Yoga Vacations in North America (Canada, United States, Mexico)

Yoga vacations provide individuals from all skill levels to experience yoga in its purest form - void of outside distractions, surrounded in nature, and overwhelmed with the union of the self and Supreme Being. For some, yoga is literally a religious experience, for others, yoga is medicine, stress relief, and exericise. Yoga resorts across North America recognize all these philisophies and offer dedicated workshop vacations to each.

Paradise Found Yoga - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
Paradise Found Yoga holds retreats specializing in yoga for beginners, women, cleansing, and meditation. Several packages are available starting at a 2-night,/3-day yoga retreat vacation for a single person at $540 and going up to 8-night/9-day retreat for a double room at $2440. The retreat prices include lodging, meals, two classes per day (morning and evening), and transportation to on-island excursions. Nomi Lyonns, the founder of Paradise Found Yoga on Salt Spring Island, has more than 25 years experience in natural healing and has trained in Hatha and Kundalini yogas. She is also a certified fitness trainer and reflexologist. More information on yoga vacations at Paradise Found Yoga is available at www.paradisefoundyoga.com.

Wattle Hollow - Fayettesville, Arkansas, United States
Inspired by a 1977 hitchhiking trip across Turkey and the Middle East into Indian, inspired the owner to make her home in the Ozark Mountains and eventually into a yoga retreat in the late 1980s. "Reaching inward in a safe place, creates an opportunity for us to become sane and present," said owner Joy Fox. "With the security of knowing who we are, we can befriend the land and each other. It is an experience in being and having enough, here and now." Wattle Hollow provides simple, beautiful lodgings set in the scenic countryside of Fayettesville, Arkansas. Yoga retreats are led by experienced instructors from all over the world, including Mark Cain, Michael Freeman, and Fox herself. Prices vary from retreat to retreat and are updated regularly on Wattle Hollow's website at www.wattlehollow.com.

The Rivertown Center for Yoga and Health - Dobbs Ferry, New York / Zihuatanejo, Mexico
The Rivertown Center for Yoga and Health provides many opportunities for yoga enthusiasts to practice in the exquisite surroundings of Mexico. In January 2007, The Rivertown Center is hosting Yoga Immersion and Yoga & Buddhism in Zihuatanejo Bay. The Yoga Immersion section is directed towards teachers and professionals, while Yoga & Buddhism is open to those with intermediate practice. Days include teachings, group talks, and yoga practice. Teachers include senior Kripalu yoga teachers and Sylvia Boorstein, an active yoga teacher since the 1960s. Prices range from $175 to $550 for the sessions and lodging is available starting at $60 a night. Prices do not include room tax, lunch, dinner, or airfare. More information on yoga vacations at The Rivertown Center is available at www.journeyintoyoga.com.

Sacred Space Healing & Retreat Centers of Northern California - San Francisco, California, United States
Sacred Space Healing & Retreat Centers allows individuals to plan their retreats for 3 to 30 days. Themes include fasting, yoga and meditation, holistic health, martial arts, and sauna detoxification. Individuals go through various assessments prior to the retreat to better personal their experience at Sacred Space Healing & Retreat Centers. Prices range from $750 for a 3-day/2-night fasting retreat to $3600 for 14-day/13-night martial arts retreat. Sauna detoxification retreats, Scared Space's specialty, is significantly more. Retreats include lodging, meals, and use of facilities. Scared Space also offers daily yoga classes, so their facility is still available to those who are not interested in a complete retreat experience. More information on yoga retreats at Sacred Space is available at www.sacredspace-sf.com.

Rolling Meadows Farm Retreat - Brooks, Maine, United States
Drawing from more than 20 years of experience, Rolling Meadows yoga retreats center around silent retreats with options of yoga asana, sitting meditation and unstructured time exploring the countryside of Brooks, Maine. The retreat itself is actually located off a dirt road and includes more than 100 acres of land. The staff maintains a large organic garden, which provides much of the basis of retreat meals. Yoga vacations are limited to 8 to 10 people, providing ample individual attention. A $150 deposit is required upon registration and includes lodging, meals, and sessions. An example of a typical yoga retreat day at Rolling Meadows Farm is available on their website at www.rollingmeadowsfarmretreat.org.

When decided on a yoga retreat vacation, make several contacts with your resort. Explain your skill level, what type of sessions you are interested in, and if they think their resort is a good match for you. To avoid unexpected costs, be sure to get a thorough explaination as to what the yoga retreat includes - all meals or just breakfast, transportation around the area, additional services such as massage, etc. Yoga is a very open practice - involving open minds, spirits, and bodies. Enjoy yourself and your yoga vacation to its fullest. Namaste.