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All yoga retreat destinations in India >>




 

1. FIND YOUR LOCATION


Attending a yoga retreat is a great way to take your practice to the next level. No matter where you’re at on your yoga journey, a yoga retreat can enhance your experience on the mat and offer learnings about yourself. But with retreats popping up all over the world, choosing a retreat that’s best for you can be challenging. Yoga retreats in India are offered all over the world. Choose a favorite place you love already or go to a place you're interested in discovering. Consider if you're more of a city person or a nature person? A beach person or mountain person? If you enjoy exploring culture, arts and monuments then consider places like Tuscany, Paris, Provence or Spain. And if you enjoy being on a warm, sunny beach then choose to go to locations like Hawaii or Mexico. Equally, if you don't like bugs or humidity, don't go to the rainforests of Costa Rica. If you truthfully enjoy the comfort of high thread count sheets and a cozy bed consider Sonoma, Napa Valley or the San Juan Islands or Wine Country of Pacific Northwest. If you don't like camping then don't go on a rustic retreat. Think about how exotic you want the location to be. Location, location, location! You’ve heard this before, and it rings true when choosing a retreat, too! This is probably one of the most important aspects of your decision-making as it can affect your entire experience. More often than not when we think of yoga retreats, we think of tropical paradise. But don’t be fooled, retreats are happening all over the world. So if warm destinations aren’t your thing, seek out a more temperate climate to suit your desires. Whether it is rustic or exotic, choose a place where you’d prefer to spend your time (and money!). Will landing in a country where English is not the primary language like Brazil or Greece make you uncomfortable? If so, then there are plenty of options in the United States. You should also consider if you want the retreat to be dedicated toyoga or would you like other activities such as hiking, cycling and mountain biking, skiing or surfing? Then you need to choose a location that offers you more of what you want. (My favorite thing to do is build in a few days on either end of the trip to explore on my own). Which location is best for you? Do you want this to double as your vacation? Do you want to spend time there outside of the retreat? Is it close to home or far away? (Farther away= bigger price tag) Do you want to see another place in the world at the same time? When you picture yourself at a retreat, where do you see yourself?

2.  TEACHER GUIDES:

You should familiarize yourself with the teacher(s) guiding the retreat. Know how many years of experience they have both guiding retreats in India/vacations and teaching yoga and don't hesitate to ask for client testimonials.You can gain a great deal of insight from those that have been out and about with this teacher before.  If you already know the teacher from your local studio or the workshop circuit, consider if this is someone you want to learn from while away from the studio environment. Do you feel safe, supported and cared for? A retreat can be like a mini "teacher training," so make sure you feel aligned with the style of yoga you will be practicing (Anusara, Ashtanga, Baptiste, Bikram, Forrest, Vinyasa, etc). A yoga retreat will undoubtedly bring together like-minded people in a comfortable setting. From there, the content is up to you. You’ll want to select a retreat that speaks to your style of practice and any other specific interests around yoga. If you want additional time outside of the physical practice, ensure you’re in a place that offers activities or an area conducive to what you want to do. Are you looking for active, reflective or restorative? Maybe none of these. If you’re a dedicated Ashtanga practitioner, perhaps choosing an Ashtanga retreat would be best. However, getting out of your comfort zone and trying a new style of yoga is never a bad idea. Considering what the overall focus of the retreat will be is so important, since the majority of the time will be spent learning in that space. You should also make sure the level of yoga (beginner, intermediate, advanced, multi-level) meets your needs. For instance, if you want a sweaty practice but the itinerary only includes restorative yoga, set your expectations. Also consider how much yoga you will practice while on retreat. Some yoga holidays may offer only one class a day while others offer 2 classes daily and mini-workshops, life coaching or yoga clinics. You should be "in like" with your teacher and excited to spend time learning from them. What are your intentions from this experience? What are you looking for in a retreat? Do you want this to help focus and quiet your mind? What’s your favorite style of yoga to practice? Are you seeking clarity? Do you want to make new friends? Are you doing it for your health?  

3. THEME OR FOCUS OF RETREAT:

What are you looking for? If the retreat is based on life coaching and self-development but you are only looking for exercise and physical activity then the fit won't meet your expectations. And if you are looking for tranquility but the schedule seems heavy with constant physical activity then keep looking. Ask what your intentions are from this experience: e.g., get your life direction in order, weight loss, let go of old emotions no longer serving you, make new friends, etc. Read the descriptions of the themes and/or workshops carefully and find the one that most speaks to what you are looking for. The retreat's focus will bring together like-minded people so already you will find a sense of connection to others and that will enhance an already incredible experience. Yoga is a great compliment to a variety of activities. Are you a cyclist? Surfer? Runner? Diver? SUP-er? Interested in seeing how your two passions blend together? Search for retreats that offer both. Questions to ask yourself about a combination retreat: What activities am I most interested in outside of yoga? Does this additional activity require me to bring extra equipment? How much time is dedicated to yoga? To the other activity?

4.  PRICE/TIMING:

Unless the trip information is very clear, retreats in India should be inclusive of pretty much everything except airfare. This means you have awareness of what your total trip expense will be. It is easy to overspend if your lodging is not included or if meals are in addition to the trip cost. The challenge is that you will have less knowledge of how much this will really cost by retreat end. Don't let yourself get intoxicated by the cheapest price. There could be reasons for this besides whether everything is a la carte. It could also be that the size of the retreat will be 20-35 clients all paying less. Also, in relation to trip cost, think about the length of your retreat. You can choose anywhere from a 2 night weekend, to longer than 10 days. This flexibility allows some sort of getaway approachable for most people. Just don't assume that longer equals better. Sometimes what we need is a weekend getaway to "reboot." If you want to plan for something 11 months from now, I applaud you. However, if things in your life are falling apart now, don't wait to start healing. Get happy now; go now.  Wherever you are, is where you are supposed to be. However, attending an advanced Ashtanga retreat when you are just beginning may not be the best idea. You will want to find retreats that will match your experience level so that you’re adequately challenged yet comfortable. All retreats will mention what style and what level practitioner would benefit the most. Questions to ask yourself about your experience level: How many months or years have I been practicing? How consistent is my practice? Is my practice more physical or spiritual?

5.  DO IT FOR YOU:

In applying these guidelines, it is important to know what you are saying YES to, as well as what you are saying NO to. The one key thing that is not on this list  making sure that you are not  basing your decision on what everyone else wants you to do, or even the availability of your partner. The physical aspect of yoga is just one small sliver of the all-encompassing practice. It’s up to the individual instructors how much of this knowledge they share with you during the asana (physical) practice. Some retreats will carve out dedicated time outside of class to teach you more about the ancient philosophy. If this is of interest to you, seek out retreats that offer education and feel free to reach out to the instructor ahead of time for even more information. Questions to ask yourself about education: Do you want to learn about yoga beyond the physical practice? Do they offer workshop type classes or sessions to learn more about the practice? What would you be learning about specifically in addition to your yoga classes? Do things like chanting and meditation make you uncomfortable?Do this for you. How do you best choose a yoga retreat? Choose based on what you want. From there, the foundation will be set for your most incredible experience!