Which Country Should You Attend a Yoga Retreat In?

By: Elisabeth Henderson

6 Min Quiz

Image: Vladimir Vladimirov / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Do you practice yoga regularly but feel like your practice stays stagnant or doesn’t infiltrate the hectic corners of your life? You may be stretching and building muscle in your yoga practice, but you may not be deepening into the spiritual insight and freedom that yoga can offer for the places your mind and body have closed off.

One way to take your practice to the next level is to push off from your daily grind to immerse yourself in a yoga retreat. Yoga centers offer retreats around the world, at both remote, rural outposts and bustling urban centers. So, if you’re already going to step away from your routine existence, why not take a big step and retreat in a foreign country to shift your mindset fully?

As any yoga practitioner who has attended more than one teacher's class knows, yoga takes on many forms and personalities. Practitioners can select from different styles of yoga, from Ashtanga yoga’s focus on flow and sequence of postures to Pranayama, a breathing meditation practice. In addition to yoga styles, of course, the character of the locale, as well as the teachers leading retreats, will definitively shape the experience of a yoga retreat. Yoga Journal provides a list of the best retreats available for travel. But how will you decide which one will fit your yoga style?

Not sure where to head to stand on your head? Follow this sequence of questions, and we’ll lead you to the retreat that will open your mind and body.

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When you walk in late to a yoga session, and people are helping each other get into a pose, how do you react?

Focus on my breathing and wait for the next pose

Linger at the doorway
See if the position looks challenging enough to stick around

Jump in there

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Which aspect of yoga would you like to learn more about?

Its historical origins

Its potential for increasing longevity
Its capacity to build strength

Its capacity to lower stress

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What type of landscape invigorates your mind?

A majestic river

A wild jungle
A roaring ocean and open beach

Winding, cobbled streets and ancient structures

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What elements of a yoga practice are crucial for your spiritual health?

Feeling grounded

Silence
Strenuous holds

Connection with others

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How would you like to take your meals while on retreat?

At the local diner

In a community gathering place
A potluck meal with local yogis

Wandering the city with friends

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If you’ve finished practicing for the afternoon, what would you like to do during your hours off?

Explore historical sites

Hike in a beautiful, natural spot
Do some more cardio activity to balance out the yoga

Explore museums and restaurants

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What is one benefit of yoga that stands out to you above all others?

Spiritual connection with an ancient source

A return to youthfulness through reinvigorating the body
Connecting body and mind

Feeling connected to the people around me

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If you were to pick out a book about yoga, which of the following topics would interest you?

History of early yogis

Yoga as a remedy for aging
Why yoga and surfing are a perfect combination

Yoga and ecstatic dance

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How do you feel when a yoga teacher comes around and touches you during class, either for massage or adjustments?

I feel connected to a deeper source.

I feel awkward.
I’m always surprised and not sure how to feel when that happens.

I feel more in touch with my body through the energy of those around me.

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How do you typically practice yoga?

I practice daily, alone in my living room, with a candle.

I go to a class once a week in a studio.
I attend outdoor classes a couple of times a week.

I go to classes with friends whenever it fits with my schedule.

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How do you feel about how expensive yoga has become?

It isn’t right because it goes against the spiritual origins of yoga.

It makes sense because teachers have to earn a living.
It’s not more expensive than other physical health programs.

It’s not that expensive if you find donation classes.

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Which style of yoga fits your preference for practice?

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Hatha Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga

Acroyoga or Partner Yoga

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Which style of yoga are you unfamiliar with but interested in learning more about?

Yin Yoga

Kindness Yoga
Laughter Yoga

Pranayama

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How would you feel about attending a retreat that required you to totally unplug from electronic devices?

I would feel liberated.

I would reluctantly agree that it would be good for me.
I’d still sneak in a few photos to post on social media.

I probably wouldn’t go to that retreat.

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Which of the following sounds like a struggle you have encountered in your yoga practice?

Not understanding the roots of the practice

Not being able to get anywhere near a pose
Not feeling like I’m getting a real workout

Not being able to quiet my mind

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When you have come to a place of stagnation in your practice in the past, how have you been able to get back into it?

Reading one of the masters

Changing my sleep habits
Increasing my running miles

Joining a different class

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Which metaphor best describes the journey you’ve taken in your yoga practice?

A river

A waterfall
A wave

A cathedral

Unsplash by Jyotirmoy Gupta

Some people would rather not hear children during a yoga practice. Where do you come in on this question?

Children are life, and yoga is life, so they go together.

I do love to practice in silence.
I do yoga to meditate, so I prefer silence.

I wouldn’t mind if kids were climbing on me.

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What time of day do you prefer to practice?

Before dawn

First thing when I wake up
In the evening

Mid-afternoon

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Which of the following is most important to you about travel?

Experiencing history first-hand

Encountering new landscapes and ecosystems
Having adventures I can’t have at home

Experiencing different cultures and local cuisines

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If you had the opportunity to go anywhere in the world, what kind of place would you look into first?

An ancient civilization

A jungle village
A remote beach community

A diverse and multicultural city with vibrant history

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What kind of interaction would you prefer to have with other retreatants at a yoga getaway?

I wouldn’t mind seeing them in class.

I prefer to have as much solitude as possible.
I’d like to hang out with them after class.

I’d enjoy working on tandem postures with them.

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If your partner wanted to join you on a yoga retreat, what would you say?

Certainly, we can both benefit from touching the source.

I’d rather go alone.
Sweet, we’ll have a blast.

If you say so!

Bilgehan Tuzcu / E+ / Getty Images

Some people engage in hot yoga as a way to open up their muscles with intense heat. Are you one of those people?

Yes, but only when it’s really hot outside where I practice

Not me, it just doesn’t seem good for you.
Yes, I love the intensity.

I’d be willing to try it.

Unsplash by Geert Pieters

What would you think about a yoga practice that had pop music playing in the background and repetitive ab-work like Pilates?

I’d think it wasn’t yoga.

I’d enjoy it for the novelty but probably not do it again.
It sounds like good exercise.

It sounds kind of annoying.

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What kind of meditation accompanies your yoga practice?

I practice breathing meditation after each practice, followed by 30 minutes of sitting.

I lay in savasana and do a full-body scan after each practice.
I don’t really meditate.

I try to do loving-kindness meditation.

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What type of food would you hope to be served on a yoga retreat?

Local cuisine made by locals

Organic food, locally grown
Local cuisine sourced sustainably in a way that benefits the community

Explore the city to find food that appeals to my particular tastes

Unsplash by Natalia Figueredo

In your experience, how does yoga enter into your daily life?

It puts me in touch with the source of my being.

It helps me to be mindful of my body’s experience in the world.
It strengthens muscles that keep me from hurting myself in other sports.

It gives me a sense that everyone has a spirit to honor.

Klaus Vedfelt / DigitalVision / Getty Images

Do you have a teacher you want to work with?

Yes, but the best teachers are the ancient ones.

I would be happy to have any teacher who really connects with me.
No, I don’t know of any particular teachers besides the ones in my classes.

Yes, there are many teachers with whom I would love to practice in person.

Counter / DigitalVision / Getty Images

What would you be afraid of while traveling to another country for a retreat?

I’d be afraid I would not want to come home.

I’d be afraid that I won’t be able to communicate with people.
I’d be afraid of being robbed.

I’d be afraid of running out of money.

7 Minute Quiz 7 Min

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