Treat Yourself
Recommended Mindfulness and Yoga Retreats
Harmony Dawn Retreat Centre,
Ontario Canada
Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi and cooking retreats year-round
Harmony Dawn provides tranquil, nurturing, harmonious retreats in a gorgeous off-the-grid retreat centre north of Coburg with highly acclaimed cuisine (trust me, the food is incredible!). They conduct in-house workshops and retreats on meditation, Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong and Yin-Yang cuisine through which they help guests establish or consolidate their own mind-body health practice, as well as host other teachers for meditation, yoga and cooking retreats throughout the year.
[Lara's note: I try to attend any retreat I can with Andy & Nicola James and have been here several times. The silent retreats are life-changing and the setting is dreamy! I highly recommend]
Check out programs scheduled HERE
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health,
Massachusetts USA
Yoga- and mindfulness- based education and retreats.
Located 2.5 hours north of New York City and west of Boston, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Kripalu is the largest retreat center in North America. As an educational nonprofit, Kripalu teaches skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person; body, mind, and spirit.
Kripalu means compassion. The practices and teachings offered at Kripalu are rooted in the wisdom tradition of yoga as taught by Swami Kripalu, the namesake of our retreat center. Compassion is where our approach begins
More details HERE
[Lara's note: I attended a retreat hosted here by Jack Kornfield, one of my all-time favourite teachers who has his own retreat centre Spirit Rock which one day I would love to visit. The quality of the programming and teachers at Kripalu is incredible, and the entire experience was so comfortable and comforting. I definitely recommend]
Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, Nassau Bahamas
Always open, see website below for specific program dates
For nearly 50 years the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat has been a leading destination for people seeking a spiritual environment to study and practice yoga and develop a healthy lifestyle. Located on one of the finest beaches in the world, it is truly an island paradise and a sanctuary of peace and natural beauty. The ashram is open year-round for visitors with daily meditation, chanting, yoga and delicious meals. See the website below to see specific themed programs and the incredible visiting speakers who frequent this oasis.
[Lara's note: I used to go here every year and it's one of my favourite places on earth to connect to myself, deepen my meditation practice, meet incredible people and feel good. I've taken the Ayuverdic Cooking Course as well as Stress-Relief courses and have attended as a Yoga Vacationer and recommend all of them. I have also visited the Sivananda Ashrams at their locations in Kerala, India and Grass Valley, California, both of which I recommend as well!]
More details HERE
Esalan Institute, Big Sur California
Always open, see website below for specific program dates
Esalen is a holistic retreat and educational institute. Established in 1962 and considered the epicenter of the Human Potential Movement, we are a non-profit offering comfort and space for exploration, transformation, and healing within the wilds of Big Sur’s majestic mountainscape and glittering coastline.
Our curiosity and research explores new ideas around creativity and the brain, body work, spirituality, leadership, Gestalt, plant medicine, citizen diplomacy, superhumanism, the survival of bodily death, Extraterrestrial intelligence, and more.
[Lara's note: It's hard to describe in words how magical this place feels. Any retreat or time spent here is powerfully healing. Make sure to get the Esalen style massage and enjoy the natural hot springs that overlook the Pacific ocean]
More details HERE
Tribe International Yoga Training School
Retreats and trainings worldwide as well as online
Tribe is the place you come to embrace a healthy holistic lifestyle. To live from the heart and follow one’s inner wisdom in alignment with Universal Truth. Our intention is to cultivate a relaxed and easy-going atmosphere for everyone to enjoy a feast of integral health & healing practices and life-changing experiences.
We provide a space to learn, study, and explore authentic teachings that support new ways for us to navigate through life in a more effortless flow. Since 2007 we have been supporting individuals to deepen their understanding & practice of yoga & develop teaching skills so they can share their practice with others safely and effectively.
[Lara's note: I did my Yoga Teacher Training with Tribe in Goa, India in 2010 and it absolutely changed my life, and here I am today practicing what Scarlett and her incredible team taught me at the beginning. I took their online Yoga Nidra training in 2021 and the quality of their instruction and support and how they prepare you to teach in real life is unsurpassed. I look forward to doing more trainings with them, I highly recommend them to anyone.]
More details HERE
