With each glorious sun salutation, I make sure I take a moment to direct my gaze straight ahead to really notice and be present with the sun sparkling on the Kootenay Lake, only metres away from the outdoor tent where I am practicing yoga with 20 or so other participants at this Yoga at the Tipi Camp retreat. It was a 20-minute boat ride to get here, as the only other way into the “tipi camp” is an hour-long hike. As the name suggests, we sleep in tipis (how cool is that?) and gourmet vegetarian meals are somehow prepared for us in the rustic outdoor kitchen. It is the perfect setting for a yoga retreat – remote and quiet, with no distractions.
Retreats are, by definition, an act of withdrawing – taking time away from your everyday life.
When we think of a retreat, we tend to think of the traditional yoga retreat, although, one could argue that spa retreats and mineral bathing have been used for medicinal purposes and self-nurturing since ancient times. We can choose a refuelling or nurturing setting if we’re experiencing fatigue or burnout from our daily hectic schedules, or an adventure-filled experience, if we are feeling bored and uninspired by our everyday lives. Leaving the comfort of our own home can allow us to experience personal growth as we learn about ourselves in new, sometimes uncomfortable situations, with a guided facilitator.
Attending a retreat can also be a great reason to take a trip, if you haven’t been able to interest your partner or a friend in getting away, or if your idea of a fun time is learning to horseback ride while your partner’s perfect get away is to spend time fly fishing. Usually, retreats take care of the major details like airport pick-up, meals, lodging, and have a structured plan around daily activities, which allows for a comfortable introduction to travelling solo. Most women attend retreats alone, so you will meet like-minded people. Going on your own also allows you to focus on your experience without worrying about what’s going on for your companion.
A major reason women choose to do a retreat is to make lifestyle changes and enhance health. This reason is well-founded as the Public Health Agency of Canada says chronic disease rates are increasing most quickly among Canadians aged 35-64, and the World Health Organization reports chronic diseases are currently the most significant cause of death worldwide (63 per cent) and rising rapidly, projected to exceed any other type of disease as the most common cause of death by 2020.
In response to this, retreat operators have become creative with their offerings of options for fitness purposes, like Mountain Trek retreat centre near Nelson, BC, which combines outdoor adventures, such as hiking, with lifestyle seminars, yoga and fitness classes, healthy eating, and massage and detox treatments. Even when it comes to the more traditional yoga retreat, facilitators are changing it up with unique themes. For example, one called Back to the Body, for women only, is run by a certified sexological bodyworker (a new profession certified in California), touted as a retreat focused on getting in touch with your body and your sexuality, while other retreat operators combine daily yoga classes in tropical settings with local tours or extreme adventures, like diving with sharks.
Retreat businesses are recognizing the power of the senior woman as a consumer (the 2013 Stats Canada census shows that 37 per cent of the population is female and over 50). According to Cat Smiley, owner/operator of Whistler Fitness Vacations, a weight loss and boot camp retreat for women-only, their average participant age was 45 years old in 2014 and they had previously capped their age limit at 65. “But recently,” Cat advises, “we were getting a lot of inquiries from women over 70. To accommodate this new and exciting demographic, in 2015 we have implemented some changes to accommodate this senior population, like a daily low-impact exercise team, a certified seniors’ fitness instructor, and removal of the upper age limit.”
Another for-women-only centre, is Holly Branch Retreat, a private mental health centre in North Carolina. Bill Wallace, their retreat manager advises, “We see a lot of seniors attending with all types of situations such as caregiver burnout, grief and loss, menopausal issues, depression and anxiety, or late-life divorce.”
Retreats can also offer an opportunity to learn a new skill or build on a current interest. In BC alone, there are many centres from which to choose. For example, if horseback riding really is your thing, check out Equinisity Retreats for personal development. If quilting or art or writing is what does it for you, specialized retreats for those can be found, as well. When you consider world-wide retreats, the options are endless.
I leave my yoga at the Tipi Camp retreat feeling refreshed and relaxed. I’ve deepened my yoga practice on a spiritual and physical level. I’ve been able to combine my love of the mountains and natural surroundings with my love of living simply. I feel healthy, well-fed, and nurtured by the staff and the instructors. I’m ready to face the world and carry on with my busy life in a more grounded and positive way. I’ve experienced the power of retreat.
How to Choose a Retreat
- Ask co-workers or friends and family. Word of mouth gives you a reliable testimonial.
- Determine whether you would like to stay close to home, or whether you want part of the retreat to be seeing another country and whether you want a women-only retreat or mixed gender.
- Decide on your budget and how long you want to go for, which can help guide your decision on whether to go on retreat abroad or stay closer to home.
- If a more exotic or further afield retreat destination is what you are looking for RetreatsOnline.com or retreatfinder.com can help you find the perfect one.
- A plain old Google search is another good place to start.
- When you find a retreat you are interested in, don’t be afraid to ask the facilitator lots of questions to make sure it’s a good fit, including age range, if that’s important to you.
- Ask the facilitator to send you testimonials or references from past participants.
Retreat Ideas to Research
The Yoga at the Tipi Camp retreat: yogakaruna.com/tipi-camp-bc-yoga-retreats
Whistler Fitness Vacations: whistlerfitnessvacations.com/
Mountain Trek: www.mountaintrek.com
Holly Branch Retreat: www.hollybranchretreat.com
Equinisity Retreats: equinisity.com
Back to the Body: www.backtothebody.org