Meditation retreats are the ultimate self-care! Learn all about them, and how to find the best meditation retreats in your own backyard.
So, you’re looking for a meditation retreat! Yay, you! Congratulations on taking the first step on your retreat journey! Now to find a retreat near where you live or work…
Finding a retreat that is close by and meets your criteria checklist may seem like a big task, but we are here to make it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Whether you have specific meditation goals or outcomes in mind, or are brand new in your exploration of retreats, read on to learn more about meditation retreats and how to find them.
Are meditation retreats really worth it?
Even if you are ready to take your first meditation retreat, sometimes doubt can arise when it comes to paying for the retreat.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of retreats to fit every budget. Also, the best meditation retreats are not always the most expensive. But putting aside the cost for a moment, the real question is, do meditation retreats deliver the results you are looking for?
As a meditation retreat aficionado, I say meditation retreats are definitely worth it! Meditation retreats are not just a peaceful getaway, they are an investment in personal growth on every level. I encourage you to judge for yourself after you have tried a few retreats, and evaluate what benefits you gained. My money is on you having a great experience!
What happens at a meditation retreat?
Besides lots of meditation, what else can you expect to happen at a meditation retreat? Depending on what type of retreat you choose, there could be a wide variety of activities. Here’s a breakdown of what may happen on each type of meditation retreat.
Type of retreat
1. Yoga retreats often blend the art of physical asanas, or poses, with simple guided meditation sessions. The day is divided into early-morning yoga, mid-morning yoga, afternoon yoga, and even more yoga in the evening. These types of retreats are yoga intensive with a side of meditation.
2. Silent retreats offer the chance to disconnect from all of the daily noise we are bombarded with. Expect to set your phone to airplane mode and enjoy peace and quiet like no other.
Silent retreats also typically offer the chance to practice yoga once or twice during the day to give the body a break from sitting.
Some silent retreats use guided meditation sessions to fill the day, while others rely on you using a mantra-based meditation technique like Sahaj Samadhi meditation.
3. Wellness retreats often include spa treatments and vegetarian meals, group meditations, daily yoga classes, and even the chance to enjoy a walking meditation.
4. Spiritual retreats have a wide variety of flavors, with everything from Buddhist teachings, to Christian-focused meditation, to a New Age fusion approach. But if you ask any experienced retreatant, they will likely share that all retreats have a spiritual dimension.
5. Personal retreats are great when you just want to get away. Time spent in reflection is rejuvenating on its own. These retreats are customizable with a full menu of options including Tai Chi, hiking nature trails, and contemplative arts like pottery classes
Length of retreat
6. One-day retreats are offered at yoga or meditation studios in nearly every city. Think of these retreats as a quick refresher when you don’t have time for proper yoga and meditation retreats. These quickie retreats are like a tasting menu, a little of this and a little of that.
7. Weekend retreats start either on a Thursday or Friday evening and end on Sunday or Monday. In just a few days, you come away feeling like you had the best vacation ever.
These retreats often include yoga, breathing exercises, different types of meditation practices, freestyle body movement (aka dancing), spending time in natural beauty, mindful eating, singing, and watching videos on various wisdom topics.
8. Intensive retreats involve a bigger time commitment, and are best for experienced meditators. Seven to ten days, even as long as a month, is spent focused on meditation and often in silence.
Location of retreat
9. Residential retreats give you the chance to connect with like-minded people while increasing inner peace. Even if there isn’t a retreat center in your area, organizations like the Art of Living offer pop-up retreats at hotels, conference centers, and other local venues.
10. Online retreats, believe it or not, can do just about anything a residential retreat can do. Yoga and meditation over a Zoom call make it easy for anyone anywhere to join a silent meditation retreat from home. You cannot get any closer to home than with online retreats!
Benefits of meditation retreats
I think it is worth mentioning some of the many benefits of taking meditation retreats. How many benefits look good to you?
- Improved stress management
- Increased emotional self-regulation
- Renewed sense of purpose
- Improved personal relationships
- Increased mental and physical energy
- Greater focus, joy and contentment
How to find meditation retreats in your area
So now you’re ready to find that perfect meditation retreat! Art of Living’s Journey app has everything you’re looking for.
- Residential retreats including pop-ups
- Online retreats
- Destination retreats
- Signature meditation retreats
- Happiness retreats
- Silent meditation retreats
- Advanced intensives
- Wellness retreats
You can also learn introductory breath-based and mantra-based meditation techniques. Each and every offering is a retreat in itself!
The best of the best meditation retreats
If you are willing to travel or live in the southeast, I think it is worth noting that the Art of Living Retreat Center (in the Blue Ridge mountains) was recently voted 2nd Best Wellness Retreat in 2022 by USA Today in their 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
And in October 2022, United Airlines featured our retreat center in their magazine “Hemispheres” as one of the top five restorative retreats.
UPROXX’s article, Unique Health Centric Getaways To Help You Find Wellness in 2023, lists the Art of Living Retreat Center as, “A place to find silence.”
The Art of Living Retreat Center is definitely bucket list worthy!
Learn meditation before you attend a meditation retreat
If you do not already have a meditation practice, or you want to take your practice to a new level, you will love SKY Breath Meditation!
I have been practicing SKY for over 28 years. Learning SKY has been the single best thing I have ever done for myself. It’s like having a mini-retreat in my back pocket that I get to use every day!
I invite you to get a taste of SKY at a free introductory breath and meditation session. Click on the image below to choose a day and time that works best for you. In just 75 minutes, you too will feel like you were on a mini-retreat!
