Yoga Retreats and Vacations
By Karen Allgire, MFA, RYT

Millions of people are enjoying the benefits of yoga classes and yoga practice. Yoga helps you to restore your energy and vitality, relieve aches and pains and cultivate a calm inner state. These effects become much deeper when you can devote a longer period to practice at an extended yoga program. A yoga workshop or retreat allows you to give your full attention to yoga, free from the demands of daily life. As the popularity of yoga continues to grow, there are many choices of programs and settings for yoga study. These programs fall into three broad categories: yoga workshops, yoga retreats and yoga vacations.

Yoga workshops are usually structured over a weekend and create an opportunity for intensive study with a favorite teacher or a teacher visiting from another studio, often from a different city. These usually are not residential, so you stay at your home between the sessions. The focus of a weekend workshop is to practice intensely in a short period in order to gain new understanding and inspire your regular practice. Even if the workshop is in your home city, it can provide a break from daily commitments. If possible, get help with child care and meal preparation, so you can fully enjoy the workshop experience instead of finding yourself rushed before and after the workshop due to your regular weekend commitments. The extra time you create for yourself will allow you to rest between sessions, take notes on your classes, reflect on your practice and enjoy social time with other participants.

When attending a workshop out of town, you can turn it into a mini-vacation. It is fun to coordinate a yoga workshop with visiting a friend, whether or not he/she does yoga. You also can arrange to go a couple of days before the start of the workshop and explore the features of the city. For out-of-town trips, it is nice to have a yoga companion. Perhaps someone from your regular class is willing to share travel and housing expenses. Sharing a yoga trip is a fun and wonderful way to deepen a friendship or create a new one.

Another type of program is a yoga retreat. Usually residential programs, yoga retreats may last anywhere from a weekend to ten days. Week-long programs are common. Yoga classes may meet from four to six hours each day. Attending a residential yoga retreat truly allows you to step away from the concerns of everyday living. In addition to deepening your knowledge and improving your postures, the retreat provides time for study and reflection. There is the chance to share with other yoga students and to connect more deeply with your teachers. The freedom to rest and reflect allows the teachings of yoga to penetrate more deeply. Breakthroughs in both physical ability and mental understanding often come more easily in a retreat setting. Places like Kripalu Center, Omega Institute, Esalen, Feathered Pipe Ranch and many others have served thousands of students by providing a setting for inner growth and deep transformation.

Finally, there is the yoga vacation. The emphasis here is on relaxation rather than study. Yoga classes may meet from two to four hours a day and attendance may be optional. These trips often take place in a beautiful location with other activities to offer. Horseback riding in Montana, white-water rafting in Costa Rica and snorkeling off the coast of Mexico are just a few of the options. You can try new foods, hike in gorgeous settings and take naps. Yoga vacations create a week away that is restful and healthful rather than hectic.

The lines can be blurred between the retreat and the vacation. Some retreats offer the opportunity for deep study, yet also lots of sleep and relaxation time. Others provide the chance to snorkel in the afternoon and return to the yoga room for an early evening practice. You can create the balance of study and recreation that is right for you.
So how can you find out about these wonderful opportunities? Consult your yoga teacher for local weekend workshops. Go online to learn the schedule of an inspiring senior teacher. For retreats and vacations, Yoga Journal prints an Annual Yoga Vacation Guide with lots of ideas for yoga get-aways. You also can go to its website at www.jogajournal.com and click on “Travel” for more ideas. Happy yoga trails!

Karen Allgire, MFA, RYT, is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor. She has been teaching dance and movement since 1983 and yoga since 1998. Karen is co-director of Green Tara Yoga & Healing Arts in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. You can reach her at info@greentarayoga.com or (216) 382-0592.

Photos courtesy of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health.