Retreating is Definitely
Not for the Faint-Hearted
SUE BRATTLE
Silent, Yoga, Spa, Spiritual – Choose Carefully and Enjoy
EVERYONE who’s been on a retreat says the same thing – the first few days are the hardest as your mind and body struggle with missing the luxuries in life. So I must admit to cheating on that score.
I’ve done a five-day yoga retreat in India, where the chef and a health practitioner chatted with me on arrival and tailored my meals around my dietary needs. I’ve done a five-day mind and body detox in England, at a health spa so posh that one lady had her new mink coat brought to her from London for a fitting. And during the coronavirus restrictions I helped to organise a half-day nourishing retreat in Hong Kong, which isn’t long enough to miss any of life’s luxuries.
I’m possibly best suited to the half-day or one-day retreat. I see the attraction for longer ones, and am tempted to try a silent retreat just to see what my mind chooses to dwell on. There’s also that moment on a longer retreat when you really feel the benefit of what you’re doing.
But there’s also that moment (for me) when I look around and feel uncomfortable with the indulgence of paying a fortune to “get away from it all”. In the future, it’s home-made or cheap as chips for me, because the guilt isn’t worth it.
Having said that, being able to focus on yourself for a few days is undoubtedly good for mind, body and soul. The Shreyas Yoga Retreat, about an hour’s drive outside Bangalore, is variously listed among the top 10 in India. Set in 25 acres, it offers very comfortable chalet accommodation dotted around its 25 acres, each with a bathroom including a large walk-in rain shower.
This means that when you’re not eating, doing your two yoga and one chanting sessions a day, or learning about healthy cooking from the chef, you can escape from everyone. You can also help out in the organic vegetable garden (my favourite bit), and take food to a nearby orphanage which the retreat staff prepare twice a week.
Champneys Health Spa in Tring, Hertfordshire, is a sprawling country estate once owned by the Rothschild family. Set in 170 acres, it’s the mother ship of the Champneys brand, opening as a spa in 1925. You take exercise or yoga classes, get a health appraisal, you can take on a personal trainer, cycle or jog in the grounds, and the food and rooms are wondrous.
The overnight package is probably a good idea; I did five days on my own a few years back and the evenings do drag a bit, although I felt fantastic by the end.
The half-day retreat in Hong Kong (where we live) is a different story altogether. Led by a yoga professional, a meditation teacher armed with singing bowls, and me with a sheaf of my favourite poems, it was amazing how effective five or six hours spent with like-minded people in someone’s living room could be.
We started with yoga, then free-form dance, a half-hour yoga nidra (meditation in an induced half-sleeping state), poetry and lemongrass tea, then lunch (supplied by a professional Indian chef who lives nearby) and another meditation. We paid by donation, however much we could afford. Obviously driven by travel restrictions, this home-made retreat was an eye-opener and we vowed we would definitely do something similar soon.
The trappings of luxury are wonderful, but I did enjoy feeling refreshed without going on a guilt trip.
Top photo by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
SHREYAS is currently advertising its stays at US$380 (£300). They send a car and driver to Bangalore airport to pick you up. Champneys offers a huge range of packages. COVID-19 is affecting all of our travel plans and all such businesses, so you must check directly with them first.
To create your own retreat, a top tip is to get the best yoga teacher you can find to hold the event together – and a good (vegan) lunch was appreciated by everyone after a morning’s activities. Alternatively, there are lots of yoga and meditation sessions online you could use.
July 2020
THE SHREYAS YOGA RETREAT site has lots of information and a picture gallery, and you can book your stay online. READ MORE
FULL DETAILS of the Tring resort and others run by Champneys can be found on the company’s website. READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
Disclosure: Afaranwide is an affiliate of leading travel operators such as Booking.com and Japan Rail Pass. If you purchase through our site we receive, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. We only work with companies we have used and recommend.
LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH!
Retreating is Definitely
Not for the Faint-Hearted
SUE BRATTLE
Silent, Yoga, Spa, Spiritual – Choose Carefully and Enjoy
EVERYONE who’s been on a retreat says the same thing – the first few days are the hardest as your mind and body struggle with missing the luxuries in life. So I must admit to cheating on that score.
I’ve done a five-day yoga retreat in India, where the chef and a health practitioner chatted with me on arrival and tailored my meals around my dietary needs. I’ve done a five-day mind and body detox in England, at a health spa so posh that one lady had her new mink coat brought to her from London for a fitting. And during the coronavirus restrictions I helped to organise a half-day nourishing retreat in Hong Kong, which isn’t long enough to miss any of life’s luxuries.
I’m possibly best suited to the half-day or one-day retreat. I see the attraction for longer ones, and am tempted to try a silent retreat just to see what my mind chooses to dwell on. There’s also that moment on a longer retreat when you really feel the benefit of what you’re doing.
But there’s also that moment (for me) when I look around and feel uncomfortable with the indulgence of paying a fortune to “get away from it all”. In the future, it’s home-made or cheap as chips for me, because the guilt isn’t worth it.
Having said that, being able to focus on yourself for a few days is undoubtedly good for mind, body and soul. The Shreyas Yoga Retreat, about an hour’s drive outside Bangalore, is variously listed among the top 10 in India. Set in 25 acres, it offers very comfortable chalet accommodation dotted around its 25 acres, each with a bathroom including a large walk-in rain shower.
This means that when you’re not eating, doing your two yoga and one chanting sessions a day, or learning about healthy cooking from the chef, you can escape from everyone. You can also help out in the organic vegetable garden (my favourite bit), and take food to a nearby orphanage which the retreat staff prepare twice a week.
Champneys Health Spa in Tring, Hertfordshire, is a sprawling country estate once owned by the Rothschild family. Set in 170 acres, it’s the mother ship of the Champneys brand, opening as a spa in 1925. You take exercise or yoga classes, get a health appraisal, you can take on a personal trainer, cycle or jog in the grounds, and the food and rooms are wondrous.
The overnight package is probably a good idea; I did five days on my own a few years back and the evenings do drag a bit, although I felt fantastic by the end.
The half-day retreat in Hong Kong (where we live) is a different story altogether. Led by a yoga professional, a meditation teacher armed with singing bowls, and me with a sheaf of my favourite poems, it was amazing how effective five or six hours spent with like-minded people in someone’s living room could be.
We started with yoga, then free-form dance, a half-hour yoga nidra (meditation in an induced half-sleeping state), poetry and lemongrass tea, then lunch (supplied by a professional Indian chef who lives nearby) and another meditation. We paid by donation, however much we could afford. Obviously driven by travel restrictions, this home-made retreat was an eye-opener and we vowed we would definitely do something similar soon.
The trappings of luxury are wonderful, but I did enjoy feeling refreshed without going on a guilt trip.
Top photo by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
SHREYAS is currently advertising its stays at US$380 (£300). They send a car and driver to Bangalore airport to pick you up. Champneys offers a huge range of packages. COVID-19 is affecting all of our travel plans and all such businesses, so you must check directly with them first.
To create your own retreat, a top tip is to get the best yoga teacher you can find to hold the event together – and a good (vegan) lunch was appreciated by everyone after a morning’s activities. Alternatively, there are lots of yoga and meditation sessions online you could use.
July 2020
THE SHREYAS YOGA RETREAT site has lots of information and a picture gallery, and you can book your stay online. READ MORE
FULL DETAILS of the Tring resort and others run by Champneys can be found on the company’s website. READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
Disclosure: Afaranwide is an affiliate of leading travel operators such as Booking.com and Japan Rail Pass. If you purchase through our site we receive, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. We only work with companies we have used and recommend.
LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH!
Retreating Definitely Not
for the Faint-Hearted
Silent, Yoga, Spa, Spiritual – Choose Carefully and Enjoy
SUE BRATTLE
EVERYONE who’s been on a retreat says the same thing – the first few days are the hardest as your mind and body struggle with missing the luxuries in life. So I must admit to cheating on that score.
I’ve done a five-day yoga retreat in India, where the chef and a health practitioner chatted with me on arrival and tailored my meals around my dietary needs. I’ve done a five-day mind and body detox in England, at a health spa so posh that one lady had her new mink coat brought to her from London for a fitting. And during the coronavirus restrictions I helped to organise a half-day nourishing retreat in Hong Kong, which isn’t long enough to miss any of life’s luxuries.
I’m possibly best suited to the half-day or one-day retreat. I see the attraction for longer ones, and am tempted to try a silent retreat just to see what my mind chooses to dwell on. There’s also that moment on a longer retreat when you really feel the benefit of what you’re doing.
But there’s also that moment (for me) when I look around and feel uncomfortable with the indulgence of paying a fortune to “get away from it all”. In the future, it’s home-made or cheap as chips for me, because the guilt isn’t worth it.
Having said that, being able to focus on yourself for a few days is undoubtedly good for mind, body and soul. The Shreyas Yoga Retreat, about an hour’s drive outside Bangalore, is variously listed among the top 10 in India. Set in 25 acres, it offers very comfortable chalet accommodation dotted around its 25 acres, each with a bathroom including a large walk-in rain shower.
This means that when you’re not eating, doing your two yoga and one chanting sessions a day, or learning about healthy cooking from the chef, you can escape from everyone. You can also help out in the organic vegetable garden (my favourite bit), and take food to a nearby orphanage which the retreat staff prepare twice a week.
Champneys Health Spa in Tring, Hertfordshire, is a sprawling country estate once owned by the Rothschild family. Set in 170 acres, it’s the mother ship of the Champneys brand, opening as a spa in 1925. You take exercise or yoga classes, get a health appraisal, you can take on a personal trainer, cycle or jog in the grounds, and the food and rooms are wondrous.
The overnight package is probably a good idea; I did five days on my own a few years back and the evenings do drag a bit, although I felt fantastic by the end.
The half-day retreat in Hong Kong (where we live) is a different story altogether. Led by a yoga professional, a meditation teacher armed with singing bowls, and me with a sheaf of my favourite poems, it was amazing how effective five or six hours spent with like-minded people in someone’s living room could be.
We started with yoga, then free-form dance, a half-hour yoga nidra (meditation in an induced half-sleeping state), poetry and lemongrass tea, then lunch (supplied by a professional Indian chef who lives nearby) and another meditation. We paid by donation, however much we could afford. Obviously driven by travel restrictions, this home-made retreat was an eye-opener and we vowed we would definitely do something similar soon.
The trappings of luxury are wonderful, but I did enjoy feeling refreshed without going on a guilt trip.
Top photo by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
SHREYAS is currently advertising its stays at US$380 (£300). They send a car and driver to Bangalore airport to pick you up. Champneys offers a huge range of packages. COVID-19 is affecting all of our travel plans and all such businesses, so you must check directly with them first.
To create your own retreat, a top tip is to get the best yoga teacher you can find to hold the event together – and a good (vegan) lunch was appreciated by everyone after a morning’s activities. Alternatively, there are lots of yoga and meditation sessions online you could use.
July 2020
THE SHREYAS YOGA RETREAT site has lots of information and a picture gallery, and you can book your stay online. READ MORE
FULL DETAILS of the Tring resort and others run by Champneys can be found on the company’s website. READ MORE
RECOMMENDED
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
TROUBLED TIMES FOR EXPATS: Moving abroad can seem an idyllic prospect, but what happens when sudden upheavals or the inescapable realities of life intrude? READ MORE
Disclosure: Afaranwide is an affiliate of leading travel operators such as Booking.com and Japan Rail Pass. If you purchase through our site we receive, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. We only work with companies we have used and recommend.
I’ve always wanted to do an Iowaska retreat, but after reading this I should probably ease into things with a simple Yoga retreat first.
Hello Ryan. I have a friend who does 10-day silent retreats each year. That would be a bit much for me, too. But if you do the Iowaska, let us know. Perhaps write about it. You’re braver than me!