The ultimate reset! Our 7-Night/8-Day deep cleanse rejuvenates the body, mind, and soul.
You roll out your mat under buzzing fluorescent lights and the gentle hum of the air conditioners. The instructor cues another gentle forward bend and you follow. You do not want to break your streak but the monotony of it gets to you. What do you do?
Something in your bones whispers, you were not meant to breathe this recycled air till the end of time.
One wonders if the very first yoga class was held inside the glazed walls of a yoga studio or under the skies, maybe under a huge banyan tree, or the river banks and mountain tops. Your guess is as good as mine. And so here we are with some wild ideas for you to take your yoga mat and your soul to, for a fresh breath of air and some deep bends!
This one is for the early risers, beach buddies, or introverts craving silence.
You can find several craggy shorelines in this country right from Acadia National Park (Maine), to the Torrey Pines in California. The roar of waves here will meet the deliberately slowed down pace of ujjayi breath. A sun salutation made to the rising sun from the shorelines can feel calming and exhilarating at the same time. You feel humbled by the enormity of the ocean and sky, and the rocky terrain keeps you rooted in your body.
Bring along: A thick, non-slip travel mat (rocks are not mat-friendly), a Turkish towel, and reef-safe sunscreen.
Watch out for: Tides, unstable rocks, early morning fog
Here’s a bonus tip: Go solo or with a quiet partner. This is not the place for a chatty group.
If you are a night owl or just a homebody or a couple/ parents with little time, this can be your venue for salvation. Right outside your door, maybe under a tree, on your patio, beside the unruly patch of grass, you can come back to a practice you may have left for myriad reasons.
Practicing yoga under the moonlight is incredibly soothing for your jarring nervous system overexposed to intense stimuli all day, it calms fiery emotions, and balances the body’s lunar energy. The moon’s gentle pull encourages reflection, powers the divine feminine and adds more surrender and beauty to your practice, making it ideal for restorative flows, like moon salutations abd brings deep emotional release. You can end your session with a soul calming body scan or run a guided full moon meditation in the mellifluous voice of the spiritual master, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Bring along: Candles, a shrug, bug spray, and a grounding playlist (think gentle flute playing in the background)
Watch out for: Mosquitos, bugs and your inner critic (that says “but this is too small a space!”)
Bonus Tip: Ideal for a full moon night when emotions are running high. Practice Chandra Namaskar to soothe and reset.
If you are a reflective soul, really love breathwork, or get easily anxious, then pick quieter places like Lake Junaluska (North Carolina), Walden Pond (Massachusetts), or any hidden lake off the beaten path around your house!
Water mirrors the mind. The ancient scriptures say, meditating on any of the five elements intensely by exclusion of everything else, can also be the beginning of one’s journey towards the supreme consciousness. Watching water in a still lake can itself become a meditative experience if done right. There’s a slowing down that happens near a lake or a water body.
Bring along: A meditation cushion, journal, water bottle, and a lightweight shawl.
Watch out for: Early morning fog that makes it hard to see, or unexpected gusts across the lake
Bonus tip: You can start with alternate nostril breathing or Bogar Pranayama for 9-10 rounds followed with a short meditation. If you have learned the Sahaj Samadhi Dhyan technique, it can be the best one to practice by the lake.
This one’s not for everyone. If you are an endurance lover, adrenaline chaser, hikers, spiritual thrill-seeker, then this one’s for you. Great Smoky Mountains (NC side), Colorado Rockies, or even a local hilltop trail can be an amazing change of place for you. Combine the thrill of hiking with the calm of the besting heart. You have to do nothing but observe your breath eventually settle and the heart beat so loud you could hear it. Here a mindful observation can still your mind in no time.
The climb itself becomes tapas or penance. The silence above the tree line is vast. You take your mind gently from the stunning views that create a deep wow in your mind, to the space within, a space hundred times more beautiful that what lies outside.
Bring: A compact meditation stool or foldable pad, layered clothing, snacks, and lots of water.
Watch out for: Altitude changes, shifts in weather and dehydration.
This reminded me of this fantastic and utterly relatable poem by the poet Mary Oliver-
Ordinarily I go to the woods alone,
with not a single friend,
for they are all smilers and talkers
and therefore unsuitable.
I don’t really want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree.
I have my ways of praying,
as you no doubt have yours.
Besides, when I am alone
I can become invisible.
I can sit on the top of a dune
as motionless as an uprise of weeds,
until the foxes run by unconcerned.
I can hear the almost inaudible sound of the roses singing.
And isn’t this so true? The woods are for the stressed out minds and bodies, the restless seekers, insomniacs, and those who have no time for themselves, or those who would love themselves some quiet away from human chatter. We strongly recommend taking out some time to go forest bathing at sites like Muir Woods (California), Pisgah National Forest (North Carolina), or your local wooded park for a total soul detox.
Picture this: You are lying in savasana as light glides through the leaves to the forest floor, that holds you in its rustle. The earth becomes your bolster for the day. Yoga Nidra done in nature will not just relax you, but completely recalibrate your nervous system.
Bring along: Yoga mat or camp blanket, headphones for noise cancellation if you need
Watch out for: Ants and twigs. Check your mat area well before lying down.
Bonus Tip: Combine this with a silent forest walk. Let your Yoga Nidra happen as a closing ritual.
Want to learn more? Stepping Into Silence is a deeply restorative retreat that combines guided meditation, gentle yoga, and the healing power of silence to bring clarity, peace, and renewed purpose.
This is for the fire signs, dancers, people who like expansive spaces. The Grasslands in Kansas, or high desert plains in New Mexico can all double up as your yoga studios for a day! The openness of the prairie invites unselfconscious movement. You can finally let go and move freely whether you want to glide into sun salutations or steady up in warrior poses, these wide and open spaces can connect you with the yogi within, like no other instructor could! Embrace the space, the vastness and the emptiness of it all.
Bring along: A sun hat, water, video camera and a stable mat with grip
Watch out for: Strong winds, sun exposure, snakes or prairie dogs
Tip: Practice creative vinyasa flows here. Think expansive lunges, slow balances, heart-opening backbends.
This is for those who sing, seek, are immersed in spiritual devotion or just want to experience oneness with the sacredness of the river or water element. Banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, India, or the French Broad River in Asheville…the options are many but the experience is just as divine. Some riverbanks have a dedicated history of being timeless centers of spirituality and when you sit there to meditate or do your spiritual practice, you can feel the vibrations that go back in time. You can feel the consciousness reverberate through those spaces. Here meditation becomes effortless. Simply listening to the gush of water can create a meditative rhythm inside you that becomes a vehicle for you to reach a space of silence. It slows down the thoughts running in your mind. For anyone feeling stuck, heavy, or restless, this is where clarity dawns.
Bring along: Rosary if you chant, cushion, light offerings (flowers, if you like), a thermos of tea or juice
Watch out for: Fast currents, slippery stones, crowds during holidays
1. Hydrate well
Make sure you carry enough fluids with you while on your nature walk. You want to make the most of this experience instead of falling sick in the bargain.
2. Check the forecast
Avoid lightning-prone areas or open spaces during uncertain weather.
3. Know your terrain
Don’t pick a mountaintop if you fear heights or a forest if you get spooked alone.
4. Let nature lead
If the wind asks you to slow down, slow down. If the birds start singing during your mantra, pause and listen. If the gusts get louder, let the wind gods be and move to safety.
The idea of going out into nature with the mat is for you to just be instead of constantly doing. Asanas can be your way to move into meditative rhythm, the flowing river can offer the perfect sound for you to transcend upon and the breathtaking views from a mountain top can serve as your guide to lose your limited identities to the vastness of this creation.