Going on a yoga retreat
Do you sometimes feel like you need to get away from everything to reboot your energy? Going on a yoga retreat will help you do just that.
We live such demanding and busy lives that we need to give ourselves time and space to put things into perspective.
Going on a yoga retreat is a great way to combine yoga practice with additional activities and relaxation. It is also a good option to motivate yoga beginners into regular practice.
Let’s look at 10 benefits of going on a yoga retreat:
1 – Get away from your routine
This may sound obvious, but getting away from your routine is a gift. Although during a yoga retreat there will be a routine, it will be designed to benefit your mind, body and soul. All you need to do is go with the flow and enjoy every aspect of the retreat.
Just enjoy this precious time away from your daily responsibilities and allow yourself to regenerate.
2. Explore beautiful places
Another benefit of going on a yoga retreat is to be in contact with nature. Usually, yoga retreats are set in peaceful, beautiful locations surrounded by nature.
Programs may include outdoors activities, such as trekking, surf, or others. You will have the opportunity to breathe fresh air and rip the reinvigorating benefits of being in nature.
When choosing your retreat, make sure to confirm which activities are included.
3. Meet interesting like-minded people
I am a people’s person, so for me, one of the best aspects of going on yoga retreats is to meet interesting, like-minded people.
Yoga retreats attract either people who already practice or want to try yoga. The common denominator is a search for wellbeing.
Meeting people from different countries and cultures united by a common objective can be a bonding and comforting experience.
4. Improve (or start) your yoga practice
If you already practice yoga, going on a yoga retreat will be a chance to improve your practice. Most programmes include two yoga practices a day, which is more than most people practice on their weekly schedule.
On the other hand, if you are new to yoga, this will be an opportunity to learn the basics. During a yoga retreat, you will get acquainted with the practice, its terms and philosophy so as to decide if yoga is right for you.
In any case, beware that yoga retreats can be quite demanding physically and emotionally. When choosing your retreat, make sure you read the program and the reviews from previous participants.
5. Take time to breathe properly
“Whether you are a beginner or a more advanced yoga practitioner, pranayama trains the respiratory muscles, develops the use of your lungs´ full capacity, and improves your body’s supply of oxygen while reducing its carbon dioxide levels.”
– Yoga – Your Home Practice Companion – Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, p.178
The tension and anxiety of everyday routine often cause us to breathe incorrectly. We tend to take quick breaths or even hold our breath, to the detriment of our health.
Going on a yoga retreat will certainly bring your attention to proper breathing. Breathing is a fundamental part of yoga, hence you will learn different techniques and hopefully will adopt them regularly.
6. Take time to meditatE
“Meditation is ´the cessation of mental activities´. When your thoughts reduce by just 20 per cent, you will experience relief and a sense of self-control.” – Swami Sivananda
Getting into the habit of meditating is another precious benefit of going on a yoga retreat.
Meditation is the core of yoga practice and its ultimate result is the achievement of mental and emotional balance and inner peace. Who doesn’t want to live a harmonious and balanced life?
At first, it is difficult to tame our thoughts and dive into a state of mental silence. The good news is that after some practice you will get there. Better yet, from personal experience, you will want to return to that state of silence and peace as often as you can.
One or two daily meditation sessions will be part of any yoga retreat. One meditation should be done in the morning, prior to yoga practice, and a second one at the end of the day.
7. Relax mind AND body
“In order to regulate and balance the work of the body and mind, it is necessary to economize the energy produced by the body. This is the main purpose of learning how to relax”. – Swami Sivananda
Relaxation is a way of saving energy in order to give mind and body a chance to recover and re-energize.
There are three facets to yogic relaxation: physical, mental and spiritual relaxation. Relaxation exercises always precede and finish every yoga practice. Hence, with yoga practice twice a day, you will be having four daily relaxation sessions a day.
By the time your retreat is over, you should be taken by a sense of serenity, balance and peace.
8. Positive Thinking
“It is the quality of our inner world that determines the quality of our lives” – Swami Sivananda
Going on a yoga retreat is good for setting a positive mind. In yoga, positive thinking is connected to meditation, which in turn is connected to the law of Karma. According to the law of Karma, every action has a reaction and everything happens for a reason.
According to yogic beliefs, our happiness is our responsibility and it is especially dictated by what we have on our mind. Cultivate positive thoughts and you will have a positive, happy life.
During a yoga retreat, you will have the change to train your mind to have positive thoughts by meditating every day.
Once you return home, in order to keep a positive mind, formulate positive affirmations. Then, repeat them in the morning and at the end of the day to keep the mind happy and joyous.
9. Healthy diet
The food we eat is fuel for our bodies. Thus, a proper healthy diet is fundamental for its optimal functioning. During any yoga retreat, careful attention will be paid to your diet. A vegetarian, or even vegan, diet will most likely be part of the programme.
If you are already in the habit of eating only healthy foods you will notice no difference. However, if your diet is not balanced and includes fast food, sugary and fatty foods you will notice a difference.
An ideal vegetarian diet will include fruit, vegetables, pulses, dairy, nuts and seeds, whole grains and healthy fats and oils.
Your body will tend to feel lighter and more energetic and your mind will be clearer. So, going on a yoga retreatwill also help reboot your eating habits!
10. Get in touch with your inner self
Ultimately, going on a yoga retreatwill help you get in touch with your inner self. The combination of being away from your routine in a beautiful place dedicating time to yourself will help you reboot.
Daily yoga practice, meditation, positive thinking and relaxation exercises will help calm your mind, balance your body and feed your soul.
Yoga retreats last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Naturally, choosing a longer yoga retreat will bring more benefits. However, if a long getaway is not feasible for you, a few days will be enough to recharge.
Choose the best yoga retreat for you
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced practitioner, BookyYogaRetreat is a great tool to find a yoga retreat.
You can easily browse through yoga retreats all over the world and select the one that best fits your needs.
I love this site because it really narrows the search down to what you want. Just to give you an idea, amongst the categories, you can choose between budget or luxury, skill level, yoga type. In addition, you can select additional sports and cultural activities, spiritual level, what type of people will be attending. If that was not enough, you can select the type of nature location, health and wellness category, pampering type and diet.
Try it out by clicking here or on the image below.
In a few easy steps, your yoga retreat will be booked!
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