What to take to yoga retreat?
Yoga trip - how to prepare for a trip with yoga in the lead role?
A shared passion is one of the best paths to mutual understanding. It brings people together, enabling them to have something to talk about. It encourages people to meet and spend their free time together. Sometimes it creates lifelong friendships, sometimes only short acquaintanceships that leave behind good (rarely the less good ) memories. People with passion seem much more interesting and such people are also attracted to each other. And then they all meet on a yoga trip somewhere in the middle of the forest, on the beach or in the jungle. Sounds intriguing, doesn't it?
Yoga in the foreground - so why go on a yoga trip?
It's a bit like an investment, and the best one, because it's investing in yourself and without any risk or loss. You may not even know you need it yet, but we guarantee that you do. Ask yourself, when was the last time you regularly, for several days in a row, did something just for yourself? And no, we don't mean shopping, coffee out on the town or taking a bath longer than the standard 15 minutes. We mean more like when did you eat a delicious meal and focus only on that and nothing else? When you walked around the park just for that, aimlessly, listening to the birds sing and enjoying the scent of blooming trees? Well, exactly when?
A companion to our daily life is the rush - we are either just running from somewhere or heading somewhere. We are seemingly here and now, but often only in the flesh. Haven't you ever dreamed of changing that? Or maybe you haven't even had time to think about it? That's a sign that it's time for a trip with yoga in the lead role in your life. Imagine it - peace, quiet, nature, sleep and delicious food, and in the middle of it all you. A yoga trip is more than just regular practice on a mat under the guidance of an instructor and surrounded by others. It turns out that sometimes during such a trip it's not the yoga practice at all, but everything in between that is most important. Metaphorically, it's like a journey into yourself - observing your body and its reactions, recognizing the signals it sends. Learning to be only here and now, nowhere else. Understanding how important we are to ourselves.
Why does it take a trip to do all this? It's all about efficiency and certain mechanisms that make our body not easily switchable into relaxation mode. It takes time for stress levels to sink and hormones to stabilize. The number of surrounding stimuli and distractors should be reduced to a minimum. A change of environment won't hurt either. Only then is our nervous system ready to experience, explore, discover. And often reacquaint with something we already seemingly know.
A yoga trip is a time when you do something just for you - for your body and spirit. It's a huge source of inspiration in terms of:
Development and diversity of your practice
The program of the trip is carefully thought out and planned so that participants can get the most out of it. Your body will get tired and your mind will clear, and that's what it's all about. The regularity of the training will allow you to achieve everything that was previously beyond your reach. Of course, only if you want it.
Delicious and nutritious food
Food prepared with local ingredients, vegan or vegetarian, and served to you. Can it get any better? Yes, because there's no need to wash up after you've finished eating. Cuisine is a very important part of the yoga philosophy, and therefore also of any yoga trip. Here there are no coincidences. Instead, there is time to explore new, often innovative flavor combinations, discover, try, and then be inspired and recreate them in your own home.
Beautiful places and proximity to nature
Discovering yourself in the midst of the surrounding nature, walking barefoot on the grass, peace and quiet - sounds like paradise? And it really is, especially for a person who spends most of their time in a home-work-home configuration every day. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's nice to take a break from it sometimes. Places for yoga trips are carefully chosen - they are meant to provide intimacy, tranquility, and often the opportunity to be offline. Such trips can be near or far - depending on your needs and preferences. Sometimes the countryside 15-20 km away from where you live will be more inspiring than exotic Bali. Therefore, it is not worth closing yourself off to any option that stands in your way.
Interesting people and new friendships
The atmosphere during such trips is one of a kind and it is worth becoming a part of it. This is not difficult at all, as the people taking part are open-minded, curious about the world and others. Besides, right from the beginning you all have something that unites you - yoga. This is an excellent starting point for any conversation that can turn into an acquaintance for years to come.
Yoga trips - what can you expect?
Hmm, they can be routine and quite predictable. But that's exactly the point! Calmness, lack of distractions, a defined daily schedule - all this will change the familiar and previously practiced mode of functioning during the day. During such a yoga trip, we usually sleep more, although we get up earlier. Time is filled with yoga classes, relaxation or meditation workshops. There are sessions of breath work, lectures on mindfulness, conscious living, ecology or healthy eating. Yoga trips are a bit like the camps we remember from our youth, only with better conditions and more balanced food. We - the participants in these trips - are older, more experienced and focused on a different goal. But just as at the school camps, we form a kind of community, spend a lot of time together, make new friends. At the same time, we go beyond certain frameworks and habits that accompany us in adult life.
A few days of focusing on your own needs, getting to know your body and exploring your mind's capabilities. Sound selfish? That's okay, in fact, that's exactly the point. A huge advantage of such yoga trips is the time - for yourself, but also the time for development. Often during a traditional yoga class we lack it, it is more difficult to inquire and explore topics of interest. The trip gives space for this, and we can dispel the doubts accompanying us and benefit from the presence of the teacher. A yoga trip can also inspire you to incorporate at least a few small habits into your life upon your return. But how much we get out of such a trip, after all, depends only on us. For some it may even be a spiritual experience, for others simply a super adventure. It is for the more active and those looking for stronger sensations that trips with yoga and...surfing, trekking, boxing basics were created. One could go on for so long, because the offer is impressive. There is something for everyone, but it is worth considering priorities - will a day filled to the brim with activities really allow us to reset?
Yoga trips - where to start and how to prepare well?
Treat this trip a bit like a vacation with an all-inclusive option, as they seemingly have many points in common. The first point to tick off on your "to do" list will be the choice of trip - here, rather bet on something you already know. Ideally, a yoga camp should be organized by a yoga studio where you have practiced or that someone recommended to you. This is not a good time or space to experiment. Start your preparations by getting to know the area - check out the place where the trip will take place by looking at photos and other people's opinions. Get to know the teacher who will be your yoga guide for those few days. Ask around among your training studio friends if they are going on the same trip - it will definitely be easier with someone you already know by your side. Besides, there's probably not much more you can do anymore, and you don't have to. After all, you can't predict everything, although you can be ready for many aspects.
What's sure to be useful to you?
First of all - comfortable clothes are a must have!
A trip away from civilization is hardly a good time to test new clothes. Unless, of course, those from a brand you know well and fully trust. During your yoga practice (no matter where it takes place) you are supposed to be comfortable. No zippers, no buttons, no seams that dig into your body and all that. But if you practice yoga, after all, you already know that. For a yoga trip you take with you several pairs of leggings and tops. Don't forget sweatshirts that will provide the desired thermal comfort. Even if you're leaving in the summer months or going somewhere exotic, at least one sweatshirt thrown somewhere in the depths of your luggage won't hurt. The same will be true of socks - it's good to have a few pairs in your carry-on, regardless of the weather outside. These are such basics, but what else? It all depends on the type of trip and where you are going. On an exotic trip, a bathing suit will come in handy, while on a winter camp in the woods, rather warm gloves and snow boots.
Secondly - your own yoga mat or a mat available at an away party?
We will always advocate having your own yoga mat, because it's a thing you already know and like. Those mats available on a yoga trip can turn out to be great or quite the opposite. And after all, you don't want such a situation to spoil your mood already during the first practice on the mat, right? Therefore, take yours with you, and you can always use the one available on site and test its properties. Maybe it will turn out that you will like it so much that you will want to have another one? Never say never! If you have limited space in your luggage, you should choose a travel mat, which comes in handy for just such situations. On the other hand, if you're traveling by car, it's a good idea to have two different mats on hand - one traditional and one travel mat for practice in the field, for example. Of course, only if you own both of them.
Thirdly - yoga accessories
If the trip is supposed to be a time for you to perfect your practice then they can come in handy. But don't buy them specifically for the occasion, because on the trip you'll generally be able to use the ones available on site. Yoga blocks or straps are less personal accessories (compared to a mat, for example). They are also easier to disinfect, so they often serve more people. If you would like to just start diversifying your practice, on such a trip you will have the opportunity to learn techniques for using accessories. It will be a good time to experiment.
Fourthly, fifthly, sixthly...
Don't take too much stuff. Let this yoga trip be a good opportunity to do a detox - this digital one for sure, but not only. Rather, opt for a good book that you've wanted to read for a long time, but haven't found the time to do so until now. Take your headphones with you and create a list of podcasts that will inspire and develop you at the same time. You'll also find it useful to have a notebook in which to write down your thoughts and resolutions. Let this time spent away from your typical daily routine be full of inspiration that you will enjoy. Do your best not to "lose" it on mindless scrolling and, consequently, ineffective rest.
Yoga trips - where and with whom?
A suburban village, or perhaps exotic Bali? The place is rather of secondary importance, after all, you will spend most of your time in the training room anyway. Of course, its surroundings are very important and can have a huge impact on your yoga practice as well as your well-being. It should be harmonious and surrounded by greenery, which has calming properties. In aesthetically pleasing circumstances, it is easier to focus on your practice and calm intrusive thoughts. Beautiful places are more inspiring, and their good aura positively inspires and motivates you to be active on the mat.
We are unlikely to be able to choose our companions, unless we take friends on the trip. Instead, we will have a choice in terms of the teacher who will be our guide for that time. It is important that he or she is a certified and competent instructor. Professionalism is one thing, but their personality is also not insignificant. After all, we do not want to spend time in the company of a person who annoys us. Therefore, let's try to get to know our teacher beforehand, preferably at the classes they organize.
A new trend or a real need?
Taking a slow vacation allows you to escape the routine of everyday life, while quieting your head and reducing stress. Why is it becoming more and more popular? Our habits are changing, or rather, we are doing our best to change them. Instead of crowded resorts in high season, we choose the countryside, which, as it turns out, has everything we really need - peace, quiet, delicious food, no mobile phone range and perhaps a lake around the corner. On the one hand, it's not a solution for everyone. And maybe that's a good thing, because it helps to avoid crowds. But on the other - most of the participants of such trips have never been on one in their lives, so all in all, how can they know that they wouldn't like it? At the same time, we will have interactions with people, which, as it turns out, we really lack. We want to learn new things and acquire new skills, because this guarantees our continuous development. And that's exactly what a yoga trip provides.
