Retreat Yourself!

We are delighted to introduce our guest blogger Tammy Jones:

Stretch the Imagination…
More than just a holiday, a yoga retreat can be an inspirational and transformative experience that you’ll never forget...

Early morning starts, detox diets and plenty of exercise, may not sound like a relaxing holiday choice to some but as Yoga becomes ever-more mainstream, each year a greater variety of yoga retreats are on offer.

A retreat is a sanctuary away from everyday life, where it is possible to properly unwind and recharge batteries. Often set in stunning, usually secluded locations that make the most of what nature has to offer, a yoga retreat is so much more than just going somewhere beautiful to relax.

A Yoga retreat is ‘Active Relaxation’.  Like anything in life, guests get out what they put in and it actually requires the right kind of effort to relax properly.  The temporary relief of a conventional holiday, sitting by the pool just sipping cocktails may be a quick fix for stress, but a yoga retreat provides long-term well-being benefits, that don’t fade away as quickly as a tan does.  

Whatever your ‘yogabilities’, there are plenty of benefits

For beginners, a retreat is the ideal introduction to yoga that provides a fun personal challenge and learning experience, where one can gain new perspectives, meet new people who come from all walks of life, in a shared interest. 

For those who are all too familiar with upward and downward facing dog, retreats offer the chance to go deeper into their yoga practice, so intermediates learn more about the principles and techniques of yoga to initiate or deepen their yoga practice.

For the adept yogi, a retreat is an annual pilgrimage, a necessity to re-sharpen focus on cultivating inner stillness, strength and balance. 

Ultimately, the ideal yoga retreat is totally based on personal preference and often one can wind up making a choice based on a ‘gut feeling’. However, the choice made can really allow a sense of development of oneself, and create space for the perspective to assess what's important in life.  Peace, strength, serenity, renewed lust for life and better health are just some of the souvenirs to bring home.

Here is a snippet of the Mountain Air Yoga Retreat which will take place Aug 11^th-18^th 2012
http://vimeo.com/30589378

Tammy Jones is a London based yoga teacher who runs a variety of classes and workshops for all levels. She organises and attends many yoga retreats, including the  ‘Mountain Air Yoga Retreat’ in the French Alps. She has practiced yoga for 15 years and has been teaching for 5 years. See www.tammysyoga.co.uk for more info and booking.