What Are The Benefits of Going on A Retreat?

When I received my first 200-hour yoga certification, it was done classically. It was thought of as a full-time commitment. I was expected to attend 5–6 days a week for 8 hours a day. Additionally, I had to be vetted for the training, commit to extracurriculars for the training, study, and pass exams. In other words, it was almost impossible to do anything other than training. I was immersed in the study of something I loved and wanted to learn. The effect was transformative; a whole new world was opened and a new life and path were forged.

Today’s world is so busy. To be successful, you must multitask responsibilities from work, social, family, and health. Attention is pulled in every direction with television, social media, advertising, and obligations. We fight to carve out time to practice yoga, work out, and see friends. The time is always short, and the effect feels ephemeral.

A retreat’s value is found in the saying, “If you don’t make the time, you’ll never have the time.” If you need to reset, reconnect, rejuvenate, then make the effort to deepen your practice by going on something that is immersive. Creating a separation from daily obligations and patterns allows the practice and its gifts to be more potent and to impact you more deeply.

After 15 years of leading retreats, I see that the most important change or benefit from a retreat is that the participant is changed. After a retreat, most people return to their lives and still have the same relationships and commitments, but a positive retreat will deepen their knowledge of themselves and how they relate to the world. The participant is different… transformed… and what they return to often looks different. Maybe priorities and values have shifted that lead to permanent change.

A retreat is a gift of time and experience. It is very important to find the right teacher and guide, of course, but it is difficult to find a more valuable investment: time and experience. Most of us are lucky to have enough material possessions, but adding value to your time and having an experience is incomparable. Like in many other aspects of yoga, being curious and being open will add even more value to the journey.

If you would like advice or perspective regarding one of my retreats or are simply “retreat-curious,” please reach out to me so I can provide you with some insight.