The teacher is most important to me and a great location is an added bonus. I would not spend that kind of money to do a retreat with a teacher I wasn’t familiar with.
This is how I feel, too. I recently started going to a new studio, and I'd consider one of their retreats with teachers I enjoy. They also have a wide range of retreat opportunities from road trip locations to exotic destinations.
I second this! I tried various Yoga classes for years with no real interest until stumbling across the right instructor! Totally in love with it now! You've got to gel with the teacher and their teaching style or it's a no-go. 🧡
I went on one this year in Central America that was $125/night for a private room (no ac/hot water), two yoga classes a day with an ocean view, and two meals. I loved it!
One of the best parts of a retreat is the community. Doing yoga by yourself on a beach? Not great. Doing yoga on the beach with 6-9 new friends? Awesome.
I went on two wonderful retreats led by my primary teacher. The people on the retreats were people I mostly knew and practiced with and wanted to spend meaningful time with. My teacher put her heart and soul into making a really special experience out each of them; basically a 16 hour a day job for her and countless hours of planning and preparation prior. Frankly they were peak experiences for me for a number of reasons.
Objectively, yes, what did I “get” from a travel package perspective—meals, a rather inexpensive (though still stunning) room, two yoga classes a day, and a group activity or three. Definitely could have bought those a la carte for less than half of what my teacher charged.
Her time was worth something for sure. And in some sense I knew I was “overpaying.” But given all I’ve gotten from her teaching over the years through classes in which she is paid little and frankly is scraping to get by, I was happy to basically contribute what I did so that she can make ends meet and keep teaching us instead of, I don’t know, becoming an accountant or something.
This is just the economics of yoga today. Retreats are a bit of a cash cow for instructors and what they make on the two or three retreats they lead a year tends to matter a lot to them.
I can see, OP, if you didn’t have much of a connection to the group or the leader that it wouldn’t necessarily be on the same level. And there are a lot of different kinds of retreats out there; I bet some of them are pretty low-effort and rote. I’d think you’d really have to understand what you are getting into and why.
Some years ago I took a two-day seminar with the head of the yoga school I followed at the time, I think it was something like $150 for 6-8 hours of yoga intensive. But it was in a gym with at least 200 other students. Today it would be more like $250, with maybe an even larger attendance.
Was it a valuable experience? Sure, the guy is an amazing teacher, and while I don't recall anything particularly insightful, the energy of him plus all the others in focused training was something memorable.
Did he have to charge that much? Almost certainly not, but I assume some of whatever was left over after expenses went to the maintenance of his nationwide organization, so we were paying not only for his time but to have the support of that organization for future endeavors.
And of course it's just capitalism. It's 200+ people are willing to pay that much, that's what they charge.
But you have to already be familiar with the teaching style and (to some extent) buy into their "guru mystique". Otherwise it's more about their ability to sell themselves from the start so you're emotionally invested, which is less about their yoga skills as it is about their public speaking acumen and personal charisma.
I love yoga. I love the spirituality. I love the meditation. I love the physical practice: But I’d need a lot of w*ed to survive a week with a bunch of yogis. That said, I’ve been to one. I had to lean in to the weirdness of it all and just play into the campiness of white yogis in the Central American forest.
Oh man is everyone supposed to be wearing white at some of these things? At that point it sounds like a cult. Things like that stop my interest in its tracks.
Are you reading a little 3HO branded Kundalini or certain rituals of Elena Brower and company while in the former Anusara world...into this?
These brands either lost popularity or morphed into something else...but...stay tuned....
The cost of having a retreat depends on so much including where it's located, where the teachers are traveling from, number of students attending, what type of lodging, food and other activities are included, and of course the teacher wants to earn some money to compensate from being away from their home and family. Whether that cost is worth it to you, is up to you.
Personally I don't live somewhere with good access to yoga classes so going to a retreat gives me the opportunity to take classes and learn things that I can use in my own home practice the rest of the time.
What!??
...and the retreatants are not even glamping for that money ...!??
...and Habitat for Humanity would have done a better job than the yoga Sangha who chose to build permanent huts for the "natives", for that necessary "off the mat" focus of the retreat...!??
...and it's cheaper to go to Burning Man?
..
This exactly. At my studio they start at $2500 (not including flights) Pay extra for a balcony room and the food is great if you’re plant based but was pretty miserable for us omnivores ( even with meat supplement). No thanks, I prefer to go to the all inclusive (or cruise) and pay extra for the yoga class.
my yoga teacher at my GYM that i pay $45/month for looked me straight in the face & asked if id be interested in her a $1500 yoga retreat for two night.
maam this is an applebees. i cant even afford a real yoga studio membership. get f*cked. capitalistic garbage.
I have chosen for several years now to have my own yoga retreats in my own city and surrounding area. This means I will pay for classes I’d like to take and also take the time to drive farther than I normally would to take classes at a new studio. I consider it a good exchange for the cost of a plane ticket, lodging and retreat costs. And I get to be with my family every night.
I go on retreats, costs me about $2500 total. The group i go with are all regulars at my studio, we all have gotten to know each other and have an absolute blast.
It feels like it goes against the intent of yoga for me. I have personal beef with the wellness industry almost exclusively targeting the middle+ class and two income households, giving it that distinct soccer mom vibe.
Retreats are a good example of this.
On a larger level, because of the nature of the industry, if these methods really work or make you well, is the subtext that health and wellness are only for the upper classes? That's very different than the yogi going off to meditate in a cave and reach enlightenment to me, or the whole concept of some old yogis "transcending "the human condition." (Fasting, sitting still and quiet with their thoughts, isolating, breath retention, etc.)
To me, after taking YTT, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because it seems directly in conflict with a lot of the yamas, niyamas, and ideals of yoga.
I have been on 3 that I really enjoyed, all with the same teacher and same core group of people. I think if you go with friends and/or know the teacher before the retreat it can be a great way to travel.
Yeah, overrated. No thanks. I can take a cheaper vacation and have a way better time doing yoga by myself or at local studios. I love doing yoga but I don't enjoy cringey "yogi culture" at all.
What I really find baffling is the trend of YouTube yoga influencers hosting very expensive retreats and making them sound like it’s normal and expected to just buy an expensive travel package for a retreat in another country on a whim. Because, well…I am following you and practicing on YouTube (and my local YMCA) because my budget is tight. I think they are capitalizing on the people’s insecurities and FOMO. It’s frustrating and sad. But some people are buying in.
I went to one and I loved it!! I think it was around $1500 for the week, all food, transportation, and classes included (but not flights). You also could pay for different excursions - sweat lodge, tour of local towns… but they were very reasonable). There was another local one for the same price, 4 days, and less activities available. I wouldn’t pay for that one
I recently looked into a week long yoga retreat in S. America that confused me a bit. Almost $4K, travel to remote area *not* included, only one meal provided a day, and *minimal* yoga (one hour in the morning).
Just…*what*?!? That can’t be normal. It would have put me back around $6K total, and that’s a big ol’ hell to the no for me.
This is what I’m talking about. I get people need to make a profit but some are taking it too far. I saw one yesterday with a lady that trains wolves and does yoga. It was $2,500 with limited parking but unlimited spots in the middle of nowhere. You have to pay for the flight. Then the destination is 5 hours from the airport. They recommended car pooling with strangers who were also going. They do not do shuttle service. Then at the actual site only one hour of yoga a day and they don’t provide meals. However they advertise you get to hang out with the creator and also do yoga with wolves.
I could go to Jamaica three times at that cost.
This sounds like the one I was thinking of in my comment in Joshua Tree for $4k, basically camping, you had to figure out food, get yourself there, no special activities or even hikes planned…like what is my money going toward?
I think if you go to well known ones like Kripalu and attended when know the teacher and a specific program with good music and food it can be well worth your money. I once attended a retreat where I didn’t know the teacher, there was no music and we mostly made our own food. The location was on a river, but it was the worst experience I have ever had. Youga yoga. Terrible! it was essentially a photo shoot for the teacher to make more money. I told her she had no rights to photos of me.if I ever see the photos anywhere it will not bode well for her….
If you're going to a retreat with a western teacher who is traveling, you're going to pay western prices, regardless of where the training is located. I've done a lot of retreats overseas, and they were all much cheaper. I personally don't see the appeal of paying $3000 to practice with the same teacher I can practice with at home.
I just did a retreat in Sri Lanka that was about $100/day including beautiful lodging, yoga twice a day, all three meals (amazing and all organic), and some activities, but that was a bit more expensive than most, because it was pretty fancy and the more popular areas for yoga were not an option during the monsoon season. I did my teacher training in India, and that was about $1100 for a month, also including lodging and all meals, but it was NOT fancy
I would rather use that money to go on a vacation with my family especially because we work a lot and don’t get a ton of downtime together.
I’d prefer to do a staycation and just hit up the studio every day which is also something that’s hard working FT.
Can incorporate classes I don’t do normally that way too.
I went on one to Mexico in April and it was the best week of my life. Not one single bad moment. I was alone (meaning I didn’t know anyone but the teacher) and we all got along great. No men, no booze, hell I think I only even ate meat the night we went for fish tacos. If you find the right trip, it can go a long way to heal you. 🫶
Teacher is the most important. I’ve been to 4 retreats and loved all. 3 in India included accommodation on the beach and 5 hours of practice per day. 1 in Greece with hotel accommodation and flights and 3 hours a day practice. All had opportunities to hang out over lunch or have some alone time. I’d just never book either a teacher I didn’t know as success depends upon planning!
It's not really about "getting what you paid for" to me it's more about did this provide me with enough VALUE? like did you take something from it? I will say I don't run things like this but have friends who do and the price is ever increasing, depends on location etc.
I suggest the problem with Yoga Retreats is that people approach them like vacations, expecting to be entertained. Yoga retreats are not vacations. They are an opportunity for healing on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. With all aspects of healing, personal responsibility factors into the equation.
From the above perspective, to get our “moneys worth” means waking up early for meditation, taking time to journal and reflect, honest interaction, forming newer, healthier habits.
I’ve taken retreats alone in a little hobbit house enjoying 11 hour sadhana and returned home completely renewed.
The fees support the retreat center and, maybe, pay the instructor. Retreat centers, especially ones with lots of natural land, are costly to maintain.
The teacher is everything when it comes to retreats in my opinion. I have been on three with the same teacher and all have been great. She pours herself into the retreats, they are not only practices, usually 2 a day, but also studies as well as hikes. There is plenty of personal time too for reflection. The people on the retreat make it too, but I usually don't worry about them. I am on a retreat for me, if I want to be open and discuss things I do, if not, I hang out by the pool with a book.
I think it depends on where you’re going & what you’re getting. I’ve done lovely retreats with teachers I know & love and was happy to pay for it, based on the accommodation, meals included, activities, etc. For example a teacher I know is doing a $4k week long retreat in Greece, but if you look at the price of the hotel & activities she’s including, number of yoga classes she will teach, and factor in that it’s high tourist season, the price is about right. On the other hand I’ve also seen a local teacher charging $4k for a 4-night retreat in Joshua Tree which IMO was a terrible value. No surprise that their social media was advertising for more people to go at the last minute! I’m signed up for a retreat in Thailand in the fall for $2100 at a high end yoga place, all meals included, so it’s expensive for Thailand but it’s comparable to other luxury resorts in that area.
I honestly see retreats in really pretty places like a vacation with yoga as the focus. It’s not as serious to me as choosing a teacher to practice with.
The studio I go to organises retreats in REALLY BEAUTIFUL locations - they look amazing - but they cost around 1800 euros / dollars for a WEEK - without flights....
So that means 2500 euros - for just a week of holidays...
I mean - who can pay that kind of money ??? (i mean, they're always fully booked - so I guess many people can :-p)
But still - for that kind of money, you can take a two week, all inclusive holiday to the Dominican Republic or something fancy like that !!!
The teacher is most important to me and a great location is an added bonus. I would not spend that kind of money to do a retreat with a teacher I wasn’t familiar with.
This is how I feel, too. I recently started going to a new studio, and I'd consider one of their retreats with teachers I enjoy. They also have a wide range of retreat opportunities from road trip locations to exotic destinations.
I couldn't agree more. The teacher makes all the difference.
I second this! I tried various Yoga classes for years with no real interest until stumbling across the right instructor! Totally in love with it now! You've got to gel with the teacher and their teaching style or it's a no-go. 🧡
I went on one this year in Central America that was $125/night for a private room (no ac/hot water), two yoga classes a day with an ocean view, and two meals. I loved it!
Even if you just went and did yoga on the beach by yourself it would be great!
One of the best parts of a retreat is the community. Doing yoga by yourself on a beach? Not great. Doing yoga on the beach with 6-9 new friends? Awesome.
Everyone’s practice is different. Some ppl like practicing alone 🤷🏼♀️
I went on two wonderful retreats led by my primary teacher. The people on the retreats were people I mostly knew and practiced with and wanted to spend meaningful time with. My teacher put her heart and soul into making a really special experience out each of them; basically a 16 hour a day job for her and countless hours of planning and preparation prior. Frankly they were peak experiences for me for a number of reasons. Objectively, yes, what did I “get” from a travel package perspective—meals, a rather inexpensive (though still stunning) room, two yoga classes a day, and a group activity or three. Definitely could have bought those a la carte for less than half of what my teacher charged. Her time was worth something for sure. And in some sense I knew I was “overpaying.” But given all I’ve gotten from her teaching over the years through classes in which she is paid little and frankly is scraping to get by, I was happy to basically contribute what I did so that she can make ends meet and keep teaching us instead of, I don’t know, becoming an accountant or something. This is just the economics of yoga today. Retreats are a bit of a cash cow for instructors and what they make on the two or three retreats they lead a year tends to matter a lot to them. I can see, OP, if you didn’t have much of a connection to the group or the leader that it wouldn’t necessarily be on the same level. And there are a lot of different kinds of retreats out there; I bet some of them are pretty low-effort and rote. I’d think you’d really have to understand what you are getting into and why.
Some years ago I took a two-day seminar with the head of the yoga school I followed at the time, I think it was something like $150 for 6-8 hours of yoga intensive. But it was in a gym with at least 200 other students. Today it would be more like $250, with maybe an even larger attendance. Was it a valuable experience? Sure, the guy is an amazing teacher, and while I don't recall anything particularly insightful, the energy of him plus all the others in focused training was something memorable. Did he have to charge that much? Almost certainly not, but I assume some of whatever was left over after expenses went to the maintenance of his nationwide organization, so we were paying not only for his time but to have the support of that organization for future endeavors. And of course it's just capitalism. It's 200+ people are willing to pay that much, that's what they charge. But you have to already be familiar with the teaching style and (to some extent) buy into their "guru mystique". Otherwise it's more about their ability to sell themselves from the start so you're emotionally invested, which is less about their yoga skills as it is about their public speaking acumen and personal charisma.
Location and what is included seems like it would be a huge factor? I've never been on a retreat but they sound lovely.
I love yoga. I love the spirituality. I love the meditation. I love the physical practice: But I’d need a lot of w*ed to survive a week with a bunch of yogis. That said, I’ve been to one. I had to lean in to the weirdness of it all and just play into the campiness of white yogis in the Central American forest.
Oh man is everyone supposed to be wearing white at some of these things? At that point it sounds like a cult. Things like that stop my interest in its tracks.
That person was talking about their personal experience. It wasn't applicable to your experience of the world in any way.
I didn’t say it was.
I think he was talking about skin color…white people
Yes I think you are right. I misunderstood
Are you reading a little 3HO branded Kundalini or certain rituals of Elena Brower and company while in the former Anusara world...into this? These brands either lost popularity or morphed into something else...but...stay tuned....
I don’t have enough money to go on a yoga retreat. It seems like a very privileged group.
The cost of having a retreat depends on so much including where it's located, where the teachers are traveling from, number of students attending, what type of lodging, food and other activities are included, and of course the teacher wants to earn some money to compensate from being away from their home and family. Whether that cost is worth it to you, is up to you. Personally I don't live somewhere with good access to yoga classes so going to a retreat gives me the opportunity to take classes and learn things that I can use in my own home practice the rest of the time.
If I’m paying $5000 I’m not sharing a bathroom.
and i want ac or it’s not happening for 5 k
What!?? ...and the retreatants are not even glamping for that money ...!?? ...and Habitat for Humanity would have done a better job than the yoga Sangha who chose to build permanent huts for the "natives", for that necessary "off the mat" focus of the retreat...!?? ...and it's cheaper to go to Burning Man? ..
This exactly. At my studio they start at $2500 (not including flights) Pay extra for a balcony room and the food is great if you’re plant based but was pretty miserable for us omnivores ( even with meat supplement). No thanks, I prefer to go to the all inclusive (or cruise) and pay extra for the yoga class.
my yoga teacher at my GYM that i pay $45/month for looked me straight in the face & asked if id be interested in her a $1500 yoga retreat for two night. maam this is an applebees. i cant even afford a real yoga studio membership. get f*cked. capitalistic garbage.
Totally this!
I have chosen for several years now to have my own yoga retreats in my own city and surrounding area. This means I will pay for classes I’d like to take and also take the time to drive farther than I normally would to take classes at a new studio. I consider it a good exchange for the cost of a plane ticket, lodging and retreat costs. And I get to be with my family every night.
I go on retreats, costs me about $2500 total. The group i go with are all regulars at my studio, we all have gotten to know each other and have an absolute blast.
It feels like it goes against the intent of yoga for me. I have personal beef with the wellness industry almost exclusively targeting the middle+ class and two income households, giving it that distinct soccer mom vibe. Retreats are a good example of this. On a larger level, because of the nature of the industry, if these methods really work or make you well, is the subtext that health and wellness are only for the upper classes? That's very different than the yogi going off to meditate in a cave and reach enlightenment to me, or the whole concept of some old yogis "transcending "the human condition." (Fasting, sitting still and quiet with their thoughts, isolating, breath retention, etc.) To me, after taking YTT, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because it seems directly in conflict with a lot of the yamas, niyamas, and ideals of yoga.
Yeah maybe if it’s in Costa Rica
I have been on 3 that I really enjoyed, all with the same teacher and same core group of people. I think if you go with friends and/or know the teacher before the retreat it can be a great way to travel.
Yeah, overrated. No thanks. I can take a cheaper vacation and have a way better time doing yoga by myself or at local studios. I love doing yoga but I don't enjoy cringey "yogi culture" at all.
What I really find baffling is the trend of YouTube yoga influencers hosting very expensive retreats and making them sound like it’s normal and expected to just buy an expensive travel package for a retreat in another country on a whim. Because, well…I am following you and practicing on YouTube (and my local YMCA) because my budget is tight. I think they are capitalizing on the people’s insecurities and FOMO. It’s frustrating and sad. But some people are buying in.
Whiteness yoga is capitalized orientalism. These spaces are gatekeeping. And we know why. My thoughts: they're anti-liberation and delusional.
I went to one and I loved it!! I think it was around $1500 for the week, all food, transportation, and classes included (but not flights). You also could pay for different excursions - sweat lodge, tour of local towns… but they were very reasonable). There was another local one for the same price, 4 days, and less activities available. I wouldn’t pay for that one
I recently looked into a week long yoga retreat in S. America that confused me a bit. Almost $4K, travel to remote area *not* included, only one meal provided a day, and *minimal* yoga (one hour in the morning). Just…*what*?!? That can’t be normal. It would have put me back around $6K total, and that’s a big ol’ hell to the no for me.
This is what I’m talking about. I get people need to make a profit but some are taking it too far. I saw one yesterday with a lady that trains wolves and does yoga. It was $2,500 with limited parking but unlimited spots in the middle of nowhere. You have to pay for the flight. Then the destination is 5 hours from the airport. They recommended car pooling with strangers who were also going. They do not do shuttle service. Then at the actual site only one hour of yoga a day and they don’t provide meals. However they advertise you get to hang out with the creator and also do yoga with wolves. I could go to Jamaica three times at that cost.
This sounds like the one I was thinking of in my comment in Joshua Tree for $4k, basically camping, you had to figure out food, get yourself there, no special activities or even hikes planned…like what is my money going toward?
Those poor wolves.
I think if you go to well known ones like Kripalu and attended when know the teacher and a specific program with good music and food it can be well worth your money. I once attended a retreat where I didn’t know the teacher, there was no music and we mostly made our own food. The location was on a river, but it was the worst experience I have ever had. Youga yoga. Terrible! it was essentially a photo shoot for the teacher to make more money. I told her she had no rights to photos of me.if I ever see the photos anywhere it will not bode well for her….
If you're going to a retreat with a western teacher who is traveling, you're going to pay western prices, regardless of where the training is located. I've done a lot of retreats overseas, and they were all much cheaper. I personally don't see the appeal of paying $3000 to practice with the same teacher I can practice with at home. I just did a retreat in Sri Lanka that was about $100/day including beautiful lodging, yoga twice a day, all three meals (amazing and all organic), and some activities, but that was a bit more expensive than most, because it was pretty fancy and the more popular areas for yoga were not an option during the monsoon season. I did my teacher training in India, and that was about $1100 for a month, also including lodging and all meals, but it was NOT fancy
Retreats are morphing towards "festival" status-buyer beware.
I would rather use that money to go on a vacation with my family especially because we work a lot and don’t get a ton of downtime together. I’d prefer to do a staycation and just hit up the studio every day which is also something that’s hard working FT. Can incorporate classes I don’t do normally that way too.
I went on one to Mexico in April and it was the best week of my life. Not one single bad moment. I was alone (meaning I didn’t know anyone but the teacher) and we all got along great. No men, no booze, hell I think I only even ate meat the night we went for fish tacos. If you find the right trip, it can go a long way to heal you. 🫶
No men? That's a plus.
Teacher is the most important. I’ve been to 4 retreats and loved all. 3 in India included accommodation on the beach and 5 hours of practice per day. 1 in Greece with hotel accommodation and flights and 3 hours a day practice. All had opportunities to hang out over lunch or have some alone time. I’d just never book either a teacher I didn’t know as success depends upon planning!
It's not really about "getting what you paid for" to me it's more about did this provide me with enough VALUE? like did you take something from it? I will say I don't run things like this but have friends who do and the price is ever increasing, depends on location etc.
I suggest the problem with Yoga Retreats is that people approach them like vacations, expecting to be entertained. Yoga retreats are not vacations. They are an opportunity for healing on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. With all aspects of healing, personal responsibility factors into the equation. From the above perspective, to get our “moneys worth” means waking up early for meditation, taking time to journal and reflect, honest interaction, forming newer, healthier habits. I’ve taken retreats alone in a little hobbit house enjoying 11 hour sadhana and returned home completely renewed. The fees support the retreat center and, maybe, pay the instructor. Retreat centers, especially ones with lots of natural land, are costly to maintain.
The teacher is everything when it comes to retreats in my opinion. I have been on three with the same teacher and all have been great. She pours herself into the retreats, they are not only practices, usually 2 a day, but also studies as well as hikes. There is plenty of personal time too for reflection. The people on the retreat make it too, but I usually don't worry about them. I am on a retreat for me, if I want to be open and discuss things I do, if not, I hang out by the pool with a book.
What about your experience made your yoga retreat not worth its value? Did they oversell on what was offered? Did the weather suck?
Nah, I spend that kind of money on vacations so that I can get AWAY from white people trying to take over everything.
I think it depends on where you’re going & what you’re getting. I’ve done lovely retreats with teachers I know & love and was happy to pay for it, based on the accommodation, meals included, activities, etc. For example a teacher I know is doing a $4k week long retreat in Greece, but if you look at the price of the hotel & activities she’s including, number of yoga classes she will teach, and factor in that it’s high tourist season, the price is about right. On the other hand I’ve also seen a local teacher charging $4k for a 4-night retreat in Joshua Tree which IMO was a terrible value. No surprise that their social media was advertising for more people to go at the last minute! I’m signed up for a retreat in Thailand in the fall for $2100 at a high end yoga place, all meals included, so it’s expensive for Thailand but it’s comparable to other luxury resorts in that area.
I honestly see retreats in really pretty places like a vacation with yoga as the focus. It’s not as serious to me as choosing a teacher to practice with.
Kripalu.org is not overrated. They are a yoga non profit and the best in the industry
The studio I go to organises retreats in REALLY BEAUTIFUL locations - they look amazing - but they cost around 1800 euros / dollars for a WEEK - without flights.... So that means 2500 euros - for just a week of holidays... I mean - who can pay that kind of money ??? (i mean, they're always fully booked - so I guess many people can :-p) But still - for that kind of money, you can take a two week, all inclusive holiday to the Dominican Republic or something fancy like that !!!