Yoga Retreats You Must Visit If You’re Looking For Inner Peace

Popular across the globe, the practice of yoga originated here in India over 5000 years ago

Popular across the globe, the practice of yoga originated here in India over 5000 years ago. Learning yoga enriches your body, mind, and soul. People from all walks of life come to India to discover themselves through yoga and meditation. If you are looking for your ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ experience, you should head to one of these yoga retreats or schools.

Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre, Dharamkot, Himachal Pradesh

Started by Sharat Arora, student of yoga maestro BKS Iyengar, Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre offers various five-day yoga and meditation courses for beginners and intermediate students. It also has yoga teachers’ training courses, therapy courses, silent retreats, and yoga classes for children and women. The school spends summers in the picturesque Himalayan village of Dharamkot, but winters are in Goa’s hippy beach town of Arambol. 

Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

For a sacred experience, you should visit Parmarth Niketan, located on the banks of the holy Ganges. With over a thousand rooms, it is one of the largest yoga centres in the country and conducts daily classes on yoga and meditation. The centre also has intensive courses on meditation, pranayama, stress management, acupressure, Reiki, and other ancient Indian sciences. It hosts the renowned Parmarth International Yoga Festival every year.

Phool Chatti, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

More than 100 years old, Phool Chatti is on the banks of the Ganges, close to Rishikesh’s famous Laxman Jhoola. This yoga retreat organises seven-day courses that teach meditation, pranayama, and asanas, and conducts lectures on yogic philosophy. Since Rishikesh is a religious destination, there are evening prayers and dips in the holy river that give you a full religious experience. 

The Yoga House, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Destination for the health-conscious, The Yoga House in Mumbai conducts daily Hatha, Hatha Vinyasa, Iyengar and Ashtanga classes for various levels of learners. The centre considers yoga to be the most valuable Indian inheritance of the present and believes it to be an essential need of today. The institute brings together an interesting blend of traditional knowledge and contemporary living.

Kaivalyadhama Ashram, Lonavala, Maharashtra

Kaivalyadhama teaches and follows the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, the pioneer who laid down the foundation for traditional yoga. Patanjali, who was the first to standardise and codify yoga practices, devising eight steps to silence the mind: restraint, observance, posture, breath control, withdrawal, slowing of mind, contemplation, and meditation. Along with a yogic lifestyle, Kaivalyadhama offers elaborate facilities for Ayurveda and naturopathy treatments. It also hosts numerous workshops by stalwarts in the world of yoga science.

Purple Valley, Assagao, Goa

A favourite of international students, Purple Valley is an interesting juxtaposition of the traditional art of yoga with the Wi-Fi enabled fast life of today. This retreat specialises in Ashtanga yoga and modern spa treatments. It hosts some of the world’s leading Ashtanga teachers and offers comfortable Goan-style living. The usual course is of two weeks, and the institute offers six-morning yoga classes and four-afternoon classes weekly. During your stay in Varca Beach resort in Goa, you can visit scenic places in and around Goa, which is sure to mesmerise you.

Ashtanga Institute, Mysore, Karnataka

Ashtanga Institute is an old-school retreat in Mysore. The principle underlying its courses is that the perfection of the body helps in the perfection of the mind. When mental efficiency is gained, it can be used to attain higher spiritual perfection. The centre offers 30-day intensive teacher training courses in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Hatha Yoga, among other short-term yoga programmes. It aims to help deepen students’ practice of yoga and teach the art of being mindful.

International Centre for Yoga Education and Research, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu

This is not a retreat for the casual yogi. Situated in beautiful Puducherry, ICYER conducts intensive teacher training courses. Its flagship course is a comprehensive six-month residential programme that covers a vast amount of knowledge with 1400 hours of practice. It teaches asanas, mudras, kriyas, pranayama techniques, yogic fasting, and yoga therapy. All participants are required to commit to vegetarianism and celibacy for the duration of the course. These retreats offer a great learning experience and teach the science of yoga. Once you have learned the basics, it is imperative to do diligent practice or abhyasa. Club Mahindra Puducherry resort is situated in serene locations away from the hustle and bustle of city life and provide you with the perfect getaway where you can practice yoga, rejuvenate, energise, and relax. Also, read through these Club Mahindra reviews & know what our happy members have to say about Club Mahindra resorts!