Why Yoga Should be Part of Your Retreat
So, you have finally decided to escape from your busy everyday life and go on a retreat. Everything a retreat offers interests you, you are keen to eat healthily, find spiritual guidance and learn how to meditate. When you start looking into retreats you will realise that there are a whole bunch of different offerings. Most of the retreat offerings will either include yoga sessions or can be all-yoga retreats.
Yoga is an Eastern practice with benefits for both mind and body. It is a practice that can easily be incorporated into your daily routine to help you live a healthy and balanced life. So, if you are looking for a retreat, why not pick one that will include a few yoga sessions? If you decide to give it a go, you might be surprised at how much you end up loving it.
Here’s some of the benefits of going on a retreat that includes yoga:
1. You will learn about different types of yoga and find the one that suits you
Yoga consists of various styles of practice. Vinyasa, Bikram and Sivananda yoga are some of the more popular styles, to name a few. During a retreat you can be exposed to some of these styles and will have the opportunity to find the one that suits you.
Some retreats will include the practice of yin yoga, which is a very slow type of yoga or yoga nidra, where you relax into an almost sleep-like state. A retreat also offers an opportunity to dig a bit deeper into yoga philosophy with guidance from a professional teacher on how to incorporate it into your everyday life.
2. Detox for mind and body
Yoga forces you to focus on your breath and what is going on inside your body as you move, while taking notice of your immediate surroundings. This helps you to clear your mind and forces you to stay in the present, leaving your phone and social media behind. Yoga postures, especially twisting postures, are a great way to help detox your digestive system and relieve pressure on your internal organs.
3. Learn how to meditate
Meditation forms part of a well-rounded yoga practice. A yoga session is usually ended in a meditative state. This will introduce you to some of the aspects of meditation, like deep breathing and decluttering your mind.
4. Learn how to do yoga without hurting yourself
Ever scrolled through social media and gawked at the amazing flexibility and poses on some yoga accounts? You might be thinking that you will never be able to reach that level of practice. Maybe it’s that easy upside-down pose that has you convinced that you will tear a muscle. This is why yoga practiced at retreats are great for persons of any age and fitness level. At a retreat you will have the opportunity to train with a professional teacher who will start off teaching you the basics and building a strong foundation. You will be guided through various yoga postures with care, so you don’t hurt yourself.
5. Change the focus to you, experience the moment
Yoga aims to create the ultimate harmony between body, mind and soul. It can be used as an aid during a retreat for self-discovery and self-improvement by helping you focus on you.