#mysore yoga journal retreat
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Getting on With The Yoga
“Yoga is about “I am willing to change myself.” This is not about wanting to change the world -- you are willing to change. Only when you are willing to change, a change can really happen in this world. But when you say, “I want everybody else to change,” only conflict will occur. Only when you are willing to change, there will be transformation. It is this self-transformation that will lead to true well-being for the individual and the society. This is a true revolution.”
- Sadhguru
So I’ve been practicing yoga roughly 3.5 hours a day over the last week. Practice is split on both sides of the day. When I’m not practicing yoga, I’m meditating which is basically focusing my awareness on the present moment without judgment. That means, eating more slowly than I usually do, and noticing my impulses to pick up the phone or opening up the fridge or a browser for no obvious reason other than habit.
The setup here in Gokalum, the neighborhood I’m staying in in Mysore, makes concentrating on yoga and meditation practice simple and enjoyable. The main road is a five minute walk away, laundry is just one flight of stairs up at the top of the building and the shala I’m studying at is a 10 minute bicycle ride away.
A productive week this has been. I found my guys. A fruit guy, a tailor, coconut seller and a healthy food restaurant that I visit everyday. My body is slowly adapting to the routine of waking up at 5am and biking to the shala around 630am. It’s cool in the mornings (low 70sF) with little traffic on the road, so the ride to class in the mornings is a genuine highlight of the day. Bharaht starts class sharply at 730am, but students usually arrive at least 15 minutes early to do breathing exercises as a warm up. One day this week, I arrived at the front door of the studio at 7:29, but was denied access. The door was locked and I didn’t want to trespass on the sign that says, “Do not knock. Respect the silence.”Bharath starts class when he’s ready to begin and that is that. I rode back home to practice the Preparatory Series on my own. Like most things, yoga is definitely not as intense when done alone.
Usually, by 530pm, after the second session of the day, I’m pretty tired and feel like I’ve done enough for the day, so I head back for a shower then walk over to the main road where I grab a bite at Depth N’ Green. It's my favorite healthy restaurant for a veg thali or smoothie. I retire around 7pm. The schedule may sound boring but I’m not bored. I find learning yoga to be challenging and interesting and the pace of the daily routine provides a nice structure for learning.
There’s no class on Sundays. I was invited to go on a bike ride with a group of riders at Cyclopedia, a local shop that did some work on my bike, but declined as I didn’t want the pressure of having to get up at 5am to start cycling at 6am, with a bunch of young people whose pace would force me to push my own limits on the rest day.
Here are highlights from the week:
I realize that the only force or pressure in this experience is coming from within me. And yet, I notice that the force and pressure I bring to things. It is still difficult to continue something you suck at it. But the point of the practice is to cleanse and harmonize body, mind and breath, so my job is to just breathe and work on the movements and be with the sucking feeling, knowing that over time I will suck less.
Practicing asanas helps me see how rigid my body is. Sitting at a desk 8-12 hours a day since I’m 19 y/o has played a part. A less obvious thing I’ve noticed is that I never really use my trunk or breathe from my belly. The new territory -- I’m discovering through the bends and movements in this practice, all of the muscles of the trunk, are more stiff and rigid than the rest of the system.
I’ve never taken a dance class or ever paid much attention to movement during sports, so following very technical instructions on the mat can be challenging. I notice how foreign this all is to me when given instructions about the sequence of steps I’m to take to complete an asana.
I’m unable to make my legs straight in any position which seems to puzzle Meeta (the Assistant Teacher). She says, “Make this leg straight.” I respond that it’s as straight as it can go. She looks at me like I’m a foreign whale, then very subtly hisses at me without making eye contact, and walks away as if to say that I’m not dedicated enough.
I’m noticing a subtle shift in my relationship to food. I want to eat less, and then I actually eat less because of the edge it provides me in moving through the sequence of asanas in the afternoon. I’ve read about the benefits of restricting calories in many places, but never experienced the benefits so directly. Practicing yoga helps me stop eating when I feel 70% full at lunch.
Pairing the rigid structure of Bharath’s yoga where every movement in the series is intimately tied with a breathing movement and nothing is left to chance, with my emergent approach to what’s next for me with work feels complementary and solid.
In the morning I notice the new day with greater clarity, even if it feels familiar. Birds chirp. Rickshaws beep. I turn a rickety fan on and the whirling provides the soundscape for a new day to begin.
Yesterday morning (Day 6) was the first time I went into class without a bundle of nerves. I've gone through the routine enough times where I now have a basic sense of how things work. I still use my manual to proceed through the sequences, but I’m less anxious about receiving stern adjustments that Meeta makes on my form during class (The master, Bharaht's adjustments are more gentle and encouraging).
I found a quote I want to return to until it becomes part of who I am, so I’m sharing with you to remind myself to keep committing to the words.
“When one experiences truth, the madness of finding fault with others disappears.” -S.N.Goenka.
Meditating deeply about the inevitable demise of mind and body. Inching closer and closer to the sad fact that we all end up as bones, teeth and hair one day helps me wake up to everything that is perfectly right with this moment.
Remembering and getting more clear about a healthy, practical and efficient way to think about agency in the world. My focus is on tending to and creating the conditions for my life to continue blooming (The inputs -- my intentions and what I do moment-to-moment and day-to-day, versus focusing on a fantasy set of outcomes that I can't control).
People. There’s an unspoken rule in the yoga scene here, very similar to mindfulness culture that suggests that this is not a whee! kind of community. When you arrive at the shala, proceed in silence and develop concentration with your practice. Unlike at a mindfulness/meditation retreat, you are allowed to look at other people in the eyes, but the unspoken expectation is that you acknowledge others with a smile and nod and then get to work.
I’ve met some nice people:
A late 20-something from Syria. He is in a Phd program at the University of Mysore studying India’s debt crisis. I was unlocking my bike in front of the Deep N’ Green restaurant and we struck up a conversation and ended up talking for two hours about his Phd program, Sam Harris, Jordan Peterson and a bunch of other related things.
A guy from Australia who is not what you might think. Thin with big red beard and balding. I heard he spent a few weeks in Dharamashala recently, meditating with monks. He has been practicing yoga for 8 years and told me that Bharaht is the first teacher that really resonates with him. He says that I’m lucky to have found someone like Bharath at my first attempt to really learn yoga. We speak for a little while when passing at Depth N’ Green. When he’s surrounded by a small entourage of yoga people who seem to know each other from class or otherwise, I don’t stop to talk, I just smile at him.
I really like a guy named Pushpir, a Delhi native in Mysuru by way of Boston and New York. His cafe, Depth N’ Green is the spot on the main drag for healthy food and is welcoming to locals and yogis in training alike. He lived in Hicksville, NY for sometime. He calls Long Island “Wrong Island” which I thought was very clever, and new for me. He is a big man with great energy. He pulled out his driver’s license to prove that he lived there. He’s a sikh and complains that he doesn’t have any time for yoga because he’s always working or taking care of the kids. I suggested that he might take the 530am class with Bharath. He coolly pulled at the perimeter of his beard and pointed to his headwrap. He said, “I’m a sikh, dude. It takes nearly an hour to put this thing together in the morning. I wouldn’t make it to the restaurant in time if I went to the 530am class!” I told him I never knew and dropped the subject.
I appreciate that the people closest to me who are giving me the space I need to be present here for a month without nagging or complaining. Even when Thanksgiving happened this week and I didn’t call.
The quality of the time so far feels like the second phase of rehabilitation after my ACL knee surgery last November. Meeta and Bharaht have been very communicative with me to ensure I don't push my knee beyond what it can do.
I’m thrilled to be experiencing Mysore in the off-season and/or before it becomes too popular. The vibe of the place is relaxed and very normal/local and not manufactured. Even if there are a number of different yoga shalas around the neighborhood, the scene here feels like an Indian city that also has a number of yoga studios. It is primarily buzzing with locals doing there thing, with a sprinkling of a diverse group of international travelers here for the yoga.
The yoga regiment here reminds me that I thrive on regular and uncompromising routines. Class six days a week at 7am and 4pm works for me, even if I’m tired and dread going sometimes. After 15 minutes in class, I’m good to go.
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Best Yoga Retreats and Travel Spots Around the World
Contents
North America
Europe
Africa
Central + South America
Caribbean
Asia
Australia + New Zealand
North America
1. Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder Judith Hanson Lasater has been hosting yoga retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’s like summer camp for yogis,” she says: “Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, magnificent food, fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes, and a week steeped in the silence of nature.” To pay respect to the sacred Native American land the retreat rests on, founder India Supera created the Feathered Pipe Foundation to help preserve ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. Feathered Pipe continues to foster humanitarian efforts that give life to new nonprofits while maintaining missions such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation.
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Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
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2. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
With an international network of 2,000 instructors teaching more than 700 programs to 30,000 guests a year, education is front and center at this verdant campus in the Berkshires. For the past decade, Kripalu has led the way in groundbreaking research on yoga and trauma in collaboration with experts from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
See also Style Profile: Kripalu Yoga
3. Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is known for spiritual vortexes—powerful energy centers where visitors can allegedly pick up on sacred frequencies. Healers and enlightenment seekers worldwide travel to its towering red-rock spires hoping to tap into higher consciousness. Each March, the three-day Sedona Yoga Festival draws thousands of practitioners with its lineup of 200 classes and performances by kirtan artists such as Johanna Beekman. Regulars tout an intimate setting where you’re likely to run into presenters (think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated workshops on trauma-informed yoga.
Coffee Pot Rock, Sedona, Arizona
4. Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
This cliff-side retreat opened in 1962 with a series of workshops on yoga and personal growth. Key counter-cultural figures such as Joan Baez and Joseph Campbell were among its early guests and lecturers. Today, renowned wellness leaders and yoga teachers like Andrew Weil, Dean Ornish, and Janet Stone share expertise on trending topics, including the energetics of consciousness and meditation as medicine.
5. Maui, Hawaii
A strong contemplative community and the island’s healthy lifestyle are among the draws that have led Ashtangis such as Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram Dass to make their homes here. The Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a place of worship dating back to the 13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual emphasis on nature makes it a destination for those seeking to feel the mana (spiritual energy) of the land.
See also Find Peace and Adventure with a Yoga Retreat in Hawaii
6. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness community has been growing since the 1970s when Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku—established Naropa University, a Buddhist liberal arts college, and Shambhala Mountain Center in a valley above town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has been rocked by scandal, Naropa and Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist values and mindful practices. Senior yoga teachers Richard Freeman and Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home. Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held each June, attracts top yoga educators and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi and Seane Corn.
Los Angeles, California
7. Los Angeles
Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the first Indian spiritual teachers to make his home in the West, called Los Angeles “the Benares of America” (Benares is another name for the Indian city of Varanasi) when he arrived in the 1920s. After setting up the Self-Realization Fellowship’s international headquarters atop Mount Washington, he opened a clifftop compound in Encinitas and a waterfall and shrine-studded campus on Sunset Boulevard where a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are laid to rest. Today, the Lake Shrine—with its waterfront meditation garden and gold lotus–topped temple where resident monks hold services and give lectures—remains an oasis for contemplation. LA’s robust Kundalini scene (Golden Bridge Yoga Studio, RAMA Institute in Venice) traces its roots back to 1969, when Yogi Bhajan started teaching the distinctive style on Melrose Avenue. Wanderlust headquarters in Hollywood is LA’s latest yoga hub, hosting fusion classes and workshops by wellness gurus such as Taryn Toomey and senior yoga teacher Annie Carpenter.
See also 6 Principles We Learned on the West Coast to Cultivate Focus
8. Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, British Columbia
In 1981, members of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society, a yoga community inspired by the teachings of Indian Ashtangi master and silent monk Baba Hari Dass, purchased a 69-acre patch of cedar forest and meadows on Salt Spring Island. Today, the property’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse is the longest-running yoga retreat center on Canada’s West Coast. Public offerings include monthly full-moon pujas (spiritual cleansings), while 10-week residential programs combine service (tending the on-site farm, preparing vegetarian meals) with asana and theory classes covering classic yoga texts.
See also 6 Destination Ashrams for an Authentic Yoga Experience
9. Ojai, California
A bustling hub of ashrams, yoga centers, and spiritual retreats— and dubbed Shangri-La by locals (a nod to the surrounding valley’s cameo as the fictional utopia in the classic film Lost Horizon)—Ojai’s surrounding Topatopa and Sulphur mountains are what attracted Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti in the 1920s. Today, his teachings continue via programs at the Krishnamurti Educational Center.
10. Chopra Center, Carlsbad, California
The palm-shaded Omni La Costa Resort & Spa may seem like an unlikely setting for the cutting-edge work of the Chopra Center’s Mind-Body Medical Group, but here, experts in hypnotherapy, integrative oncology, and pranic healing (a form of no-touch energy healing) combine holistic practices and Western medicine. Try one of their Perfect Health retreats where itineraries feature daily yoga and meditation, Ayurvedic meals, spa treatments, and medical consultations from Vedic educators and integrative-medicine experts.
New York City
11. New York City
New York City is home to some of Western yoga’s most notable teachers, including Eddie Stern, Genevieve Kapuler, Elena Brower, Dharma Mittra, Alison West, and Lauren Ash. “HealHaus in Brooklyn is my go-to haven for spiritual support,” says Ash, founder of mindful lifestyle brand Black Girl in Om. “The studio’s mission—to promote healing as a lifestyle—is a beautiful example of what it means to hold sustainable space and intentional presence for diverse people.” New York’s got everything from trendy new Y7 yoga—which utilizes heat, hip-hop music, and dark candle-lit rooms—to traditional Iyengar Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Institute. And if you need a break from the city, head north 90 miles to the iconic Omega Institute—a wooded, 42-year-old health and wellness campus that sees more than 23,000 students a year.
See topic United States Yoga Travel
Europe
12. Elysia Yoga Convention, Aegiali, Amorgos
Located on the island of Amorgos in Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is a conglomeration of yoga practitioners, enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In ancient literature, Elysia was a divine final resting place for the souls of heroes, setting the tone for a complete mind-body yoga retreat.
See also Replenish Your Energy at an Island Yoga Retreat in Greece
13. Mountain Yoga Festival, St. Anton, Austria
This event, held in the birthplace of modern skiing, offers a heavy dose of outdoor wellness. Intimacy is part of the draw: Fewer than 300 attendees and teachers from around the world gather to fill their souls with music and movement. Alpine hikes and lectures by Jivamukti teacher Karl Straub and nutritional biochemist Florian Überall roundout the lineup.
14. Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps has welcomed luminaries (author Ian McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu) to its concert hall and lecture library. Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit where Europe’s top teachers, such as Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead lectures, asana, and meditation sessions against the backdrop of the snow-capped Wetterstein mountains.
15. London
London’s yoga scene stands apart from other cities’ with its emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala offers classes to asylum-seekers, women refugees, and survivors of trafficking; Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their daily Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga classes held at London Bridge) helps bring the practice into local prisons; and Michael James Wong’s Boys of Yoga platform cultivates stories, videos, and tutorials to break down gender stereo-types in yoga. In addition, popular teachers like Stewart Gilchrist and Claire Missingham call London home, teaching at Triyoga and East London School of Yoga.
See also 6 London Yogis Who Inspire Us to Transcend the Past with Yoga
16. Barcelona Yoga Conference
This five-day event is one of Europe’s largest yoga festivals, attracting more than 1,200 attendees from across the globe to flow with master yogis such as Shiva Rea and Krishna Das, indulge in Thai massage, enjoy music from international performers, try acroyoga with a partner, and lose themselves in ecstatic dance.
17. Bornholm Yoga & Retreat Center, Denmark
Off the southern coast of Sweden, Bornholm is an ideal setting for three-day silent meditation retreats hosted by resident yogi Solveig Egebjerg (who studied with Sharat Aurora, the head of the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center) and American Diane Long (a disciple of Iyengar-focused Vanda Scaravelli). Disconnect and unwind with walking meditations along the rocky Baltic coast or workshops aimed at weaving mindfulness into your daily grind.
See also 8 Great European Yoga Vacations You’ll Be Dying To Take
18. Suryalila Yoga Retreat Centre, Cadiz, Spain
The Om Dome (an igloo-shaped yoga hall) at this Andalusian retreat might be the most magnificent place to practice in all of Europe, says yoga teacher Tiffany Cruikshank. The geometric studio was designed to resemble a Nepalese temple topped with a golden stupa. Wholesome farm-to-table organic meals are another reason Cruikshank enjoys leading retreats here. Regular teacher trainings by Vidya Jacqueline Heisel, founder of vinyasa-focused Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol Murphy, founder of Green Lotus Yoga, are other highlights.
See topic Europe Yoga Travel
Africa
19. Kenya
Deborah Calmeyer, the Zimbabwe-born founder of travel company Roar Africa, last year launched a new series of self-discovery retreats called Roar & Restore, incorporating TED Talk–worthy speakers (conservationist Laura Turner Seydel and world-renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis) with yoga, meditation, and safari drives. The conservation-minded Segera Retreat Center, set within 50,000 acres of protected land on the Laikipia Plateau, offers a raw-food menu and garden-shaded yoga decks developed with yogis in mind.
See topic Africa Yoga Travel
20. Taghazout, Morocco
Over the past two decades, a booming surf-and-yoga scene has sprung up in this sleepy fishing village five hours south of Casablanca. Take holiday with Surf Maroc (one of the area’s first surf-yoga retreat companies) for daily “creative vinyasa, powerful pranayama, laughter yoga, restorative, yin, yoga nidra, and meditation.” Between yoga sessions, surf instructors provide hands-on coaching whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned rider. For a taste of the locale, the property’s neighboring rooftop yoga studio offers public classes and a chance to mingle with the local yoga community.
21. Namibia
The country’s sublime scenery—red-sand dunes and a desolate coast riddled with shipwrecks—and commitment to conservation have made it Africa’s new safari superstar. It’s no wonder zeitgeisty yoga companies Escape to Shape and Namaste Yoga Safari are already offering retreats here. Escape to Shape founder Erica Gragg boasts “one epic experience after another: Rhinos at a drinking hole may serve as our drishti in Virabhadrasana II while waves lull us into Savasana after class on the beach.”
Central + South America
22. The Sacred Valley, Peru
Traditionally, travelers here head straight to historic sanctuary Machu Picchu—but culturally immersive retreats nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley offer a new draw of their own. Splurge on a stay at Sol y Luna boutique hotel knowing a portion of the hotel’s profits fund an adjacent school that provides education, art, and sports for the valley’s youth—and take advantage of outdoor yoga classes. Travelers seeking a more immersive experience should consider eco-retreat Willka T’ika, which incorporates Andean traditions and Q’ero healers. Portions of retreat proceeds support childhood education in remote villages. Organic gardening, sustainable living, and acts of generosity are all woven into the fabric of Willka T’ika. For a more holistic experience in Peru, consider volunteering at Eco Truly Park in Lima. Volunteers participate in teaching yoga classes, organic gardening, and cooking.
Machu Picchu, Peru
23. El Salvador
In the early 1970s, El Salvador was a top surf destination, but the civil war took a heavy toll on residents and tourism. “Now, you see hermanos lejanos [El Salvadorans who moved to the United States and Canada] and tourism returning,” says yoga teacher Lindsay Gonzalez, who operates Balancé Yoga Studio and wellness retreats in the surf town El Tunco. An open-air yoga shala catches the ocean breeze from Balancé’s beachfront setting. “In El Trunco, days revolve around the tides, the wind, and the best surfing conditions,” Gonzalez says. Now that it has a dedicated yoga hub, this surf town just might be the next Nosara.
24. Guatemala
Travelers looking to escape the growing yogi crowds in Mexico have set their sights on the emerging yoga scene in Guatemala, where, in the Mayan village of San Marcos la Laguna, the Yoga Forest Conscious Living Retreat Center is setting the stage for responsible tourism, funding community projects such as shoreline restoration via reed planting and midwife education. Drop in for a class or embark on a personal or group retreat to study Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti, and Karma Yoga with their pros.
See topic Latin America Yoga Travel
Caribbean
25. Cuba
Cuba’s dynamism reminds us that yoga is really about community. Eduardo de Jesus Pimentel Vázquez—the godfather of Cuban yoga—has trained more than 12,000 yoga practitioners through the Cuban Yoga Association, which he founded in 1990. His humble Havana studio Vidya offers a glimpse of the city’s tight-knit yoga scene. For the past three years, instructor April Puciata has hosted culturally immersive retreats at the beach-side center Mhai Yoga. Eduardo guest-teaches up to five classes during the week, and Puciata arranges visits with local artists and entrepreneurs, plus side trips to the town of Trinidad.
26. Nosara, Costa Rica
Universally considered a yoga mecca, Nosara is home to 32 retreats with serious yoga cred. Both Don Stapleton, longtime director of Kripalu, and Stephan Rechtschaffen, co-founder of the Omega Institute, set up yoga and wellness retreat centers here in the 1990s. More than 6,000 people visit Stapleton’s Nosara Yoga Institute (now Kindness Yoga) annually, known for its mile-long meditation trail and intensive teacher trainings (more than 3,500 graduates over 21 years). At Rechtschaffen’s Blue Spirit, five studios host learning vacations with the Omega Institute that include workshops on unlocking your purpose and Rechtschaffer-led lectures on finding the path to longevity. Located in a blue zone (where a large percentage of the population lives longer than average), the vivacity of Nosara is intimately intertwined with its people and practices.
27. Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, Dominica
Since opening their rain forest retreat center in 2005, yoga teacher Glenda Raphael and her husband, Sam, have been pioneers of sustainable tourism, stocking up on goods from island farmers, local fishermen, and artisans. Yoga teacher Chrissy Carter has held nine retreats here. Don’t miss Victoria Falls, Champagne Beach, and the Boiling Lake, the name given to one of the world’s few lakes that actually boils, says Carter. The resort, along with many others throughout the island, suffered damages after last year’s hurricane, making now a better time than ever to support the local Dominican economy.
See topic Caribbean Yoga Travel
Asia
28. Bali
While Bali is full of celebrated sites and crawling with soul-seekers, Ayurvedic teacher Sahara Rose prefers the lesser-known OmUnityBali, tucked away from tourist traffic in the northern village of Sudaji. At this super-sustainable eco-homestay founded by Indonesian yogi Zanzan, healing journeys and yoga packages incorporate local experiences such as temple ceremonies and visits to artisan workshops. In the jungles of Ubud, musician Michael Franti invites guest performers to enliven the asana practices at his Soulshine Bali Hotel & Yoga Retreat Oasis. Of course, the island’s biggest party happens during BaliSpirit Festival, a week-long celebration that draws big names like Shiva Rea and Tymi Howard, plus local Indonesian presenters such as Aikikdo, Made Janur, and musician Krisna Floop.
29. Dwarika’s Resort, Nepal
If replenishment is what you’re after, then Dwarika’s Resort—tucked into the hillside just 30 miles from the Tibetan border—should top your short list. After a consultation with an Ayurvedic health care provider, you will be prescribed soothing appointments on your custom itinerary: time in the respiratory-cleansing salt house, a visit with the retreat’s resident naturopath, a walk through the meditation maze, sessions in sound- and color-therapy chambers, and stargazing with an astrology master. Yoga classes offer the ultimate view—distant snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range.
30. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Bhutan
Enjoy daily yoga and acupuncture sessions at this all-inclusive retreat center in Paro, Bhutan—a historic valley town surrounded by sacred Buddhist sites. Each room has views of the Eutok Samdrupcholing goenpa monastery, where resident monks welcome guests for morning meditation. Bhutan is known for its medicinal herbs, and guests are encouraged to join spa therapists on foraging excursions in nearby hillsides.
See also Happy Land
31. Rishikesh, India
nestled along the sacred Ganges River in northern India, is a preferred jumping-off point for many teachers and travelers making the pilgrim-age to the birthplace of yoga. Hindus believe that a saint came to the river to offer penance and was forgiven by the god Vishnu. The spiritual town has an ashram for every sensibility, from super-traditional (and affordable) Phool Chatti to pricey Ananda, a luxe resort known for its Ayurvedic treatments. Each March, the city’s largest ashram, Parmarth Niketan, plays host to some of India’s most respected spiritual leaders (Pujya Swami Ramdevji and Acharya Balkrishna) during the week-long, world-famous annual International Yoga Festival. Meanwhile, the Yoga Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, is the oldest organized yoga center in the world. The nonprofit recently celebrated its 100th birthday, and has certified more than 50,000 teachers in the past century. Today, roughly 2,000 people visit the institute daily for training, wellness services, and to pay homage to the historic site.
See also 13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit
32. Ulpotha, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has no shortage of stylish beachside yoga retreats, but world-class therapists and teachers—such as Parisian Alexandre Onfroy and Californian Rob Hess—make the trek inland to immerse themselves in local culture at Ulpotha. Located in a working rice village, a committee of locals take part in all decision-making, and guest fees fund a free area clinic. Eleven simple mud huts are sprinkled across 22 acres of dense forests, and monks still live in remote temples in the mountains above. There’s a dedicated yoga shala, but classes also take place beneath the branches of an ancient banyan tree.
33. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
Teachers Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman Yee, Richard Freeman, and Mary Taylor are regular hosts at this retreat founded by John Stewart, a former monk who lived in the Himalayas for 18 years, and his wife, Karina, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who built the seaside sanctuary around a jungle-shrouded cave that was once a spiritual retreat for Buddhist monks. Guests can book à la carte therapies and classes such as detoxification, Chi Nei Tsang, and Hatha Yoga, or multi-day packages meant to remedy modern ailments such as technology addiction.
34. Cambodia
Teacher Puravi Joshi calls Cambodia one of the most peaceful places to practice. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Siem Reap at the Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation Retreat, named after the Vedic capital of Cambodia. Temples dating to 800 CE surround the two-acre campus. A team of international yoga and meditation instructors lead six-day retreats with Integral Yoga, silent meditation, Dharma talks, and nourishing vegan cuisine.
See topic Asia Yoga Travel
Australia + New Zealand
35. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Gold Coast, Australia
It’s not uncommon to see wallabies and ’roos hopping across the 500-acre grounds set high up in the ancient gum trees of the Tallebudgera Valley. Mornings focus on yin-inspired movements such as qi gong and restorative yoga, while afternoons are devoted to yang-type activities such as boxing and hiking. Three-day Life in Balance programs integrate equine healing sessions with lectures from holistic psychiatrists, and new Journey to Inner Freedom programs include workshops with emotional healing authority Brandon Bays.
36. Aro HA, New Zealand
Five-, six-, and seven-day retreats, many led by yogi and founder Damian Chaparro, focus on rejuvenating mind and body against some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking landscapes. Think sunrise yoga, kayaking excursions, and strenuous hikes on the trails of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and along the shores of sapphire-blue Lake Wakatipu. Days end with restorative yoga and nourishing, paleo-friendly cuisine.
37. Byron Bay, Australia
The quintessential beach town, Byron Bay overflows with juice bars, organic cafés, and boutique yoga studios. Byron Yoga Centre, founded in 1988 by John Ogilvie, is one of Australia’s longest-running yoga schools. Ogilvie’s signature style of Purna Yoga focuses on integrating physical postures and philosophy. Meanwhile, Byron Bay newcomer Bamboo Yoga School has already amassed a strong community thanks to its open-air bamboo “tentple” (a cross between a tent and temple) and variety of classes including yoga nidra, hatha, vinyasa, and yin.
About our authors
Jen Murphy travels the globe reporting on adventure travel, wellness, food, and conservation. She writes the Wall Street Journal’s What’s Your Workout column and is the author of The Yoga (Man)ual.
Additional reporting by Kyle Houseworth.
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#Adventure Travel#Africa Yoga Travel#Asia Yoga Travel#balance#Caribbean Yoga Travel#Europe Yoga Travel#India Yoga Travel#Latin America Yoga Travel#Life#United States Yoga Travel#yoga classes#yoga poses#Yoga Travel#Yoga Travel By Location#Yoga Exercises
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37 magical, mindful yoga destinations from nearly every continent.
North America
1. Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder Judith Hanson Lasater has been hosting yoga retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’s like summer camp for yogis,” she says: “Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, magnificent food, fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes, and a week steeped in the silence of nature.” To pay respect to the sacred Native American land the retreat rests on, founder India Supera created the Feathered Pipe Foundation to help preserve ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. Feathered Pipe continues to foster humanitarian efforts that give life to new nonprofits while maintaining missions such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation.
Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
2. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
With an international network of 2,000 instructors teaching more than 700 programs to 30,000 guests a year, education is front and center at this verdant campus in the Berkshires. For the past decade, Kripalu has led the way in groundbreaking research on yoga and trauma in collaboration with experts from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
See also Style Profile: Kripalu Yoga
3. Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is known for spiritual vortexes—powerful energy centers where visitors can allegedly pick up on sacred frequencies. Healers and enlightenment seekers worldwide travel to its towering red-rock spires hoping to tap into higher consciousness. Each March, the three-day Sedona Yoga Festival draws thousands of practitioners with its lineup of 200 classes and performances by kirtan artists such as Johanna Beekman. Regulars tout an intimate setting where you’re likely to run into presenters (think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated workshops on trauma-informed yoga.
Coffee Pot Rock, Sedona, Arizona
4. Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
This cliff-side retreat opened in 1962 with a series of workshops on yoga and personal growth. Key counter-cultural figures such as Joan Baez and Joseph Campbell were among its early guests and lecturers. Today, renowned wellness leaders and yoga teachers like Andrew Weil, Dean Ornish, and Janet Stone share expertise on trending topics, including the energetics of consciousness and meditation as medicine.
5. Maui, Hawaii
A strong contemplative community and the island’s healthy lifestyle are among the draws that have led Ashtangis such as Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram Dass to make their homes here. The Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a place of worship dating back to the 13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual emphasis on nature makes it a destination for those seeking to feel the mana (spiritual energy) of the land.
See also Find Peace and Adventure with a Yoga Retreat in Hawaii
6. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness community has been growing since the 1970s when Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku—established Naropa University, a Buddhist liberal arts college, and Shambhala Mountain Center in a valley above town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has been rocked by scandal, Naropa and Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist values and mindful practices. Senior yoga teachers Richard Freeman and Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home. Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held each June, attracts top yoga educators and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi and Seane Corn.
Los Angeles, California
7. Los Angeles
Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the first Indian spiritual teachers to make his home in the West, called Los Angeles “the Benares of America” (Benares is another name for the Indian city of Varanasi) when he arrived in the 1920s. After setting up the Self-Realization Fellowship's international headquarters atop Mount Washington, he opened a clifftop compound in Encinitas and a waterfall and shrine-studded campus on Sunset Boulevard where a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are laid to rest. Today, the Lake Shrine—with its waterfront meditation garden and gold lotus–topped temple where resident monks hold services and give lectures—remains an oasis for contemplation. LA’s robust Kundalini scene (Golden Bridge Yoga Studio, RAMA Institute in Venice) traces its roots back to 1969, when Yogi Bhajan started teaching the distinctive style on Melrose Avenue. Wanderlust headquarters in Hollywood is LA’s latest yoga hub, hosting fusion classes and workshops by wellness gurus such as Taryn Toomey and senior yoga teacher Annie Carpenter.
See also 6 Principles We Learned on the West Coast to Cultivate Focus
8. Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, British Columbia
In 1981, members of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society, a yoga community inspired by the teachings of Indian Ashtangi master and silent monk Baba Hari Dass, purchased a 69-acre patch of cedar forest and meadows on Salt Spring Island. Today, the property’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse is the longest-running yoga retreat center on Canada’s West Coast. Public offerings include monthly full-moon pujas (spiritual cleansings), while 10-week residential programs combine service (tending the on-site farm, preparing vegetarian meals) with asana and theory classes covering classic yoga texts.
See also 6 Destination Ashrams for an Authentic Yoga Experience
9. Ojai, California
A bustling hub of ashrams, yoga centers, and spiritual retreats— and dubbed Shangri-La by locals (a nod to the surrounding valley’s cameo as the fictional utopia in the classic film Lost Horizon)—Ojai’s surrounding Topatopa and Sulphur mountains are what attracted Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti in the 1920s. Today, his teachings continue via programs at the Krishnamurti Educational Center.
10. Chopra Center, Carlsbad, California
The palm-shaded Omni La Costa Resort & Spa may seem like an unlikely setting for the cutting-edge work of the Chopra Center’s Mind-Body Medical Group, but here, experts in hypnotherapy, integrative oncology, and pranic healing (a form of no-touch energy healing) combine holistic practices and Western medicine. Try one of their Perfect Health retreats where itineraries feature daily yoga and meditation, Ayurvedic meals, spa treatments, and medical consultations from Vedic educators and integrative-medicine experts.
New York City
11. New York City
New York City is home to some of Western yoga’s most notable teachers, including Eddie Stern, Genevieve Kapuler, Elena Brower, Dharma Mittra, Alison West, and Lauren Ash. “HealHaus in Brooklyn is my go-to haven for spiritual support,” says Ash, founder of mindful lifestyle brand Black Girl in Om. “The studio’s mission—to promote healing as a lifestyle—is a beautiful example of what it means to hold sustainable space and intentional presence for diverse people.” New York’s got everything from trendy new Y7 yoga—which utilizes heat, hip-hop music, and dark candle-lit rooms—to traditional Iyengar Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Institute. And if you need a break from the city, head north 90 miles to the iconic Omega Institute—a wooded, 42-year-old health and wellness campus that sees more than 23,000 students a year.
See topic United States Yoga Travel
Europe
12. Elysia Yoga Convention, Aegiali, Amorgos
Located on the island of Amorgos in Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is a conglomeration of yoga practitioners, enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In ancient literature, Elysia was a divine final resting place for the souls of heroes, setting the tone for a complete mind-body yoga retreat.
See also Replenish Your Energy at an Island Yoga Retreat in Greece
13. Mountain Yoga Festival, St. Anton, Austria
This event, held in the birthplace of modern skiing, offers a heavy dose of outdoor wellness. Intimacy is part of the draw: Fewer than 300 attendees and teachers from around the world gather to fill their souls with music and movement. Alpine hikes and lectures by Jivamukti teacher Karl Straub and nutritional biochemist Florian Überall roundout the lineup.
14. Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps has welcomed luminaries (author Ian McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu) to its concert hall and lecture library. Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit where Europe’s top teachers, such as Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead lectures, asana, and meditation sessions against the backdrop of the snow-capped Wetterstein mountains.
15. London
London’s yoga scene stands apart from other cities' with its emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala offers classes to asylum-seekers, women refugees, and survivors of trafficking; Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their daily Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga classes held at London Bridge) helps bring the practice into local prisons; and Michael James Wong’s Boys of Yoga platform cultivates stories, videos, and tutorials to break down gender stereo-types in yoga. In addition, popular teachers like Stewart Gilchrist and Claire Missingham call London home, teaching at Triyoga and East London School of Yoga.
See also 6 London Yogis Who Inspire Us to Transcend the Past with Yoga
16. Barcelona Yoga Conference
This five-day event is one of Europe’s largest yoga festivals, attracting more than 1,200 attendees from across the globe to flow with master yogis such as Shiva Rea and Krishna Das, indulge in Thai massage, enjoy music from international performers, try acroyoga with a partner, and lose themselves in ecstatic dance.
17. Bornholm Yoga & Retreat Center, Denmark
Off the southern coast of Sweden, Bornholm is an ideal setting for three-day silent meditation retreats hosted by resident yogi Solveig Egebjerg (who studied with Sharat Aurora, the head of the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center) and American Diane Long (a disciple of Iyengar-focused Vanda Scaravelli). Disconnect and unwind with walking meditations along the rocky Baltic coast or workshops aimed at weaving mindfulness into your daily grind.
See also 8 Great European Yoga Vacations You'll Be Dying To Take
18. Suryalila Yoga Retreat Centre, Cadiz, Spain
The Om Dome (an igloo-shaped yoga hall) at this Andalusian retreat might be the most magnificent place to practice in all of Europe, says yoga teacher Tiffany Cruikshank. The geometric studio was designed to resemble a Nepalese temple topped with a golden stupa. Wholesome farm-to-table organic meals are another reason Cruikshank enjoys leading retreats here. Regular teacher trainings by Vidya Jacqueline Heisel, founder of vinyasa-focused Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol Murphy, founder of Green Lotus Yoga, are other highlights.
See topic Europe Yoga Travel
Africa
19. Kenya
Deborah Calmeyer, the Zimbabwe-born founder of travel company Roar Africa, last year launched a new series of self-discovery retreats called Roar & Restore, incorporating TED Talk–worthy speakers (conservationist Laura Turner Seydel and world-renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis) with yoga, meditation, and safari drives. The conservation-minded Segera Retreat Center, set within 50,000 acres of protected land on the Laikipia Plateau, offers a raw-food menu and garden-shaded yoga decks developed with yogis in mind.
See topic Africa Yoga Travel
20. Taghazout, Morocco
Over the past two decades, a booming surf-and-yoga scene has sprung up in this sleepy fishing village five hours south of Casablanca. Take holiday with Surf Maroc (one of the area’s first surf-yoga retreat companies) for daily “creative vinyasa, powerful pranayama, laughter yoga, restorative, yin, yoga nidra, and meditation.” Between yoga sessions, surf instructors provide hands-on coaching whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned rider. For a taste of the locale, the property’s neighboring rooftop yoga studio offers public classes and a chance to mingle with the local yoga community.
21. Namibia
The country’s sublime scenery—red-sand dunes and a desolate coast riddled with shipwrecks—and commitment to conservation have made it Africa’s new safari superstar. It’s no wonder zeitgeisty yoga companies Escape to Shape and Namaste Yoga Safari are already offering retreats here. Escape to Shape founder Erica Gragg boasts “one epic experience after another: Rhinos at a drinking hole may serve as our drishti in Virabhadrasana II while waves lull us into Savasana after class on the beach.”
Central + South America
22. The Sacred Valley, Peru
Traditionally, travelers here head straight to historic sanctuary Machu Picchu—but culturally immersive retreats nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley offer a new draw of their own. Splurge on a stay at Sol y Luna boutique hotel knowing a portion of the hotel’s profits fund an adjacent school that provides education, art, and sports for the valley’s youth—and take advantage of outdoor yoga classes. Travelers seeking a more immersive experience should consider eco-retreat Willka T’ika, which incorporates Andean traditions and Q’ero healers. Portions of retreat proceeds support childhood education in remote villages. Organic gardening, sustainable living, and acts of generosity are all woven into the fabric of Willka T’ika. For a more holistic experience in Peru, consider volunteering at Eco Truly Park in Lima. Volunteers participate in teaching yoga classes, organic gardening, and cooking.
Machu Picchu, Peru
23. El Salvador
In the early 1970s, El Salvador was a top surf destination, but the civil war took a heavy toll on residents and tourism. “Now, you see hermanos lejanos [El Salvadorans who moved to the United States and Canada] and tourism returning,” says yoga teacher Lindsay Gonzalez, who operates Balancé Yoga Studio and wellness retreats in the surf town El Tunco. An open-air yoga shala catches the ocean breeze from Balancé’s beachfront setting. “In El Trunco, days revolve around the tides, the wind, and the best surfing conditions,” Gonzalez says. Now that it has a dedicated yoga hub, this surf town just might be the next Nosara.
24. Guatemala
Travelers looking to escape the growing yogi crowds in Mexico have set their sights on the emerging yoga scene in Guatemala, where, in the Mayan village of San Marcos la Laguna, the Yoga Forest Conscious Living Retreat Center is setting the stage for responsible tourism, funding community projects such as shoreline restoration via reed planting and midwife education. Drop in for a class or embark on a personal or group retreat to study Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti, and Karma Yoga with their pros.
See topic Latin America Yoga Travel
Caribbean
25. Cuba
Cuba’s dynamism reminds us that yoga is really about community. Eduardo de Jesus Pimentel Vázquez—the godfather of Cuban yoga—has trained more than 12,000 yoga practitioners through the Cuban Yoga Association, which he founded in 1990. His humble Havana studio Vidya offers a glimpse of the city’s tight-knit yoga scene. For the past three years, instructor April Puciata has hosted culturally immersive retreats at the beach-side center Mhai Yoga. Eduardo guest-teaches up to five classes during the week, and Puciata arranges visits with local artists and entrepreneurs, plus side trips to the town of Trinidad.
26. Nosara, Costa Rica
Universally considered a yoga mecca, Nosara is home to 32 retreats with serious yoga cred. Both Don Stapleton, longtime director of Kripalu, and Stephan Rechtschaffen, co-founder of the Omega Institute, set up yoga and wellness retreat centers here in the 1990s. More than 6,000 people visit Stapleton’s Nosara Yoga Institute (now Kindness Yoga) annually, known for its mile-long meditation trail and intensive teacher trainings (more than 3,500 graduates over 21 years). At Rechtschaffen’s Blue Spirit, five studios host learning vacations with the Omega Institute that include workshops on unlocking your purpose and Rechtschaffer-led lectures on finding the path to longevity. Located in a blue zone (where a large percentage of the population lives longer than average), the vivacity of Nosara is intimately intertwined with its people and practices.
27. Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, Dominica
Since opening their rain forest retreat center in 2005, yoga teacher Glenda Raphael and her husband, Sam, have been pioneers of sustainable tourism, stocking up on goods from island farmers, local fishermen, and artisans. Yoga teacher Chrissy Carter has held nine retreats here. Don’t miss Victoria Falls, Champagne Beach, and the Boiling Lake, the name given to one of the world’s few lakes that actually boils, says Carter. The resort, along with many others throughout the island, suffered damages after last year’s hurricane, making now a better time than ever to support the local Dominican economy.
See topic Caribbean Yoga Travel
Asia
28. Bali
While Bali is full of celebrated sites and crawling with soul-seekers, Ayurvedic teacher Sahara Rose prefers the lesser-known OmUnityBali, tucked away from tourist traffic in the northern village of Sudaji. At this super-sustainable eco-homestay founded by Indonesian yogi Zanzan, healing journeys and yoga packages incorporate local experiences such as temple ceremonies and visits to artisan workshops. In the jungles of Ubud, musician Michael Franti invites guest performers to enliven the asana practices at his Soulshine Bali Hotel & Yoga Retreat Oasis. Of course, the island’s biggest party happens during BaliSpirit Festival, a week-long celebration that draws big names like Shiva Rea and Tymi Howard, plus local Indonesian presenters such as Aikikdo, Made Janur, and musician Krisna Floop.
29. Dwarika’s Resort, Nepal
If replenishment is what you’re after, then Dwarika’s Resort—tucked into the hillside just 30 miles from the Tibetan border—should top your short list. After a consultation with an Ayurvedic health care provider, you will be prescribed soothing appointments on your custom itinerary: time in the respiratory-cleansing salt house, a visit with the retreat’s resident naturopath, a walk through the meditation maze, sessions in sound- and color-therapy chambers, and stargazing with an astrology master. Yoga classes offer the ultimate view—distant snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range.
30. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Bhutan
Enjoy daily yoga and acupuncture sessions at this all-inclusive retreat center in Paro, Bhutan—a historic valley town surrounded by sacred Buddhist sites. Each room has views of the Eutok Samdrupcholing goenpa monastery, where resident monks welcome guests for morning meditation. Bhutan is known for its medicinal herbs, and guests are encouraged to join spa therapists on foraging excursions in nearby hillsides.
See also Happy Land
31. Rishikesh, India
nestled along the sacred Ganges River in northern India, is a preferred jumping-off point for many teachers and travelers making the pilgrim-age to the birthplace of yoga. Hindus believe that a saint came to the river to offer penance and was forgiven by the god Vishnu. The spiritual town has an ashram for every sensibility, from super-traditional (and affordable) Phool Chatti to pricey Ananda, a luxe resort known for its Ayurvedic treatments. Each March, the city’s largest ashram, Parmarth Niketan, plays host to some of India’s most respected spiritual leaders (Pujya Swami Ramdevji and Acharya Balkrishna) during the week-long, world-famous annual International Yoga Festival. Meanwhile, the Yoga Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, is the oldest organized yoga center in the world. The nonprofit recently celebrated its 100th birthday, and has certified more than 50,000 teachers in the past century. Today, roughly 2,000 people visit the institute daily for training, wellness services, and to pay homage to the historic site.
See also 13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit
32. Ulpotha, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has no shortage of stylish beachside yoga retreats, but world-class therapists and teachers—such as Parisian Alexandre Onfroy and Californian Rob Hess—make the trek inland to immerse themselves in local culture at Ulpotha. Located in a working rice village, a committee of locals take part in all decision-making, and guest fees fund a free area clinic. Eleven simple mud huts are sprinkled across 22 acres of dense forests, and monks still live in remote temples in the mountains above. There’s a dedicated yoga shala, but classes also take place beneath the branches of an ancient banyan tree.
33. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
Teachers Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman Yee, Richard Freeman, and Mary Taylor are regular hosts at this retreat founded by John Stewart, a former monk who lived in the Himalayas for 18 years, and his wife, Karina, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who built the seaside sanctuary around a jungle-shrouded cave that was once a spiritual retreat for Buddhist monks. Guests can book à la carte therapies and classes such as detoxification, Chi Nei Tsang, and Hatha Yoga, or multi-day packages meant to remedy modern ailments such as technology addiction.
34. Cambodia
Teacher Puravi Joshi calls Cambodia one of the most peaceful places to practice. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Siem Reap at the Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation Retreat, named after the Vedic capital of Cambodia. Temples dating to 800 CE surround the two-acre campus. A team of international yoga and meditation instructors lead six-day retreats with Integral Yoga, silent meditation, Dharma talks, and nourishing vegan cuisine.
See topic Asia Yoga Travel
Australia + New Zealand
35. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Gold Coast, Australia
It’s not uncommon to see wallabies and ’roos hopping across the 500-acre grounds set high up in the ancient gum trees of the Tallebudgera Valley. Mornings focus on yin-inspired movements such as qi gong and restorative yoga, while afternoons are devoted to yang-type activities such as boxing and hiking. Three-day Life in Balance programs integrate equine healing sessions with lectures from holistic psychiatrists, and new Journey to Inner Freedom programs include workshops with emotional healing authority Brandon Bays.
36. Aro HA, New Zealand
Five-, six-, and seven-day retreats, many led by yogi and founder Damian Chaparro, focus on rejuvenating mind and body against some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking landscapes. Think sunrise yoga, kayaking excursions, and strenuous hikes on the trails of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and along the shores of sapphire-blue Lake Wakatipu. Days end with restorative yoga and nourishing, paleo-friendly cuisine.
37. Byron Bay, Australia
The quintessential beach town, Byron Bay overflows with juice bars, organic cafés, and boutique yoga studios. Byron Yoga Centre, founded in 1988 by John Ogilvie, is one of Australia’s longest-running yoga schools. Ogilvie’s signature style of Purna Yoga focuses on integrating physical postures and philosophy. Meanwhile, Byron Bay newcomer Bamboo Yoga School has already amassed a strong community thanks to its open-air bamboo “tentple” (a cross between a tent and temple) and variety of classes including yoga nidra, hatha, vinyasa, and yin.
About our authors
Jen Murphy travels the globe reporting on adventure travel, wellness, food, and conservation. She writes the Wall Street Journal’s What’s Your Workout column and is the author of The Yoga (Man)ual.
Additional reporting by Kyle Houseworth.
0 notes
Link
37 magical, mindful yoga destinations from nearly every continent.
North America
1. Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder Judith Hanson Lasater has been hosting yoga retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’s like summer camp for yogis,” she says: “Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, magnificent food, fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes, and a week steeped in the silence of nature.” To pay respect to the sacred Native American land the retreat rests on, founder India Supera created the Feathered Pipe Foundation to help preserve ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. Feathered Pipe continues to foster humanitarian efforts that give life to new nonprofits while maintaining missions such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation.
Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
2. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
With an international network of 2,000 instructors teaching more than 700 programs to 30,000 guests a year, education is front and center at this verdant campus in the Berkshires. For the past decade, Kripalu has led the way in groundbreaking research on yoga and trauma in collaboration with experts from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
See also Style Profile: Kripalu Yoga
3. Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is known for spiritual vortexes—powerful energy centers where visitors can allegedly pick up on sacred frequencies. Healers and enlightenment seekers worldwide travel to its towering red-rock spires hoping to tap into higher consciousness. Each March, the three-day Sedona Yoga Festival draws thousands of practitioners with its lineup of 200 classes and performances by kirtan artists such as Johanna Beekman. Regulars tout an intimate setting where you’re likely to run into presenters (think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated workshops on trauma-informed yoga.
Coffee Pot Rock, Sedona, Arizona
4. Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
This cliff-side retreat opened in 1962 with a series of workshops on yoga and personal growth. Key counter-cultural figures such as Joan Baez and Joseph Campbell were among its early guests and lecturers. Today, renowned wellness leaders and yoga teachers like Andrew Weil, Dean Ornish, and Janet Stone share expertise on trending topics, including the energetics of consciousness and meditation as medicine.
5. Maui, Hawaii
A strong contemplative community and the island’s healthy lifestyle are among the draws that have led Ashtangis such as Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram Dass to make their homes here. The Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a place of worship dating back to the 13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual emphasis on nature makes it a destination for those seeking to feel the mana (spiritual energy) of the land.
See also Find Peace and Adventure with a Yoga Retreat in Hawaii
6. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness community has been growing since the 1970s when Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku—established Naropa University, a Buddhist liberal arts college, and Shambhala Mountain Center in a valley above town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has been rocked by scandal, Naropa and Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist values and mindful practices. Senior yoga teachers Richard Freeman and Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home. Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held each June, attracts top yoga educators and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi and Seane Corn.
Los Angeles, California
7. Los Angeles
Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the first Indian spiritual teachers to make his home in the West, called Los Angeles “the Benares of America” (Benares is another name for the Indian city of Varanasi) when he arrived in the 1920s. After setting up the Self-Realization Fellowship's international headquarters atop Mount Washington, he opened a clifftop compound in Encinitas and a waterfall and shrine-studded campus on Sunset Boulevard where a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are laid to rest. Today, the Lake Shrine—with its waterfront meditation garden and gold lotus–topped temple where resident monks hold services and give lectures—remains an oasis for contemplation. LA’s robust Kundalini scene (Golden Bridge Yoga Studio, RAMA Institute in Venice) traces its roots back to 1969, when Yogi Bhajan started teaching the distinctive style on Melrose Avenue. Wanderlust headquarters in Hollywood is LA’s latest yoga hub, hosting fusion classes and workshops by wellness gurus such as Taryn Toomey and senior yoga teacher Annie Carpenter.
See also 6 Principles We Learned on the West Coast to Cultivate Focus
8. Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, British Columbia
In 1981, members of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society, a yoga community inspired by the teachings of Indian Ashtangi master and silent monk Baba Hari Dass, purchased a 69-acre patch of cedar forest and meadows on Salt Spring Island. Today, the property’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse is the longest-running yoga retreat center on Canada’s West Coast. Public offerings include monthly full-moon pujas (spiritual cleansings), while 10-week residential programs combine service (tending the on-site farm, preparing vegetarian meals) with asana and theory classes covering classic yoga texts.
See also 6 Destination Ashrams for an Authentic Yoga Experience
9. Ojai, California
A bustling hub of ashrams, yoga centers, and spiritual retreats— and dubbed Shangri-La by locals (a nod to the surrounding valley’s cameo as the fictional utopia in the classic film Lost Horizon)—Ojai’s surrounding Topatopa and Sulphur mountains are what attracted Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti in the 1920s. Today, his teachings continue via programs at the Krishnamurti Educational Center.
10. Chopra Center, Carlsbad, California
The palm-shaded Omni La Costa Resort & Spa may seem like an unlikely setting for the cutting-edge work of the Chopra Center’s Mind-Body Medical Group, but here, experts in hypnotherapy, integrative oncology, and pranic healing (a form of no-touch energy healing) combine holistic practices and Western medicine. Try one of their Perfect Health retreats where itineraries feature daily yoga and meditation, Ayurvedic meals, spa treatments, and medical consultations from Vedic educators and integrative-medicine experts.
New York City
11. New York City
New York City is home to some of Western yoga’s most notable teachers, including Eddie Stern, Genevieve Kapuler, Elena Brower, Dharma Mittra, Alison West, and Lauren Ash. “HealHaus in Brooklyn is my go-to haven for spiritual support,” says Ash, founder of mindful lifestyle brand Black Girl in Om. “The studio’s mission—to promote healing as a lifestyle—is a beautiful example of what it means to hold sustainable space and intentional presence for diverse people.” New York’s got everything from trendy new Y7 yoga—which utilizes heat, hip-hop music, and dark candle-lit rooms—to traditional Iyengar Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Institute. And if you need a break from the city, head north 90 miles to the iconic Omega Institute—a wooded, 42-year-old health and wellness campus that sees more than 23,000 students a year.
See topic United States Yoga Travel
Europe
12. Elysia Yoga Convention, Aegiali, Amorgos
Located on the island of Amorgos in Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is a conglomeration of yoga practitioners, enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In ancient literature, Elysia was a divine final resting place for the souls of heroes, setting the tone for a complete mind-body yoga retreat.
See also Replenish Your Energy at an Island Yoga Retreat in Greece
13. Mountain Yoga Festival, St. Anton, Austria
This event, held in the birthplace of modern skiing, offers a heavy dose of outdoor wellness. Intimacy is part of the draw: Fewer than 300 attendees and teachers from around the world gather to fill their souls with music and movement. Alpine hikes and lectures by Jivamukti teacher Karl Straub and nutritional biochemist Florian Überall roundout the lineup.
14. Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps has welcomed luminaries (author Ian McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu) to its concert hall and lecture library. Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit where Europe’s top teachers, such as Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead lectures, asana, and meditation sessions against the backdrop of the snow-capped Wetterstein mountains.
15. London
London’s yoga scene stands apart from other cities' with its emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala offers classes to asylum-seekers, women refugees, and survivors of trafficking; Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their daily Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga classes held at London Bridge) helps bring the practice into local prisons; and Michael James Wong’s Boys of Yoga platform cultivates stories, videos, and tutorials to break down gender stereo-types in yoga. In addition, popular teachers like Stewart Gilchrist and Claire Missingham call London home, teaching at Triyoga and East London School of Yoga.
See also 6 London Yogis Who Inspire Us to Transcend the Past with Yoga
16. Barcelona Yoga Conference
This five-day event is one of Europe’s largest yoga festivals, attracting more than 1,200 attendees from across the globe to flow with master yogis such as Shiva Rea and Krishna Das, indulge in Thai massage, enjoy music from international performers, try acroyoga with a partner, and lose themselves in ecstatic dance.
17. Bornholm Yoga & Retreat Center, Denmark
Off the southern coast of Sweden, Bornholm is an ideal setting for three-day silent meditation retreats hosted by resident yogi Solveig Egebjerg (who studied with Sharat Aurora, the head of the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center) and American Diane Long (a disciple of Iyengar-focused Vanda Scaravelli). Disconnect and unwind with walking meditations along the rocky Baltic coast or workshops aimed at weaving mindfulness into your daily grind.
See also 8 Great European Yoga Vacations You'll Be Dying To Take
18. Suryalila Yoga Retreat Centre, Cadiz, Spain
The Om Dome (an igloo-shaped yoga hall) at this Andalusian retreat might be the most magnificent place to practice in all of Europe, says yoga teacher Tiffany Cruikshank. The geometric studio was designed to resemble a Nepalese temple topped with a golden stupa. Wholesome farm-to-table organic meals are another reason Cruikshank enjoys leading retreats here. Regular teacher trainings by Vidya Jacqueline Heisel, founder of vinyasa-focused Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol Murphy, founder of Green Lotus Yoga, are other highlights.
See topic Europe Yoga Travel
Africa
19. Kenya
Deborah Calmeyer, the Zimbabwe-born founder of travel company Roar Africa, last year launched a new series of self-discovery retreats called Roar & Restore, incorporating TED Talk–worthy speakers (conservationist Laura Turner Seydel and world-renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis) with yoga, meditation, and safari drives. The conservation-minded Segera Retreat Center, set within 50,000 acres of protected land on the Laikipia Plateau, offers a raw-food menu and garden-shaded yoga decks developed with yogis in mind.
See topic Africa Yoga Travel
20. Taghazout, Morocco
Over the past two decades, a booming surf-and-yoga scene has sprung up in this sleepy fishing village five hours south of Casablanca. Take holiday with Surf Maroc (one of the area’s first surf-yoga retreat companies) for daily “creative vinyasa, powerful pranayama, laughter yoga, restorative, yin, yoga nidra, and meditation.” Between yoga sessions, surf instructors provide hands-on coaching whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned rider. For a taste of the locale, the property’s neighboring rooftop yoga studio offers public classes and a chance to mingle with the local yoga community.
21. Namibia
The country’s sublime scenery—red-sand dunes and a desolate coast riddled with shipwrecks—and commitment to conservation have made it Africa’s new safari superstar. It’s no wonder zeitgeisty yoga companies Escape to Shape and Namaste Yoga Safari are already offering retreats here. Escape to Shape founder Erica Gragg boasts “one epic experience after another: Rhinos at a drinking hole may serve as our drishti in Virabhadrasana II while waves lull us into Savasana after class on the beach.”
Central + South America
22. The Sacred Valley, Peru
Traditionally, travelers here head straight to historic sanctuary Machu Picchu—but culturally immersive retreats nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley offer a new draw of their own. Splurge on a stay at Sol y Luna boutique hotel knowing a portion of the hotel’s profits fund an adjacent school that provides education, art, and sports for the valley’s youth—and take advantage of outdoor yoga classes. Travelers seeking a more immersive experience should consider eco-retreat Willka T’ika, which incorporates Andean traditions and Q’ero healers. Portions of retreat proceeds support childhood education in remote villages. Organic gardening, sustainable living, and acts of generosity are all woven into the fabric of Willka T’ika. For a more holistic experience in Peru, consider volunteering at Eco Truly Park in Lima. Volunteers participate in teaching yoga classes, organic gardening, and cooking.
Machu Picchu, Peru
23. El Salvador
In the early 1970s, El Salvador was a top surf destination, but the civil war took a heavy toll on residents and tourism. “Now, you see hermanos lejanos [El Salvadorans who moved to the United States and Canada] and tourism returning,” says yoga teacher Lindsay Gonzalez, who operates Balancé Yoga Studio and wellness retreats in the surf town El Tunco. An open-air yoga shala catches the ocean breeze from Balancé’s beachfront setting. “In El Trunco, days revolve around the tides, the wind, and the best surfing conditions,” Gonzalez says. Now that it has a dedicated yoga hub, this surf town just might be the next Nosara.
24. Guatemala
Travelers looking to escape the growing yogi crowds in Mexico have set their sights on the emerging yoga scene in Guatemala, where, in the Mayan village of San Marcos la Laguna, the Yoga Forest Conscious Living Retreat Center is setting the stage for responsible tourism, funding community projects such as shoreline restoration via reed planting and midwife education. Drop in for a class or embark on a personal or group retreat to study Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti, and Karma Yoga with their pros.
See topic Latin America Yoga Travel
Caribbean
25. Cuba
Cuba’s dynamism reminds us that yoga is really about community. Eduardo de Jesus Pimentel Vázquez—the godfather of Cuban yoga—has trained more than 12,000 yoga practitioners through the Cuban Yoga Association, which he founded in 1990. His humble Havana studio Vidya offers a glimpse of the city’s tight-knit yoga scene. For the past three years, instructor April Puciata has hosted culturally immersive retreats at the beach-side center Mhai Yoga. Eduardo guest-teaches up to five classes during the week, and Puciata arranges visits with local artists and entrepreneurs, plus side trips to the town of Trinidad.
26. Nosara, Costa Rica
Universally considered a yoga mecca, Nosara is home to 32 retreats with serious yoga cred. Both Don Stapleton, longtime director of Kripalu, and Stephan Rechtschaffen, co-founder of the Omega Institute, set up yoga and wellness retreat centers here in the 1990s. More than 6,000 people visit Stapleton’s Nosara Yoga Institute (now Kindness Yoga) annually, known for its mile-long meditation trail and intensive teacher trainings (more than 3,500 graduates over 21 years). At Rechtschaffen’s Blue Spirit, five studios host learning vacations with the Omega Institute that include workshops on unlocking your purpose and Rechtschaffer-led lectures on finding the path to longevity. Located in a blue zone (where a large percentage of the population lives longer than average), the vivacity of Nosara is intimately intertwined with its people and practices.
27. Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, Dominica
Since opening their rain forest retreat center in 2005, yoga teacher Glenda Raphael and her husband, Sam, have been pioneers of sustainable tourism, stocking up on goods from island farmers, local fishermen, and artisans. Yoga teacher Chrissy Carter has held nine retreats here. Don’t miss Victoria Falls, Champagne Beach, and the Boiling Lake, the name given to one of the world’s few lakes that actually boils, says Carter. The resort, along with many others throughout the island, suffered damages after last year’s hurricane, making now a better time than ever to support the local Dominican economy.
See topic Caribbean Yoga Travel
Asia
28. Bali
While Bali is full of celebrated sites and crawling with soul-seekers, Ayurvedic teacher Sahara Rose prefers the lesser-known OmUnityBali, tucked away from tourist traffic in the northern village of Sudaji. At this super-sustainable eco-homestay founded by Indonesian yogi Zanzan, healing journeys and yoga packages incorporate local experiences such as temple ceremonies and visits to artisan workshops. In the jungles of Ubud, musician Michael Franti invites guest performers to enliven the asana practices at his Soulshine Bali Hotel & Yoga Retreat Oasis. Of course, the island’s biggest party happens during BaliSpirit Festival, a week-long celebration that draws big names like Shiva Rea and Tymi Howard, plus local Indonesian presenters such as Aikikdo, Made Janur, and musician Krisna Floop.
29. Dwarika’s Resort, Nepal
If replenishment is what you’re after, then Dwarika’s Resort—tucked into the hillside just 30 miles from the Tibetan border—should top your short list. After a consultation with an Ayurvedic health care provider, you will be prescribed soothing appointments on your custom itinerary: time in the respiratory-cleansing salt house, a visit with the retreat’s resident naturopath, a walk through the meditation maze, sessions in sound- and color-therapy chambers, and stargazing with an astrology master. Yoga classes offer the ultimate view—distant snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range.
30. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Bhutan
Enjoy daily yoga and acupuncture sessions at this all-inclusive retreat center in Paro, Bhutan—a historic valley town surrounded by sacred Buddhist sites. Each room has views of the Eutok Samdrupcholing goenpa monastery, where resident monks welcome guests for morning meditation. Bhutan is known for its medicinal herbs, and guests are encouraged to join spa therapists on foraging excursions in nearby hillsides.
See also Happy Land
31. Rishikesh, India
nestled along the sacred Ganges River in northern India, is a preferred jumping-off point for many teachers and travelers making the pilgrim-age to the birthplace of yoga. Hindus believe that a saint came to the river to offer penance and was forgiven by the god Vishnu. The spiritual town has an ashram for every sensibility, from super-traditional (and affordable) Phool Chatti to pricey Ananda, a luxe resort known for its Ayurvedic treatments. Each March, the city’s largest ashram, Parmarth Niketan, plays host to some of India’s most respected spiritual leaders (Pujya Swami Ramdevji and Acharya Balkrishna) during the week-long, world-famous annual International Yoga Festival. Meanwhile, the Yoga Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, is the oldest organized yoga center in the world. The nonprofit recently celebrated its 100th birthday, and has certified more than 50,000 teachers in the past century. Today, roughly 2,000 people visit the institute daily for training, wellness services, and to pay homage to the historic site.
See also 13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit
32. Ulpotha, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has no shortage of stylish beachside yoga retreats, but world-class therapists and teachers—such as Parisian Alexandre Onfroy and Californian Rob Hess—make the trek inland to immerse themselves in local culture at Ulpotha. Located in a working rice village, a committee of locals take part in all decision-making, and guest fees fund a free area clinic. Eleven simple mud huts are sprinkled across 22 acres of dense forests, and monks still live in remote temples in the mountains above. There’s a dedicated yoga shala, but classes also take place beneath the branches of an ancient banyan tree.
33. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
Teachers Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman Yee, Richard Freeman, and Mary Taylor are regular hosts at this retreat founded by John Stewart, a former monk who lived in the Himalayas for 18 years, and his wife, Karina, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who built the seaside sanctuary around a jungle-shrouded cave that was once a spiritual retreat for Buddhist monks. Guests can book à la carte therapies and classes such as detoxification, Chi Nei Tsang, and Hatha Yoga, or multi-day packages meant to remedy modern ailments such as technology addiction.
34. Cambodia
Teacher Puravi Joshi calls Cambodia one of the most peaceful places to practice. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Siem Reap at the Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation Retreat, named after the Vedic capital of Cambodia. Temples dating to 800 CE surround the two-acre campus. A team of international yoga and meditation instructors lead six-day retreats with Integral Yoga, silent meditation, Dharma talks, and nourishing vegan cuisine.
See topic Asia Yoga Travel
Australia + New Zealand
35. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Gold Coast, Australia
It’s not uncommon to see wallabies and ’roos hopping across the 500-acre grounds set high up in the ancient gum trees of the Tallebudgera Valley. Mornings focus on yin-inspired movements such as qi gong and restorative yoga, while afternoons are devoted to yang-type activities such as boxing and hiking. Three-day Life in Balance programs integrate equine healing sessions with lectures from holistic psychiatrists, and new Journey to Inner Freedom programs include workshops with emotional healing authority Brandon Bays.
36. Aro HA, New Zealand
Five-, six-, and seven-day retreats, many led by yogi and founder Damian Chaparro, focus on rejuvenating mind and body against some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking landscapes. Think sunrise yoga, kayaking excursions, and strenuous hikes on the trails of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and along the shores of sapphire-blue Lake Wakatipu. Days end with restorative yoga and nourishing, paleo-friendly cuisine.
37. Byron Bay, Australia
The quintessential beach town, Byron Bay overflows with juice bars, organic cafés, and boutique yoga studios. Byron Yoga Centre, founded in 1988 by John Ogilvie, is one of Australia’s longest-running yoga schools. Ogilvie’s signature style of Purna Yoga focuses on integrating physical postures and philosophy. Meanwhile, Byron Bay newcomer Bamboo Yoga School has already amassed a strong community thanks to its open-air bamboo “tentple” (a cross between a tent and temple) and variety of classes including yoga nidra, hatha, vinyasa, and yin.
About our authors
Jen Murphy travels the globe reporting on adventure travel, wellness, food, and conservation. She writes the Wall Street Journal’s What’s Your Workout column and is the author of The Yoga (Man)ual.
Additional reporting by Kyle Houseworth.
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Yoga Journal's Best Yoga Retreats and Travel Spots Around the World
37 magical, mindful yoga destinations from nearly every continent.
North America
1. Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder Judith Hanson Lasater has been hosting yoga retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’s like summer camp for yogis,” she says: “Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, magnificent food, fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes, and a week steeped in the silence of nature.” To pay respect to the sacred Native American land the retreat rests on, founder India Supera created the Feathered Pipe Foundation to help preserve ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. Feathered Pipe continues to foster humanitarian efforts that give life to new nonprofits while maintaining missions such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation.
Feathered Pipe Ranch, Helena, Montana
2. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
With an international network of 2,000 instructors teaching more than 700 programs to 30,000 guests a year, education is front and center at this verdant campus in the Berkshires. For the past decade, Kripalu has led the way in groundbreaking research on yoga and trauma in collaboration with experts from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
See also Style Profile: Kripalu Yoga
3. Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is known for spiritual vortexes—powerful energy centers where visitors can allegedly pick up on sacred frequencies. Healers and enlightenment seekers worldwide travel to its towering red-rock spires hoping to tap into higher consciousness. Each March, the three-day Sedona Yoga Festival draws thousands of practitioners with its lineup of 200 classes and performances by kirtan artists such as Johanna Beekman. Regulars tout an intimate setting where you’re likely to run into presenters (think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated workshops on trauma-informed yoga.
Coffee Pot Rock, Sedona, Arizona
4. Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
This cliff-side retreat opened in 1962 with a series of workshops on yoga and personal growth. Key counter-cultural figures such as Joan Baez and Joseph Campbell were among its early guests and lecturers. Today, renowned wellness leaders and yoga teachers like Andrew Weil, Dean Ornish, and Janet Stone share expertise on trending topics, including the energetics of consciousness and meditation as medicine.
5. Maui, Hawaii
A strong contemplative community and the island’s healthy lifestyle are among the draws that have led Ashtangis such as Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram Dass to make their homes here. The Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a place of worship dating back to the 13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual emphasis on nature makes it a destination for those seeking to feel the mana (spiritual energy) of the land.
See also Find Peace and Adventure with a Yoga Retreat in Hawaii
6. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness community has been growing since the 1970s when Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of the Trungpa Tulku—established Naropa University, a Buddhist liberal arts college, and Shambhala Mountain Center in a valley above town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has been rocked by scandal, Naropa and Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist values and mindful practices. Senior yoga teachers Richard Freeman and Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home. Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held each June, attracts top yoga educators and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi and Seane Corn.
Los Angeles, California
7. Los Angeles
Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the first Indian spiritual teachers to make his home in the West, called Los Angeles “the Benares of America” (Benares is another name for the Indian city of Varanasi) when he arrived in the 1920s. After setting up the Self-Realization Fellowship's international headquarters atop Mount Washington, he opened a clifftop compound in Encinitas and a waterfall and shrine-studded campus on Sunset Boulevard where a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are laid to rest. Today, the Lake Shrine—with its waterfront meditation garden and gold lotus–topped temple where resident monks hold services and give lectures—remains an oasis for contemplation. LA’s robust Kundalini scene (Golden Bridge Yoga Studio, RAMA Institute in Venice) traces its roots back to 1969, when Yogi Bhajan started teaching the distinctive style on Melrose Avenue. Wanderlust headquarters in Hollywood is LA’s latest yoga hub, hosting fusion classes and workshops by wellness gurus such as Taryn Toomey and senior yoga teacher Annie Carpenter.
See also 6 Principles We Learned on the West Coast to Cultivate Focus
8. Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, British Columbia
In 1981, members of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society, a yoga community inspired by the teachings of Indian Ashtangi master and silent monk Baba Hari Dass, purchased a 69-acre patch of cedar forest and meadows on Salt Spring Island. Today, the property’s restored turn-of-the-century farmhouse is the longest-running yoga retreat center on Canada’s West Coast. Public offerings include monthly full-moon pujas (spiritual cleansings), while 10-week residential programs combine service (tending the on-site farm, preparing vegetarian meals) with asana and theory classes covering classic yoga texts.
See also 6 Destination Ashrams for an Authentic Yoga Experience
9. Ojai, California
A bustling hub of ashrams, yoga centers, and spiritual retreats— and dubbed Shangri-La by locals (a nod to the surrounding valley’s cameo as the fictional utopia in the classic film Lost Horizon)—Ojai’s surrounding Topatopa and Sulphur mountains are what attracted Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti in the 1920s. Today, his teachings continue via programs at the Krishnamurti Educational Center.
10. Chopra Center, Carlsbad, California
The palm-shaded Omni La Costa Resort & Spa may seem like an unlikely setting for the cutting-edge work of the Chopra Center’s Mind-Body Medical Group, but here, experts in hypnotherapy, integrative oncology, and pranic healing (a form of no-touch energy healing) combine holistic practices and Western medicine. Try one of their Perfect Health retreats where itineraries feature daily yoga and meditation, Ayurvedic meals, spa treatments, and medical consultations from Vedic educators and integrative-medicine experts.
New York City
11. New York City
New York City is home to some of Western yoga’s most notable teachers, including Eddie Stern, Genevieve Kapuler, Elena Brower, Dharma Mittra, Alison West, and Lauren Ash. “HealHaus in Brooklyn is my go-to haven for spiritual support,” says Ash, founder of mindful lifestyle brand Black Girl in Om. “The studio’s mission—to promote healing as a lifestyle—is a beautiful example of what it means to hold sustainable space and intentional presence for diverse people.” New York’s got everything from trendy new Y7 yoga—which utilizes heat, hip-hop music, and dark candle-lit rooms—to traditional Iyengar Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Institute. And if you need a break from the city, head north 90 miles to the iconic Omega Institute—a wooded, 42-year-old health and wellness campus that sees more than 23,000 students a year.
See topic United States Yoga Travel
Europe
12. Elysia Yoga Convention, Aegiali, Amorgos
Located on the island of Amorgos in Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is a conglomeration of yoga practitioners, enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In ancient literature, Elysia was a divine final resting place for the souls of heroes, setting the tone for a complete mind-body yoga retreat.
See also Replenish Your Energy at an Island Yoga Retreat in Greece
13. Mountain Yoga Festival, St. Anton, Austria
This event, held in the birthplace of modern skiing, offers a heavy dose of outdoor wellness. Intimacy is part of the draw: Fewer than 300 attendees and teachers from around the world gather to fill their souls with music and movement. Alpine hikes and lectures by Jivamukti teacher Karl Straub and nutritional biochemist Florian Überall roundout the lineup.
14. Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps has welcomed luminaries (author Ian McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu) to its concert hall and lecture library. Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit where Europe’s top teachers, such as Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead lectures, asana, and meditation sessions against the backdrop of the snow-capped Wetterstein mountains.
15. London
London’s yoga scene stands apart from other cities' with its emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala offers classes to asylum-seekers, women refugees, and survivors of trafficking; Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their daily Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga classes held at London Bridge) helps bring the practice into local prisons; and Michael James Wong’s Boys of Yoga platform cultivates stories, videos, and tutorials to break down gender stereo-types in yoga. In addition, popular teachers like Stewart Gilchrist and Claire Missingham call London home, teaching at Triyoga and East London School of Yoga.
See also 6 London Yogis Who Inspire Us to Transcend the Past with Yoga
16. Barcelona Yoga Conference
This five-day event is one of Europe’s largest yoga festivals, attracting more than 1,200 attendees from across the globe to flow with master yogis such as Shiva Rea and Krishna Das, indulge in Thai massage, enjoy music from international performers, try acroyoga with a partner, and lose themselves in ecstatic dance.
17. Bornholm Yoga & Retreat Center, Denmark
Off the southern coast of Sweden, Bornholm is an ideal setting for three-day silent meditation retreats hosted by resident yogi Solveig Egebjerg (who studied with Sharat Aurora, the head of the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center) and American Diane Long (a disciple of Iyengar-focused Vanda Scaravelli). Disconnect and unwind with walking meditations along the rocky Baltic coast or workshops aimed at weaving mindfulness into your daily grind.
See also 8 Great European Yoga Vacations You'll Be Dying To Take
18. Suryalila Yoga Retreat Centre, Cadiz, Spain
The Om Dome (an igloo-shaped yoga hall) at this Andalusian retreat might be the most magnificent place to practice in all of Europe, says yoga teacher Tiffany Cruikshank. The geometric studio was designed to resemble a Nepalese temple topped with a golden stupa. Wholesome farm-to-table organic meals are another reason Cruikshank enjoys leading retreats here. Regular teacher trainings by Vidya Jacqueline Heisel, founder of vinyasa-focused Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol Murphy, founder of Green Lotus Yoga, are other highlights.
See topic Europe Yoga Travel
Africa
19. Kenya
Deborah Calmeyer, the Zimbabwe-born founder of travel company Roar Africa, last year launched a new series of self-discovery retreats called Roar & Restore, incorporating TED Talk–worthy speakers (conservationist Laura Turner Seydel and world-renowned South African artist Dylan Lewis) with yoga, meditation, and safari drives. The conservation-minded Segera Retreat Center, set within 50,000 acres of protected land on the Laikipia Plateau, offers a raw-food menu and garden-shaded yoga decks developed with yogis in mind.
See topic Africa Yoga Travel
20. Taghazout, Morocco
Over the past two decades, a booming surf-and-yoga scene has sprung up in this sleepy fishing village five hours south of Casablanca. Take holiday with Surf Maroc (one of the area’s first surf-yoga retreat companies) for daily “creative vinyasa, powerful pranayama, laughter yoga, restorative, yin, yoga nidra, and meditation.” Between yoga sessions, surf instructors provide hands-on coaching whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned rider. For a taste of the locale, the property’s neighboring rooftop yoga studio offers public classes and a chance to mingle with the local yoga community.
21. Namibia
The country’s sublime scenery—red-sand dunes and a desolate coast riddled with shipwrecks—and commitment to conservation have made it Africa’s new safari superstar. It’s no wonder zeitgeisty yoga companies Escape to Shape and Namaste Yoga Safari are already offering retreats here. Escape to Shape founder Erica Gragg boasts “one epic experience after another: Rhinos at a drinking hole may serve as our drishti in Virabhadrasana II while waves lull us into Savasana after class on the beach.”
Central + South America
22. The Sacred Valley, Peru
Traditionally, travelers here head straight to historic sanctuary Machu Picchu—but culturally immersive retreats nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley offer a new draw of their own. Splurge on a stay at Sol y Luna boutique hotel knowing a portion of the hotel’s profits fund an adjacent school that provides education, art, and sports for the valley’s youth—and take advantage of outdoor yoga classes. Travelers seeking a more immersive experience should consider eco-retreat Willka T’ika, which incorporates Andean traditions and Q’ero healers. Portions of retreat proceeds support childhood education in remote villages. Organic gardening, sustainable living, and acts of generosity are all woven into the fabric of Willka T’ika. For a more holistic experience in Peru, consider volunteering at Eco Truly Park in Lima. Volunteers participate in teaching yoga classes, organic gardening, and cooking.
Machu Picchu, Peru
23. El Salvador
In the early 1970s, El Salvador was a top surf destination, but the civil war took a heavy toll on residents and tourism. “Now, you see hermanos lejanos [El Salvadorans who moved to the United States and Canada] and tourism returning,” says yoga teacher Lindsay Gonzalez, who operates Balancé Yoga Studio and wellness retreats in the surf town El Tunco. An open-air yoga shala catches the ocean breeze from Balancé’s beachfront setting. “In El Trunco, days revolve around the tides, the wind, and the best surfing conditions,” Gonzalez says. Now that it has a dedicated yoga hub, this surf town just might be the next Nosara.
24. Guatemala
Travelers looking to escape the growing yogi crowds in Mexico have set their sights on the emerging yoga scene in Guatemala, where, in the Mayan village of San Marcos la Laguna, the Yoga Forest Conscious Living Retreat Center is setting the stage for responsible tourism, funding community projects such as shoreline restoration via reed planting and midwife education. Drop in for a class or embark on a personal or group retreat to study Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti, and Karma Yoga with their pros.
See topic Latin America Yoga Travel
Caribbean
25. Cuba
Cuba’s dynamism reminds us that yoga is really about community. Eduardo de Jesus Pimentel Vázquez—the godfather of Cuban yoga—has trained more than 12,000 yoga practitioners through the Cuban Yoga Association, which he founded in 1990. His humble Havana studio Vidya offers a glimpse of the city’s tight-knit yoga scene. For the past three years, instructor April Puciata has hosted culturally immersive retreats at the beach-side center Mhai Yoga. Eduardo guest-teaches up to five classes during the week, and Puciata arranges visits with local artists and entrepreneurs, plus side trips to the town of Trinidad.
26. Nosara, Costa Rica
Universally considered a yoga mecca, Nosara is home to 32 retreats with serious yoga cred. Both Don Stapleton, longtime director of Kripalu, and Stephan Rechtschaffen, co-founder of the Omega Institute, set up yoga and wellness retreat centers here in the 1990s. More than 6,000 people visit Stapleton’s Nosara Yoga Institute (now Kindness Yoga) annually, known for its mile-long meditation trail and intensive teacher trainings (more than 3,500 graduates over 21 years). At Rechtschaffen’s Blue Spirit, five studios host learning vacations with the Omega Institute that include workshops on unlocking your purpose and Rechtschaffer-led lectures on finding the path to longevity. Located in a blue zone (where a large percentage of the population lives longer than average), the vivacity of Nosara is intimately intertwined with its people and practices.
27. Jungle Bay Resort & Spa, Dominica
Since opening their rain forest retreat center in 2005, yoga teacher Glenda Raphael and her husband, Sam, have been pioneers of sustainable tourism, stocking up on goods from island farmers, local fishermen, and artisans. Yoga teacher Chrissy Carter has held nine retreats here. Don’t miss Victoria Falls, Champagne Beach, and the Boiling Lake, the name given to one of the world’s few lakes that actually boils, says Carter. The resort, along with many others throughout the island, suffered damages after last year’s hurricane, making now a better time than ever to support the local Dominican economy.
See topic Caribbean Yoga Travel
Asia
28. Bali
While Bali is full of celebrated sites and crawling with soul-seekers, Ayurvedic teacher Sahara Rose prefers the lesser-known OmUnityBali, tucked away from tourist traffic in the northern village of Sudaji. At this super-sustainable eco-homestay founded by Indonesian yogi Zanzan, healing journeys and yoga packages incorporate local experiences such as temple ceremonies and visits to artisan workshops. In the jungles of Ubud, musician Michael Franti invites guest performers to enliven the asana practices at his Soulshine Bali Hotel & Yoga Retreat Oasis. Of course, the island’s biggest party happens during BaliSpirit Festival, a week-long celebration that draws big names like Shiva Rea and Tymi Howard, plus local Indonesian presenters such as Aikikdo, Made Janur, and musician Krisna Floop.
29. Dwarika’s Resort, Nepal
If replenishment is what you’re after, then Dwarika’s Resort—tucked into the hillside just 30 miles from the Tibetan border—should top your short list. After a consultation with an Ayurvedic health care provider, you will be prescribed soothing appointments on your custom itinerary: time in the respiratory-cleansing salt house, a visit with the retreat’s resident naturopath, a walk through the meditation maze, sessions in sound- and color-therapy chambers, and stargazing with an astrology master. Yoga classes offer the ultimate view—distant snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan range.
30. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Bhutan
Enjoy daily yoga and acupuncture sessions at this all-inclusive retreat center in Paro, Bhutan—a historic valley town surrounded by sacred Buddhist sites. Each room has views of the Eutok Samdrupcholing goenpa monastery, where resident monks welcome guests for morning meditation. Bhutan is known for its medicinal herbs, and guests are encouraged to join spa therapists on foraging excursions in nearby hillsides.
See also Happy Land
31. Rishikesh, India
nestled along the sacred Ganges River in northern India, is a preferred jumping-off point for many teachers and travelers making the pilgrim-age to the birthplace of yoga. Hindus believe that a saint came to the river to offer penance and was forgiven by the god Vishnu. The spiritual town has an ashram for every sensibility, from super-traditional (and affordable) Phool Chatti to pricey Ananda, a luxe resort known for its Ayurvedic treatments. Each March, the city’s largest ashram, Parmarth Niketan, plays host to some of India’s most respected spiritual leaders (Pujya Swami Ramdevji and Acharya Balkrishna) during the week-long, world-famous annual International Yoga Festival. Meanwhile, the Yoga Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, is the oldest organized yoga center in the world. The nonprofit recently celebrated its 100th birthday, and has certified more than 50,000 teachers in the past century. Today, roughly 2,000 people visit the institute daily for training, wellness services, and to pay homage to the historic site.
See also 13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit
32. Ulpotha, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has no shortage of stylish beachside yoga retreats, but world-class therapists and teachers—such as Parisian Alexandre Onfroy and Californian Rob Hess—make the trek inland to immerse themselves in local culture at Ulpotha. Located in a working rice village, a committee of locals take part in all decision-making, and guest fees fund a free area clinic. Eleven simple mud huts are sprinkled across 22 acres of dense forests, and monks still live in remote temples in the mountains above. There’s a dedicated yoga shala, but classes also take place beneath the branches of an ancient banyan tree.
33. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
Teachers Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman Yee, Richard Freeman, and Mary Taylor are regular hosts at this retreat founded by John Stewart, a former monk who lived in the Himalayas for 18 years, and his wife, Karina, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who built the seaside sanctuary around a jungle-shrouded cave that was once a spiritual retreat for Buddhist monks. Guests can book à la carte therapies and classes such as detoxification, Chi Nei Tsang, and Hatha Yoga, or multi-day packages meant to remedy modern ailments such as technology addiction.
34. Cambodia
Teacher Puravi Joshi calls Cambodia one of the most peaceful places to practice. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Siem Reap at the Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation Retreat, named after the Vedic capital of Cambodia. Temples dating to 800 CE surround the two-acre campus. A team of international yoga and meditation instructors lead six-day retreats with Integral Yoga, silent meditation, Dharma talks, and nourishing vegan cuisine.
See topic Asia Yoga Travel
Australia + New Zealand
35. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Gold Coast, Australia
It’s not uncommon to see wallabies and ’roos hopping across the 500-acre grounds set high up in the ancient gum trees of the Tallebudgera Valley. Mornings focus on yin-inspired movements such as qi gong and restorative yoga, while afternoons are devoted to yang-type activities such as boxing and hiking. Three-day Life in Balance programs integrate equine healing sessions with lectures from holistic psychiatrists, and new Journey to Inner Freedom programs include workshops with emotional healing authority Brandon Bays.
36. Aro HA, New Zealand
Five-, six-, and seven-day retreats, many led by yogi and founder Damian Chaparro, focus on rejuvenating mind and body against some of New Zealand’s most breathtaking landscapes. Think sunrise yoga, kayaking excursions, and strenuous hikes on the trails of New Zealand’s Southern Alps and along the shores of sapphire-blue Lake Wakatipu. Days end with restorative yoga and nourishing, paleo-friendly cuisine.
37. Byron Bay, Australia
The quintessential beach town, Byron Bay overflows with juice bars, organic cafés, and boutique yoga studios. Byron Yoga Centre, founded in 1988 by John Ogilvie, is one of Australia’s longest-running yoga schools. Ogilvie’s signature style of Purna Yoga focuses on integrating physical postures and philosophy. Meanwhile, Byron Bay newcomer Bamboo Yoga School has already amassed a strong community thanks to its open-air bamboo “tentple” (a cross between a tent and temple) and variety of classes including yoga nidra, hatha, vinyasa, and yin.
About our authors
Jen Murphy travels the globe reporting on adventure travel, wellness, food, and conservation. She writes the Wall Street Journal’s What’s Your Workout column and is the author of The Yoga (Man)ual.
Additional reporting by Kyle Houseworth.
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The Mind-Body Connection of Climbing, Yoga and CBD
Q+A With Olivia Hsu on Climbing, Yoga & CBD
What do yogis and climbers have in common? A balance of muscular strength, tenacity, and a sound mind. Olivia Hsu, professional climber and world-renowned yoga instructor, explains how yoga and climbing are a symbiotic practice, supporting each other to achieve mind-body connection and peace, and how CBD can support athletic recovery.
Q: How did you first get into climbing?
A: It actually wasn’t until I was attending University in Australia that I decided to join an outdoor climbing club. I’ll never forget the first time I climbed. I was out climbing with all these super muscly guys. I quickly realized I was the only one that had made it to the top and it dawned on me that, in climbing, you can be really strong but if you can’t figure out a route to go, you’re not going to get very far. I just needed to trust my instincts and climb the wall!
Q: How did you first get into yoga?
A: 2 years into my climbing career, I injured my finger. That’s when I walked into my first Mysore Ashtanga class. I thought I’d take some time off and go back to climbing. But then I fell in love with the practice and started doing it every day. Yoga not only compliments climbing,it compliments life. All the things in your life, they’re all intertwined. Whether it’s work or an activity you’re into, if you’re not happy, that’s going to affect all facets of your life.
CBD products are becoming widely used in yoga classes and for a variety of sport and fitness related activities. The therapeutic benefits of CBD include pain relief from muscle soreness.
Q: How would you describe the connection between yoga + climbing?
A: It’s interesting, on many levels, they’re very similar. On a physical level, they both require a lot of neurological connections and flexibility. You’re doing multiple complex movements at the same time. In yoga, your feet are doing one thing while your arms are doing something else. Climbing is very similar. You have different handholds and footholds and there’s a certain synchronicity that your body moves in to achieve your goal. At the mental level, climbing and yoga really require you to just stay present in your body. Climbing, you can’t be thinking about doing other things. You’re focused on what you’re doing right then and there or else you’re gonna fall off the wall. Yoga is the same too, if you’re doing a complex posture and you’re thinking about something else, you might fall out of that posture.
Q: How would you advise yogis interested in climbing to get into it?
A: Bouldering tends to be more powerful. You can think of it like a sprint - 10 moves to get to the top. When you’re on a rope climb, you’re doing more like 120 moves or more to get to the top. But people who do yoga already have a good base for it. They have great flexibility and ideal power-to-weight ratio. So they just have to go out and do it!
Interested in joining Olivia on a yoga/climbing retreat? Find out more here!
Q: What are your favorite yoga poses for climbing recovery?
A: I practice every day and feel that Sun Salutation A’s are always great. Sometimes I’ll modify quite a bit. If I’m doing Sun A’s for recovery, instead of doing a full chaturanga, I’ll come all the way down to the floor and do some shoulder corrective exercises or cobra before moving back into downward facing dog. The main thing is to listen to your body. Every day is a different day in yoga. There are days where you feel really good but you’re super tight vs days when you show up really sore on your mat, but you end up having a really great practice! It’s all about balance.
Q: How does CBD support your yoga + climbing practice
A: I’m relatively new to CBD, but I had many friends who swore by it for pain relief. They encouraged me to start using it because of my crossover with yoga and climbing. Aethics topical Muscle Rescue lotion is my favorite way to use CBD. It’s perfect for immediate relief from muscle soreness and the oil is great taken after a workout or in the evening before bed. Climbing and yoga are similar in that they demand constant practice to perform at your best, which can be a challenge if you’re dealing with muscle pain or soreness. CBD is quickly becoming a key tool in my recovery regimen.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is a compound extracted from the hemp plant. This compound helps regulate your body’s endocannabinoid system. CBD brings overall balance to your digestive and immune health, offering relief from pain, inflammation and anxiety while also helping those who suffer from seizures, insomnia and other medical conditions.
How to Use Aethics CBD Oil (use as directed):
Place 1 mL on your tongue. Wait 60-90 seconds before swallowing. Repeat up to 2x daily for maximum effect.
How to Use Aethics CBD Muscle Rescue Body lotion:
Spread on tired or aching muscles or joints to feel the CBD soothe and relieve affected areas.
Click here to learn more about Aethics products.
from Yoga Journal https://ift.tt/2SoaUiP
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#garthhewittyoga Reserve your spot today for visiting guest teacher @yogigarth coming to @guruvyoga #lakemary SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8th 10:30-12-30 SHIVA POWER CLASS 1:00-4:00 HIP OPENING WORKSHOP SUNDAY SEPT 9th 12:00-3:00 HANDSTANDS 4:00-6:00 SHIVA MEDITATION & PHILOSOPHY TALK Link: http://bit.ly/2lSKSpz GARTH HEWITT is a 500hr E-RYT, Teacher Trainer, Yoga Therapist, Certified Yogaworks Teacher, Certified DharmaYoga Teacher and has led Classes, Workshops, Retreats and Teacher Trainings in Los Angeles and around the world. Garth taught for several years at the original Yogaworks in Santa Monica and at Exhale – the Center for Sacred Movement in Venice. He led the first Pure Yoga Teacher Training, in Los Angeles, at Equinox, with Ashley Turner. He has been featured in and contributes regularly to: Yoga Journal, Men’s Health Magazine, Mantra Magazine, Yoganonymous and LA Yoga. Garth completed teacher training at Yogaworks in Santa Monica with Annie Carpenter & James Brown, mentoring with Annie Carpenter, advanced teacher training at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York, with Sri Dharma Mittra and additional advanced teacher training at Loyola Marymount University, with Srivatsa Ramaswami. He has spent time in Mysore, India, studying Ashtanga Yoga, with the Sri K. Patthabi Jois family, practicing with Saraswati Jois. He also completed the Yoga Therapy Rx program, at Loyola Marymount University, with Dr. Larry Payne and completed Yoga Tune Up® teacher training, with Jill Miller. Garth is the creator of the Shiva Yoga® style of yoga. His signature Shiva Vinyasa® & Shiva Power® classes focus on; setting intentions, practicing gratitude, concentration, surrender, balance, non-attachment and quieting the mind. He also teaches a signature Shiva Meditation® class, as well as pranayama, yoga nidra and seated meditation, and sees students privately. www.guruvyoga.com #guruvyoga #yogavibes #yogaeverydamnday (at Guruv Yoga Pilates Dance)
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5 Reasons to Go to a Yoga Festival This Summer
Too expensive. That was the main reason that kept me from going to yoga festivals for a long time. I thought, how many classes can one possibly take a day and how can it ever be worth it, spending so much money?
I got the chance to review my doubts when I got invited to the Yoga Conference Germany in Cologne. The experience reached far beyond the practice of yoga asanas. In those two days, I laughed until I cried and I cried until I laughed again.
I hugged strangers and became close friends with people I had known from yoga classes for a while but never really connected with. I sweat a whole ocean, I sang, I danced and slept like a baby—and overall I felt inspired, happy and in love with my life.
Yoga festivals are a special and often life-changing experience. In the summertime, there’s a yoga festival happening almost every weekend in the US and Canada, and I can’t wait to check them out.
Yes, these events can be pricey—but they don’t always have to be. Almost every festival offers selected classes and side-events for free. Most of them have spots open for volunteers that donate their time to support the festival team in exchange for free classes.
If you are still not sure about whether a day-long yoga celebration is the right jam for you, here my top 5 reasons to at least give it a try.
1) Relax and Re-new: A yoga festival is an active mini-retreat.
If a yoga class can be your mini-break from everyday routines of moving (or mostly not moving) and thinking (or mostly worrying), a yoga festival can be a mini-retreat and your go-to when you need quality-time for and with yourself.
Whether the event is happening in a far away place or right in your neighborhood, as soon as your feet touch the festival grounds, you are entering a completely different world. Everything here is set up to make you feel awesome! Far away from your daily routines and to-do-list(s), all you need is to exhale stress and enjoy the offerings of the program to relax and energize.
Yogis are known to be a mostly positive, warm and open community wired to connection, so don’t worry to come along on your own or bring a friend if you can.
2) Learn From Masters: Renowned yoga teachers share their personal practices.
Yoga festivals usually invite the most renowned teachers from all over the world that have dedicated their lives to yoga. Some of them teach traditional yoga styles like David Williams, who was one of the first Western students of Ashtanga founder Pattahbi Jois in Mysore, India.
Some teachers created their own yoga style like Dana Trixie Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi (Lotus Flow), Bryan Kest (Power Yoga), David Life and Sharon Gannon (Jivamukti Yoga). Some are known for their physical mastery of yoga poses, like the Canadian yoga Goddess Meghan Curry, while others have specialized in the philosophy and mythology of yoga, like Anna Kaivalya.
Where else do we have the opportunity to meet and practice with so many different expert yogis? It is extremely inspiring and motivating to listen to, and learn from, passionate teachers who live what they teach and teach what they live.
3) Be Inspired, Stay Inspired: Time to explore and discover new sides of YOU.
Most of us in everyday life stick to our one or two favourite teachers and beloved routines without hardly ever trying something new. Yoga festivals are a great opportunity to explore new territory.
Most yoga festivals offer a wide range of yoga styles and related topics. The die-hard Power Vinyasa Yogi might discover the bliss of Yin Yoga. The serious Ashtangi may fall in love with the playful AcroYoga. One might explore mindful and fun “sister” disciplines like aerial yoga, Thai yoga massage, dance, hula hoop or parkour. The others might find the time and peace to dig into meditation and breathing techniques.
As much as we need certain routines to save energy, the constant drive on auto-pilot, that many of us so easily get trapped into, can eventually make us feel chronically tired or even depressed. A weekend in the vast and colourful yoga world is opening the door to step out of our comfort zone. Meeting new people and absorbing new ideas can inspire us to a new perspective on our practice and on our life.
4) Unity in Diversity: Meet your tribe and celebrate togetherness.
Yoga attracts people of diverse cultural and social backgrounds. While the diversity of the community makes part of its beauty, separating concepts of our mind like age, nationality, gender, religious beliefs, or political backgrounds dissolve into a sphere of acknowledgement, yet insignificance, when you meet in yoga pants.
Breathing and moving together creates a sense of belonging with others around you and really brings the uniting practice of yoga to the forefront. Being present at a yoga festival allows us to celebrate that fact with other like-minded people, from all over the country or even the world, while celebrating the wonderfulness of the practice itself.
5) Wild and Free: Wholehearted living outside the comfort zone.
It is this open and safe space of acceptance that can open doors you might not have known even existed. Suddenly you catch yourself climbing on a stranger’s body in acroyoga as if you were born to do so. You take the courage to try that handstand off the wall and fail in laughter.
You gaze into a fellow student’s eyes in a partner meditation and don’t feel shame for tears running down your cheeks. You sing and dance your heart out at the Kirtan concert and forget that, just a minute ago, “chanting” didn’t seem to be your thing at all.
Are You a Yoga Festival Newbie? Here’s What You Need to Know
*Best deals: Look for Early Bird Prices OR apply to be a volunteer. This way, you are supporting your favorite yoga festival and get to go to classes for free. Yay!
* First-come, first-served: Reserve, if possible, or come to classes early and save your spot. Most workshops, especially those of very popular teachers, will be filled and sold out quickly.
*Plan your day: Prepare a schedule with favorite classes and one alternative class. That way you can quickly re-schedule if needed, and you still have enough time to go to a different location.
*What to expect: Hundreds of happy and gleaming people in pants or shorts. It can be overwhelming at first but don’t shy away: You are one of them. Latest after the first class you will feel it.* Plan wisely: It is best to alternate asana classes with physically less demanding classes like meditation, massage or mantra chanting. That way you are less likely to burn out and can enjoy the practice even more.
*Food and water: Don’t forget to take breaks to eat and digest. Most yoga festivals cater with delicious vegetarian and vegan meals and desserts. Treat yourself—your body needs the nutrients, and hey, this is your quality-time, remember?
*Pack list: You might need to bring your own yoga mat as not every festival offers rental mats. Also: Water bottle, towel, enough yoga wear to maybe change during the day and a cardigan or sweater for cosy Savasanas, healthy snacks like fruit and nuts, flip flops for changing locations and public bathrooms, tiger balm for sore muscles, tampons, since the next drugstore might be far, and a personal journal to note down every spontaneous insights you will probably have.
Don’t forget: Unless you are practicing aparigraha (Sanskrit for non-greediness or temperance), you might want to bring some extra cash and extra space in your luggage. There will be some stands with tempting yoga wear, Ayurvedic oils, yoga books, malas, etc.
It is the heart-opening mixture of intense practice and a supporting and warm community in yoga festivals that melts away our inner limitations. Beyond fear, (self-) doubts, and shame wakes a deeper truth of ourselves: We are full of potential. Our life can be ecstatic and adventurous. We are wild and free. We are love.
Image credit: YogoGirls
The post 5 Reasons to Go to a Yoga Festival This Summer appeared first on DOYOUYOGA.COM.
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New Post has been published on https://fitnesshealthyoga.com/13-important-indian-places-every-yogi-should-visit-india-yoga/
13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit | India + Yoga
Rishikesh
Chandresh Bhardwaj
Trying to come up with the perfect itinerary to fit your time frame—and not sure where to start, given India’s vastness? Here, Chandresh Bhardwaj, author of Break the Norms, and a seventh-generation spiritual teacher in New York and Los Angeles who leads multiple retreats in his homeland of India each year, shares his top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages every student of yoga should consider.
Contents
Holy Cities
Pilgrimages
Historical Sites
Important Places for Yoga
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Holy Cities
Prayagraj
This lesser-known holy city, formerly called Allahabad and renamed in late 2018 by a new government trying to build a more spiritual India, is located at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati Saraswati rivers. When the Kumbh Mela festival happens here (most recently in January 2019), it’s the largest: Up to 150 million pilgrims will travel from across the country and the world, and wait for days to bathe in the holy river.
See also Why Make a Yoga Pilgrimage?
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Haridwar
The Ganges—or Ganga, considered a living goddess—descends from its source in the Himalayas, called Gomukh, to the north Indian plains in Haridwar before making its way across the country and pouring into the Bay of Bengal. That’s why this city’s name means “gateway to god” and has been a center of Hindu religion and mysticism since ancient times. In Hindu mythology, Haridwar is also one of the four sites where drops of amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the celestial bird Garuda’s pitcher. This manifested in the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival that’s celebrated four times over the course of 12 years at four different pilgrimage sites, including Haridwar. Even when this famous festival isn’t happening, you can experience nightly Ganga Aarti ceremonies here.
See also
Learn the History of the Ganges River with Kumbha Mela
Varanasi
Varanasi
One of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth, Varanasi is also one of India’s holiest. Walk on the river’s banks, and you’ll hear the near-constant clanging of puja ceremonial bells and see the flicker of lamps illuminating the holy river at night. You’ll also see pilgrims bathing—and a maze of funeral pyres, where bodies burn along Varanasi’s cremation ghat, or river bank. “This is a city where death is honored, welcomed, and celebrated in a sacred way,” Bhardwaj says. “Many Indians believe that if the right rituals are done at the time of their death, they’ll achieve the ultimate goal—liberation of the constant cycle of being born, suffering, and going through the drama of living—if their body is burned or their ashes are scattered in Varanasi.”
See also Find Your True Self in Rishikesh
Rishikesh
Want to practice in the footsteps of the ancient yogis? Rishikesh, considered by many to be the yoga capital of India—of the world, really—is where yoga, tantra, and mantras were created, Bhardwaj says. “There’s such powerful energy here that even if you don’t practice asana or meditation and just keep yourself receptive and open, big things can happen,” he says. On the banks of the holy river Ganges you’ll find ashrams, temples, and shops, as well as a diverse, international group of spiritual seekers. When you’re there, don’t miss Ganga Aarti, a fire ceremony at the sacred bank called Triveni Ghat.
See also Reflect + Renew in Rishikesh, India
Pilgrimages
Gomukh
The Ganges, also known as Ma Ganga, is the most revered, sacred river in Hindu lore. When Ma Ganga was asked to descend to Earth from the heavens, she was insulted, so she decided to sweep away everything in her path with her waters once she reached the terrestrial plain. In order to protect the Earth from Ma Ganga’s force, Lord Shiva sat in the Himalayan mountain town of Gangotri and caught the powerful river in his hair, saving the Earth from cracking open. Thanks to Shiva, Ma Ganga’s celestial, purifying waters then flowed through India, and the devout travel to her banks to wash away sins and find salvation. A multi-day trek to Gomukh—the Gangotri Glacier that is the site of Ma Ganga’s headwaters—is the ultimate pilgrimage, Bhardwaj says.
See also Yoga Journal’s Pilgrimage to India
Kedarnath
This north Indian town nestled in the Himalayas is where Lord Shiva is believed to have meditated. Pilgrims make the 11-mile uphill trek to the Kedarnath Temple—which, due to extreme weather conditions, is open only from the end of April to early November—to worship him. “Passionate yogis who meditate there for a while often experience intense energies,” Bhardwaj says.
Himachal Pradesh
Chandresh Bhardwaj
Himachal Pradesh
This northern Indian state in the foothills of the Himalayas is home to countless goddess temples and monasteries, Bhardwaj says, as well as the 14th Dalai Lama’s monastery, where he currently lives and gives public discourses. “It’s an especially interesting place because of the combination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions,” Bhardwaj says.
See also Pursuit of Happiness
Badrinath
Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, one of the Hindu triad of gods along with Shiva and Brahma, is also one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Visiting the char dhams, which means “four abodes”—Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram—is something every Hindu must do during his or her lifetime, Bhardwaj says. “I think of Badrinath as the little brother of Kedarnath,” he says. “While Kedarnath is the homeland of Shiva, and has this intense energy as a result, Badrinath radiates a more holy, more Hindu energy.”
See also A Yogi’s Travel Guide to India
Historical Sites
Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
One of the most recognized monuments in existence, this mausoleum is also one of the seven wonders of the world—and a must-see when making the trek to India. Located in Agra (part of India’s popular Golden Triangle circuit, which also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the marble monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete—and cost the equivalent of approximately $800 million today. While this UNESCO World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to 8 million tourists visit each year), it’s well worth seeing.
See also 10 Destinations for Your Yoga Travel Bucket List
Pushkar
This town, located in the northeastern state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar Lake, a sacred Hindu site where pilgrims bathe along its ghats. It’s also home to the only temple of Brahma, the Hindu god known as the creator of the world, Bhardwaj says. “This is one of my all-time favorite places in India,” he says.
See also Kino MacGregor: India Is a Yoga Teacher
Hampi, Karnataka
The remains of more than 1,600 monuments are scattered over the 16-square-mile area of this UNESCO World Heritage site, which is the former capital of the Vijayanagar empire (in power from the 14th to 16th centuries). Amid the elegant ruins of medieval Indian culture, you’ll also find humbler shrines expressing the local villagers’ heartfelt devotion to Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the legendary Kishkinda, realm of the monkey gods, where Rama, one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, is said to have met the monkey god Hanuman on his quest to rescue his kidnapped wife, the goddess Sita.
See also 7 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling Through India
Important Places for Yoga
Mysore
Ashim D Silva
Mysore
Located in the southwestern state of Karnataka, this former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore is home to the opulent Mysore Palace and centuries-old Devaraja Market. Mysore was also home to Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, an Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer, and scholar who’s often referred to as the father of modern yoga. Yoga students may know it as the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, where the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute was established in 1948 and where Ashtanga practitioners from all over the world travel to practice and train.
See also 9 India Yoga Retreats That Will Change Your Life
Pune
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918 in Bellur, a city that was in the grip of the influenza pandemic at the time. An attack left Iyengar sick throughout his childhood, and when he was 16 years old, his brother-in-law—Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya—asked him to come to Mysore to help with the family. There, Iyengar started to learn asana, which steadily helped his health improve. In 1936, Krishnamacharya sent Iyengar to Pune to spread the teaching of yoga. Now, Pune is home to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute—which Iyengar opened in 1975, and is considered the heart and soul of Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar students from all over the world come here to practice and train with the institute’s esteemed teachers.
See also 7 Things to Know Before You Book Your First Yoga Retreat
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7 Ways to Boost Self-Acceptance from the Yoga Mat • Yoga Basics
I don’t remember exactly when in my childhood I started disliking my body and myself, but I do remember the moment that I finally started to love and accept myself. It was in April 2014 during a backbend in an Ashtanga Mysore class. My teacher was assisting me to go deeper than I ever had before. I felt something inside me crack open—not a physical crack, but one I definitely felt. As I came out of the pose I burst into tears, and my self-loathing started to flow out of me right along with the tears. The next day—for the first day since I was a child—I went about my day and didn’t think, let alone care, about what anyone else thought of my body.
While not everyone will have a sudden and definitive moment of clarity like I did, there are plenty of ways to steadily boost self-acceptance through yoga. Here are seven practical techniques to help you along on your self-acceptance journey.
1. Gift Yourself
Stepping onto the mat for an hour or so of practice is an act of generosity to yourself. Whatever the reason you originally rolled out the mat, realize it is a small gift you’ve given yourself; a little window of time away from the regular concerns and influences of life, like a mini-retreat. Each time you claim that hour of practice for yourself, you reinforce the notion that you are worthy of being nurtured.
2. Build Strength
We build our self-acceptance “muscle” in the same way we build our physical muscles. As we build strength in the body—particularly in the core—our confidence strengthens as well. Every action we make, from walking to reaching for things, begins in the core, so a stronger core naturally creates stronger movements.
A strong core boosts our confidence because housed in the core is the solar plexus chakra, Mani Pura, the center of our sense of self and self-love. The stronger your core, the more energy you give to this important chakra. Focus on building core strength by incorporating poses like navasana, plank, and chaturanga, as well as arm balances and jump-throughs, to your practice.
3. Release Stress with the Breath
When we are stressed, we sit within the sympathetic nervous system, meaning we’re in a constant state of fight or flight. When we are bound in this mode, we can’t access the higher thinking part of the brain, making it much harder for us to resist negative thoughts and influences and discern between real and imagined threat. We fall into old patterns and tell ourselves stories that aren’t true.
Focussing on the breath can help free us from fight or flight mode. By using the mind to maintain measured breathing, we can release negative chatter and experience instant stress relief. Taking it a little further and ensuring our exhales are a little longer than our inhales, we can start to let the parasympathetic nervous system take over, shifting us into relaxation mode. In relaxation mode we can regain control of the brain and choose more loving thoughts and actions.
4. Cultivate Body Awareness
As we continue to practice, we become more aware of ourselves, from the breath to the toes and everything in between. Yoga is a moving meditation that demands we pay attention to the details: how we move between asanas, how we place our limbs, and our breathing. The more we practice, the more we appreciate the body for what it can do rather than what it looks like.
5. Challenge Yourself
Our yoga mat should be a loving and non-judgemental place for us to be challenged. Finding and facing challenges on the yoga mat helps to build self-acceptance. With regular practice, poses that once felt completely beyond us become possible, and then eventually become easy. This natural progression transforms our belief in ourselves and our abilities, improving self-acceptance.
6. Emphasize Progression Over Perfection
Yoga is about making progress, not about perfecting anything. The physical practice of yoga is a tool and a journey, not a destination. Finding patience and joy in the process and meeting ourselves where we are helps us to let go of perfectionism, one of the greatest thieves of self-love and acceptance. The practice of accepting where we are on the mat, in turn, increases our acceptance of where we are in life.
7. Release the Issues in the Tissues
We are not born believing we are not enough. This belief comes later, works itself into certain areas of our body, and travels through life with us until we let it go. Any bodyworker and most yoga teachers will tell you about the emotional outpouring that occurs as you release and find ease within the physical body. Those who study fascia in particular, such as Tom Myers, James Oschmann, and Paul Grilley, suggest memories and trauma are stored in this strong and sturdy connective tissue. Yoga, especially yin, helps to release the fascia and the negativity that lives inside it.
The personal breakthrough I had during that backbend came about after years of regular, committed practice that incorporated all seven of these techniques. I still stumble and have setbacks once in a while just like anyone else, but with continued practice and awareness, I’m getting better and better at loving and accepting myself, and I believe that you can do the same.
About Erin Bourne
With the soul of a yogi, the heart of a punk rocker, and the mind of a scientist, Erin is not your average yoga teacher. A lifelong learner with a background in Exercise Science and Education, Erin is obsessed with all things movement and anatomy. She has studied advanced yoga and pilates, myofascial release, and dynamic neuromuscular stabilization, all of which she brings into her teaching and writing. She is an E-RYT500 and has been a yoga teacher for 10 years and a teacher trainer for six years. Read more by Erin here at Yoga Basics or in Australian Yoga Journal.
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Our top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages in India every student of yoga should consider.
Rishikesh
Trying to come up with the perfect itinerary to fit your time frame—and not sure where to start, given India’s vastness? Here, Chandresh Bhardwaj, author of Break the Norms, and a seventh-generation spiritual teacher in New York and Los Angeles who leads multiple retreats in his homeland of India each year, shares his top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages every student of yoga should consider.
Holy Cities
Prayagraj
This lesser-known holy city, formerly called Allahabad and renamed in late 2018 by a new government trying to build a more spiritual India, is located at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati Saraswati rivers. When the Kumbh Mela festival happens here (most recently in January 2019), it’s the largest: Up to 150 million pilgrims will travel from across the country and the world, and wait for days to bathe in the holy river.
See also Why Make a Yoga Pilgrimage?
Haridwar
The Ganges—or Ganga, considered a living goddess—descends from its source in the Himalayas, called Gomukh, to the north Indian plains in Haridwar before making its way across the country and pouring into the Bay of Bengal. That’s why this city’s name means “gateway to god” and has been a center of Hindu religion and mysticism since ancient times. In Hindu mythology, Haridwar is also one of the four sites where drops of amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the celestial bird Garuda’s pitcher. This manifested in the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival that’s celebrated four times over the course of 12 years at four different pilgrimage sites, including Haridwar. Even when this famous festival isn’t happening, you can experience nightly Ganga Aarti ceremonies here.
See also Learn the History of the Ganges River with Kumbha Mela
Varanasi
Varanasi
One of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth, Varanasi is also one of India’s holiest. Walk on the river’s banks, and you’ll hear the near-constant clanging of puja ceremonial bells and see the flicker of lamps illuminating the holy river at night. You’ll also see pilgrims bathing—and a maze of funeral pyres, where bodies burn along Varanasi’s cremation ghat, or river bank. “This is a city where death is honored, welcomed, and celebrated in a sacred way,” Bhardwaj says. “Many Indians believe that if the right rituals are done at the time of their death, they’ll achieve the ultimate goal—liberation of the constant cycle of being born, suffering, and going through the drama of living—if their body is burned or their ashes are scattered in Varanasi.”
See also Find Your True Self in Rishikesh
Rishikesh
Want to practice in the footsteps of the ancient yogis? Rishikesh, considered by many to be the yoga capital of India—of the world, really—is where yoga, tantra, and mantras were created, Bhardwaj says. “There’s such powerful energy here that even if you don’t practice asana or meditation and just keep yourself receptive and open, big things can happen,” he says. On the banks of the holy river Ganges you’ll find ashrams, temples, and shops, as well as a diverse, international group of spiritual seekers. When you’re there, don’t miss Ganga Aarti, a fire ceremony at the sacred bank called Triveni Ghat.
See also Reflect + Renew in Rishikesh, India
Pilgrimages
Gomukh
The Ganges, also known as Ma Ganga, is the most revered, sacred river in Hindu lore. When Ma Ganga was asked to descend to Earth from the heavens, she was insulted, so she decided to sweep away everything in her path with her waters once she reached the terrestrial plain. In order to protect the Earth from Ma Ganga’s force, Lord Shiva sat in the Himalayan mountain town of Gangotri and caught the powerful river in his hair, saving the Earth from cracking open. Thanks to Shiva, Ma Ganga’s celestial, purifying waters then flowed through India, and the devout travel to her banks to wash away sins and find salvation. A multi-day trek to Gomukh—the Gangotri Glacier that is the site of Ma Ganga’s headwaters—is the ultimate pilgrimage, Bhardwaj says.
See also Yoga Journal's Pilgrimage to India
Kedarnath
This north Indian town nestled in the Himalayas is where Lord Shiva is believed to have meditated. Pilgrims make the 11-mile uphill trek to the Kedarnath Temple—which, due to extreme weather conditions, is open only from the end of April to early November—to worship him. “Passionate yogis who meditate there for a while often experience intense energies,” Bhardwaj says.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
This northern Indian state in the foothills of the Himalayas is home to countless goddess temples and monasteries, Bhardwaj says, as well as the 14th Dalai Lama’s monastery, where he currently lives and gives public discourses. “It’s an especially interesting place because of the combination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions,” Bhardwaj says.
See also Pursuit of Happiness
Badrinath
Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, one of the Hindu triad of gods along with Shiva and Brahma, is also one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Visiting the char dhams, which means “four abodes”—Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram—is something every Hindu must do during his or her lifetime, Bhardwaj says. “I think of Badrinath as the little brother of Kedarnath,” he says. “While Kedarnath is the homeland of Shiva, and has this intense energy as a result, Badrinath radiates a more holy, more Hindu energy.”
See also A Yogi's Travel Guide to India
Historical Sites
Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
One of the most recognized monuments in existence, this mausoleum is also one of the seven wonders of the world—and a must-see when making the trek to India. Located in Agra (part of India’s popular Golden Triangle circuit, which also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the marble monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete—and cost the equivalent of approximately $800 million today. While this UNESCO World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to 8 million tourists visit each year), it’s well worth seeing.
See also 10 Destinations for Your Yoga Travel Bucket List
Pushkar
This town, located in the northeastern state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar Lake, a sacred Hindu site where pilgrims bathe along its ghats. It’s also home to the only temple of Brahma, the Hindu god known as the creator of the world, Bhardwaj says. “This is one of my all-time favorite places in India,” he says.
See also Kino MacGregor: India Is a Yoga Teacher
Hampi, Karnataka
The remains of more than 1,600 monuments are scattered over the 16-square-mile area of this UNESCO World Heritage site, which is the former capital of the Vijayanagar empire (in power from the 14th to 16th centuries). Amid the elegant ruins of medieval Indian culture, you’ll also find humbler shrines expressing the local villagers’ heartfelt devotion to Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the legendary Kishkinda, realm of the monkey gods, where Rama, one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, is said to have met the monkey god Hanuman on his quest to rescue his kidnapped wife, the goddess Sita.
See also 7 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling Through India
Important Places for Yoga
Mysore
Mysore
Located in the southwestern state of Karnataka, this former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore is home to the opulent Mysore Palace and centuries-old Devaraja Market. Mysore was also home to Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, an Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer, and scholar who’s often referred to as the father of modern yoga. Yoga students may know it as the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, where the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute was established in 1948 and where Ashtanga practitioners from all over the world travel to practice and train.
See also 9 India Yoga Retreats That Will Change Your Life
Pune
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918 in Bellur, a city that was in the grip of the influenza pandemic at the time. An attack left Iyengar sick throughout his childhood, and when he was 16 years old, his brother-in-law—Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya—asked him to come to Mysore to help with the family. There, Iyengar started to learn asana, which steadily helped his health improve. In 1936, Krishnamacharya sent Iyengar to Pune to spread the teaching of yoga. Now, Pune is home to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute—which Iyengar opened in 1975, and is considered the heart and soul of Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar students from all over the world come here to practice and train with the institute’s esteemed teachers.
See also 7 Things to Know Before You Book Your First Yoga Retreat
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Link
Our top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages in India every student of yoga should consider.
Rishikesh
Trying to come up with the perfect itinerary to fit your time frame—and not sure where to start, given India’s vastness? Here, Chandresh Bhardwaj, author of Break the Norms, and a seventh-generation spiritual teacher in New York and Los Angeles who leads multiple retreats in his homeland of India each year, shares his top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages every student of yoga should consider.
Holy Cities
Prayagraj
This lesser-known holy city, formerly called Allahabad and renamed in late 2018 by a new government trying to build a more spiritual India, is located at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati Saraswati rivers. When the Kumbh Mela festival happens here (most recently in January 2019), it’s the largest: Up to 150 million pilgrims will travel from across the country and the world, and wait for days to bathe in the holy river.
See also Why Make a Yoga Pilgrimage?
Haridwar
The Ganges—or Ganga, considered a living goddess—descends from its source in the Himalayas, called Gomukh, to the north Indian plains in Haridwar before making its way across the country and pouring into the Bay of Bengal. That’s why this city’s name means “gateway to god” and has been a center of Hindu religion and mysticism since ancient times. In Hindu mythology, Haridwar is also one of the four sites where drops of amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the celestial bird Garuda’s pitcher. This manifested in the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival that’s celebrated four times over the course of 12 years at four different pilgrimage sites, including Haridwar. Even when this famous festival isn’t happening, you can experience nightly Ganga Aarti ceremonies here.
See also Learn the History of the Ganges River with Kumbha Mela
Varanasi
Varanasi
One of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth, Varanasi is also one of India’s holiest. Walk on the river’s banks, and you’ll hear the near-constant clanging of puja ceremonial bells and see the flicker of lamps illuminating the holy river at night. You’ll also see pilgrims bathing—and a maze of funeral pyres, where bodies burn along Varanasi’s cremation ghat, or river bank. “This is a city where death is honored, welcomed, and celebrated in a sacred way,” Bhardwaj says. “Many Indians believe that if the right rituals are done at the time of their death, they’ll achieve the ultimate goal—liberation of the constant cycle of being born, suffering, and going through the drama of living—if their body is burned or their ashes are scattered in Varanasi.”
See also Find Your True Self in Rishikesh
Rishikesh
Want to practice in the footsteps of the ancient yogis? Rishikesh, considered by many to be the yoga capital of India—of the world, really—is where yoga, tantra, and mantras were created, Bhardwaj says. “There’s such powerful energy here that even if you don’t practice asana or meditation and just keep yourself receptive and open, big things can happen,” he says. On the banks of the holy river Ganges you’ll find ashrams, temples, and shops, as well as a diverse, international group of spiritual seekers. When you’re there, don’t miss Ganga Aarti, a fire ceremony at the sacred bank called Triveni Ghat.
See also Reflect + Renew in Rishikesh, India
Pilgrimages
Gomukh
The Ganges, also known as Ma Ganga, is the most revered, sacred river in Hindu lore. When Ma Ganga was asked to descend to Earth from the heavens, she was insulted, so she decided to sweep away everything in her path with her waters once she reached the terrestrial plain. In order to protect the Earth from Ma Ganga’s force, Lord Shiva sat in the Himalayan mountain town of Gangotri and caught the powerful river in his hair, saving the Earth from cracking open. Thanks to Shiva, Ma Ganga’s celestial, purifying waters then flowed through India, and the devout travel to her banks to wash away sins and find salvation. A multi-day trek to Gomukh—the Gangotri Glacier that is the site of Ma Ganga’s headwaters—is the ultimate pilgrimage, Bhardwaj says.
See also Yoga Journal's Pilgrimage to India
Kedarnath
This north Indian town nestled in the Himalayas is where Lord Shiva is believed to have meditated. Pilgrims make the 11-mile uphill trek to the Kedarnath Temple—which, due to extreme weather conditions, is open only from the end of April to early November—to worship him. “Passionate yogis who meditate there for a while often experience intense energies,” Bhardwaj says.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
This northern Indian state in the foothills of the Himalayas is home to countless goddess temples and monasteries, Bhardwaj says, as well as the 14th Dalai Lama’s monastery, where he currently lives and gives public discourses. “It’s an especially interesting place because of the combination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions,” Bhardwaj says.
See also Pursuit of Happiness
Badrinath
Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, one of the Hindu triad of gods along with Shiva and Brahma, is also one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Visiting the char dhams, which means “four abodes”—Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram—is something every Hindu must do during his or her lifetime, Bhardwaj says. “I think of Badrinath as the little brother of Kedarnath,” he says. “While Kedarnath is the homeland of Shiva, and has this intense energy as a result, Badrinath radiates a more holy, more Hindu energy.”
See also A Yogi's Travel Guide to India
Historical Sites
Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
One of the most recognized monuments in existence, this mausoleum is also one of the seven wonders of the world—and a must-see when making the trek to India. Located in Agra (part of India’s popular Golden Triangle circuit, which also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the marble monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete—and cost the equivalent of approximately $800 million today. While this UNESCO World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to 8 million tourists visit each year), it’s well worth seeing.
See also 10 Destinations for Your Yoga Travel Bucket List
Pushkar
This town, located in the northeastern state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar Lake, a sacred Hindu site where pilgrims bathe along its ghats. It’s also home to the only temple of Brahma, the Hindu god known as the creator of the world, Bhardwaj says. “This is one of my all-time favorite places in India,” he says.
See also Kino MacGregor: India Is a Yoga Teacher
Hampi, Karnataka
The remains of more than 1,600 monuments are scattered over the 16-square-mile area of this UNESCO World Heritage site, which is the former capital of the Vijayanagar empire (in power from the 14th to 16th centuries). Amid the elegant ruins of medieval Indian culture, you’ll also find humbler shrines expressing the local villagers’ heartfelt devotion to Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the legendary Kishkinda, realm of the monkey gods, where Rama, one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, is said to have met the monkey god Hanuman on his quest to rescue his kidnapped wife, the goddess Sita.
See also 7 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling Through India
Important Places for Yoga
Mysore
Mysore
Located in the southwestern state of Karnataka, this former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore is home to the opulent Mysore Palace and centuries-old Devaraja Market. Mysore was also home to Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, an Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer, and scholar who’s often referred to as the father of modern yoga. Yoga students may know it as the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, where the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute was established in 1948 and where Ashtanga practitioners from all over the world travel to practice and train.
See also 9 India Yoga Retreats That Will Change Your Life
Pune
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918 in Bellur, a city that was in the grip of the influenza pandemic at the time. An attack left Iyengar sick throughout his childhood, and when he was 16 years old, his brother-in-law—Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya—asked him to come to Mysore to help with the family. There, Iyengar started to learn asana, which steadily helped his health improve. In 1936, Krishnamacharya sent Iyengar to Pune to spread the teaching of yoga. Now, Pune is home to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute—which Iyengar opened in 1975, and is considered the heart and soul of Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar students from all over the world come here to practice and train with the institute’s esteemed teachers.
See also 7 Things to Know Before You Book Your First Yoga Retreat
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13 Important Indian Places Every Yogi Should Visit
Our top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages in India every student of yoga should consider.
Rishikesh
Trying to come up with the perfect itinerary to fit your time frame—and not sure where to start, given India’s vastness? Here, Chandresh Bhardwaj, author of Break the Norms, and a seventh-generation spiritual teacher in New York and Los Angeles who leads multiple retreats in his homeland of India each year, shares his top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages every student of yoga should consider.
Holy Cities
Prayagraj
This lesser-known holy city, formerly called Allahabad and renamed in late 2018 by a new government trying to build a more spiritual India, is located at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati Saraswati rivers. When the Kumbh Mela festival happens here (most recently in January 2019), it’s the largest: Up to 150 million pilgrims will travel from across the country and the world, and wait for days to bathe in the holy river.
See also Why Make a Yoga Pilgrimage?
Haridwar
The Ganges—or Ganga, considered a living goddess—descends from its source in the Himalayas, called Gomukh, to the north Indian plains in Haridwar before making its way across the country and pouring into the Bay of Bengal. That’s why this city’s name means “gateway to god” and has been a center of Hindu religion and mysticism since ancient times. In Hindu mythology, Haridwar is also one of the four sites where drops of amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the celestial bird Garuda’s pitcher. This manifested in the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival that’s celebrated four times over the course of 12 years at four different pilgrimage sites, including Haridwar. Even when this famous festival isn’t happening, you can experience nightly Ganga Aarti ceremonies here.
See also Learn the History of the Ganges River with Kumbha Mela
Varanasi
Varanasi
One of the oldest inhabited cities on Earth, Varanasi is also one of India’s holiest. Walk on the river’s banks, and you’ll hear the near-constant clanging of puja ceremonial bells and see the flicker of lamps illuminating the holy river at night. You’ll also see pilgrims bathing—and a maze of funeral pyres, where bodies burn along Varanasi’s cremation ghat, or river bank. “This is a city where death is honored, welcomed, and celebrated in a sacred way,” Bhardwaj says. “Many Indians believe that if the right rituals are done at the time of their death, they’ll achieve the ultimate goal—liberation of the constant cycle of being born, suffering, and going through the drama of living—if their body is burned or their ashes are scattered in Varanasi.”
See also Find Your True Self in Rishikesh
Rishikesh
Want to practice in the footsteps of the ancient yogis? Rishikesh, considered by many to be the yoga capital of India—of the world, really—is where yoga, tantra, and mantras were created, Bhardwaj says. “There’s such powerful energy here that even if you don’t practice asana or meditation and just keep yourself receptive and open, big things can happen,” he says. On the banks of the holy river Ganges you’ll find ashrams, temples, and shops, as well as a diverse, international group of spiritual seekers. When you’re there, don’t miss Ganga Aarti, a fire ceremony at the sacred bank called Triveni Ghat.
See also Reflect + Renew in Rishikesh, India
Pilgrimages
Gomukh
The Ganges, also known as Ma Ganga, is the most revered, sacred river in Hindu lore. When Ma Ganga was asked to descend to Earth from the heavens, she was insulted, so she decided to sweep away everything in her path with her waters once she reached the terrestrial plain. In order to protect the Earth from Ma Ganga’s force, Lord Shiva sat in the Himalayan mountain town of Gangotri and caught the powerful river in his hair, saving the Earth from cracking open. Thanks to Shiva, Ma Ganga’s celestial, purifying waters then flowed through India, and the devout travel to her banks to wash away sins and find salvation. A multi-day trek to Gomukh—the Gangotri Glacier that is the site of Ma Ganga’s headwaters—is the ultimate pilgrimage, Bhardwaj says.
See also Yoga Journal's Pilgrimage to India
Kedarnath
This north Indian town nestled in the Himalayas is where Lord Shiva is believed to have meditated. Pilgrims make the 11-mile uphill trek to the Kedarnath Temple—which, due to extreme weather conditions, is open only from the end of April to early November—to worship him. “Passionate yogis who meditate there for a while often experience intense energies,” Bhardwaj says.
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
This northern Indian state in the foothills of the Himalayas is home to countless goddess temples and monasteries, Bhardwaj says, as well as the 14th Dalai Lama’s monastery, where he currently lives and gives public discourses. “It’s an especially interesting place because of the combination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions,” Bhardwaj says.
See also Pursuit of Happiness
Badrinath
Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, one of the Hindu triad of gods along with Shiva and Brahma, is also one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Visiting the char dhams, which means “four abodes”—Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameswaram—is something every Hindu must do during his or her lifetime, Bhardwaj says. “I think of Badrinath as the little brother of Kedarnath,” he says. “While Kedarnath is the homeland of Shiva, and has this intense energy as a result, Badrinath radiates a more holy, more Hindu energy.”
See also A Yogi's Travel Guide to India
Historical Sites
Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
One of the most recognized monuments in existence, this mausoleum is also one of the seven wonders of the world—and a must-see when making the trek to India. Located in Agra (part of India’s popular Golden Triangle circuit, which also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the marble monument was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and 20,000 workers to complete—and cost the equivalent of approximately $800 million today. While this UNESCO World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to 8 million tourists visit each year), it’s well worth seeing.
See also 10 Destinations for Your Yoga Travel Bucket List
Pushkar
This town, located in the northeastern state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar Lake, a sacred Hindu site where pilgrims bathe along its ghats. It’s also home to the only temple of Brahma, the Hindu god known as the creator of the world, Bhardwaj says. “This is one of my all-time favorite places in India,” he says.
See also Kino MacGregor: India Is a Yoga Teacher
Hampi, Karnataka
The remains of more than 1,600 monuments are scattered over the 16-square-mile area of this UNESCO World Heritage site, which is the former capital of the Vijayanagar empire (in power from the 14th to 16th centuries). Amid the elegant ruins of medieval Indian culture, you’ll also find humbler shrines expressing the local villagers’ heartfelt devotion to Rama, Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the legendary Kishkinda, realm of the monkey gods, where Rama, one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, is said to have met the monkey god Hanuman on his quest to rescue his kidnapped wife, the goddess Sita.
See also 7 Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling Through India
Important Places for Yoga
Mysore
Mysore
Located in the southwestern state of Karnataka, this former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore is home to the opulent Mysore Palace and centuries-old Devaraja Market. Mysore was also home to Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, an Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer, and scholar who’s often referred to as the father of modern yoga. Yoga students may know it as the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, where the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute was established in 1948 and where Ashtanga practitioners from all over the world travel to practice and train.
See also 9 India Yoga Retreats That Will Change Your Life
Pune
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918 in Bellur, a city that was in the grip of the influenza pandemic at the time. An attack left Iyengar sick throughout his childhood, and when he was 16 years old, his brother-in-law—Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya—asked him to come to Mysore to help with the family. There, Iyengar started to learn asana, which steadily helped his health improve. In 1936, Krishnamacharya sent Iyengar to Pune to spread the teaching of yoga. Now, Pune is home to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute—which Iyengar opened in 1975, and is considered the heart and soul of Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar students from all over the world come here to practice and train with the institute’s esteemed teachers.
See also 7 Things to Know Before You Book Your First Yoga Retreat
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#workshopweekend GARTH HEWITT @yogigarth Coming in September @guruvyoga Studios #lakemary SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8th 10:30am SHIVA Power Class 1:00-4:00 HIP OPENING WORKSHOP SUNDAY, SEPT 9th 12:00-3pm HANDSTANDS 4:00-6pm SHIVA MEDITATION & PHILOSOPHY Link: http://bit.ly/2lSKSpz Garth is a 500hr E-RYT, Teacher Trainer, Yoga Therapist, Certified Yogaworks Teacher, Certified DharmaYoga Teacher and has led Classes, Workshops, Retreats and Teacher Trainings in Los Angeles and around the world. Garth taught for several years at the original Yogaworks in Santa Monica and at Exhale – the Center for Sacred Movement in Venice. He led the first Pure Yoga Teacher Training, in Los Angeles, at Equinox, with Ashley Turner. He has been featured in and contributes regularly to: Yoga Journal, Men’s Health Magazine, Mantra Magazine, Yoganonymous and LA Yoga. Garth completed teacher training at Yogaworks in Santa Monica with Annie Carpenter & James Brown, mentoring with Annie Carpenter, advanced teacher training at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York, with Sri Dharma Mittra and additional advanced teacher training at Loyola Marymount University, with Srivatsa Ramaswami. He has spent time in Mysore, India, studying Ashtanga Yoga, with the Sri K. Patthabi Jois family, practicing with Saraswati Jois. He also completed the Yoga Therapy Rx program, at Loyola Marymount University, with Dr. Larry Payne and completed Yoga Tune Up® teacher training, with Jill Miller. Garth is the creator of the Shiva Yoga® style of yoga. His signature Shiva Vinyasa® & Shiva Power® classes focus on; setting intentions, practicing gratitude, concentration, surrender, balance, non-attachment and quieting the mind. He also teaches a signature Shiva Meditation® class, as well as pranayama, yoga nidra and seated meditation, and sees students privately for Yoga Therapy sessions. www.guruvyoga.com #yogavibes #lakemaryyoga #orlandoyoga #garthhewittyoga #shivapower #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspiration (at Guruv Yoga Pilates Dance)
#workshopweekend#lakemary#yogavibes#lakemaryyoga#orlandoyoga#garthhewittyoga#shivapower#yogaeverydamnday#yogainspiration
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#workshopweekend Meet GARTH HEWITT @yogigarth Coming in September to @guruvyoga Studios #lakemary SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8th 10:30am SHIVA Power Class 1:00-4:00 HIP OPENING WORKSHOP SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9th 12:00-3pm HANDSTAND WORKSHOP 4:00-6pm SHIVA MEDITATION & PHILOSOPHY Link: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=2684&stype=-8&sTG=11&sVT=3&sView=day&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000242&date=09%2F08%2F18 Garth is a 500hr E-RYT, Teacher Trainer, Yoga Therapist, Certified Yogaworks Teacher, Certified DharmaYoga Teacher and has led Classes, Workshops, Retreats and Teacher Trainings in Los Angeles and around the world. Garth taught for several years at the original Yogaworks in Santa Monica and at Exhale – the Center for Sacred Movement in Venice. He led the first Pure Yoga Teacher Training, in Los Angeles, at Equinox, with Ashley Turner. He has been featured in and contributes regularly to: Yoga Journal, Men’s Health Magazine, Mantra Magazine, Yoganonymous and LA Yoga. Garth completed teacher training at Yogaworks in Santa Monica with Annie Carpenter & James Brown, mentoring with Annie Carpenter, advanced teacher training at the Dharma Yoga Center in New York, with Sri Dharma Mittra and additional advanced teacher training at Loyola Marymount University, with Srivatsa Ramaswami. He has spent time in Mysore, India, studying Ashtanga Yoga, with the Sri K. Patthabi Jois family, practicing with Saraswati Jois. He also completed the Yoga Therapy Rx program, at Loyola Marymount University, with Dr. Larry Payne and completed Yoga Tune Up® teacher training, with Jill Miller. Garth is the creator of the Shiva Yoga® style of yoga. His signature Shiva Vinyasa® & Shiva Power® classes focus on; setting intentions, practicing gratitude, concentration, surrender, balance, non-attachment and quieting the mind. He also teaches a signature Shiva Meditation® class, as well as pranayama, yoga nidra and seated meditation, and sees students privately for Yoga Therapy sessions. www.guruvyoga.com #yogavibes #lakemaryyoga #orlandoyoga #garthhewittyoga #shivapower #yogaeverydamnday #yogainspiration (at Guruv Yoga Pilates Dance)
#orlandoyoga#yogaeverydamnday#workshopweekend#yogainspiration#lakemary#lakemaryyoga#garthhewittyoga#shivapower#yogavibes
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