So what IS a Yoga Retreat?
It’s a pleasure to introduce guest author – Jill Mentiplay of Little Farm of Calm and host of the Wellness & Yoga Retreats
It’s not a resort. It’s not a hotel. It’s definitely not a motel… so what is a ‘Yoga Retreat’?
Perhaps the answer is different for everybody? But most retreats have a few things in common:
1. A break from every day stressors and routines: No matter where you go or what their itinerary includes, the number one thing a yoga retreat offers is a break from everyday life and patterns. For this reason we highly suggest turning your phone off, leaving the smart watch at home or at least leaving them in your room during activities. Take a few hours a day (or more!) to switch off and be completely present.
2. Rest and recovery: No one wants to come back from a wellness retreat feeling hung over and exhausted. A good quality sleep environment, healthy meals (1 glass of wine max?) and activities that promote restoration of the mind and body are generally included – often in mornings & evenings. And naps…every retreat should include enough time for at least one nap 😉
3. New experiences: Pick a retreat with activities that appeal to you. This doesn’t just have to be meditation or yoga. Time spent with animals, massage, moderate exercise, hiking & immersing oneself in nature have been shown to have similar effects on our brain waves as deep meditation. And perhaps even more importantly, regular exposure to new experiences creates fresh pathways in the brain – which can protect against degenerative conditions such as alzheimers, dementia and cognitive declines often associated with ageing. So the saying “Do one thing a day that scares you” may be some of the best healthcare advice you ever get.
4. Connection: Without fail, yoga retreats feature a group of people attracted by the same message. The shared experience and activities while on retreat draw your group together. No, you don’t have to hold hands and spend every moment bonded at the hip, but in sharing the space, activities, meals and hopefully mindset – you’ll find you have some amazing conversations, hear incredible stories and possibly make some good friends. All of this without any pressure to do anything at all, and every opportunity to disappear for some quiet time by yourself at any moment. How cool is that?
About our Yoga Retreat: The Little Farm of Calm is a purpose built wellness and yoga retreat facility set on a rural landscape near the township of Benalla. We cater to small groups (8-16) looking to try different styles of yoga and pilates, with a sprinkling of guided meditations throughout. We don’t take ourselves too seriously – our catering includes non-vegetarian options, our breakfast features great coffee, and our yoga may include random 80’s music trivia. Plus we love wildlife, birds and animals. We love them so much we operate a wildlife shelter on the premises, which supports the rescue and rehabilitation of Australian wildlife. You never know what you might see Jill carrying around or talking to down her top…
Our yoga retreat in Victoria, offers a convenient weekend escape – being just 2 hours from Melbourne by car or train. We provide a wide range of classes to chose from each day (restorative through to invigorating – do as much or as little as you feel), with each session designed and led by an exercise physiologist, physiotherapist and well seasoned yogi. We want you to have fun, laugh at least once (more is better!), get some high quality sleep, and leave us feeling fabulous – in your body, your energy and your health. And, if we’ve done our jobs right, we’re hope you’ll be busting to return for another visit with us at Little Farm of Calm! Namaste and happy retreating wherever your heart leads you. Daz & Jill
Little Farm of Calm have added new retreat dates to there website. You can see their retreats here: https://littlefarmofcalm.com/retreats
You can also contact Jill and Daz on littlefarmofcalm@gmail.com or 0417 057 056.
You’ll find more yoga and wellness retreats on our Retreat Me Happy website: https://retreatmehappy.com/events/
Author: The Retreat Lady
Sarah Willmott, founder of Retreat Me Happy is passionate about making Retreats accessible to everyone. She specialises in helping Retreats reach a wider audience by creating this online platform. By day Sarah sends care packages to help people feel better (she owns Feel Better Box) and by night she builds this website to help you find your perfect retreat.
