5 Reasons To Travel Solo To A Yoga Retreat
Have you been organizing a yoga retreat with your pals, but something always seems to get in the way? Maybe an unexpected expense came up, or your job needs you to work extra hours the week you had planned to leave. Who will keep an eye on the kids, the pets, and the house? The list of why your group cannot go on a retreat together could go on and on.
And we understand! It’s easy to feel intimidated by the prospect of traveling alone. We tend to feel safer in groups, and the possibility of navigating the airport, traveling, and getting to the retreat itself (and back) without a companion is daunting.
But there are so many great reasons that should count in favor of traveling solo! So let’s dive in and maybe help you pull the trigger on planning that solo trip!
Be As Social (Or Not) As You Wish To Be- A yoga retreat is an excellent way to spend some “me” time, giving us a chance to focus entirely on ourselves for at least a little while. There are usually multiple chances to meet people and optional activities available, but how much you participate in social situations with the other retreat attendees is entirely up to you. If you go with a friend, you might be forced out of your comfort zone or find yourselves only spending time with them.
Planning For Only Yourself- This is a big one. Many people find planning things for multiple people tricky. Planning the flights, packing, travel, and how to make sure everyone is where they need to be on time is such a hassle that many people do not want to go on vacations simply because they don’t want to have to plan for the group.
Traveling alone to a retreat means you skip that entire headache. Figure out your itinerary for only yourself; if you go off that plan, you only have yourself to worry about! Want to spend time out on the beach without having to ask everyone else what they want to do? Go for it! Or maybe you want to take that yoga class that occurs right before dinner and just push your meal back a bit, but you know someone else would complain if they didn’t get to eat on time. Well, guess what, no worries on that if you are traveling alone!
Getting In Tune With ‘You’- Yoga is a deeply personal experience in which you must be able to connect with yourself. Being surrounded by people you know can be distracting or make you feel self-conscious. We act differently when we are around others, especially those that we know and feel connected to. This is not necessarily a bad thing, we need those connections in our day to day lives, but that does not mean they cannot also be distracting.
In fact, for many, one of the biggest blocks to getting in tune with your inner self and just letting yourself ‘be’ in the moment, be in the heart of what you are experiencing, is to feel that they have to be ‘on it’ for friends or family. There is always a level of performance that has to take place when we are around others that we know, some level of not being able to simply be ourselves.
Going on a yoga retreat alone can give you a new perspective and focus on what you want to get out of the experience, allowing you to learn more about yourself as a unique and profoundly personal individual. Instead of having to focus on someone you are traveling with, you can get more truly in tune with your own self, feel the rhythm of your heart and listen to the song of your soul speaking to you in that quiet, gentle whisper that so often goes unheard.
Meet New and Interesting People- A yoga retreat provides a unique setting in which you are automatically surrounded by others who share your interests, mainly yoga. Traveling solo means you don’t worry about the person who couldn’t or wouldn’t join you on retreat; instead, you will have the chance to meet individuals from all over the world. You may even form new friendships with people whose paths would never have crossed if it weren’t for your courage to take the risk and book the trip.
While everyone will have yoga in common, the beauty of a yoga retreat is that yoga (and travel) may be the only thing you have in common.
Build Confidence- Yoga is about learning to be confident with one’s abilities and strengths. What better way to do that than to prove to yourself, and the world, that you can navigate the world on your own. A Yoga retreat already inspires confidence and empowers you as a person, so why not add to that by traveling and enjoying the retreat by yourself without any ‘from home’ distractions?
A holiday on your own might be intimidating regardless of whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned traveler used to making your way. We forget all too often how fulfilling solo travel can be! And, if you’re thinking of going on a solo trip, there’s no better destination than a yoga retreat in beautiful Costa Rica with breathtaking ocean views. To schedule your stay at Anamaya: https://anamaya.com/reserve-inquire-retreats/ and find your peace of mind.
