I spent 5 days at a yoga health retreat, here's what I learnt...

Last week I spent 5 days at a yoga health retreat. The Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community, to be exact. Nestled amongst the beautiful sub-tropical landscape of northern NSW, this retreat offered me an immersive experience in spirituality, Hare Krishna culture, and the yogic way of life. 

When I travel, I’m usually one to jam pack my itinerary with sights, food and experiences from sunrise until sunset. So the concept of booking a trip with the sole purpose to relax was slightly out of character for me. That said, visiting a health retreat has been on my bucket list for quite some time now, so when my friend told me about this one - I made a commitment to book the trip and check it out for myself. 

A typical day at the retreat

The reality of visiting a yoga retreat is much of what you likely expect. My days here looked like early starts for yoga, relaxing in the hammocks and gardens around the property, lounging in the sun by the river, afternoon meditations, 3 vegetarian meals a day and afternoon presentations on the principles of living a yogic lifestyle. 

In essence, I slowed down. 

Dinner at the temple Hare Krishna style - which incorporates plant-based
 ingredients from the on-site farm and ahimsa dairy (non-violent dairy,
explained later in this post).  

If you are anything like me, then when you imagine going to a health retreat, you picture yourself to feel light, calm, free, relaxed (much like the promotional photos suggest). 

While this was true for most of my time here, I also found that slowing down and ‘looking within’ can sometimes feel heavy. And at times, left me with a feeling of restlessness. Maybe this was because the slow pace of the village felt like a stark contrast to the faster paced life I usually live at home. Or maybe this is because it forced me to quiet my mind, be present and actually just sit with myself for longer than I usually would during the occasional 10-minute guided meditation I do before bed. 

A word on Yin & Yang

In speaking to a fellow retreat-goer about the aforementioned restlessness I felt towards practising full-time spirituality, I was introduced to the concept of 'Yin' and 'Yang' energy. You know, that symbol you have most likely seen on a t-shirt or bracelet before (see below). 

Yin & Yang

In short: 

Yin energy (Direct translation: the shady side of the hill) = rest, feminine, dark, negative, cold, sleep, etc. 

Yang energy (Direct translation: the sunny side of the hill) = movement, masculine, light, positive, heat, awake, etc. 

As the symbol suggests, both 'yin' and 'yang' are intertwined energies of life that cannot exist without the other. Opposites that compliment each other. For example, you cannot have night (yin) without day (yang). Or know cold (yin) without knowing heat (yang). This got me thinking that maybe relaxation and hustling can (and should) live in tandem. In fact, perhaps best when they exist harmoniously together. Too much or too little of either, and you will encounter an imbalance. 

When you are balancing your 9-5 job with a busy social calendar, exercise, meal prep, appointments and other miscellaneous life admin tasks; we so often think:

'I can't wait until the weekend'

'I don't know if I can be bothered with those dinner and drinks plans tonight'

'I wish I could just have a day off to relax' 

'Do I really have to go for that dentist check-up on my day off?'

But maybe these are the very moments that allow us to appreciate rest when we finally do get it. Because if the busy hustle didn't exist, we would not know or understand its opposite.  

What I liked

What I liked about going to this retreat was that it exposed me to like minded people. A place where spiritual convos are the norm. And a personal interest in physical and mental well-being is a given. That, and I also felt as if taking such an immersive approach to meditation, yoga and healthy eating provided me with the ideal environment to hit reset. An opportunity to reinstall some of those daily habits I have previously practised yet lost touch with somewhere amongst the daily grind of my regular existence (think: early morning starts, journaling, spending time in nature, eating more plants). 

What I learnt 

For starters, it made me appreciate the hustle and bustle of my normal daily routine. Or shall I say the Yang energy. The eventful, exciting, busy, colourful moments. I didn't anticipate to walk way thinking this. But I kind of like that I did. 

I learnt that spirituality is something I am interested in, but could never live my life fully devoted to. I'd prefer to dance around the outskirts of spirituality, rather than be a full time yogi who lives and breathes it. The reason being that I didn't agree with everything the Hare Krishna Village taught. Don't get me wrong, a lot of it was great. But not all of it resonated with me. As with any lifestyle kind of advice, don't be afraid to critically analyse stuff and have your own opinions. Not everything will feel right for you. You don't have to follow something just because everyone else does. Remember that next time you read a random piece of health advice online, okay? 

Perhaps most of all, I learnt that you don’t have to check out of society and visit a retreat to practise mindfulness, yoga and/or healthy living. When I really started to think about it, I realised that most of the things I did at the retreat I could have easily practised at home (besides the group Kirtan, I don't own a Harmonium). Now keep in mind that I already dabble with a fair bit of this stuff at home, so that could explain why I felt this way. But something to consider nonetheless. 

A few other random facts I learnt that you might find interesting...

Ahimsa dairy translates to 'non-violent' dairy. Unlike westernised farming, this means the baby calf remains living with the mother, and lives a life that is not destined for slaughter. As this creates a more peaceful and calm life for the cow, it is believed to reduce the stress hormones that are passed into the milk that we then drink. 

We had to lay with our head facing the temple during my fav yoga pose: Savasana (laying down). I'm not exactly sure why, but my guess is that it was a symbol of respect/devotion. 

Practising slow breathing techniques, with a focus on breath holding and extended exhales (e.g. the 4-7-8 technique: look it up) is a quick and easy way to activate your parasympathetic nervous system (inducing a sense of calm and rest). Try it next time you feel stressed, it actually works!

Kirtan (aka chanting) is a big part of Krishna culture. It is believed that the sound vibration of Kirtan awakens the soul to experience its spiritual reality and connect with Krishna or 'God' (stay with me here). This, and it acts as a way to unite people to create peace and harmony, despite surface level differences. 

The temple by the lake. My favourite spot to walk in the village.

Some advice from me to you...

- Thinking of visiting a health retreat? Approach it with an open-minded attitude. And make sure to get involved and participate in whatever they have on offer. Even if it feels out of your comfort zone (yes, women's circles, I'm looking at you). 

- Temporarily delete your social media apps during your stay. I know this might feel hard if you are a chronic scroller, but I think it's a good way to help you relax into it and find your zen. 

- Kick-start some mindful habits at home before you go. Learning to practise mindfulness and sit with yourself for the first time can feel tricky. Try familiarising yourself with a bit of breath-work, yoga and meditation (or whatever it is they specialise in) prior. 

But know that you don't actually have to go anywhere at all. You have everything you need to incorporate healthy habits right here at home. In the era of the internet, we are so blessed with access to an abundance of information and tools online. Make use of it! 

And if that last point sounds like the most realistic advice for you: then it's time to act on that niggling habit you want to start doing but keep putting off (Hint: Getting up earlier for that run you keep saying you want to do. Laying out your yoga mat to prompt a morning meditation. Finally buying that floss you keep telling you dentist you are so good at using). 

Like it is with learning any new habit, perhaps my final piece of advice on this is that whatever it is that you want to adopt: keep it realistic and start small.

Been to a yoga/health retreat yourself? Let me know about your experience in the comments below 🧘🏼‍♀️