Yoga Wellness Retreat

The first yoga wellness retreats attract the famous pop band The Beatles. So, the world-famous trendsetters went to India in 1967 on a yoga wellness retreat. 

To decompress from a demanding world tour, the musicians definitely need a yoga and wellness retreat.

When they meet the yoga guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi they receive initiation. Essentially, to receive initiation means indoctrination into a yoga wellness lifestyle or “practice.” In this case, it includes receiving a mantra to practice TM-Transcendental Meditation.

Wellness Lifestyle or Fleeting Trend?

However, after the yoga retreat, the wellness lifestyle was short-lived for three of the four Beatles. All but George Harrison took yoga as a passing trend. His songs reflect the change making him a more introspective person. For example, “My Sweet Lord” lyrically chanted the Hare Krishna devotional. But, let’s get back to the health and fitness that most of us seek in yoga practice.

Yoga Wellness Retreats cater to droves of Beatles fans exploring the wellness lifestyle of yoga and meditation.

By the end of the 60s, the focus moves onto more psychedelic pursuits for expanding the mind. Escaping reality comes with the Viet Nam war. However, Hollywood trendsetters still favor the physical yoga practice, which keeps the fitness lifestyle retreat business alive. Then the movement trickles down to a fanatic few by the early seventies. Living and teaching for two years full-time at the Integral Yoga Institute of Los Angeles put me at the heart of the yoga movement. In fact, our residential location in the Hollywood hills and teaching center location put us at the forefront of this celebrity movement.

Celebrity Yogis fuel the Trend

Hosting yoga wellness retreats for hundreds proves the influence celebrities have on trends. Top actors and musicians support a movement and it snowballs. In my late teens, my first professional yoga teaching assignments put me on college campuses, high-end society clubs, prisons, and mental health facilities. My modest yoga teacher pajamas represent a mission to share the lifestyle everywhere. As yoga teachers, we represent an elite group of influencers. Like any passing trend, people move on to the next shiny object.

Yoga Expose’

Unfortunately, the famous yoga swami indoctrinating us into vows of celibacy and avoidance of all things worldly gets caught. So, the New York Village Voice, exposes him taking advantage of his young secretary. Her wedding night proves to be a disaster when her groom learns that the swami deflowered his bride. The groom, director of a large teaching center, calls all fifteen directors across the country informing us about the scandal. Consequently, the swami loses popularity in a breach of trust after those of us renounce all sensual pleasure according to his teacher’s criteria.

The Dry Decades of Yoga- Mainstream Gyms Refuse to Offer Yoga Classes

By the mid-nineties, a self-respecting yoga teacher couldn’t get teaching opportunities in mainstream gyms. I was told by the owner of a large Golds Gym where I taught several group exercise classes, “Forget yoga, it’s too esoteric!” Esoteric? Okay, just wait a few more years and consider a yoga revisit.

“Forget yoga, it’s too esoteric!”

Yoga makes a resurgence by the late 90s when the fitness industry recognizes it as a “Mind-Body Fitness.”

Yoga is now in the category of Mind-Body Fitness along with Pilates, Tai Chi, and Feldenkrais. To follow the new trend, certification agencies begin to market credentials at weekend workshops and yoga wellness retreats. Fitness marketers devise various new themes for brands. All of this is good when it brings new exercisers into activity. However, the departure from the original theme is so rampant that I believe it’s time for a rant on the real meaning of yoga.

it’s time for a rant on the real meaning of yoga.

The literal translation of the word YOGA comes from the Sanskrit language meaning, “union”.

Sanskrit, like Latin, is a dead language whose origin is key to learning many modern dialects. “Union” of what? Union of body and mind. The yogis believe that the highest purpose of yoga is to realize the Self, the absolutely pure spirit of a being.

physical postures can be beneficial …

In order to get in touch with one’s self, certain physical postures can be beneficial to maintain the ability to relax. Therefore, one can transcend the distraction of physical discomfort. Only then can an individual relate to an inner spirit or higher calling. Do this with the achievement of meditation.

The more lofty form of yoga is Raja yoga, the science of the mind.

Yoga wellness retreats often teach Raja yoga classes while using physical Hatha yoga postures as a preliminary to meditation. Concentration is the primer for meditation. Meditation is the most advanced form of concentration. Mainstream yoga classes are not conducive to basic concentration, much less meditation. Why? When the room is so hot that all you can think about is tolerating the discomfort it’s a distraction. But it’s not just hot yoga that deviates.

Distractions are an outward focus.

Likewise, while you stare at yourself and others in the mirror, it’s an outward focus.  The focus is on how you relate to the others in the room, how you compare, and how your body looks and performs. This all takes place on a very superficial and physical level. This is not conducive to concentration, let alone meditation.

In summary, tolerating discomfort is discipline.

The yoga wellness retreat or practice environment must first be appropriate for establishing indrawn awareness. That means that all outward distractions are at a minimum. Classic yoga practitioners will avoid mirrors in the room at all costs. Existing mirrors need covering so that participants are not drawn outward to the exterior focus.

How does yoga teach one the ability to concentrate?

The practice room is dimly lit. The instructor does minimal demonstration if any. After a brief overview of the class format, the instructor encourages participants to listen to precise directions. Furthermore, maintaining closed eyes heightens awareness and reduces outward distractions. Each attempt to focus becomes more successful with practice.

At a yoga wellness retreat, instructions must be verbally concise guiding the class into the most suitable interpretation of the physical movements.

Intuition toward one’s body enables appropriate interpretation of performing physical postures for the individual. This is not possible with excessive visual demonstrations by others. The influence of a visual demo is misleading to an individual who may not be able to posture exactly as seen. Negative feelings of inadequacy by the emphasis on the performance of others do not encourage.

If you are still with my diatribe on yoga wellness retreats,

You will easily understand when I state that most of today’s trendy yoga followers will never make it into a state of indrawn awareness. To focus within is to develop the true ability to do yoga–to unite the body and mind.

Virtual Meditation includes goal-guided visualization audio.

Try audio to sharpen your daily goal focus. Virtual meditation is by the use of audio rather than visuals. 

Receptive people can get motivation through the use of goal guidance audio. 

The goal-guiding visualization audios have three stages beginning with relaxation. The second stage is goal visualization and the third stage is meditation. Not every session will result in meditation as that comes with consistent practice. Great progress happens through the visualization of one’s goals. The details of your personal goals audio works best.

More from yoga wellness retreats

Self-actualization comes once the mind perceives goals as attainable. Here is where your personal faith and belief system come in according to your personal values. Try my free audios on SoundCloud and find your own yoga wellness retreat.

Yoga for the sake of yoga, or for your particular needs?

At Debra’s Retreats, there will be two mainstay services. You get both with either of my custom retreats Golf Fitness Retreat, and Yoga Weight Loss Retreat.

1. Posture correction exercise assessment by posture corrective yoga stretches and postures.
2. Nutrition best practices you can take home.

Questions? Choose your best day and time to start with a 15-minute introductory talk and add it to my calendar right here.

About the author …

If you are ready to immerse yourself in a wellness lifestyle, consider my private yoga wellness retreat residence for a minimum stay of one week. Try a weekend yoga wellness getaway! [formidable id=”13″] Yoga Retreat Finder