Taking Time for Yoga

Yoga Retreats

We all recognize the benefits of yoga and meditation, but it’s often hard to find time to practice. But what if you could devote days to this endeavor? Taking off time for a wellness retreat allows you to focus on taking your practice to the next level and provides the schedule for you so there’s no question about skipping yoga class today.
 
I spent time looking at a variety of yoga retreats, and you can find them all over the world.  You can find reviews everywhere.  Both Goop and Book Yoga Retreats offer a good look. You can go upscale at a swanky hotel in France or stay at an ashram with dorm room facilities in Boston. You can spend a weekend or a month. You can take special courses or just show up for daily yoga sessions and use the rest of your time as you please. You can even incorporate volunteerism into your stay. Some places are all-inclusive with lodgings and meals, and others don’t -- so think about what you want from the place you choose. Some have strict rules about what eat so take that into account when you are looking. Many offer silent retreats as well if that is something you are interested in.
 
Living in cold weather at this time of year, I’m thinking of going south to the Caribbean or Mexico for a few weeks. Two programs that look interesting are yoga at a program and at the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat at Paradise Island in the Bahamas and Rancho La Puerta right over the border from San Deigo in Mexico. Unlike many of the retreats I researched, these two seem easy to get to from my location, and you can choose from different types of accommodations. They offer many different programs, or you can sign up for a basic Yoga Vacation package which includes of daily yoga practice, a healthy vegetarian diet, silent meditation sessions, and uplifting teachings.
 
Have you taken a yoga retreat?  Tell us about your experience!
 
Guest Post written by:
Michele Garvey – editor, bemindful.com

Summer Wanderlust

It’s summer and time for some fun! Living in the Bay area there are always music festivals to enjoy, but this year I am lucky to be among those attending Wanderlust in Squaw Valley.

Wanderlust is a leader in the yoga and wellness space, and the festivals are all-out celebrations of mindful living. They bring together instructors, musicians, speakers and chefs for a four-day retreat in one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural resorts. It’s a great way to get out in nature, explore new ideas, and make new friends.

Wanderlust tickets are kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure purchase; you can pick for “music-only” tickets or go for the complete experience of picking from scheduled activities each day (such as yoga, meditation, and the Speakeasy lecture series), plus enjoy access to the concerts. 

The first Wanderlust Festival festival was held in Squaw Valley in July 2009 and has grown to seven festivals in the United States and Canada. “Festivals are all about community,” says Wanderlust co-founder Jeff Krasno. “They bring people together who tend to share similar values in an environment that’s all about music, dance and fun.” The concept for Wanderlust was sparked when Krasno, co-founder of the record label and artist management company Velour Music Group, got inspired by the yoga community he saw in his wife Schuyler’s Manhattan studio. “There’s a growing cultural movement toward more mindful living, and concepts such as ethical consumerism and fair-trade fashion that seemed progressive back in the 70s are now mainstream,” says Krasno. “We wanted to provide a place for people who share these values to come together and commune.”

If you can’t make one of the Wanderlust locations this summer, you can check out Wanderlust Speakeasy online. The casual lecture series covers topics ranging from holistic health to progressive politics.

Adventure awaits.