Curious About A Yoga Retreat But Not Sure Where to Start?
As you are reading this I am holed up in the Sequoia National Park Forest in Southern California for a four-day yoga retreat. After the last couple of months of hellish travel it’s absolutely what I needed in order to get my feet back under me.
Retreats have been part of my yoga practice for at least a decade and I commit twice a year to go away to deepen my practice with one of my teachers. But if you’ve never been on retreat, how do you even know where to start?
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Consider your Budget.
There are thousands of wellness and yoga retreat centers around the world specifically designed with your wellness in mind, but it can get pricey. Self-care can add up, so set yourself a budget and shop around. You can expect to budget $150 - $200 a day to get started on an off-site retreat. Check out this resource: 13 Yoga Retreats You Can Actually Afford.
How Long Will You Go?
Most of us don’t have endless vacation days, so check the calendar and find ideally four or five days, at a time of year when it’s possible for you to enjoy a break from the routine.
Retreat Center or Destination?
There are hundreds of wellness centers whose primary business is hosting retreats for health and wellness. If you don’t want to plan too much, and prefer more “all-inclusive” style, here are six of the most reputable Retreat Centers in the US. If you prefer to travel, YogaWorks is a US company and one of the largest yoga studio networks and providers. Their teachers are all part of the extensive and qualified YogaWorks and Yoga Tree community.
Ask Your Favorite Teacher.
Have a teacher that you want to learn more from? Enquire if they offer workshops or retreats. Good teachers have retreats that fill spaces quickly so it’s never too early to start asking. Many yoga shalas and ashrams offer retreats with experienced teachers throughout the year, and experienced teachers will be happy to speak with you about the styles of retreats they host, and answer any questions you have.
Take a Class and Ask ALL the Questions!
Before you hand over the deposit, take a class with the teacher leading the retreat to get a sense of their teaching and interpersonal style. Or if that’s not possible, make a phone call and ask all your burning questions. After all, you may be spending eight hours a day together, so best to get answers to the tough questions early.
Understand the Retreat Guidelines.
Some retreats have strict guidelines around food, alcohol and recreational activities. From vegan foods to quiet hours or specific teaching styles, be sure you know what you are getting in to. If you are looking for an active retreat, for example, be sure that there are activities to keep you busy. Conversely, if you prefer a retreat that’s restorative, you may find they offer acupuncture, massage or quiet time.
Solo or In Company?
Having done both, I find traveling with someone an enriching experience and a great way to deepen a friendship or relationship. It’s also motivating to have someone holding you accountable to get up before the pre-dawn meditation ;)
Book Time to Treat or Explore!
Some retreats bring in complimentary services such as bodywork or a day-trip to a local attraction. Use the opportunity of TIME to explore something you may not have thought to include in your itinerary. Or else maybe sleep, rest and read.
No Time?
Consider a weekend immersion, or one-day workshop to force a break. Even a half-day workshop on an area of interest will help to take you away from the daily routine and immerse you into a different community, and it can be enough to give you the break that you need until you can get away for a longer period of time.
A retreat really can be a place to reset and refresh. The beauty of a retreat is that someone else has done all the work, and all you need to do is show up with an open heart, a yoga mat, and a willingness to practice, rest or be wherever and whatever you like.
As always if you’re curious or have questions, please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below or over at the ABG Facebook Group.
With love from the woods…
Namaste,
Beck
What We're Reading:
There's no shortage of wine stories and media inundating our IN Boxes. Here's what has piqued our interest this week:
How to Stay Healthy When You Drink for a Living - Kat Kinsman for FoodandWine.com
Kat interviews Beck on how and why ABG came to be, and the simple steps you can take to help your own health.
Learning Not to Fear – The Harvard Gazette.com
Mindfulness meditation training alters how we process fearful memories, study says
Meet the Community!
Our community is only as strong as the company we keep, and here we meet some of the folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Chad Paré, Area Sales Manager North Central, Folio Fine Wine Partners (USA)
Years In Industry:
I’ve been in the industry for more than 24 years. I started in restaurants for the first seven years, then to distribution sales for the next 14, and with national importer Folio since mid-2015. I can’t believe it has been that long. As a kid growing up in Denver Colorado, being in the wine business wasn’t something you thought about. I didn’t even know a career in wine could exist, but it does, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
My Biggest Challenge To Wellness:
Making myself a priority. With the social aspect of our industry, something will come up every day of the week - whether it is tastings, happy hours, dinners or entertaining. It’s hard to make yourself #1 when there are so many demands on your time. The best way for me to navigate that pressure is to workout super early – often starting at 5:30am. By getting it done early I know that I have taken care of myself first and I’m not searching for time to fit it in later.
The long days and longer nights make it hard to stay healthy, but personal time planning is essential. Also my best advice is to be realistic when you set goals for maintaining wellness; don’t pack in too much so the first thing you cut out is the workout. Make your workout the priority, not the afterthought.
:
How I Keep It Together To Stay Well:
For years I struggled with finding a workout that connected with me. A little over 6 years ago I tried High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT and I was hooked. It continues to be the perfect workout for me still today. Finding a workout that I can get lost in for that hour is so important. We all work in this industry because we are passionate about it. I had to find that same passion in my workout and then figure out where to fit it into my day. I put my workouts on the schedule like the most important meetings in my day. I try to leave everything at the door and exercise hard enough so that I am concentrated on the program and not the 100 other things that need to be done. It clears my mind for the day, gets the blood flowing and allows for focus the rest of the day.
You can connect with Chad on Instagram @chadapare or FaceBook Chad Pare and Chad Pare’s hair.
Let’s Meet Up!
As work life has it, we are traveling over the next few months and would love to see you!
Speaker at EDTalks, in Denver, Nov 5 (Beck)
Attendee at ProWine China in Shanghai, November 12 to 14 (Cathy)
Presenters at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, February 4 to 6 (Beck and Cathy)
Presenter at the Vancouver International Wine Festival, February 25 to 29 (Cathy)
Attendee at ProWein in Düsseldorf, March 15 to 17 (Cathy)
Presenter at the Future Wine Expo in Santa Rosa, May 12 and 13 (Cathy)
Drop a line to rebecca@abalancedglass.com or cathy@enolytics.com if you are interested in getting together for practice, a chat or a great glass together.
