Shakti yoga and yoga warm up – There are many opportunities to deepen a practice or combine vacation time or travel with shakti yoga. Not every retreat fits each seeker of practice or contemplation. Consider the following before mailing the deposit.
Personal Goals and Reasons to Seek Out Shakti Yoga Retreats
List what is most important in order to search selectively. Prioritize needs, such as the following:
- Is the goal physical healing? Consider certified practitioners or Ayureveda retreats.
- Is the goal emotional healing or balance? Consider the journey – literally. If long distance travel is stressful, consider a location closer to home. Are there enough activities to prevent boredom or are there too many and the pace frantic. This is individual for individual needs.
- Is the goal weight loss? Many retreats offer nutritious meals but perhaps a specialized detox program or supervised fast would be most beneficial.
- Is the goal a spring break vacation? Check popular locations, age of participants, and register early. Kripula’s latest retreat is arranged around the spring break. Check out Shambhala that may attract a more varied age group.
Researching the Price of Shakti Yoga Retreats
Once several locations are chosen, examine the costs and apply them to the pre-established budget, keeping in mind the following:
- Going broke on a retreat defeats the purpose.
- Is it all-inclusive? Or are classes, therapies, and room and board additional to expenses?
- Are additional activities available such as horseback riding, surfing, skiing, massage, excursions extra and if so, are they necessary?
Room and Board at Retreats
Is the food vegetarian, diet, kosher, gourmet, ayurvedic, diabetic? What food is desired? How is it served (as in buffet, restaurant, do it yourself)? Are there nearby restaurants and is there transportation?
In terms of board, keep in mind the following questions:
- Is there a sharing option or single supplement for rooms?
- Are there screens on the windows? Bugs? Electricity? Hot water?
- Is it rustic or luxury and what is important?
The Shakti Yoga Practice
Assumedly there are daily classes. How many per day? Other things to think of are:
- How many in a class?
- What is the skill level?
- What type of yoga warm up is offered?
- Who teaches and what are their certifications?
- Is the practice indoors or outdoors? Some enjoy sand wind, and sun as part of nature and practice, others don’t.
Directory Of Shakti Yoga Mind Body Retreats
From the stars of yoga who have their own retreats or boot camps such as Baron Baptiste, Rodney Yee (Costa Rica 2010), to the locations of yoga such as Sedona Arizona,Canadian Mountains, or Bangalore India, to places offering 1:1 yoga such as Jackson Hole Wyoming’s Armangani, there are many directories listing offerings. Do some personal research to narrow down the possibilities that may work for you. Here is a list of some retreat options:
- The Kripula Center offers retreats and workshops to suit different tastes
- Look at YogaFinder and Yogaholdiays
- Retreat Finder
- The Chopra Center
- Yoga warm up Journal
- Gayot Directory for yoga
Ayurveda Yoga retreats focus on healing and positive energy. They may offer cooking classes, Reiki treatment, and holistic health evaluations along with yoga.
- Ayurveda health retreat in Alachua Florida
- Ayurveda Retreat in Conor India
- Bespoke Ayurveda of Wales, UK, Italy, and Spain.
- Weekend retreats can be found at bifityoga and ayurvedaseattle.
Some payments may be nonrefundable. Be sure all questions are answered satisfactorily. Get information in writing. Consider travel insurance. If going abroad be sure travel immunizations are up to date. A shakti yoga retreat may be an empowering learning experience. Do everything possible to assure it is also a positive one.
Yoga for Meditation – Beginning Yoga Instruction
Simple yoga poses, (also known as asanas,) are a great way to stretch out the body to prepare it for meditation. Although the best time to do this is in the morning, it can work any time of the day. The following are some beginning yoga postures and an easy beginner’s meditation.
Yoga Cat Pose
The cat pose is a great way to stretch out the spine to prepare the body for sitting during a meditation. Begin on your hands and knees, keeping arms directly below the shoulders and legs right below the hips.
When taking a breath, flex the spine downward, bringing the head up slightly. When exhaling, arch the back up, like a cat would do, dropping the head down and tucking in the chin. Continue to do this for about ten to fifteen breaths.
Yoga Cobra Pose
The yoga cobra pose is another way to do a simple back stretch which will make it easier to keep the back straight while meditating. Having a straight back allows for a better flow of energy through the body during meditation.
For this pose, lie face down on the floor keeping the legs stretched out together and the toes pointed. Place your hands under the shoulders keeping the fingers pointed forward. Take a breath and while breathing in, push off the ground, raising the chest off the ground while arching the back and tilting the head back.
Hold the pose for a few seconds, then exhale, while lowering yourself back down. Don’t be disappointed if unable to arch the back much when first trying this position. With practice, the back will become more flexible.
Beginning Yoga Corpse Pose and Meditation
One of the easiest of all yoga poses is the corpse pose, also known as savasana. This pose is good for blood circulation and relaxation. Lie down on your back on a mat, allowing the legs to comfortably roll out a bit on the sides. Place the arms slightly away from the body with the palms facing up.
Take a deep breath and while inhaling, tighten up the lower parts of the body like the feet, ankles and calves. When exhaling, slowly relax them again. On the next breath, work your way up the body and tighten the thighs and torso while inhaling, then relaxing them while exhaling.
Continue up the body tightening and relaxing muscles while taking deep, relaxing breaths until the top of the head is reached. Now, take a few more breaths while tightening and relaxing the entire body. At this point, one is ready to move onto a meditation. This can be done in a regular sitting pose or if desired, continue to lie there to meditate.
To begin this meditation, continue lying on the mat, while taking the same deep breaths. With eyes closed, focus only on the breath. Feel each breath bringing invigorating energy into the body, while each exhalation removes any stress or tension. Continue to do this for five to ten minutes, or until feeling nice and rested.
It’s also important that yoga and meditation beginners remember to wear comfortable clothing, in addition to removing shoes and any jewelry that might interfere with movement or comfort.
When beginning yoga or meditation, keep things simple. The key is to stretch out the body, then meditate for relaxation.
