Yoga Travel
Originated in ancient India, Yoga is an accumulation of physical, mental and spiritual practices. Katha Upanishad defines yoga as “When the five senses, along with the mind, remain still and the intellect is not active, that is known as the highest state. They consider yoga to be firm restraint of the senses. Then one becomes un-distracted for yoga is the arising and the passing away.”
The word yoga means union in Sanskrit. Many of the yoga traditions believe that the practices of yoga lead to union of a person with his or her true nature, or with God or the universe.
Yoga has a 5,000-year history in ancient Indian philosophy; Yogis and Yoginis have said to have practiced yoga way before there even was any form of written account of its existence.
The Yoga Sutra is the earliest written record of yoga (around 2000 years ago) and one of the oldest texts in existence, and provides the framework for all modern yoga.
BENEFITS OF YOGA
1: Posture
2: Flexibility
3: Strength
4: Reducing stress
5: Relaxation through breathing
6: Increasing concentration
7: Improving balance
8: Lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate
9: Calming thoughts
10: Improved immunity and many more advantages
11: Though more research is necessary, it’s said that Yoga helps in the treatment of schizophrenia, mental health disorders, and improve psychological state during cancer
FUN FACT:
Swami Vivekananda is said to be the first advocate and teacher of yoga in the western world!
Goal of Yoga:
The main goal of Yoga is Moksha (liberation) from body and mind and creating a connection with God or the universe as per one’s beliefs.
YOGA TRAVEL
Yoga travel takes place in the form of retreats because it truly is a way to rejuvenate yourself and revitalise every atom in your body. It consists of beautiful locations, relaxed pace sightseeing and minimum twice a day yoga sessions.
India has innumerable locations and places that a true and pure yoga retreat can benefit from. From the lush and dense forests of the south, the beautiful beaches along the western coast or a view of the snowcapped Himalayas from the north; every inch of this country has a beautiful destination for any yoga retreat possible.
It’s hard to practice and increase your yoga skills in our daily lives because of our intense schedules. But with a retreat, where the main focus is yoga, you get the chance to truly practice and improve your postures, breathing and even focus during meditation.
Practicing every day you will notice the changes not only in your physical body, but in your mental state as well. Coming home afterwards, you might even be inspired to start a new home practice or take your existing practice to a new level.
With all our preoccupations of our fast-paced lives, it is extremely difficult to truly calm your thoughts and focus on the present. A retreat not only provides the perfect environment, but also the large amount of free time allows you to take the time you need to really get in touch with your inner self.
Being on a retreat is all about you, your yoga, eating healthy foods and slowing down. Sometimes it is easier to give yourself that indulgence when you leave your comfort zone of home and go somewhere far away and exotic.
You get ample amount of time to relax your mind, body and even soul. Most retreats also have free time in the afternoon to do whatever you like to make the most out of your day.
Yoga retreats give us time to reflect on our lives, including actions and decisions we may have taken or may be taking at that time, and reflecting on whether or not these actions and decisions are in our best interest and leading us down a positive path.
Creating time and space to reflect in this way is so important so that we can continue our journey through life on a path that resonates with us, while also satisfying our dreams and our purpose. Self-reflection is often deemed selfish, but yoga allows you to give ‘selfishness’ a makeover. You can immerse yourself in an experience that is designed to connect you with yourself and fulfill you, first. Because it’s okay, even recommended, to be the center of your own life!
You’ll be in a place with too much beauty and calmness around you for you to have time to focus on any form of screen. While lots of resorts have Wi-Fi, you don’t feel the need to constantly tweet, text, update Facebook or call friends.
It feels good to unplug and connect with nature instead. As we have said earlier, Yoga’s main goal is to form a bond between you and the universe, and what better way to do so than to take the conscious step to becoming one with nature?
If your retreat is all inclusive, you get three healthy and delicious meals a day without the need to find recipes, go grocery shopping, prepare the food, or clean up. Getting the nutrition you need has never been easier. All the work is done for you.
A yoga retreat brings like-minded people together who have similar interests. You have a chance to make friends with people from around the world who you might know for the rest of your life.
A life away from your own which is filled with relaxation and which is away from a hectic schedule is a birth right for everyone who works their ass off throughout the rest of the year. You work hard for a reason and there comes a time when you deserve to be pampered and revitalized.
FUN FACT:
On 11 December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution establishing 21 June as “International Day of Yoga”.
