How to Plan a Yoga Retreat

Perhaps it is your dream to plan a yoga retreat. Many people have had similar dreams and it can definitely be a worthwhile adventure if you plan it right. There are plenty of different ways to do this, you have to think about what kind of classes will be offered, what kind of food there will be, and what the ultimate goal you wish to transmit in your attendees will be. Lots and lots to think about. But at first you want to start with a vision. As they say, a good vision will take you a lot further than plenty of goals. When considering something as ambitious as a yoga retreat, you definitely want to have a vision.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a lot of information about yoga retreats online. So to do your research, you may have to dig a little deeper than just Google. The articles that do exist tend to be somewhat unhelpful. This can be very aggravating because planning a yoga retreat requires an intense amount of thought. So here are some key pointers that other people who have successfully planned to yoga retreats offer.

Make sure that you have a vision, but that also that vision is attainable. There’s nothing worse than having a dream that is completely out of reach. Set your standards high, so that you can be proud of them, but not so high as to not be able to reach them yourself. You want to please yourself first and foremost. You, as somebody who is seeking to plan a yoga retreat, must be excited about every aspect of the plan. If you are enthusiastic about your plan then chances are other people will be as well. You also need to make sure that you are cut out for the job. If you’re into retreats and workshops than this is right up your alley. If not, then it could be time to reconsider. Planning such an adventure is going to take a considerable amount of work. Seeing as how much time teachers have to put into individual classes alone, you need to consider that an entire retreat will be draining and exhausting.

What To Keep In Mind

Here are a few things you ought to take in mind as you plan during the beginning. Consider the overall size an amount of attendance? How are you going to travel? Will the traveling be comfortable? Will all those wishing to join be able to make the trip? Or will it be too far for some? Overall, how much money will the trip cost? You may also want to consider creating a program to your students. Keep in mind, the any extra expenses are likely to come out of your pocket. So if you are on a budget, always plan to spend more than what you think you will spend. Remember that everything cost money. If you are looking to make small improvements to revamp certain aspects of your retreat mid-retreat, then you will have to be prepared to doll out the cash. Be prepared to save ahead of time for a while if you have to. Not all of us planning a retreat have the money it will cost to do so as of right now. There are also some unknown factors that you have to keep in mind. You won’t know how many students you have right away. Therefore you will not know how much money you are going to make back on your own trip.

Finding Students

Initially, when you are trying to attract people to your class, you may need to step up a bit in the charisma department. By getting a few more people to join a long, you may be setting yourself up to make a little more money in the end. Aside from the money, the important thing is that by the end you feel accomplished as a teacher.

Remember that it is normal to be quite nervous. After all you have to pay for a venue and you are opening yourself up to criticism from students. What you will soon learn is that there is just as much to learn from your students as there is for your students to learn from you. Remember that anything is possible. It is possible to end up losing money, and it is important to keep this in mind as you evaluate your original intentions. If you’re looking purely to make money, then this can be a big risk factor.

Finding A Studio

If you will be renting out a yoga studio, these cost some bucks. Check the prices of various studios before making any commitments. Be prepared to pay up to $100 an hour if you have set your heart on a certain Studio. Some studios also have a minimum amount of time that you can rent them for. This also adds up. You also have to think about insurance. Studios often require you to have them listed on your personal policy. For most longer retreats you will be required to pay the venue fee up front. Also, don’t expect a decent refund policy if things don’t work out. The cost of Flyers is not cheap. If you need a bunch of them created then you’re going to really have to dole out a few bucks. Think of the energy you will have to spend as well. No matter the size of the class, you are going to have to run around for a bit to get your flyers situated. Make sure that you understand the laws regarding where you can post flyers and your local city. Not every city allows you to post flyers, on say telephone poles and street lights. In certain cities you can potentially be fined for doing so. The last thing you need is the additional expense of a city fine. Your best bet is to go to local grocery stores and supermarkets to post on their public bulletin boards. This will get the word out in a legal manner. These bulletins can usually be found near the restrooms.

Don’t underestimate how much time and energy it will take to Simply get the word out. We would all like to get the ball rolling on our Yoga retreat without doing these preliminary things. This unfortunately is not the case. You’re going to have to work really hard and this will lead to spread the message. Depending on the type of people you are trying to reach, you have to consider where you post your flyers. In other words, stapling posters near the local dive bar could be completely opposite of what your intentions are. Or, perhaps it is the exact audience you were going for.

Use Social Media As A Tool

You can also see what’s going on on mailing list and social media in terms of yoga events. Usually you will have to pay quite a bit to do so. Setting up advertisements is not cheap. Whether you are doing so in a local newspaper, or on a yoga website of some kind it’s going to cost a bit of change. Maybe this will help you reach your target audience a little easier though? If you go this route, then by all means make sure where you are advertising gets plenty of traffic. You don’t want to spend a ton of money on advertising with a website that, let’s say, gets less than a hundred views a month.

By now your plans should be coming together. Make sure to stay completely organized through the process. This will help you think. Unless you are one of those people who experiences better clarity through the clutter, then it is recommended that you stay organized. So after a few people want to join you on your retreat, what do you do next? Maybe you want to find a PR person that can help you plan the remainder of the production. This can be a valuable additional teammate to bring aboard.

A Few Final Thoughts

No, before you embark on your yoga retreat you need to do a few things. Make sure you have a good understanding of the location itself. You need to scope it out before to make sure it’s a good fit. Make sure the owners of the venue itself are on the right terms with you. Communication is key. Make sure the guest rooms at the venue have everything they need. Put yourself in your student’s shoes, would you personally like to stay here? Make sure all the equipment in the studio works. This means lights, locks and everything in between. One very important thing you will have to do still, is get the information you need from your students. Ensure that you have emergency contacts from each student. You may also want to inquire about potential allergies. Also take a look around the area. Make sure that you are traveling to a safe destination.