by Mia Barnes
Yoga retreats and meditation retreats offer similar wellness benefits. While many yoga practices have a meditative aspect, meditation can stand alone as a mental discipline for relaxation and self-awareness. Here’s what to consider when booking your next getaway.
Comparing Yoga Retreats and Meditation Retreats
Photo courtesy of Art of Living Retreat Center in North Carolina
Yoga and meditation retreats come in all shapes and sizes. It’s sometimes challenging to compare the two. However, one difference is that the former includes much more physical activity. For example, you may wake up with an invigorating Ashtanga flow and do an intensive Yin session in the evening. Some retreats focus on yoga’s spiritual aspects, while others dig deeper into the physical postures.
A meditation retreat can look quite different. For one, it’s generally quieter. At some retreats, the mere act of sitting in silence with others has the power to heal. While you may mentally explore complex emotions such as grief, doing it in a shared environment helps you feel less alone without saying a word. You may spend several days without speaking, proceeding through activities at the sound of a gong or bell or on your own.
Photo courtesy of Miraval
Do You Have to Choose?
Both retreat styles offer impressive health benefits, easing stress, improving your mental outlook and developing a sense of calm. However, there may be times when one is more appropriate than the other.
For example, people with migraines may be unable to participate in physical activities during an attack. Meditation can be lovely during the prodrome phase. This stage presages an upcoming migraine and includes symptoms like fatigue, clumsiness, changes in mood, more frequent yawning and urination and auras, which can range from mild visual disturbances to partial paralysis.
Since attacks can be unpredictable, some people appreciate a combination approach. Fortunately, many wellness retreat centers offer both practices, plus various other healing modalities.
Attending such a center is perfect for people with dynamic disabilities, where symptoms come and go. While a flare up can ruin a traditional vacation, a wellness retreat focuses on health from the start. Such centers allow participants to choose from a range of activities. Modern interest in alternative wellness has resulted in a myriad of such wellness retreat centers around the globe featuring experts such as these at Round Hill & Villas in Jamaica.
Tips for Choosing the Correct Retreat Experience
Your best advice for selecting a yoga or meditation retreat is to speak with others who have attended past events. If this isn’t possible, read online reviews from past attendees. Compare clients’ descriptions of their getaways with what the company promises on their pages. Does it sing to your soul? The right retreat should get you abuzz with anticipation.
Instead of booking online, call the resort or retreat to get a feel for their customer service, If the center is nearby, you might even visit in person first to check out the vibe — is it a good fit? Ask questions such as:
- Which activities does the cost include? Do they require any additional fee?
- How much free time do participants have?
- How much flexibility will you have to select the activities that interest you most?
- How does the center handle dietary restrictions? What are the lodging accommodations like?
- Do attendees need to observe specific restrictions, such as not speaking?
You can also request reviews when calling or visiting the retreat center to plan your getaway. Above all, listen to your instincts. What does your heart tell you that you need?
Yoga Retreats vs. Meditation Retreats
Meditation and yoga retreats offer similar benefits. While yoga retreats typically involve more physical activity, both contain a spiritual component. Finding your ideal experience requires mindfulness. Explore your options and listen to your instincts to discover a getaway that heals your soul.
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Other articles by Mia Barnes: Tips for staying healthy and comfortable on long-haul flights and What is Ecotourism. Why it matters and how you can participate Mia Barnes is Editor-in-Chief at Body+Mind
