So you’ve decided that you’d like to go on a yoga retreat and you’re now faced with a dizzying array of possibilities. With so many available options, how do you choose which is the right retreat for you?

Here is a guide that will help you to narrow your focus and clarify your intentions for your retreat. With a better understanding of what you’re seeking, you’re more likely to find the perfect fit.

Understanding What You Want

Your first step is to figure out what you are looking for and what type of experience you want. Some folks are seeking an intensive spiritual experience where they truly dive deep into the practices of yoga and meditation. Others are looking for the opportunity to relax and refresh, eat well, and pamper themselves. Still others want the chance to explore a novel location, interact with a different culture, and participate in exciting, new activities.

While these aren’t mutually exclusive intentions, different retreats will place more emphasis on different approaches. Understanding what is most important to you will help ensure you choose the best fit for you.

Narrowing Your Focus

If the most important element to you is deepening your yoga practice, then we suggest placing your primary focus on the teachers leading the retreat, their experience level, and their style of instruction. There are numerous approaches to teaching yoga and you’ll want to make sure that the style on offer is what feels most appropriate for you.

Some retreats offer intense, sweaty classes and workshops that focus on improving certain advanced poses while others concentrate on perfecting alignment and making subtle postural shifts to alter energy flow. Still others place greater weight on the more introspective aspects of the practice – from meditation to breathwork to self-study.

If one of these approaches holds much greater appeal than the others, then it’s important that the intention set by the retreat leader aligns closely with what you’re seeking. Check with local yoga teachers you respect to see if they are planning a retreat or if any of their colleagues – or, even better, their mentors – who share a similar focus will be offering one. A personal recommendation from someone who knows you and your yoga practice can go a long way toward finding the right fit.

Alternately, peruse the descriptions of retreats offered by yoga retreat centers or listed on retreat-specific sites that sound appealing. Read the bios and retreat descriptions carefully to help ensure that what they are offering is what you want. If you have questions, feel free to contact the retreat leader via email or by phone to make sure that it’s a good match.

Finding the Right Setting

If you’re open to experimenting with a variety of different approaches to yoga, then the style being offered may be less central to your decision. It will still be important to check that a skilled teacher is leading the retreat, but their specific emphasis may be less important to you. In that case, the location of the retreat may be the most important factor.

Do you want to escape to the beach? Head to the mountains? Immerse yourself in the jungle? Explore the desert? Tour wine country? All of these options are available and more. If you find a particular setting to be rejuvenating or energizing, then that can be a great place to start your search.

Are you drawn to the expanse of the ocean, the abundant wildlife of the rainforest, the majesty of the high country, or the openness of the desert? Across the globe, you will find options that offer each of these types of experiences. Whether you reside in the Americas, Europe or Asia, you have numerous options anywhere from a few hours away to halfway around the world, depending upon your taste for adventure.

This will also be when you decide between more rustic accommodations or something on the swanker side. Glamping has become a popular option and there are many possibilities for eco-chic retreat centers that are partially open-air allowing you to be more directly in touch with nature. There are also yoga retreats and resorts that offer a higher degree of luxury, complete with many of the comforts and amenities that you would find at a high-end hotel.

As far as comforts go, are you seeking basic, healthy meals or hoping for a true culinary experience? Are you looking to lounge by the pool, soak in the hot tub, or enjoy a hot stone massage? Do you need a pillow-top mattress and high thread-count sheets? There are retreats that will cater to all of these options and more. Expect them to be a bit higher-priced than the somewhat rustic options of more economical retreats, but for some attendees, it’s definitely worth the slight splurge.

Exploring Someplace New

Perhaps you’re open to all sorts of yoga classes and flexible on the location and type of accommodations that you prefer. If you like a good adventure or to learn new things, another consideration might be what other types of activities you’d like to participate in.

Have you always wanted to learn to surf or head out in a small boat for whale watching? Or perhaps you really enjoy sea kayaking or horseback riding or wine tasting? Hiking to the summit of a volcano or witnessing the release of newly hatched sea turtles or taking a jungle canopy tour by zip line or swimming with dolphins might also be on your bucket list. The array of available options is nearly endless.

Some participants want to explore the local area more extensively and truly get a feel for someplace new. Visiting small towns, perhaps meeting resident artisans and craftspeople, and even volunteering in the community can be a great way to forge more authentic connections and deepen the meaning of your experience.

If there’s an activity that you already love or a new adventure that you’re eager to try, you can almost always find a retreat that will offer that as an option. In most cases, in fact, you’ll have lots of possibilities from which to choose.

Piecing It All Together

Once you’ve set your priorities based on the above criteria, you’ll have filtered out a lot of the less appealing retreats and zeroed in on a much more manageable list.

If the practice of yoga was your principal priority, and you found a great selection of teachers whose offering are appealing, you can then sort by the location, the amenities, and the options for excursions. Where do you want to visit and is it easy to get there, how important are creature comforts, and what do you want to explore?

If destination and setting are primary for you, then start with your favorites and compare the teaching styles and the options for adventure of the remaining retreats. Does one teacher’s approach resonate the most with you? Was there a unique adventure or experience available on one retreat that caught your attention?

And if your focus was on particular activities or the option to explore a specific culture, then you can narrow your choices by considering the approach and emphasis of the yoga classes and the offerings and quality of the retreat centers where each retreat will be hosted.

At this point, you’ll have winnowed your list down to the options that are perfect for you. Choose the one that calls to you most and trust that you’ve done your homework and found the perfect fit.

For some tips on how to make the most of your yoga retreat, we have some additional pointers for you on that topic as well: https://pranadelmar.com/2016/11/21/making-yoga-retreat/.

Now, all that’s left is to get excited for a special retreat experience with the potential to be meaningful, relaxing, and rejuvenating.

More and more yogis are realizing the joy and convenience of establishing a home practice, but wonder how to create a space that feels appropriate and sacred when practicing away from a traditional yoga shala.

As sensory creatures, we are profoundly affected by our environment in myriad ways – both consciously and unconsciously. Using that to our advantage, there are several factors to consider when carving out a place at home where we can really focus and step away from our daily distractions.

Sights, sounds, and sensations can either contribute to our sense of ease and well-being or distract us and take us out of the present moment. For this reason, it’s important to be very aware of the details when creating a comfortable space and setting the stage for relaxation.

To that end, here are several easy tips for converting an extra room – or even a small space in a room used for other purposes – so that it’s a welcoming place for you to focus on your practice. We’ve also included some bonus suggestions at the end if you have the available space.

Remove Clutter

Starting with a clean and clutter-free room will help create a sense of calm and reduce distractions, ensuring your attention isn’t easily diverted away from your practice. Don’t worry if it feels too austere at first; there will be opportunities to decorate and personalize in a meaningful and purposeful way after beginning with a clean slate.

Sensation

Next, be sure that your space is warm enough. Unless your environment is already hot, then heat the room or area a few degrees higher than normal to give it a cozy feeling. This could be ideal with a fireplace in winter because of the added beauty and comfort, but giving the thermostat a nudge is great, too. This allows you to wear thinner, looser clothing for more freedom of movement and less of a sense of restriction. The physical will translate to the emotional. Dress in comfortable clothing – cotton, silk, soft wools, etc. Warmer temps also allow you to go barefoot – creating a more direct feeling of connection to the world around you.

Sight

What we see around us can spark relaxation or create distraction. We are incredibly visual creatures, so this element can help a great deal. If windows look out on serene, natural environments, then feel free to leave shades open. If it is a more urban environment or there is lots of activity outside, then close the blinds to bring the focus inward. If you’re looking for a sense of calm, then lean toward various blues or earth tones in paint, furniture, and accessories. If you want a more vibrant feel, then reds, oranges and bright yellows will elevate the energy.

Lower the lights using a dimmer, if possible. If no dimmer, then even just reducing the number of lights that are on and covering a lamp with a scarf to drop the lumens and shift the tone of the light can help. Also, shift the color temperature of the bulbs you have if they tend toward the blue end of the spectrum. A color temp around 2700-3000 is great; try to avoid anything over 5000.

Candles are also a great addition. I recommend a primary focal candle with a symmetrical arrangement around it – straight line across a mantle, arc on the floor, two candles on the floor alongside the threshold at entrances/exits, a circle on a coffee table – can all work. Asymmetry draws attention – causing us to notice, to question, to try to figure out. We want to avoid that and stick with symmetry which will offer a sense of ease and comfort – a feeling that everything is in its place. This allows us to relax more fully.

Smell

Our sense of smell also affects us at a fundamental level. Who hasn’t noticed a familiar scent and been transported to a distant memory? Essential oils with a diffuser can be a great way to permeate a space with a pleasing fragrance and can be easily customized based on preferences and mood. We use lavender for its relaxing properties. Rose and sandalwood are also great options – even vanilla. Or mix your own – a fun project in and of itself! Incense is another great option.

Sound

Ambient sound is another crucial element. You could set the stage beautifully with all of the suggestions above, but if you live next to a busy highway or your neighbor breaks out the leaf blower, you’ll face a challenge. Double- and triple-paned windows can really help if you’re surrounded by distracting ambient noise – and there are sound absorbing fabrics that can also assist. Economical sculptural elements that create a small waterfall/running water sound are quite soothing and even sound machines can be useful in a pinch. Adding music is also an excellent option and a variety of different types (rhythmic, chanting, soft acoustic, yoga inspired, etc.) will contribute to a peaceful setting.

But if you live in a quiet or secluded place, then open the windows and doors and let the sound of the wind and the chirping of the birds envelop you. The natural connection will deepen your sense of calm and relaxation.

Perhaps most importantly, make this a technology free space – leave computers, TVs, phones and tablets well beyond earshot. Nothing distracts us and tempts us like the siren call of our gadgets. (If using your phone for meditation or yoga apps, then switch to Airplane mode to reduce interruptions.)

Bonus Suggestions

A) Exclusive Space

If a given space is reserved for quiet time, meditation, yoga, relaxation, etc. then your mind will begin to associate that space with those activities. As soon as you walk into that space each day, you’ll feel the shift. If you have an in-law cottage or a bonus room or a basement that you plan to convert and can designate it for just this purpose, it will help tremendously.

B) Add an Altar

Creating an altar is an emotional process and one that will forge an even stronger connection with the space that you are creating. If you have a personal relationship with God or your interpretation of the Divine, then it will make this space exponentially more powerful. It will make it sacred. An altar is not limited to any particular type of religion – or to religion at all, for that matter. It can be appropriate for anyone, if they are open to it.

An altar can be small, on a low table or on a mantle or tucked into a corner of the room. Or, if you’re inspired, it can expand as large as you like. For the religious, then an appropriate icon of God would be fitting for the centerpiece and other elements of your faith (a rosary for Catholics, mala beads for Hindus, a crucifix for all denominations of Christians, a Star of David for Jews, prayer flags for Buddhists, etc.). Candles, incense and other meaningful objets d’arte are appropriate. Framed photos of family and loved ones. Teachers/clergy/mentors who have been particularly impactful and influential are all wonderful to include. Sea shells, a smooth skipping stone from a family trip, a dried flower from a friend’s garden – really there is no limit beyond your own creativity. Anything that is meaningful and important to you is appropriate for your altar. Just sitting down in front of it to reflect on the richness of your life and how much you have to be grateful for can be both humbling and calming on many levels.

While not all of the above suggestions may be possible in your home or your situation, even adjusting only a few things can go a long way toward transforming a room and giving it a more welcoming feel for your yoga or meditation practice. In the end, focus on creating a clean, relaxed, comfortable space that will complement your practice. You’ll find it serves as a personal refuge from your daily concerns and helps take your personal practice to a deeper level.

Many folks all over the world are seeking out yoga retreats as an alternative to a more conventional vacation. Some are looking to relieve stress or take time out from their hectic lives, some want to get fit and shift toward a more healthful lifestyle, and others are looking for meaningful travel experiences with opportunities to explore a new country or different culture. Whatever your reason for choosing a yoga retreat for your holiday, there are many ways to make sure you get the most out of your time away.

Below are some simple ideas to keep in mind that can make a profound difference in your experience and enjoyment while on retreat:

• Don’t always play it safe

The very fact that you’ve signed up for a yoga retreat may already be a big step outside your comfort zone. Congratulations! But don’t stop there. It’s important that you encourage yourself to continue trying new things and tackling new challenges throughout your trip. Meeting and really engaging with new people, tasting unusual foods, testing yourself (safely) in unfamiliar yoga postures, and venturing out to try a new activity or practice a foreign language – even if it’s just a few basic words – will go a long way towards enriching your overall experience.

• Skip the expectations and keep an open mind

Even if you’ve been on several yoga retreats before, each new one will be unique based on its location, the style of the teacher, and the different participants joining in. It’s natural to get excited about what you think may happen or make detailed plans about what you’d like to do, but limiting those expectations and keeping an open mind about what you experience will keep you focused in the present moment. Staying in the present is a key tenet of yoga and you’ll be amazed at what opens up for you when you let go of your story and allow your experience to unfold without attachment.

• Revel in nature

Most yoga retreats are set in serene locations, surrounded by natural beauty and abundant wildlife. Many people choose a retreat with the intention of deepening their own yoga practice; being surrounded by the tranquility of nature can truly enrich this experience. Whether it’s the power of the ocean, the grandeur of the mountains, or the peacefulness of the desert, you can leverage the healing power of the natural world to sink into a deeper state of relaxation. Take the opportunity to fine tune your senses to the uniqueness of your surroundings – the vibrancy of the colors, the freshness of the air, the rhythm of the day  – and notice how that focus and attention help to create clarity of mind.

• Set aside time for yourself

In our busy, modern lives, we often find ourselves caught up in our responsibilities, our activities, and our to-do lists. Almost every moment seems chock full of tasks we should be doing – either for work or for family or for friends. A retreat is an excellent opportunity to carve out time specifically for yourself and spend some quality time alone. Whether you’re walking the beach, watching the sunset, spotting Orion on a starry night, or observing the clouds float by from a gently-swaying hammock, it can be quite powerful and revealing to dedicate time to being alone.

• Communicate
  

The complement to spending time alone is to also enjoy the company of your fellow yogis. A yoga retreat is a tremendous opportunity for you to explore – both your internal and your external worlds. Twice-daily asana practice, regular meditation, and time alone in nature away from your usual routine offer an amazing opportunity to dig deeper into who you really are and what is most important to you. Other people on your retreat will also likely be opening up and seeing their lives with fresh perspective, so it can be a wonderful chance to really connect with them in a genuine and meaningful way. The pretense and superficiality that can create barriers in everyday life often crumble during a yoga retreat, leaving the opportunity to communicate with those around you in a more intimate and authentic way.

• Focus on the reasons why you’re on retreat

One of the most important ways to prepare for your time on retreat is to set an intention for your journey. Are you facing challenges in a close personal relationship – a friend, partner, or family member? Are you feeling unfulfilled in your career or wondering whether you should make a change? Are you looking to find more meaning in your everyday life or reach out to be more active in your community? Do you want to dedicate yourself to more holistic lifestyle choices that will improve your health and well-being?

All of these – or something else entirely that is appropriate for you and your situation – are ripe areas for self-exploration and self-discovery. Choose an area to focus on that seems especially relevant and important to you at the moment and make a point of truly exploring the concerns and doubts you may have while on retreat. Reflect upon these questions after yoga classes and meditation, observe your emotional responses during your time alone, talk about these feelings with others on your retreat whose opinion you respect or who may have faced a similar situation.

A yoga retreat is an amazing place to delve deeply into a truer understanding of your essential self. It creates an environment that will offer you greater clarity and a broader perspective. Take advantage of this time away to focus on a specific area of your life that you’d like to improve and you’ll gain valuable insight that you can apply upon your return home.

If you approach a yoga retreat with an open mind, a concrete intention, and a willingness to stretch beyond your comfort zone, you’ll make the most of your experience. Soak up the beauty and serenity of nature, allow yourself time alone, and then seek out other members of your group for their support, advice, and collective wisdom. In turn, share your own perspective – and perhaps a shoulder to lean on – with those who might benefit. This approach will deepen your experience and your self-understanding, ensuring a more meaningful and gratifying experience while on retreat.

With the growing prevalence of yoga in our society, a number of myths about the practice have emerged. Unfortunately, these misconceptions might dissuade people who would greatly benefit from yoga from ever trying it. It’s understandable that – from an outside perspective – yoga might seem foreign or esoteric to some, but that’s usually just until they try a class and realize how natural and unintimidating the practice is.

Some people believe that they have to be very flexible to be “good” at yoga. Others are worried that yoga is a religion and may conflict with their existing beliefs. And yet others feel like it is a practice only for earthy, new age types who lead an alternative lifestyle.

The reality is that all of these ideas – and many other simplistic notions about yoga – couldn’t be further from the truth. Yoga is for everybody – regardless of their physical fitness or flexibility, their religious beliefs or lack thereof, or whether they view themselves as mainstream or counter-culture. One of the beautiful aspects of yoga is that it transcends stereotypical classifications and meets us where we are, allowing us to make progress from that point forth.

With regard to the question of fitness, there are a couple of issues to address. The first is that the most fundamental and important aspects of yoga are not strictly – or even primarily – a physical practice. The postures (asanas in the Sanskrit) are important tools for opening the body, stimulating the flow of energy, calming the mind, and purifying the body. But they are only a means to an end, not the end itself.

Being able to bend into pretzel shapes or even to touch your toes is largely irrelevant. Modifications can be made for most poses to accommodate any fitness level or disability. The point of the physical postures is not to contort one’s body into a variety of fanciful shapes, but rather to integrate the body and mind, erasing that contrived sense of division between them. This is something open to all practitioners and can usually offer the most immediate benefits to those people who lead sedentary lives and don’t feel fully integrated with their bodies.

Another concern that people voice is that yoga is closely tied to religion and that practicing yoga may create a conflict with their existing beliefs. While it is true that the principles of yoga evolved from ancient Vedic texts that also formed the basis for religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism which followed, yoga evolved via a different path and with different aims that those religions.

Yoga is more focused on recognizing the integration of the mind, body, and spirit as a unified whole and leading the practitioner to a life of greater equanimity, calmness, and self-understanding. This is a path open to believers of all religions as well as to those who are not religious at all. In fact, devout practitioners may feel that yoga opens them up in ways that helps them feel greater connection to their own conception of the divine.

A third misconception that many people harbor posits that yoga is only practiced by new age, hippie types and that it doesn’t offer anything to those more rooted in the mainstream. While this stereotype is certainly understandable, it’s unfortunate that this holds many people back from trying yoga. The truth is that yoga offers benefits for everyone and that the basic techniques are relevant and helpful regardless of one’s lifestyle.

In fact, yoga can be especially instructive and healing for those who face challenging work environments, tight deadlines, financial pressures, and hectic family lives. The tools and techniques used in yoga can be extremely effective at reducing anxiety and creating a sense of calmness and balance – exactly what so many people in our overstressed society need these days.

The primary techniques that yoga utilizes are physical postures, breathwork, concentration, and meditation – though there are also numerous others. Different individuals respond differently to each of these practices so it’s helpful to explore a variety of these tools to judge what is most effective for each situation.

In the end, our preconceptions often hold us back from exploring paths that can provide great benefit. By dispelling common myths about yoga, we reveal the true power and accessibility of the practice and open ourselves to reaping its rewards. With even a basic introduction to the practice, our old views are quickly fall away and are replaced by a more immediate understanding of yoga and all that it can offer.
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For devoted practitioners, yoga provides a source of strength and equilibrium as well as a refuge where they can seek insight when facing challenges in their lives. Modern yogis have come to understand why this ancient practice has stood the test of time and how relevant it can be for their daily life. But for those who haven’t yet discovered the benefits of practicing yoga on a regular basis – and know little about it aside from the stereotypes – it may be more difficult to comprehend its lasting appeal.

A brief history of yoga

Yoga’s roots can be traced back at least 3,000 years, although there are those who believe several of its practices are far older – with evidence that early aspects could be as ancient as 5,000 to 10,000 years old. The foundational principles and the early philosophy of yoga are outlined in the Rig Veda, a text that was transmitted orally over many generations before first being transcribed around 300 BCE. In this early text, the emphasis is on the spiritual and ritualistic aspects of yoga with less attention focused on the physical aspects that have become more prominent in contemporary culture.

The word ‘yoga’ has many meanings and interpretations. At it’s most basic, the Sanskrit root of the word means “to yoke”, “to harness”, or “to unite”. This helps to convey the principle aim of the methods and techniques of yoga – to reveal to the dedicated practitioner the fundamental connection between the body, mind, and spirit.

For centuries, yoga was a tradition practiced mainly in India and neighboring regions.  Its focus was primarily spiritual with the emphasis on meditation, philosophical study, and devotional ritual. Beginning in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, yoga masters such as Swami Vivekenada and Paramahansa Yogananda started traveling to the western world, drawing immense crowds and intriguing many curious spiritual seekers who resonated with their message.

A more accessible branch of yoga called ‘Hatha’ yoga – which concentrates on the physical practices and techniques – began to grow in popularity in the 1920’s and 1930’s in Europe and the United States. In 1947, a Russian named Indra Devi, who had studied yoga extensively in India, settled in California and opened a yoga studio in Hollywood, attracting celebrities and further propelling yoga into the mainstream.

Yoga’s growing acceptance in western culture exposed more students to its teachings and devoted practitioners began undertaking pilgrimages to India to broaden and deepen their understanding at the source. Magazines and television glamorized yoga and early research confirmed its efficacy for personal health and wellbeing, further expanding its popularity.

What exactly is yoga, and why has its popularity grown so much recently?

In short, yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that utilizes postures, breathing techniques, and meditation to relax the body and still the mind. While not necessarily religious or confined to a single spiritual tradition, yoga originally grew out of Hinduism. Different traditions are related to varying philosophical schools such as ‘Samkhya’ and ‘Tantra’. Varying schools concentrate on different aspects and techniques of the yoga tradition with Hatha yoga – a style that focuses on physical poses – being the most common approach in contemporary Western yoga.

One of the principal reasons for the continued appeal of yoga is its ability to deliver tangible results to practitioners. Rather than relying on belief or faith the way that many spiritual traditions do, yoga is about direct experience. Using tried and tested techniques, yoga practitioners can learn to gain better control of their bodies, regulate their emotional levels, reduce anxiety and stress, and lead more fulfilling lives based on values that are important to them rather than those dictated by external pressures.

With the ever-increasing stress levels in modern society – and more people looking towards holistic solutions to regain physical and mental equilibrium – yoga has proven to be a very powerful tool for healing. While stress has always been a part of life since its inception, only in the past few decades have people had the option to turn to medical treatments to help combat its effect. Unfortunately, medication usually treats just the symptoms and not the underlying cause, frequently with unpleasant side effects. The beauty of yoga is that it can help to root out the fundamental anxieties that affect us and point us toward more holistic approaches to solving the problems that we face. This is not to say that yoga is a panacea, as there is certainly an important place for allopathic medicine and pharmaceutical intervention, but much of stress that we face can be effectively mitigated with dedicated yoga practice.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence confirming the efficacy of yoga to treat a variety of conditions. It seems that every week a new study reveals some important new finding regarding the health and wellbeing improvements – from increasing strength and flexibility to alleviating anxiety to boosting immunity to regulating blood pressure and beyond – that regular yoga practice offers. There are even recent reports that yoga can help to ward off Alzheimer’s and Type II diabetes. Ongoing research will likely discover even more positive health benefits as additional studies are undertaken.

Yoga is also a practice that almost anyone can participate in and reap benefits from. Practiced properly, it is gentle on the muscles and joints, though some forms can also be quite strenuous if one is seeking a more taxing workout. It’s a practice that doesn’t discriminate – all shapes, sizes, and ages can enjoy yoga as long as they choose a style that is appropriate for their goals and level of experience. And it’s also affordable – no fancy equipment beyond a simple mat is required and options for classes abound at dedicated studios, fitness clubs, community centers, online, and even at home through self-study.

With its time-honored tradition, proven health and medical benefits, and easy accessibility, yoga’s popularity continues to expand. For the uninitiated, it may seem exotic or intimidating, but the truth is that yoga is a welcoming practice that can be enjoyed by everyone and that can offer a wide array of benefits on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. Ultimately, it’s a practice that must be experienced to be fully understood – and the good news is that anyone can try it as soon as they are ready.

Stress seems to be everywhere these days. From work commitments to family responsibilities, we suffer through a never-ending list of tasks to complete – all while facing time and financial pressures that can weigh heavily upon us. So many outside sources attempt to influence us and our decisions – from our employers to advertisers to social media – until it’s exhausting to keep up with it all.

Most of us have experienced varying degrees of mental or emotional strain at some point in our lives, and while there are those of us who cope better with this than others, eventually stress takes its toll on each of us. Though many try to carry on as normal, others seek out guidance from a therapist and some turn to pharmaceutical help from a doctor. Wouldn’t it be great if we could address the stress that permeates our lives in a more holistic way that avoids medication?

Avoiding solutions that may adversely affect us, such as the side effects associated with many drugs, and addressing the underlying causes of our anxiety is a far safer and more sustainable approach to tackling stress and its varied symptoms. Recent research has already told us that yoga can be wonderful for our physical wellbeing; we’re now discovering that it can also be just as helpful for our mental and emotional wellbeing.

How can yoga help us combat stress without turning to medication?

Numerous scientific studies have found evidence that the regular practice of yoga can have significant positive effects on reducing stress and anxiety levels. There seems to be several factors at work that contribute to yoga’s ability to improve our moods and keep us calm.

One of the keys appears to be a neurotransmitter called GABA (short for gamma-aminoutryic acid). GABA acts to inhibit nerve transmission in the brain, thereby calming overactive nervous activity. Having lower levels of GABA is associated with mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety while higher levels have a calming effect. Studies have shown that those who practice yoga on a regular basis, have elevated levels of GABA compared to those people who partake in another similar form of regular exercise (such as walking).

Researchers have also found evidence that links the practices of yoga, meditation, and deep breathing to changes in the expression of genes involved in metabolism, immune function, and insulin secretion. The study author notes that these methods of deep relaxation enhance wellness and counteract the effects of stress such as anxiety and hypertension.

Additionally, a separate study has shown that yoga and meditation can be an effective tool to reduce inflammation caused by chronic stress. Regular practice altered the activity of inflammatory and antiviral proteins in practitioners and brought stress relief to the study participants.

How do we apply an ancient practice like yoga to help us manage stress in modern times?

While it’s true that the world has changed a great deal since yoga was created, the fundamental aspects of the human condition are still very much the same. People have always faced external pressures and stressors. While the most obvious aspects of our current lives are very different from conditions in the past, the fundamental existential functioning of our minds and our emotions remains unchanged.

In a high-pressure world where we are trying to be productive in our professional careers and attentive to our familial responsibilities while still maintaining an active social life, it seems that something has to give. When juggling all of these commitments, we need some way to create balance in our lives and to step out of our hectic daily routines.

The regular practice of yoga can give us just the break we’re seeking. The ancient techniques of yoga – sometimes combined with more modern modifications – give us tools and techniques to achieve equanimity and inner calm by regulating our bodies and our minds. It enables us to listen more closely to our internal wisdom and tune out the incessant chatter and distractions of the outside world.

Yoga teaches us how to remain centered and focused, making us less likely to be easily triggered by eternal factors that create stress and anxiety. When faced with a new problem, a looming deadline, or a disagreement with a colleague or family member, yogic tools help us to moderate any propensity toward knee-jerk reactivity and allow us the perspective to take a more calm and measured approach to resolving challenging situations.

The ultimate aim of yoga – through physical postures, meditation, focused breathing, and other techniques – is to settle the mind. A calm mind sharpens our awareness, makes us less reactive to external stimuli, and helps us to maintain our perspective in difficult circumstances. Even subtle shifts in our mindset can create profound changes in our ability to handle anxiety and assimilate stress.

As practitioners have long known – and scientific studies continue to demonstrate – the physiological responses that yoga activates in our bodies also have far-reaching effects on our minds and emotions. The integration of mind and body through yoga offers a tremendously effective method for reducing the stress of modern life.

So whether you’ve considered taking a class at a local gym or studio, traveling to an exotic locale on vacation for a yoga retreat, or just want to practice in the comfort of your own home, yoga can offer profound benefits and help us to feel calmer, more relaxed, and more balanced in our daily lives.

Are you considering a yoga retreat? Whether you picture yourself on a tropical beach escaping the harsh chill of winter or avoiding the heat and humidity of summer by heading to the mountains, a yoga retreat could be the perfect vacation for you.

A yoga retreat offers the chance to unwind and focus on the real you – rather than the overworked, stressed, and tired you – leaving you feeling refreshed, invigorated, relaxed, and calm. It’s a great opportunity to step away from all your day-to-day responsibilities and give yourself the break you deserve.

So, if you’re thinking about attending a yoga retreat for the first time, here are five things to consider before you go:

1. Feel free to go it alone

For some, traveling solo can be daunting. Will you like the others on your retreat? Will you feel awkward arriving by yourself? One of the beautiful aspects about a yoga retreat is how many liked-minded people you’ll meet there. You’re bound to share a great deal in common with several of your fellow participants and enjoy meeting lots of interesting, diverse folks. Traveling by yourself also gives you more freedom to dedicate part of your retreat to “alone time” – setting aside space for you to concentrate on yourself and focusing on what’s most important to you. While traveling with a friend or family member can also be wonderful in its own way, a solo trip can open you up to new possibilities that you otherwise might miss. A yoga retreat can be a powerful bonding experience and it’s quite common for people to make friends who they stay in touch with for life.

2. Don’t worry if you’re not an experienced yogi

Everyone has to start somewhere, and while it’s helpful to know the basics before you go, you needn’t feel like an expert before you sign up for a retreat. Most yoga retreats are led by experienced instructors who will guide you at a level appropriate for your ability. By offering modifications and variations for poses, they can ensure that both beginners and advanced practitioners feel challenged. In the end, yoga is less about contorting your body into some specific shape and more about focusing your mind and becoming more comfortable in your own skin.

3. Yoga need not be your sole interest

Another wonderful feature of yoga retreats is that they are often hosted in beautiful settings, surrounded by nature, with access to lots of interesting additional activities. If you’re headed to a beach retreat, perhaps you’d also enjoy learning to surf or sea kayaking on the ocean. If you’re in the mountains, maybe you could ride horses or head out for a hike. Since healthful eating is often a component of yoga retreats, consider taking a cooking class and sharpening your culinary skills. Visiting local towns can also be interesting, particularly if you’re headed to a foreign country where you can learn about a new culture. Many retreat centers have spa facilities available for guests, so you should also feel free to pamper yourself with a massage, soak away your cares in the hot tub, or just lounge by the pool.

4. Pack light

Yoga retreats are usually relaxed, informal events. You’ll likely spend most of your time in yoga pants and a tank top so there’s no need to bring a fancy wardrobe. Even dinners are casual affairs and you’ll likely be happiest in basic, comfortable clothing that you can mix and match; there’s no need for a different outfit every night. Even if you’re planning to hit the town for an evening of culture or celebration – unless you’re going clubbing in Ibiza or out to tango in Buenos Aires – simple elegance is probably your best bet. If you’re hoping to get the most out of your yoga retreat, you’ll want to embrace the experience and focus on relaxing. Common packing advice suggests that you lay out everything you want to take and then cut it in half. That sounds about right, though if you want to sneak in a couple extra favorites, we won’t tell!

5. You may come home transformed

A yoga retreat is more than just a standard vacation where you experience a new place strictly as a tourist. On retreat, you will be immersed in beautiful, peaceful surroundings with like-minded people in a supportive environment. Participants arrive with the intention of relaxing and learning, helping to create an open feel and welcoming ambience. Not only will you notice the stress and tension melt away, you’ll also learn new skills – yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques – that you’ll bring home and incorporate into your daily life. More than just escaping for a week, a yoga retreat offers the opportunity to grow and transform. Don’t be surprised if what you experience on retreat continues to affect and inform your life long after you return home.

Planning your first yoga retreat need not be a daunting experience. Instead, think of it as a gift that you give yourself – a chance to step away from all your daily tasks and responsibilities and to take time for yourself. It’s a great chance to deepen your understanding of yoga and self-care, to visit someplace exotic and exciting, and meet a lot of great new people in the process. You might even find it so rewarding that attending a yoga retreat becomes an annual ritual.

Most everyone has heard about the physical health benefits that come from practicing yoga – from increased flexibility, to relief from chronic pain, to improved strength, muscle tone, and balance.  But more and more research is concluding what the ancient yogis and modern practitioners have already come to understand firsthand: that yoga can also have profound psychological and cognitive benefits as well. While yoga can do wonders for the body, the more profound power of the practice comes from its effect on your emotions and your mind.

1. Yoga offers stress relief

Stress seems to surround us in contemporary life. Many of us are continuously facing time constraints, financial pressures, and growing responsibilities at work and at home. These ongoing challenges can permeates our lives and drain our vitality. Repeated studies have shown that the physical postures of yoga – combined with breathing techniques and meditation – reduce tension, encourage relaxation, and lead to a greater sense of calm and equanimity.

2. Alleviating anxiety and depression with yoga

Yoga’s ability to help our bodies relax can help our minds to relax as well. As physical tension is replaced with a sense of strength and balance, a parallel change often occurs in our mental state. Yoga helps to drop blood pressure and reduce the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, significantly reducing anxiety. Yoga and meditation can help us to boost our moods, focus on the present moment, and reframe negative thought patterns that leave us stuck in a rut.

3. Regular yoga practice can boost memory and improve concentration

Our busy, hectic lives often find us juggling too many tasks at once. This can leave us feeling distracted and scattered as we try to complete our growing to-do lists while balancing our work and family commitments. With so many items vying for our attention – often at the same time – it can be difficult to concentrate on a given task for an extended period and sometimes even to remember everything that we were supposed to do.

A growing body of research has shown that yoga can be an effective tool for improving concentration and enhancing memory as well. Dharana, or the practice of concentration, is the perfect remedy for a cluttered mind and stressed senses; it enables you to remove the “noise” from your thoughts and focus your mind, helping you to remember things more clearly, concentrate better, and give you greater overall clarity of thought. New studies also indicate that regular yoga practice can help to head off symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia, aiding the brain in forming new connections and recovering lost cognitive abilities.

4. Yoga can reduce the effects of PTSD

Yoga has also been found to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Severely traumatic events often leave deep and lasting scars that are both physical and emotional. Therapeutic yoga can serve as a treatment bridge to increase a sense of awareness, safety, and control while also giving victims a new sense of perspective on their traumas and assisting in the recovery process. Yoga can be a potent tool for alleviating the wounds of profound trauma, which can lead to a renewed sense of empowerment that expedites healing.

5. Adolescent psychological disorders may be prevented through practicing yoga

Being a teenager can be tough. It’s a transitional stage of life as adolescents shift from being a child to becoming an adult. Hormones are raging, the process of individuation is beginning, and teens are more aware of the world beyond their homes and the challenges that await them. Combine this with feeling added pressure at school – both academic and social – as well as increased responsibilities at home, and it can be a volatile stage of life.

Mood swings, acting out, and withdrawal can all be problems for today’s teens and create friction with parents, siblings, and teachers. Preliminary evidence from a Harvard Medical School study indicates that yoga can be helpful in reducing behavioral problems among high school students. In the study, half of the class practiced Kripalu Yoga – which centers around physical postures, breathing, relaxation, and meditation – while the other half took a regular physical education (PE) class instead. Those students who took part in the yoga sessions displayed better moods in general, along with lower anxiety levels and improved ability to control anger. Since adolescence is such an important time for the development of mental health, including learning healthy coping strategies for stress, the benefits have the potential to extend into adult life as well.

So while many people are touting the physical benefits that come from a regular yoga practice, it’s clear that yoga can enhance our lives in ways that are much more profound that just changing our bodies. Yoga affects our mental and emotional states in many positive ways: relieving stress, decreasing depression, increasing focus and clarity, and helping to work through troubling emotions. Each passing day and each new scientific study reveal increasing evidence of the positive benefits that yoga can bring to our daily lives.

Yoga’s popularity has grown in recent years as this ancient tradition has been adapted for and integrated into our modern world. You can now find yoga classes offered at local yoga studios, fitness centers, schools, and even outdoors in the park or at the beach.
 

If you’ve never tried it before, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about and whether it’s right for you. Fortunately, a regular yoga practice offers so many benefits that almost anyone will find it valuable:
 

1. Feel Better in your Body

Most modern yoga classes tend to emphasize the physical postures and regular practice of those poses can have profound effects. You’ll increase your flexibility and improve your balance while toning your muscles and developing more endurance. This will lead to greater mobility, more energy, better posture, and a general sense of ease in your body.

2. Cleanse from the Inside Out

Yoga poses combined with breathing exercises will also help your body to rid itself of natural waste products and accumulated toxins, leaving you feeling cleansed and purified. You’ll also become more aware of what you put in your body – food, alcohol, tobacco products, etc. – and how varying substances make you feel. As you become more attuned to these effects, you’ll find yourself choosing healthier alternatives that make you feel energetic and vibrant rather than tired and depleted.

3. Gain Relief from Chronic Pain

Numerous studies have shown that yoga can be tremendously effective in reducing chronic pain, including osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more. Yoga therapy has proven effective for back pain and other types of discomfort exacerbated by inflammation or immobility.

4. Reduce Stress & Anxiety

Beyond just the physical benefits, yoga can also calm and focus your mind, diminishing anxiety and stress. Breathing exercises and meditation are integral components of the yogic tradition and these tools have proven to be very valuable in soothing tension and creating relaxation.

5. Sleep Better

As you begin to feel better – physically and mentally – you’ll notice that your sleep improves as well. It will be easier to fall asleep and you’ll sleep more soundly. As you lessen your stress levels, your mind won’t be racing so feverishly to resolve any excess anxiety and you’ll wake up feeling more rested.

6. Gain Clarity

Once stress levels decrease, you’ll find that you’re able to gain greater perspective on situations or issues that you find challenging and see options with greater clarity. Where once you saw only problems, you’ll begin to see possibilities. You’ll notice that you tend to focus more on the bigger picture and be less reactive to trivial annoyances.

7. Increase your Patience

Along with this greater awareness and wider perspective, you may notice that you’re also more patient and understanding. You’ll find yourself less attached to your own struggles and more empathetic to the challenges that others are facing. It becomes easier not to sweat the small stuff – and to recognize how much of everyday life is small stuff.

8. Find Community

If you practice yoga in a group setting, you’re bound to meet lots of like-minded folks who are also interested in health and well-being. Oftentimes, you’ll find that your connections run much deeper than just your shared enjoyment of yoga and those common bonds lead to valuable new friendships.

9. Go Beyond your Yoga Mat

Yoga also teaches us many lessons about ourselves that we take with us off the mat. Instead of being just an activity that you practice a couple of hours per week, you may find that its holistic principles inform your day-to-day life and how you relate to others. Regular yoga practice opens our minds to a wider perspective. It encourages us to express our highest selves and to be of service to others. If we take its teachings to heart, yoga can help us to reach out highest potential – finding joy and meaning, and sharing those lessons with others.

 
While some people may worry that yoga is too challenging or too esoteric for them, the truth is really just the opposite. With such a wide range of yoga classes offered these days, you can easily find a style and approach that suits your needs. With so many benefits to offer, a regular yoga practice will enrich your life in many ways.

Dear Friends and Family of Prana del Mar,

As many of you may have heard, the southern part of the Baja peninsula has suffered a devastating blow from the Category 3 hurricane that made landfall late Sunday night. Reports say that the intensity of this storm far surpasses any other recorded in the area and the amount of damage left in its wake is unprecedented.

First and foremost, our hearts go out to all the people of Los Cabos and the surrounding areas who have been impacted by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they cope with all the challenges they are currently facing as well as those they will encounter during the rebuilding process.

We are also incredibly grateful that Mariana and Benjamin – who rode out the storm at Prana del Mar – are safe and secure. As some of you know, Mariana is pregnant with her first child and is due at the end of September, so we are very relieved to know that all is well. The hurricane has altered their plan to have a home birth with a midwife at the retreat center, so they are currently seeking out appropriate hospitals that have weathered the storm and will be able to accommodate their baby when she arrives.

Cabo San Lucas and San Jose have been largely without power, gasoline, phone service, and Internet since Sunday, so we have not heard from all employees yet, but are encouraged that the area has no reported fatalities and the majority of injuries have been minor. We will update here as we get additional information.

Many thanks to all of you who have emailed and called to express your concern and support. We really appreciate all your warm and caring wishes. I (Erik) am in the States, so it has been worrying and frustrating to pace the halls with such limited communication and only tidbits of information to share, but I am very relieved to finally have more to report.

As for damage, we did not escape the wrath of the tempest. Fortunately, our facilities are well-constructed, we had invested in hurricane screens, and Benjamin and a very-pregnant Mariana did a good job of securing our buildings as best they could on short notice. With the force of the winds and the enormity of the rains, the palapa roof on the Sun Studio was damaged and several of those windows were cracked. We also had water intrude into the Community Building and some pergola structures that did not fare well. We lost about 25% of our solar panels, but fortunately all power systems are still functioning – some just have fewer solar collectors supplying them for the time being. All of the guest rooms came though very well and show very little impact.

Aside from the above, the damage is largely cosmetic. We do have a fair amount of clean up ahead of us and plenty of beautification to return the gardens to their previous state, but we are thankful that the situation is not worse.

With our season scheduled to begin in three weeks, many of you who have plans to join us soon will surely be wondering about your upcoming retreat. We feel that we will have the facility ready enough to host groups by that time, even if we are not entirely back to our former glory. Our most pressing concern, however, is with the overall state of commerce in Los Cabos and whether we will have access to all the food and supplies that are necessary to make your stay meet the standards that we expect of ourselves. Some reports have indicated that it could be a month or more before stores are approaching normal operations and shelves are fully stocked.

We will be contacting all of the teachers who have retreats planned with us before the end of the year to discuss with them individually how they would like to proceed. If you could give them a few days to digest all of this and decide upon their preferred plan of action, they will soon be determining whether to move forward, to wait-and-see on progress in Los Cabos, or to cancel or reschedule their retreats.

For those who are interested in helping out with Hurricane Relief efforts, we are hoping to create an avenue for you to contribute or to establish a list of non-profits that are providing valuable services in the area. Once we have something more definitive, we will pass along information about options that may be of interest.

In the meantime, thank you again for your warm support and loving concern during these challenging times. We are dedicated to restoring Prana del Mar to its former beauty and once again opening our doors and hearts to all of the kind, gracious, compassionate guests who are the lifeblood of our retreat center. The sun is already shining in Baja and we look forward to welcoming you back to enjoy it sometime soon!

With warmth and love,

Erik & the Prana del Mar staff