Going on my first yoga retreat five years ago was a major turning point in my life. So much so that now I lead yoga adventures for others around the world in places like Joshua Tree, Costa Rica and Bali. These are truly transformative experiences and I believe that anyone who enjoys a lifestyle of health and wellness can greatly benefit from a yoga retreat.
Here Are 10 Reasons to Go on a Yoga Retreat:
1. You'll take your yoga to the next level.
Practicing yoga regularly can be challenging if you have a busy schedule. But when you’re on a retreat, chances are you’ll have 2 classes offered a day, which will ensure your progress and you will see the positive effects more quickly.
2. You'll get a new perspective.
Going to a new place creates an opportunity to see the world, and yourself, in a new light. Experiencing the unknown is an accelerated way to grow and learn.
3. You'll *actually* meditate.
When you have extended free time, it’s a lot easier to meditate. No cell phone buzzing or boss reminding you about deadlines. On retreats, it feels a lot more natural to breathe deeply and be present in the moment.
4. You'll detox digitally.
One of my favorite things about a retreat is shutting off my technology. While lots of resorts have wifi, you don’t feel the need to constantly tweet, text, update facebook or call friends. It feels good to unplug.
5. You'll relax and de-stress.
Sometimes we have to be far from home to give ourselves the permission to truly relax. Being on a retreat allows you to listen to your body, rest when you need it, and be free from stress.
6. You'll eat well without having to do all the work.
If your retreat is all inclusive, you get three healthy and delicious meals a day without the need to find recipes, go grocery shopping, prepare the food, or clean up. Getting the nutrition you need has never been easier. All the work is done for you.
7. You'll replace old habits.
The best way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a new healthy one. When you get out of your regular routine for a week, you can replace unhealthy habits with conscious new behaviors that support you in being your best self.
8. You'll make new friends.
Undeniably, you will meet individuals with similar interests. Even if you go alone (which I did my first time), you have a chance to make friends with people from around the world who you might know for the rest of your life.
9. You'll appreciate home.
While a week in paradise is always nice, we often come home with a refreshed appreciation for life. You feel happier, healthier, and re-energized to jump back into your routine with new vigor. Heck, it might even feel fun.
10. Because you deserve it!
Thoreau said: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” While this quote might be on your refrigerator, chances are you make excuses about why you can’t YET. Often times the excuses are about money, time or circumstances but guess what, you deserve a break. You work hard for a reason and you can always find reasons why you should or should not do something. The key to happiness is deciding what you really want and making it happen. No excuses. You deserve to invest in yourself.
Last Week I've Been Visiting... Tilton House, nr Lewes, East Sussex
Having just returned from my own yoga retreat, I can wholeheartedly agree with the above article. 14 wonderful yogis joined me for a weekend of yoga, delicious vegetarian food, fresh air and time to relax. Tilton House in East Sussex is a Georgian house on the Charleston estate which hosts yoga retreats throughout the year. The yoga takes place in a yurt - a big Mongolian circular tent - in the beautiful garden, and the accommodation is in shared rooms in the house. Old friends were reunited and new friendships forged as we practiced our yoga, ate together in the lovely big kitchen, basked in the sunshine, walked up the hill behind the house to see the sea and had lots of time to just sit and chat. Bliss!
If you feel like a yoga retreat would be just the way to spend a weekend, or even a week, take a look at the holidays these websites have to offer:
Dates for my next two weekend retreats at Tilton House in 2015 will be posted in September, so maybe you could join me next year?
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| The front of the house |
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| The back of the house |
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| Inside the Yurt |
Take Your Mat Outside
If a yoga retreat just isn't a possibility in the near future, you can give yourself, and your yoga, a new perspective by practicing outside. Unrolling your mat in the garden will bring you a few new challenges - an uneven surface beneath your feet, the sounds of your community might distract you and the odd insect buzzing by - but it will offer rewards too. You'll feel the sun on your skin (an extra dose of Vitamin D), really take notice of blades of grass and daisies in the lawn as you do your Cobra pose, hear the birds singing and, during your Savasana, you'll take the time to lie on your back, connected to the earth, looking at the clouds in the sky like you did when you were a child.
This Week I'm Making... Space in my Inbox!
My Inbox reached critical mass this week with the grand total of 2119 emails!!! Many of them, from companies from which I had once bought something, had not even been opened but most had been read and dealt with but not deleted or filed. It was a task that I knew I had to deal with but had been putting off because it would take a few hours - hours which I'd rather spend elsewhere!
I'm aware that this is the antithesis of my yoga weekend, but maintenance tasks need to be done so that life flows as smoothly as possible and doesn't degenerate into chaos. So, with a real effort to stay focused and not get distracted, I spent 3 hours clearing my Inbox down to just 15 emails!!
Rather than just leaving it to fill straight back up again, I spent a bit more time doing something I never usually find the time to do - unsubscribing from all those unwanted communications from companies trying to sell me something.
I don't think I realised just how much it was niggling me, just under the surface of my awareness, knowing all those emails were waiting for me to do something with them. Now that feeling is gone and I feel clearer, satisfied that I have taken action, and with good intentions to not let my Inbox get quite so full again!
This Week I'm Picking... my first bunch of flowers from the garden
This Week I'm Picking... my first bunch of flowers from the garden
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| Sweet Peas, Lavender, Scabious and Lychnis |
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