5 Reasons to go on a Yoga Retreat
by Krishna Chan
1. Deepen Your Yoga Knowledge
From what I’ve seen, yoga retreats can run anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks. Here is an opportunity to delve deep into a daily practice with qualified teachers who are passionate about yoga. At Pure Flow Yoga, we spend a lot of time breaking down everything from meditation, pranayama, asana and philosophy. When you are in a space where you are practicing everyday, you can really start to see shifts in your practice.
A retreat can introduce you to different aspects of yoga that you have not had a chance to try before. These include Kirtan (chanting), partner yoga, karma yoga, restorative yoga and the sister science, Ayurveda.
For some, yoga retreats are a halfway point to yoga teacher training. I have had a few students who came on retreat, unsure if they wanted to pursue teaching. Then the following year, emailed me to say they had enrolled in YTT.
2. Gain perspective
For those of us who live in the West, it can be challenging to focus on spiritual practice when you are juggling a million things at once. It seems that most people fit their yoga practice somewhere in between their 9 to 5 jobs, their partners, children, friends and responsibilities. Yoga in the city is sometimes that 1-hour class you fit in between work and dinner. And most probably don’t reflect that much on what yoga really is. On retreat, there is an aspect of solitude, self-study and reflection. When you take yourself out of your regular routine, allow yourself the time to be in nature, practice, eat well, sleep well, you can create the space for transformation. Hopefully, you’ll be able to take some aspects of the retreat and integrate them into your regular life.
3. Connect with like-minded people
One of my students had said to me, it’s so great to meet other people who have the same interests as me. Here, I feel like I can really be myself. Back home, none of my friends are interested in spirituality, and would not even consider eating vegetarian. A lot of them are very focused outward appearances: like wearing expensive clothing, going to fancy restaurants and looking good. They don’t understand why I am even here. And it’s so nice to find people I fit in with and who accept me for who I am.
On destination yoga retreats, you have an opportunity to connect with yoga people from all over the world. This becomes your community on retreat, but hopefully these connections may even evolve into lifelong friendships. Ideally you can support each other on the yogic path.
You always have the choice of whether you want to be social or prefer solitude. Most students tend to find a balance somewhere in between.
Some students use their yoga retreat as a starting point. They will come on retreat, get to know the lay of the land, and then continue on to travel on to other parts of the country.
4. See a different part of the world
A yoga retreat can be a chance to explore. These days, you can pretty much go on retreat anywhere in the: India, Bali, Thailand, Hawaii, Nicaragua, etc.
I love Thailand because you have access to beautiful beaches, stunning viewpoint hikes, healthy, and affordable delicious food. Sounds kind of funny, but for me, a big factor in trip enjoyment is the food! I LOVE Thai food.
If you are going on holiday, why not go to a beautiful destination, where someone has already tested the place as a good yoga spot? You can go away, and come back feeling refreshed & looking amazing.
5. Practice living yoga
Mindfulness is a focus on our retreats. We begin each day with meditation and pranayama. One of the first things we tell people is to get into the habit of cleanliness: encouraging them to make their bed everyday, try vegetarianism, and even to put the computer away. Why not try a digital fast for a couple days? We assign karma yoga tasks so that everyone contributes to the shala. For some, performing simple karma duties such as sweeping the floor can be extremely humbling. These practices may sound simple, and we all know they are beneficial but sometimes it takes group motivation in order to put them into action.
So what are you waiting for? Why not treat yourself to a trip of a lifetime?
Feeling so grateful for the beautiful photos taken by the talented Stig Jaarvik
Phyllis is an international yoga teacher based out of Vancouver, BC. She found yoga to be a powerful practice that helped calm her busy mind. It was the blissful moments of euphoric peace she discovered in savasana that kept her coming back to yoga again and again. In times of stress, she knew she could always return to those moments of freedom experienced in yoga.
Phyllis is interested in exploring where science and spirituality meet. She is fascinated by the science of the human body and dedicated to intelligent sequencing. She is inspired by nature, raw authenticity, radical kindness, and music. Phyllis believes that yoga can be for everyone and one of her gifts is her innate ability to connect with people, making them feel comfortable and at ease. When you attend her classes, you can expect to explore functional movement, experience deep breathing techniques, and simply enjoy the peace of mind that the practice of yoga brings.
***We are so excited to welcome Phyllis back to Pure Flow Yoga to share retreats in May 2018***.
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The reason why I always go to a yoga retreat at least twice a year is that going to a new place just gives me an opportunity to see the world, and yourself, in a new light. Experiencing the unknown is an accelerated way to grow and learn.
I’ve wanted to go on a retreat for a while now, so this is good to know. Going on a yoga retreat for 1 to 3 weeks would be heavenly! With my job, it would probably have to be closer to one week, but I still think that would be awesome.