| |
While the distinction between a yoga holiday and a
yoga retreat is not always clear, (sometimes, even the organisers have
not thought enough about how to accurately name their course), there is
quite a difference in terms of focus and general feel or atmosphere.
Generally speaking, a yoga holiday is primarily an activity holiday.
The time devoted daily to yoga usually won't exceed four hours, in one,
or possibly two daily classes, and you will have time for other
activities or just to relax and chill out. The location should reflect
this, with a beach or other notable attractions nearby. The atmosphere
is often relaxed, and it is usually a great opportunity to meet other
like-minded people. On a retreat, on the other hand, the yoga schedule
is likely to be more intense, possibly including some meditation, times
of silence, etc. The main focus is no longer to enjoy yourself on
holiday, but to deepen your yoga practice. Again, the choice of
location should reflect this, with a quiet, possibly remote location.
Retreats should be fully residential, the food vegetarian, and meal
times carefully thought out to fit smoothly within the daily yoga
routine. You will find more 'hard core' yogis and yoginis on retreats,
and the overall atmosphere can be quite serious, with much less 'free'
time. Unless you are quite certain that yoga is your thing, and want to
move your practice to the next level, a yoga holiday rather than a yoga
retreat may be the best choice for your first time doing yoga away from
home.
Going alone is not a problem. In fact, the vast
majority of people going on yoga course go on their own. The downside
to going on your own is that you might have to share a room with one or
more complete strangers, but at least, you will know that, like you,
they have a keen interest in yoga, and great friendships are formed on
yoga courses. If you decide not to go on your own, choose your
companion(s) carefully. A few yoga centres will welcome guests who
don't do yoga, but in most cases, and certainly in the case of a
retreat, yoga should be a shared interest with your prospective travel
companion, so if you don't want to go alone, a yoga buddy is a far
better choice than your new boyfriend (unless, of course, you met him
on a yoga weekend!)
The yoga holiday market is now becoming
increasingly competitive, and main stream travel agents are moving in,
sometimes with disastrous results. Unlike yoga
teachers and dedicated venues,
they do not always understand the particular requirements of what is
still very much a niche market. Complaints about such new comers to the
yoga holiday market, who often have operated successfully in other
branches of the tourist trade such as the organisation of seminars or
other types of package holidays, are their lack of understanding of the
specificity of the yoga market, particularly in relation to diet
(vegetarian and vegan options are not always available) and the
unsuitability of the venues chosen, which are often large, soulless
resorts, sometimes shared with a crowd of rowdy drunks (as happened to
me in Goa a few years ago).
All this is not very conducive to peace of mind, so it is best to avoid
large operators and stick with small, dedicated venues. There are a lot
of them to choose from all over the world, and new ones are sprouting
up every where so there's a large choice of destinations at any time of
the year! Sun destinations such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Turkey,
Italy, and the south of France tend to be most popular in the European
summer while in the winter; India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mexico and the
Caribbean tend to be favourites. There are also a number of other
locations which don't emphasise the 'sun' part including Scotland,
various parts of England, Ireland,
Finland, Canada, Austria to name just a few. See for example the yoga centres listing of the yogaholidays.net
site. Even thought they might not be right up on the beach, these
venues are chosen for their quietness and are far more suited to the
practice of yoga than large tourist resorts.
Perhaps more important than the location is the
teacher and the style of yoga. Remember you will be stuck with your
choice for the duration of the course, so a bit of thinking may be in
order. The best, of course, is to choose a teacher you have already
studied with, perhaps in the context of weekly classes or a short
workshop. Second best, is to get an opinion from someone who has been
on a holiday/retreat with a particular teacher before. If this is not
possible, you might find some useful information on the Internet, as
most established teachers now have websites. This should at least give
you an idea of who they are and of whether their style of teaching (and
style of yoga) will suit you. If nothing else, don't be afraid to ask
the teacher such questions as who they studied with, how long they have
been practicing and how long they have been teaching yoga. Try to ring
rather than email, as you'll get a far better idea over the phone. Tell
the teacher about your yoga experience, level of fitness and your
expectation for the retreat so they can advise you properly on
suitability. Usually they don't want to be stuck with the wrong student
any more that you want to be stuck with the wrong teacher, so they will
advise you honestly. It is also recommended to try the style of yoga
that will be taught as part of the holiday/retreat by taking a few
classes in your area, just to be sure that it will suit you, before
booking.
Check whether you'll need a yoga mat (if you have
your own, it best to bring it anyway). Bring some reading, yogic or
not, and don't forget your practice clothes!
Have a look at the yogaholidays.net
course listing.
Christophe is the Webmaster of yogaholidays.net. He runs a yoga retreat centre on
Clare Island, off the West coast of Ireland, and has been
teaching yoga holidays and retreats worldwide for the past 9 years.
|
|
