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The advent of 2021 is special for the Vedic Wellness Industry as retreats and training centres wait eagerly for new clients post lockdown. It is also the year where most people would like to unshackle from the Work From Home Life or say Live At Work Life.
So how to find a good yoga retreat in 2021? Here are 11 things to keep in mind while searching
It might be your first yoga retreat or maybe your last one might have not gone according to plan. We can understand, at only Balancegurus.com we have 1100+ registered retreat organizers that organize north of 12300 retreats per year in 64 countries that is a lot of options to choose from and not all retreats and organizers are equal.
By the end of the article you would have all the tools & knowledge necessary to become a MASTER YOGA RETREAT FINDER so let’s dive and unravel the myths and mysteries.
Let's look at client Inquiry and we shall use this as a reference to dig deeper into the 11 things to keep in mind while choosing a yoga retreat in 2021 (all inquires posted in this blog have been permitted by the sender and inorder to maintain the privacy of the person the identity is hidden)
1. Location of the Yoga Retreat
Location is vital and best to tackle this first, location depends on what you dig the tropic beach vibes or the call of the mountains, are you looking for a rustic retreat away from the hustle and bustle or are you looking for a retreat close to the city so you can indulge in the city life or do you wish to go on a desert safari and gaze at the million stars that adorn the night sky.
Location can also mean different things to different people for example near the beach is not the same as on the beach so if you hear beach and picture yourself having a beach view cottage, basking in the sun and taking a dip when you fancy you might be surprised when your retreat is actually a mile away from the beach with no ocean view but still being sold as a beach yoga retreat.
When in doubt it's best to ask the retreat organizer for the exact location of the retreat and you can always go on a video call and get a tour of the property to put your mind at ease.
Due to the current global situation you also have to see if your country will issue you a visa to your travel destination, check the travel advisory issued on the embassy website, the return/arrival protocol and the cost of the flights in and out.
Choosing a location is easy; it's all about how the place makes you feel even before you get there.
2. Best time to go & seasonality
If your mind is fantasizing about a specific location you might want to check the best time to travel to that location.
Bali for example is a great destination to visit beautiful beaches, amazing cultural depth, treakable volcanoes but it rains in November and December and this can completely change your yoga retreat experience.
Costa Rican Jungles have a magical vibe to them and they are not far away from the States by flight, but in the summer and rainy season the weather can be insanely humid in the jungles enough to make you wet even your innerwear so maybe that is again what you don’t want.
Here is a seasonality chart to help you make the correct seasonal choice
Best places to visit in Jan - Mar
Best places to visit in Mar - June
Best places to visit in July - Oct
Best places to visit in Nov - Jan
The best time to go experience a yoga retreat is always when your heart yearns to go as no matter the time of the year there is always a great yoga retreat happening in some part of the world.
3. Goal, Focus and Expectation from the yoga retreat
Not all yoga retreats are cut from the same cloth likewise neither are all participants, everyone has different levels of experience hence different expectations from the yoga retreat and the retreat leader.
The skill is in finding a retreat that is aligned with your expectations.
Let's look at a few inquiries
From the above Inquires, we can see that people not only have different budgets, they also have different expectations of what they want to do at the yoga retreat.
It is not uncommon for people to want a yoga holiday rather than a yoga retreat but knowing what you are signing up for can cause a lot of misery later on.
A yoga holiday is a relaxed health vacation where you eat right, sleep well, enjoy the beautiful ambience of the property and its surrounds and do a bit of yoga in a small group or even private setting. The vacation mostly moves with your pace and is customized around your needs. This kind of holiday mostly falls into a luxury vacation as the emphasis is on the property, its amenities and the location.
A yoga retreat is a vacation centred around yoga and authentic yogic lifestyle. Participants are expected to wake up around sunrise for the first yoga class/workshop and you can expect to do 3 to 4 hrs of yoga daily. The schedule mostly moves with the pace of the class and the yoga teachers. The emphasis is on the experience and knowledge of the yoga teacher and on an overall lifestyle correction.
You should be a regular yoga practitioner to get the most out of this retreat else it can soon become overwhelming. Most people come off this retreat recharged and with a slightly better yoga practice.
Trust your gut feeling when it comes to choosing a Yoga Retreat or a Yoga Holiday and consult your wallet and see how it feels.
4. Updated Retreat website with COVID & guest safety protocols
