Written by By Lydia Metzler, CNN
“You may take your mind to your own village, but your spirit will be on the other side of the earth.” — Ranald Macdonald
It’s fair to say that most of us live in a world increasingly preoccupied with boundaries between what is real and what is imagined, so much so that we spend time questioning the meaning of “attention.” This endless nonstop projecting of one’s life’s possibilities means it is hardly surprising that growing numbers of people are heading to destination retreats such as ayahuasca retreats, yogic retreats and Zen vacations in order to explore the seemingly intangible realms of transcendental and emotional Wellbeing.
But how many are prepared to consider and define this increasingly accepted societal concept?
According to Maggie Gillen, fashion and style photographer, and founder of Wellbeing Outposts , a Wellbeing Retreat and Yoga Retreat Boutique, all people must do is think of what a trip could mean to them. She says, ” when thinking about this concept of Wellbeing Retreats, I feel most people struggle with the notion of expanding their perspective, it’s really a deep feeling. we’ve all been brought up with the idea of work, family, to be respectful to others, to be a full human being. Wellbeing, for me is most intertwined with wanting to keep yourself breathing. It’s a pose, a pose that will make you feel better.”
With this line of thought in mind, wellbeing outposts offer structured retreats that look into certain aspects of a client’s life and discuss self care and self love as their main goals. These can all be tailored according to a guest’s wants, needs and temperament but are generally three partful programs, covering an array of topics such as meditation, sleep, happiness, perspective shifting, and holistic practices.
Recent clients and travelers have included celebs such as Selena Gomez and Britney Spears
Rose Lord, an ambassador for UN Women Canada and CEO of WE ‘s Canadian chapter, and formerly Canadian Ambassador for Youth, says, “Getting away for a Wellbeing Retreat is truly opening up a new experience, one that is both healthy, realistic and leaves you with a sense of positive transformation. Visiting Yoga Retreats for the simple fact that I love movement therapy, with low-impact yoga and mind-body practice.”
And for visitors to Wellbeing Retreats, well-known events which surround the success of well-being. There is the annual well-being retreat hosted by the home of the British royals, Prince William. KEWAUNEE, celebrating the International Year of Yoga , the Vancouver-based retreat has held events for heads of state, musicians, celebrities and elite yogis since 1980. It boasts a worldwide reputation for bringing together leading minds for wellness in a world that is thirsty for fresh new ideas.
There are also more traditional retreats for those looking to get into yoga and meditation. YOGA MASTERS of Canada is the largest membership association of yoga and meditation teachers in Canada, with over 500 unique teachers from all over North America and the UK participating each year.
There are also the well-known events which surround the success of yoga, such as the festival in Kamloops, British Columbia in celebration of the International Yoga Day. Other events are geared towards enhancing the growth of yoga and meditation through events including the Air and Style Yoga Festival, a yoga conference held in Vancouver in partnership with A&E Luxury Hotels, and the festival in Kamloops, which boasts over 1000 yoga enthusiasts in attendance.
In 2014, a year that saw a significant uptake in yoga enrolment due to the documentary “Yoga: The Art of Transformation,” British Columbia had one of the highest increases in yoga to be practiced in the United States, with more than double the number of people classing in Vancouver and the surrounding areas as compared to 2009. Wellbeing Outposts also experienced a similarly significant increase in enrollment.
Visitors to the exclusive Wellbeing Outposts retreats are exposed to a unique and diverse exchange of expertise and options, which were created by the guests themselves. For clients who are at their most connected to themselves, or have retreated from another world altogether, the aim of all this is to strengthen and define one’s sense of mind-body-spirit.
The most recent developments and developments in the world of Wellbeing Retreats has featured heavily in popular culture. Netflix documentary series “BoJack Horseman,” is set in a world saturated by new ideas and lifestyles, filled with rebellion, experimentation and a quest for autonomy. BoJack leads his own gang of fringe llamas, much like how his six choice retreats get their own unique characters. Clearly, nuking the fads and concerns of