lives, feel that way. When we get to that point, most of us would normally say that we need a holiday, but is a holiday enough?
Yoga, meditation and other holistic healing retreats are the answer when a holiday is just not enough. There is something about retreats that is very special and can really create a platform for transformation! Here is 10 reasons why to take a yoga retreat:
1. It is all about ME time
The number one of 10 reasons to take a yoga retreat is that you need to care for your wellbeing, a retreat is the only place you can get the “ME” time you deserve. The idea of a retreat is to create a safe space where you can nurture your body and soul. The atmosphere is relaxed, everything is taken care of and you really have to do nothing but enjoy the activities, surroundings, food and company (or alone time if you need that).
2. An opportunity to feel present
The second of the 10 reasons to take a yoga retreat is that retreats are designed to offer a comprehensive escape embedding fun with relaxation. Because the activities, classes, therapies and meals are made for you, you can enjoy being present without needing to plan anything! At most, when you have free time from classes, you can decide if you wish to visit the surroundings, cities nearby or nature, all at your own pace, without any schedule or watch to adhere to.
3. Allowing a break for the digestive system
Most retreats will offer comprehensive meals in the package and generally the idea is to have food that can boost your body’s ability to work at its best and even kick-start a little detoxification plan! You can certainly look for specific dietary requirements (like a juicing retreat) but retreats often include food that is healing and can support good digestion and even the restoration of a healthy gut!
4. Daily routines to calm the mind
Routine in the standard sense can be quite tiring! We see getting up, going to work and going back home as routine too, but it doesn’t make us feel very well. On retreats, the routines created are for health! Routines (like yoga classes in the morning and meditation classes in the evening) can allow the body to feel in tune with the rhythm of the retreat and discover how to calm down knowing that those healing activities can impact your brain and body positively.
5. Meeting like-minded people
On holidays, we may meet a lot of people, but oftentimes the context does not allow for deep connections. We may meet someone on the beach or at a restaurant or bar, but when we spend enough time with someone like we do on retreats, we can really enjoy discovering who they are and connecting deeply. Research shows that it takes a person an average of seven hours to start trusting another. On retreats, you will spend a lot of time with people who, like you, are there to find a way to relax, to discover their inner voice. Therefore, you can share something deeper than a drink with them, and many people return home friends from retreats! There are yoga retreats offered at amazing locations all over the world, including beautiful Bali.
6. Time slows down
A fascinating thing I noticed on yoga retreats was how time seemed to slow down. It is quite daunting that we spend our days rushing from one place or task to another and time flies! Retreats allow time to slow down because we are no longer chasing tasks; we are living in the present! That sort of connection allows us not to worry about our watches, but rather feel that we are enjoying what we are doing right NOW. It is a pretty powerful state of mind and it affects how we perceive time in every possible way!
7. Personal growth
Being on the retreat, eating fresh foods and connecting with people around you allows a lot of fears, frustration and discomfort to leave and allowed space for growth. You go there knowing that you want to feel better and, consciously or not, are ready to deal with personal demons and open up the door that will take you to the next level.
8. Human touch
The idea that someone is there 24/7 to take care of you, to nurture you, and just pamper you and assist all our needs! From yoga classes to massages or coaching sessions, retreats offer so many opportunities to feel seen and heard. Most of us need that, in a world where we seem to be part of a rushing herd and we are dying to stand out!
9. Accommodates all budgets!
Just like holidays, retreats also accommodate according to our budget. You can select a standard, daily yoga and accommodation retreat up to five stars experiences. You can read feedback from people and see what their experience was and normally the feedback is very comprehensive, giving a good idea of how the entire retreat is, from classes to hosts to food. It is nice to know what to expect and it is nice to know you can tailor your experience so that even if your budget is not big, you can still allow your retreat to give you an amazing time
10. You realize yoga retreats are holidays
Number 10 of the top 10 reasons to take a yoga retreat is the beauty of retreats is that they turn out to be the holiday you needed, to begin with! Although some people think all retreats are about drinking tea, keeping quiet and meditate for days, the options available allow so much choice and the opportunity to create the experience you want with so much more! Time to think, staying quiet, enjoying the surroundings and people, as well as the freedom to visit a new place, country and exploring the culture, all come with the knowledge that everything has been taken care of and you can just relax!
ABOUT OUR TEACHERS
Susan Perry
Based in Marbella, Spain and originally from Australia, Susan holds a RYT 200 hours certification with Yoga Alliance and is currently completing her 500 hours. Susan teachers Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra and Pilates. With an emphasis on balancing the physical, mental and emotional state through a guided practice.
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