30 Reasons Why You Should Go On a Yoga Retreat

Since most people do not believe in hearsay (and that’s very smart of you), a study published by Seattle Yoga News confirmed that more than 62% of people interviewed showed profound interest in attending a yoga retreat.

Now that you are convinced (even a tad bit) to consider attending a yoga retreat, here are 30 reasons supported by authentic medical research and studies.

Why you should consider going on a yoga retreat?

The world that we currently live in puts a lot of weight on hustling and working hard all day and all night. However, not many people know that our spirit was never supposed to work for so many hours and under such pressure.

In the wise words of Dr Edlund,

"We really weren't meant to sit at a desk 12 hours a day.”

According to his analysis and research, people should take vacationers quite often and divide their days in having healthy food, taking good rest, and indulge in some activity. What would be better than spending your holiday surrounded by mountains or beaches that are known for their healing and rejuvenating environment? Well, add a bit of yoga practice to it at almost the same cost of a vacation and voila, there is a yoga retreat/vacation all set up for you!

Yoga is an ancient Indian science that has proven its magic in helping people not only survive everyday stress and anxiety, but also thrive in their daily lives. In fact, there are many medical studies that have proven the positive effects of yoga on people with anxiety, hypertension and depression.

According to Dr. Rosch,

"As New Agey as it sounds, meditating and paced breathing can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which works to balance the surges of adrenaline and cortisol that accompany stress.”

In an article published in the Wall Street Journal, Bryan E. Robinson, author of "Chained to the Desk, a Guidebook for Workaholics" and former professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, says, About one-quarter of the population could be classified as workaholic, though it comes in varying degrees. One version is the workaholic who is physically on vacation but mentally still at work. "He may be playing catch with his daughter, but his mind is somewhere else. And she can probably tell, even though she's only 7.”

Thus, many studies, articles, and researches have proven yoga’s contribution in helping people dealing with the imbalance created in their bodies due to work and life-related stress. This also means that there is a possibility of reaching homeostasis – which is achieving a complete state of balance in your physical, mental and emotional being. This is also known as God’s state in many spiritual and energy-healing texts.

What we mean is that when we join a yoga retreat, we learn about our bodies, breathwork, movement and connect with us deeply. This also means that we don’t only let go of stress and stuck energy but also, find cures for our physical illness, body pains, emotional blocks, etc. if there are any. This is the reason why people who try yoga just for fun end up falling in love with this miraculous art.

Trust us when we tell you that going to a yoga retreat can be life-altering for you and we mean all the good reasons. To have you on board with us, we have researched and come up with these 30 core benefits to convince you to finally book a yoga retreat for you and your loved ones. After all, you must keep yourself and everyone around you fit and healthy, shouldn’t you?

 

1. Connect with the flora and fauna of nature

Mother nature has always been the best healer. Don’t believe us? Well, here is an experiment for you. Whenever you feel anxious, go into your garden, or a park and stand on the grass for a while. Breathe and imagine roots growing from your feet and going deep into the earth. Do this for at least five breaths and you will instantly feel better. Yes, it works like a charm simply because nature always has our best interest.

Now, imagine meditating amid the glorious lushness of nature. Even feeling that you are surrounded by greenery, waterfalls, a beach, river, meadows, etc makes you feel good about it. Doesn’t it? Now add a bit of breathwork, meditation and yoga postures to it and you will start feeling better. This can happen in real life. All you have to do is find a good retreat and bring yourself to book it. Want more reasons why you should go on a yoga retreat? Keep reading.

2. Unplug yourself from all your digital devices

The number one improvement you will notice during your time in the retreat will be that you are more present at the moment – the best way to find happiness. When you realize that you are in the present moment, you just can’t help but be happy because you know that the past has gone and the future hasn’t arrived. The present is all you have and you must enjoy every moment because honestly, there is nothing to be worried about.

The biggest block in being present is our constant use of mobile phones, laptops, and other electronics. Most yoga retreats retrain your mind to unplug digitally and become mindful. Even a day of unplugging shall help you raise your vibration and you will instantly notice the difference. Your time away from digital distraction will help you connect with the healing energy of nature surrounding you. You might even fall in love with the idea of using your digital devices for a limited time.

3. Allow yourself to take a step back and evaluate your life

Self-reflection is the best way to learn about yourself. The life that you are living and the life that you want to live are often two different things. Thus, you must take your time to understand what is it that you want to do, what is your purpose or mission, what improvements do you need in life, what else do you need to become a better person –  the list goes on but going on a retreat will help you take a step back and evaluate everything that’s been on your mind. By the time the retreat is over, you will have clearer goals and missions in life. There might be a possibility that you would think about or go ahead with working on your dream career and/or switch to a new job. Just follow your heart and you will find the way.

Still not convinced why you need to go on a yoga retreat? We have 27 more reasons..

4. Live with a clear intent or purpose

Going on a yoga retreat brings a lot of positive change to your mind, body, and soul. One of these changes includes living with intent and that brings a lot of clarity to one’s being. Something as mundane as drinking a glass of water can work as a healing process for you if you have an intent to allow it to heal you. Life becomes beautiful in every sense of the word when you lead with intention and know the purpose behind every intent.

Having a clear intention will make you a more responsible person and also contribute to your physical, mental, and emotional being, which leads to success in your career as well. Yoga, in all senses, is a holistic approach to have a healthy life.

 

5. Get to spend quality time with yoga teachers and other experts in the field

Even if you are a potential yoga teacher or just a beginner, sitting and talking with your yoga teachers, meditation experts, and other health instructors can be life-altering for you. Even if you have joined the retreat as a vacationer, spending some quality time with your teachers can be a profound experience since they can guide you through your emotions and your entire life, in a way that you might never have thought before. Many people even experience a breakthrough after having a counseling session with their yoga teachers simply because the energy of yoga practitioners has the incredible power to heal you.

Since you have already paid for the retreat, you must also get the most out of it. Learn everything from the practice of yoga asanas, meditation, philosophy to everything that the organization of a yoga retreat requires.

6. Stop your monkey brain from overthinking

The only natural way to stop your monkey brain from creating useless scenarios and overthinking is to meditate every day. Most yoga retreats always include various meditation techniques to help you organize your thoughts well and stay in your energy than allow someone else to stay in your mind without paying rent.

Meditation brings you to the present moment without letting your thoughts bother you. Meditations have been scientifically proven to not only reduce stress, blood pressure, anxiety, etc but also improve one’s mental and emotional health.

When you sit with yourself quietly, slowly, and eventually, you will learn to silence those thoughts soon and will be in charge of all the quality thoughts you would start thinking. It is a miraculous process for anyone who continues with meditation despite all the difficulties that he or she might have to face in dealing with their thoughts.

7. Soak in the positive energy

Yoga is an effortless way to light up your mind, body, and mind by clearing blocks and charging yourself up with high energy. Now, imagine practicing this art with several already skilled and experienced yoga teachers and yogis, who clear the energy of the room simply by their presence. You will exchange energies with them and feel instantly better. Many people experience a massive breakthrough with their first yoga class only.

 Every retreat leader aspires to create a retreat that is full of good vibrations and high energy. The organizers, teachers, and experts of yoga retreats always try to align the synergy of the group during the retreat by choosing a great location and accommodation.

8. Heal mentally, emotionally, and physically

The science of yoga says that one has to first heal inside before the positive effects show in their outer life. Once your body understands calm and inner peace, you won’t be able to help yourself but practice yoga every day and continue going on different retreats all the time. Also, going on retreats is always more healing than practising the same in your room or your garden. Practicing yoga in the middle of the sacred settings of nature – mountains, waterfalls, beaches, etc. can accelerate your healing and capacity to connect with your highest self.

9. Deepen your yoga practice

If you are reading this article, then chances are that you were intuitively pulled to learn about yoga and its retreats. It also means that the universe has guided you to learn or deepen your yoga practice to have a physical, mental, and emotional breakthrough that might be around the corner. Also, there isn’t much that is demanded from you during the retreats. All you need is a little discipline and practice and soon, you will be feeling your body opening and your muscles getting flexible. You will also become more aware of yourself and others around you as well.

10. Practice Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is another type of yoga where you volunteer to perform certain acts where you do not or shouldn’t expect anything in return. For example, you can sweep the floors, wash the utensils or help in cooking food. When you practice karma yoga with an open heart and without expecting anything in return from people or in general, the universe notices it and rewards you with miraculous gifts. All you have to do is carry a pure heart and not expect a thing.

11. Introduce and embrace the concept of wellness travel

A well-balanced yoga retreat allows one to explore both the inner and outer sides of wellness travel. For those who don’t know, a wellness retreat is something that fulfills the purpose of traveling as well as maintaining one’s body and inner being. From meditating to hiking in the mountainside, wellness travel is a blend of both and a good yoga retreat always ensures it. Having fun is the main point of it all. Experience this retreat but do not stop having fun at any cost!

12. Commit to eating healthy food

Every yoga retreat ensures that all participants are having sattvic meals. The vegetarian or vegan meals are all included in a yoga retreat as the participants are requested to avoid having junk food or any food that is served outside the retreat. It might seem difficult at first but if you have made a commitment to it, then you must eat the organic meals that are prepared as a part of the retreat. In fact, you can even contribute in the preparation of the same as a part of Karma Yoga.

13. Aim for deep relaxation

According to this article published by Wall Street Journal (2010), only 10% of people achieve complete relaxation on “regular” vacations, about 58% of people experience zero stress relief and 27% feel more stressed at end of vacation than at the beginning.

Did you know that? The workload and pressure that most of us experience are so high that we get stuck in the work mindset, even when we aren’t at our workplace. With rejuvenating tools, such as meditation, yoga asanas, herbal massages, and other therapies that are often included in these retreats, one can experience deep relaxation. With regular practice of these tools,  he or she can even train their minds to permanently stay in this state.

14. Meet like-minded people from across the globe

People often develop profound friendships on these retreats as well. The deepest concern of most people at the time of joining the retreat is that they feel that they will be alone without knowing that more than 80% of people attend the retreat alone.

A yogic bond is often developed between the attendees, which sometimes, lasts for a lifetime. Many people explain that they do not have many spiritual friends and family back home and that most of them are more into outer appearances, such as dressing inexpensive clothes and going to fancy restaurants without taking time to connect with their inner selves. They don’t even understand why anyone would want to join a yoga retreat. Thus, they get to create spiritual bonds with like-minded people across the globe.

15. Soak in the new Vitamin R

R in this point stands for Retreat and by retreat, we mean yoga. When you soak in sunlight while standing at a beach, your body soaks Vitamin D and releases endorphins. In the same way, the yoga retreats help your body release Vitamin R, which contributes to releasing happy and relaxing hormones through various yoga therapies and techniques. Additionally, you are surrounded by the lushness of nature all the time which is a natural mood booster. This means that the daily practice of yoga combined with staying in the natural beauty of nature helps in boosting Vitamin R (happy hormones) in your body.

Still not convinced why you should go on a yoga retreat? Well buddy we got 15 more reasons for you.

16. A great opportunity to spend time with family

You can join a retreat with your family as well. Yoga is the art of connecting with self and others around us with utmost compassion and love. Now, who wouldn’t want to connect deeply with their family? Going on a yoga retreat is a great day way to spend time with your family and nurture your relationship with them.

17. Travel/Holiday with a purpose

Have a taste of travelling with a purpose by joining a yoga retreat as your next vacation spot. The purpose can be anything related to the improvement of your health by either concentrating on daily yoga practise or meditation, having organic meals, or learning something new about yourself every day. Remember small actions bring the most positive changes in the long term.

18. Experience daily routine in the simplest way

Even a yoga teacher living city finds it hard to follow his/her routine on a daily routine. On days, when she or he doesn’t have to be in the studio early or not at all, the schedule rambles down like a pack of cards.

Joining a yoga retreat imbibes a sense of following a simple yet strong routine in one’s life. From waking up early to directly jumping to yoga asanas until you go to sleep at night – yoga retreats set your tone for a great daily routine.

19. Learn the philosophy and application of yoga science

Many people don’t even know that meditation is a part of yoga and not separate from it until they learn about the limbs of yoga in its philosophy. Learning something new about yoga is a part of the daily routine in a typical yoga retreat program and honestly, this leads to the development of a lot of interest in learning more about the incredible science of yoga.

20. Learn about nutritious foods and their value

Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga explains the nutritional value of food and in what amount to take it, amongst other things. It is not only about the food that we need, it is also about learning how to cook individual food with certain healing herbs that work miraculously on one’s body to help them fight diseases and boost the immune system. There is so much depth to yoga that even one lifetime isn’t enough but joining a yoga retreat might be your first step towards living quite a fulfilling life. Ayurveda talks about such superfoods that are capable of turn your body into a vessel to carry even the energy of God.

So many benefits of a yoga retreat by now you must be ready to book that yoga retreat if not we have 10 more reasons to go.

21. Learn to meditate

Meditate has the power to turn your life around, not just your health. It starts with simply sitting with yourself and get in touch with your thoughts. However, there are different techniques to work with during your practice. For some, only sitting silently works like charm while for others, it’s dancing meditation. You shall learn about it all in a good yoga retreat. Learning meditation in a yoga retreat is one of the greatest things you can do for your mind, body, and soul.

22. Put in hours of practice and achieve mindfulness

A yoga retreat is a great way to learn to be present moment by using the tools, both practical and theoretical, taught during the classes. You must make the most of the money and time you invest in the yoga retreat and continue your practice until you connect with your higher self.

23. Improve your health on all levels

We have mentioned it before and we will say it again that going on a yoga retreat is like wellness travel – you get to bring balance in your body on all levels, that is, physical, mental, and emotional. Practicing yoga has been completely life-changing for people, especially those dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, and other inner problems.

24. Return refreshed, recharged, and with lots of memories

When you return from a vacation, it feels like you will not remember most parts. However, when you return from a yoga retreat, you feel rejuvenated and take all the learnings and teachings of yoga with you. From asanas to meditation techniques, it stays with you all for the rest of the time, that is when you continue your practice even after the retreat.

25. It’s all about how much you love and value yourself

When you book a yoga retreat solely to make yourself better, the universe sees that as a high vibration. You must already know that the universe responds to the frequency and investing in yourself only increases it. The higher you vibrate, the better you attract.

It also depends on how you see yourself and how much you think you deserve. Yes, you must know that you deserve to go on this retreat because you need to take of yourself first to take care of everyone and everything around you. Usually, we spend thousands of bucks on people that we love and that is great, but you must also not hesitate or procrastinate when it comes to valuing and loving yourself. Thus, you must book your yoga retreat and say hi to wellness travel.

26. Embrace the fear of the unknown and jump

Take your fear in one hand and the faith in the universe in another and then, JUMP! And you will land safely, we promise. Most people have the fear of the unknown, of trying new things but once they face them, they realize that there was nothing to fear in the first place. Do not worry, a yoga retreat is the safest place to guide you through your fears. By the end of the retreat, you will also understand that the universe always has our back and that we will always be taken care of.

27. Bring out the explorer in you

Break out from your regular home routine and jump into the adventure that yoga retreats bring to you. The retreats always take place in sacredly beautiful surroundings and this gives you a chance to explore nature. Wear the hat of an explorer and keep walking forward without stopping yourself.

28. Experience life in a unique way

While going on a vacation is quite a good feeling itself, wellness travel is a unique way to experience a break from regular life. A yoga retreat will completely change the way you will look at a vacation again. Imagine taking your whole vacation back home with you. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?

29. Live the student life again

The fun and opportunity to become a student don’t come often. Going for a yoga retreat opens the door for the same. Even if you are a yoga teacher, this will be a great break from planning daily lessons and learning more about your craft. Many yoga teachers have accepted that immersing themselves in yoga retreats has helped them become more authentic towards their profession.

30. Break from cooking

One of the best benefits of joining a yoga retreat is the much-needed break from cooking your meals every day. Apart from not having to prepare food, you will also get organic food made with Ayurvedic recipes, herbs, and techniques. Thus, having Ayurvedic food regularly will also help your body in healing itself naturally. Also, you will get to sit and savor the entire meal. Do not take your smartphone out during the meals if you want to avoid a couple of side-eyes on you.

We can give you a thousand reasons why you should go on a yoga retreat but at the end of the day, it is entirely up to you to choose your well-being over everything else. Thus, you must follow your heart and your heart will never lead you astray. Go find a yoga retreat for yourself and your body will thank you by the end of the retreat. Even if you are an introvert or someone who likes to stay in, take a leap of faith, go for a yoga retreat and the universe will take care of the rest.

Top 30 Reasons Why You Should Go On a Yoga Retreat

1. Connect with the flora and fauna

2. Unplug yourself from all your digital devices

3. Allow yourself to take a step back and evaluate your life

4. Live with a clear intent or purpose

5. Get to spend quality time with yoga teachers and other experts in the field

6. Stop your monkey brain from overthinking

7. Soak in the positive energy

8. Heal mentally, emotionally, and physically

9. Deepen your yoga practice

10. Practice Karma Yoga

11. Embrace the concept of wellness travel

12. Commit to eating healthy food

13. Aim for deep relaxation

14. Meet like-minded people from across the globe

15. Soak in the new Vitamin R

16. A great opportunity to spend time with family

17. Travel with a purpose

18. Experience daily routine in the simplest way

19. Learn the philosophy and application of yoga science

20. Learn about nutritious foods and their value

21. Learn to meditate

22. Put in hours of practice and achieve mindfulness

23. Improve your health on all levels

24. Return refreshed, recharged, and with lots of memories

25. It’s all about how much you love and value yourself

26. Embrace the fear of the unknown and jump

27. Bring out the explorer in you

28. Experience life in a unique way

29. Live the student life again

30. Take a break from cooking

 

**The benefits of Yoga vary from person to person and the results may vary immensely based on the knowledge of the instructor, ambience of the centre and the nourishment provided. BalanceBoat.com is not liable or responsible for the effectiveness and outcome of the Yoga Retreats. The information above is shareable purely for informational purposes it is not to be considered as a replacement for medical advice. Please always consult a certified and qualified medical professional when you deem necessary.