10 Reasons Why Yoga Retreats are so Special

Travel and tourism alone has the potential for long-term perspective shifts and behavioural changes so combining this with daily yoga & meditation, organic food, a like minded community and and beautiful natural environment can have a profound transformative effect on your life.

When it comes to my personal story, a yoga retreat changed my life. It’s a retreat which made me decide to take my first yoga teacher training then I started to teach, left banking and here I am taking you for retreats around the world!

Whether you are looking to recuperate from stress, develop your yoga practice, reconnect and find yourself again or simply treat yourself - find the 10 main reasons why Yoga retreats are so special and life changing.

1. A moment of escapism - ‘re-treat’ yourself!

Now, escapism in of itself is largely not ideal, because in life we need to get to the core of our problems to work through them and find peace. However, yoga retreats offer a brief moment of necessary freedom from the hectic way of living we all too often pursue. Modern life is great - we now have the opportunity to become more successful and financially free than ever before. But, the other type of freedom is rarely spoken about. 

Because of all the responsibilities we garner in life, with family, work, finances, those stresses can put us into survival or ‘fight or flight’ mode. This overstimulated sense of being can be disruptive and damaging for our health if sustained over the long-term, so coming to a retreat is a perfect way to completely shut off from that and rejuvenate. It is actually an essential priority for us to take some time to recharge the batteries, and yoga retreats therefore are akin to a holiday that can nourish the soul.

My upcoming retreat offers you a way to disconnect from the hectic modern life we lead and reconnect with the instant peace, contentment and fulfillment that we desire. Engrossing ourselves in nature, and practicing a discipline that has been scientifically proven time and time again to help us in the battle against disease, stress, and our own minds. Burnout is a thing all too commonly experienced by us in this day and age, and it doesn’t have to be that way

2. Disconnecting from technology

The last 20 years have seen a boom never witnessed before in technology, in all forms - and it is arguably the source of scientific advancement to a level now that is potentially pioneering for human health and for optimising our wellbeing. Today we feel as though we are more connected than ever, with the rise of social media offering us instant updates on anything happening in all corners of the globe, 24 hours a day. However, this ease of online communication has in many ways alienated us from true, meta-human oneness. 

Truth is, technology plays a massive part in the oxidative (cellular, or biological) stress we experience and can clutter our minds. Disconnecting from our phones, laptops, tvs, wifi signals - this can reset ourselves. It acts as a ‘detox’ from the levels of radiation and low frequencies we are constantly exposed to, so we can return to our best selves and renew that energy for life we used to have, and should possess everyday.

3. Reconnecting to nature and understanding the simplicity of the purpose of our existence

The nature of practicing in nature brings about a disconnect from what we are used to: the feeling that we are hitting the reset button. It allows us to reassess our current habits, potentially the destructive ones, and reform them into productive habits.

Nature has a unique effect on our minds, in that being surrounded by natural constructs such as trees, plants, the sea, raw earth, can ground us and bring ourselves back to the original state we were born to be in. We didn’t evolve to live and work in so-called concrete jungles, surrounded by pollution and infrastructure everyday, but this is now our life - so it is ideal to get a break from this from time to time and discover again how we were meant to be.

Studies that looked into the effect on nature of experiences of retreat goers concluded that this intimate connection with nature provided guests with the space to reflect and come to certain attitudinal, emotional and physical changes. Not only this, but scholars also found that within just 20 seconds of being exposed to nature, our heart rate and blood pressure dropped to baseline levels. These findings prove the sheer grounding power of nature.

In addition, a very common and tested ideology is that our imagination and sense of wonder, to expand and flourish, grows remarkably, once we are surrounded by nature and all its purity, and its natural, unkept cleanliness. Being in nature for extended periods also gives us an overriding, unavoidable sense of connection with the world around us. In truth, we ARE connected to everything, but sometimes it takes a venture into the beautiful natural habitats of this world to realise that again. Perhaps, you’ve never felt that sense before.

4. Doing more of what you love, Yoga, to battle stress with ease

How often in your life do you let a stressful moment get to you a little too much? Maybe your boss didn’t give you that promotion you’ve worked tirelessly for, or your kids just don’t want to engage with their homework. Too often these things hinder our daily lives and this stress can build up in our bodies, leading to physical or mental health issues. Well, there is a way to get a hold of this chronic type of stress.

The fundamental meaning of hormetic stress is that, a little bit of bad, does you good. These are controlled, and importantly, acute - or short-term - stressors on your body that provide the catalyst for adaptive processes within your immune system and endocrine systems to trigger profound benefits on your health and wellbeing.

What an immersive yoga experience offers is that by focusing on the practice you give yourself a chance to really experience palpable benefits on your body and mind. Yoga once or twice a week is great but everyday, even just for a few days is life changing. Yoga and meditation have been scientifically proven to battle conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and burnout - all mental conditions which spurn from increased and unsustainable stress levels in our minds. By pushing your body and mind to practice twice daily, you are simply going to experience the power of yoga in a deeper healing way.

Yoga practice on such an intimate and focused level is a tool for what Mezirow coined ‘transformative learning’, spurning “an enhanced level of awareness of the context of one’s beliefs and feelings and involves profound changes in self, changes in cognitive, emotional, somatic and unconscious dimensions” (Mezirow, 1978, p.161).

Yoga retreats can therefore allow you to regain a confidence and control in yourself and your own body that you may not have had for years. The holds, movements, meditations and breathing techniques are powerful tool which have been used for many years and are proven to work.

5. The power of community in our lives and its potential for deep healing

Connect with the retreat community! This is a chance to make lifelong friends, and realise that we are all on the same path in life - we all want to attain peace and find freedom in this modern world. Everyone who comes on my retreats experiences this deep sense of alliance with the group. This sense alone can be powerful and transformative in battling any life issue you are going through, as this unique energy that flows through every fibre of your being is restorative - it’s pure love and gratification for each other - a chemical called Oxytocin. It is rare to find this kind of energy in daily life.

Researchers studied in length the effect of community on those who pursue retreats, and what they found was remarkable. Voigt, Brown, and Howat (2011) found that wellness tourists experienced a ‘belongingness to a special social world’ (pp.550). Perhaps it’s that scintillating, vibrant source of energy and light that comes from a connected intention for betterment and self-development, that when we are together on a retreat, this energy is unmatched, and that’s what makes yoga retreats so magical.

Retreats can also help us garner an increased sense of compassion for those around us in our daily lives. Maybe it’s your spouse, your children, your parents - maybe it’s not family, but your close friends, or your work colleagues. This period can spurn deep feelings of appreciation and empathy for the ones we value the most, when in reality and in the midst of our busy, stressful lives, we may have underestimated their impact on our lives, or what they may be going through on their own journey.

6. Unlocking introspection: Our sixth sense

Yoga retreats are not solely a period of deep relaxation, they are also about finding a fleeting moment to go within and really do some self-reflection. This period can be a life-changer and give you a completely new perspective on life. We actually, contrary to certain beliefs, have 8 senses as humans, but our modern way of living has shut us off from those extra three senses we believe we have no access to.

Yoga is one of six central systems of Indian thought known as darsana, which means, ‘to see’ (Desikachar, 1999), and during my sessions, there are no external distractions  - you will have the chance to look inside yourself and understand what you need to overcome, and how you need to overcome it.

Wilhelm Wundt was thought to be the first to adopt introspection in literature, and to conduct studies on how it works. He concluded that introspection is the close examination of our own conscious thoughts and feelings. We can access these perhaps in meditation, or in yoga sessions at home or in a studio. But, true introspection is most likely to occur when you are completely disconnected from daily life. 

During yoga retreats, we are able to initiate and sustain a ‘space’ in our minds, where we can access instant clarity and peace. This space often stays with us after a retreat, because we have learned fundamental techniques to create and manage pockets of our mind and soul where we feel free and liberated. This is crucial to possess in the modern age.

Researchers indicate that proactivity in our lives begins with deep self-study in order to develop a balanced and healthy lifestyle focused on long-term success, instead of short term fixes (The Hartman Group, 2015). A yoga retreat therefore gives us that unhindered quality time to go within, and resonate with the soul to find the answers we are looking for.

7. Discovering the seventh sense: tapping into our emotions

Our seventh sense, just like the sixth, has derived from thousands of years of our existence and development, in order to serve us and prepare us for life’s most difficult challenges. The seventh sense is simply, connecting with our emotions, and becoming the master of how we feel internally, how we react to things, and most importantly, how we manage the trauma we’ve experienced on our complicated and long paths.

Yoga literally translates to ‘union of the body, mind and spirit’ (Desikachar 1999) and has been studied and concluded to provide stress relief through pranayama (breathing techniques), asana (physical postures) and meditation. Scholars have further explained yoga’s benefits for us through a biopsychosocial model and present that although the health benefits are similar with other exercises, unlike all other physical endeavours, yoga helps to quiet the body (Evans and Colleagues, 2009).

What does this mean for you reading this? Escaping to a location where you are unhindered by the fast-paced, non-stop hecticness of life, to practice yoga, can bring about a connection that you may never have thought possible within yourself. This seventh sense is very accessible, but our current way of living simply does not afford that for us. We never get a sustained period to consistently search within for that connection, because we just have too many responsibilities and distractions that will keep us from reconnecting. 

Coming to a retreat, where the sole purpose is to dive deep into ourselves, and reconnect with these special, almost overlooked senses, previously banished to folklore for thousands of years, makes for an incredibly powerful opportunity for transformation. 

8. Uncovering interoception: Our eighth sense: the power to dive within

Our eighth (yes, eighth!) sense, is interoception. The ability to self-regulate anything out of balance within our body and minds - yoga is proven to reactivate. Again, you have to remember - this is nothing supernatural, or out of the ordinary. We were all born with this innate capacity to regulate, top-down, how we feel, and how we respond to stress. Physical, mental, emotional, we have the power to instigate agency in ourselves. We just need to be shown the tools.

Kelly Mahler is a medical researcher who has delved deep into this mercurial final sense. After studying it in depth, Mahler has gathered that in reality all of the body is in constant communication - right down to the individual cells. These cells then communicate with the organs, and with the brain. This way, the body can manage the daily stresses and toxins we are exposed to, in order to easily cleanse ourselves and prevent, and heal from disease. 

The only problem is that, because everything nowadays is in such a constant battle for our attention - social media, work, our bills - it is impossible for us to discover that inner clarity, and actually listen to our bodies, and our minds. This is when things go out of balance, and disease is inevitable. Retreating to nature, under the careful guidance of an experienced yoga practitioner, is a surefire way to tap back into that vast space that is truly within all of us. 

9. Feeling gratitude in its most purest, truest form

Being in the moment during a yoga retreat, in a blissful and zen environment, with others all aiming to feel that sense of peace as you, can initiate a profound ability to feel gratitude. Not just throughout the retreat, but also later on during your life. You will create memories which will stay with you forever, when you wake, after a run or a workout, perhaps just on your walk to work. These retreats can inspire that fresh sense of gratitude for the beautiful miracle around us that is the world.

The eudemonic view of wellness is based upon experiences of deep gratitude and meaning affecting overall life satisfaction (Dillette, Douglas and Andrzejewski, 2019), something that yoga retreats encourage on a profound level. The daily practice of transformative yoga sessions, in a small and dedicated group, surrounded by raw nature, will have you feeling incredibly grateful for the life we all too often take for granted. The emotional feeling of gratitude encourages over 1200 positive chemical processes within the body, so its importance should not be overlooked!

10. It’s a treat.

Statistics report that only 8% of yoga practitioners have attended a yoga retreat, 62% report interest in attending a retreat in the near future (Yoga Alliance). There is a good reason for this motivation - retreats are real life changing treats! On the flip side, it takes time away, dedication and money.

If you are one of the privileged minority seriously considering to join one of my experience (grateful already?), not only you will deepen your practice but you will also have the chance to take a ‘crash course’ on yoga and understand all its fundamental elements. I know it can be hard to find time to practice with a full time job and and family life, sometimes we just can’t find the headspace to think of scheduling that time. But taking few days completely out of your regime to dedicate to your yoga practice in a great beautiful environment can take you out of your overworked mind deep into your real self. It’s a treat.

Sources :

Desikachar, T, 1999. The heart of yoga: Developing a personal practice. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions

Dillette, A., Douglas, A, and Andrzejewski, C, 2019. Yoga tourism - a catalyst for transformation? Annals of Leisure Research, 22(1), pp.22-41

Evans, S., Tsao, J., Sternlieb, B, and Zeltzer, L, 2009. Using the biopsychosocial model to understand the health benefits of yoga. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 6(1), pp.1–22.

Fu, X., Tanyatanaboon, M and Lehto, X, 2015. Conceptualizing Transformative Guest Experience at Retreat Centers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 49, pp.83–92. 

Lean, G, 2009. Transformative travel: inspiring sustainability. In: Wellness and Tourism: Mind, Body, Spirit, Place, edited by Bushell, R and Sheldon, P, pp.191-205

Mezirow, J, 1978. Perspective transformation. Adult Education, 28(92), pp.100-110

The Hartman Group, 2015. Understanding the building blocks that reflect consumers’ lifestyle journeys. Health and Wellness

Voigt, C., Brown, G, and Howat, G, 2011. Wellness tourists: in search of transformation. Tourism Review, 66(1)

Yoga Alliance, 2016. The 2016 yoga in America study. Yoga Alliance