Using Yoga to Holiday with a Purpose
Finding Purpose in Paradise - By Orla Carlin
Reading time: 3 minutes
If flights and holidays are within your budget it might be a good idea to add a bit of purpose to your next vacation. We all know when we book a beach holiday, it is relaxing but at times chilling at the pool for a week or two can become a bit monotonous.
Being single added to that, can also make holidays fun but maybe lacking a bit of structure and authentic socialisation. Of course solo travel can be amazing, but if you feel like you would rather not plan your days, then a European yoga retreat might be for you.
There are many yoga retreats available which provide daily yoga classes, excursions, food and accommodation. I decided to fly to Corfu for a 5 day yoga retreat. I was welcomed at the airport from the hotel owner, she included the airport ride with the retreat.
Myself and a Swiss girl enjoyed the ride to the hotel. We arrived in the evening to an amazing and scrumptious dinner buffet. The grilled eggplant with cheese alongside creamy potatoes and fresh salads really fueled me for the upcoming five days.
I woke up the next day at 6am naturally because I was really excited. I opened my balcony doors and the ocean waves were crashing not far from my hotel window. The surrounding mountains enveloped me in as if I were in some majestic postcard snap.
I made my way to my first yoga class which was Hatha yoga. The class was by the sea and the sun blasted down on our faces. After this class I met the rest of the retreaters. We laughed, giggled and hurried to breakfast. We stayed and chatted for hours as the groups were so diverse.
Dinner is included daily but at times we decided to splash out a bit and dine at the local restaurant. The retreat also included daily hikes, kayaking and quad bike trips. One day we drove to corfu town and explored the old city. We always made is back, ready and energized for our evening vinyasa flow.
The teacher was amazing and really differentiated for everyone. The environment was inclusive, so if anyone feel over there was room for acknowledgement of mistakes and reframing how we see our bodies and flexibility levels.
I think the thing that hits differently with a yoga holiday is that you are really forced in a beautiful way to immerse your whole days into the practice and poses. When we go about our daily lives, yoga can be something that is not available to us daily and we may not always reap the benefits. This mights be do financial costs, busy schedules or living in areas with under developed yoga infrastructure.
Retreats can really test how we plan to use yoga in the future and what it really means for us. The retreat includes people from all walks of life, engaging in the practice to elevate themselves in a collective way.
Holidaying with a purpose can really bring a new meaning to vacations, why not do it with your one passion that is yoga? I left the retreat with friends for life.
Simply Google 'book yoga retreat' and the world of yoga is yours.
