Try these 8 steps to prep yourself before going away on a yoga retreat or holiday
1)Stay connected with your yoga teacher.
Whether you know your yoga teacher or not, irrespective if you are a first-time practitioner or advanced, get in touch with your yoga teacher. What are you working on? are there any injuries that you’d like to make the teacher aware of ? Would you like to incorporate modifications in your practice before the retreat or even during? Talk to your yoga teacher. Stay in touch. The more you are interactive with your yoga facilitator, the more benefits you will reap and the more comfortable you will be.
2)You are never alone.
Even if you wish to go on a yoga retreat by yourself, do it. Don’t let that hold you back. You will soon realize that there are others just like you who took the step and attended the retreat by themselves. You will leave getting to know so many people that you will wonder why you were thinking so much into it the first place. It takes that one step forward to get out of your comfort zone.
3)You don’t have to be a yoga expert to go on a retreat.
Being new to yoga can be slightly daunting, however some retreats are tougher than others and selecting one that suits you best is key. You can go for the ashram based retreat or a more chilled out holiday styled retreat. Irrespective, the teacher has the expertise to give each participating individual modifications to allow them to practice comfortably.
4)Get in line with your yoga practice.
If you’ve been slacking out on your yoga practice off late, get back into it. Prepare yourself for the retreat by finding out where the teacher teaches, at which local studio and attend class. It’s a good idea to keep up your practice before the getaway.
5)Clear out your head & keep an open mind.
The practice of yoga is not only flexibility in the body but more so in the mind. If there are slight schedule changes, allow yourself an opportunity to adjust and adapt. In order to invite in growth, new friends, peace and quiet, and nature, you need to make space for it! Start making space by taking care of all of the details that keep you in your head as soon as possible.
6)Develop an intention
Why are you really going on a retreat? Maybe you would like some space for yourself away from your daily routine, maybe you would like to let go of the need to control, maybe you need a break from your work or family.Spend some time thinking about this, what you would like to get out of it, what you would like to work on in your practice, what you would like to let go of in your life. Now, expect that to change once you arrive. We often have ideas of what we are going on retreat for but once we remove ourselves from the day to day of our busy lives, remove ourselves from our patterns we might find that we find an intention that we didn’t know we needed.
7)Pack smart and light.
Bring some basics that help take care of yourself better. Bring pieces that you can mix and match, expanding your options without over-packing. Check out the temperatures for that week to help you make better packing decisions. Carry your own yoga mat.
8)Get ready for an unforgettable experience.
If you’ve never been on a yoga retreat before, there’s just something awesome about practicing in a new environment, amidst nature , whether in the mountains or the beach, you expose yourself, meet new people with some common and uncommon ideas, relax, rejuvenate and return home energized.