If you are like me, someone who just wants to be all out lazy while on vacation then going to a Yoga Retreat in Thailand is what you need! I really wonder how can someone spend one’s vacation doing activities which drains one’s energy! Rafting? Hiking? Why would someone go through this torturous vacation when one can spend a relaxing time laying around doing yoga at Koh Phangan? Let’s get to know Koh Phangan more and why it is my favourite place for a yoga retreat in Thailand and also what you are to expect from the session.
Koh Phangan is located inside the Gulf of Thailand in the south part about twenty kilometres from Koh Samui the nearest island. Koh Phangan has always been a spiritual place of choice for its natives and today it is still a good place to live and where the practice of Yoga makes sense. The classification in National Park of one third of its surface (i.e. 65.9 km²) should preserve certain tranquillity as opposed to the ineluctable growing tourist development.
If you choose well you can get retreats which have unrivalled views, where the beauty of nature is everywhere. It can also offer a spectacular view of the beach, the bay and the mountains as a backdrop for a unique experience of yoga in Koh Phangan. The clear ocean and white sand adds to the charm of the yoga retreat in Thailand.
Now for what you will be getting into doing yoga at Koh Phangan. Of course, you will be well fed and sip on the most nutritious drinks which comes in fanciful glasses but your senses will be up for an amazing ride. The yoga practice will take place in front of the beach in a space specially arranged for this purpose in a tropical garden. The food offered during a yoga retreat is mainly vegetarian and consists of organic and local produce. You will get the chance to attend philosophy course (different subjects that will be discussed as well as reflection on our experience). I love this course because it adds a deeper dimension to our yoga practice. The Yoga Instructor Course in Thailand explains the importance of respecting our bodies, feeding them well, reducing the sources of stress, being aware of our lives and taking care of them. A course that makes you think about hectic pace of our society. Warning: High risk of wanting to leave your job and go to live on a beach away from any civilization!!
Then you will be doing some breathing and meditation. The perfect time to reflect on the philosophy course and how to apply it and make the necessary changes in our lives. My experience of the meditation went like this; after several unsuccessful attempts where I am supposed to concentrate on my breathing I got back to my crazy thoughts (I hope the dinner will be good! I wonder that it is the temperature at home! My nose is itchy ... My arm feels numb ... Ahh what is this noise? Etc ....) On the 3rd day, I finally had the feeling of having reached a certain meditative state that has given me an immense internal peace! The important thing is not to judge and condemn ourselves because we are not able to subdue our thoughts but rather simply to bring our attention to our breathing. Little steps at a time.
