If you’ve always dreamed of taking a yoga retreat and not quite managed to make the dream a reality yet, don’t despair! Here is a mini yoga retreat that you can do at home – a day of bliss for YOU.
Choose a day where you will be undisturbed and ideally alone, a time where you have no commitments, nowhere to go and nothing else you need to be doing.
If this is a difficult thing for you, please remember that by taking this small amount of time out for yourself, you will be able to re-emerge as a brand new you and offer so much more to all of those around you.
How to Kick Off Your Yoga Retreat at Home
Begin your day with warm water and a mixture of any (or all!) of the following: lemon, honey, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. These will hydrate your body and help to flush out any toxins.
If you have a meditation or journaling/morning pages practice, now would be the ideal time to indulge in this.
Morning Flow Practice
Get in tune with yourself by allowing your body to move. This could be anything from 10 minutes doing a few sun salutations to an hour doing whatever feels good for your body.
Don’t get caught up in any dramas or doubts about knowing what to do (you DO know!) simply get onto your mat and do what feels GOOD.
Nourish your body with a delicious breakfast.
This could be a green juice or superfood smoothie, or maybe you want to indulge a little more with smashed avocado on toast or a chia pudding. Remember that the day is about you so find something that makes you feel fulfilled and completely nourished.
For the next hour or so, do something that you would never usually allow yourself the time to do. Really indulge.
This could be anything from reading a good book to listening to music or lying in the garden enjoying nature. Allow yourself to be completely present as you fully immerse in and enjoy whatever it is that you have chosen to do.
Indulge in Abhyanga
This ancient ayurvedic practice of applying oils to the skin is one of the most deeply relaxing and nurturing things you can do for your body. Choose an oil such as sesame, coconut or almond and gently warm the oil (placing the oil in a container in a bowl of boiling water is usually enough).
Beginning at the scalp, massage the oil into the whole body, using sweeping motions on the arms and legs and circular motions on the chest and abdomen. Pay special attention to the joints and make sure that you include your feet.
As you apply the oils, apply self-love and appreciation to your beautiful body, feel as if you are completely nourishing yourself. Now lay down for around 20 minutes, longer if you can, to allow the deep healing of the oils to penetrate into the deeper layers of the body.
Put on some relaxing music, close your eyes and drift into relaxation. Take a warm shower when you are ready gently patting the skin dry afterwards.
Enjoy a light lunch whenever you feel hungry, maybe some warm soup or a simple salad.
Afternoon Agenda
During the afternoon, allow yourself to be drawn to a healing practice that will help you delve deep and move forwards in your life. This could be doing a chakra cleanse, a crystal healing meditation, a guided meditation or reading a book that uplifts and inspires you.
If you have a journal practice, spend some time writing or creating some affirmations of things you’d like to bring into your life. You could even make a visualization board or perform some kind of cleansing ritual. Find something that really resonates with you.
Have an Early, Mindful Dinner
Have an early dinner that once more makes you feel nourished and like you are healing from the inside out. Enjoy the process of cooking and preparing this nourishment for your body, mind and soul.
Eat consciously and mindfully savouring every bite. End your day with a deeply relaxing and gentle Yin yoga practice. Choose a few simple poses that you can completely and utterly surrender and melt into.
Finish off your practice with a blissful yoga nidra or deep Savasana.
If you have the means and the energy, you may also soak in a bath with essentials oils, or even just a foot soak can be enough, to lull you into a sleepy place. Then snuggle up in bed and drift into a blissful nights sleep.
I’d love to hear how your mini retreat day of bliss went, or if you have more ideas and suggestions to make this even more blissful! Share them in the comments below!
