If you are looking for an escape from the constant hustle and bustle of your daily lives, book a staycation at the best meditation retreats in the world. Here’s a breakdown of the best meditation centers in the world.
Meditation is a practice that’s all about calming your mind and relaxing your body. But it can be pretty challenging to maintain the Zen-level calm when you constantly hear the honking of cars or the pings of notifications on your phone. It’s challenging to catch your breath when you are struggling to balance the pressure of your never-ending to-do lists or trying to make sense of the utter chaos in the world around you.
This is exactly where the best meditation retreats in the world come into the picture.
It’s obvious. It’s pretty easy and idealistic to reap the benefits of meditation and mindfulness when you are in the middle of a peaceful environment.
The best meditation retreats allow you to truly immerse yourself into the practice with proper breathing, a calm atmosphere, a healthy diet, and a much-needed break from the usual chaos.
With that said, not all meditation retreats around the world are the same. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of the best places to meditate in the world. In this post, we will look at the top meditation retreats and how you can figure out what suits you the best.
Whether you are a newbie to the practice, in search of some form of self-discovery, or someone simply looking for a healthy detox from their social and digital life – there’s something for you here. Let’s dive in.
But, Firstly, What Is A Meditation Retreat?
Meditation retreats are spaces that allow you to get a much-needed peaceful break. They allow you to take a deep dive within yourself and understand how you are feeling without the added pressure of meeting deadlines. It frees you from regular distractions and gives you time to truly immerse yourself into the practice.
Meditation retreats are generally mentored by a qualified professional with substantial experience. They have multiple activities spread out throughout the day. You can certainly expect varied meditation sessions during your stay. During the break, you can go trekking, swim, or perform any other calming activity.
The duration of the best meditation centers in the world differs depending on the place you are visiting or your chosen plan. It can range anything from a week to ten days, a month, and so on.
Similarly, the cost of the best mindfulness retreats can be different. The prices usually depend on:
- location,
- duration, and
- luxury status and facilities of the retreat you choose.
Why Do You Need To Go To A Meditation Retreat?
Going to the best meditation places around the world can offer exceptional wellness benefits for you. These include:
Apart from these benefits, going to the best meditation retreats around the world can be good for you in terms of other aspects of your life. The additional benefits of going to the best spiritual retreats in the world:
As per a study by PLOS ONE, the positive benefits of the best meditation retreats in the world can easily last up to 10 weeks, which is substantially longer than any vacation. The results of the study showed that going to meditation retreats around the world led to:
What Are The World’s Best Meditation Retreats?
Now that you have understood what meditation retreats are and how important they are for your mental and emotional well-being, it’s time to help you figure out the right one for you. Here’s a breakdown of the best meditation retreats in the world. Let’s dive in.
1. Esalen Institute
Location: Big Sur, California
Located in the middle of California, the Esalen Institute is the first in our list of the best places for meditation in the world. Most workshops in the retreat are set on weekends. You can also book for other plans that offer five to seven days of guided meditation.
Along with guided meditations, the Esalen Institute offers yoga sessions, self-exploration classes, and forest bathing experiences. With a backdrop of an ocean and skilled instructors to make your stay worthwhile, this is one of the best meditation retreats in the world.
2. Tea Huntress Ritual and Renewal Retreat
Location: Iceland
If you have ever wanted to take a break from regular meditation sessions and dive into diverse forms of the practice, the Tea Huntress retreat is one of the best places to meditate in the world. It takes you on a five-day journey of botanical tea ceremonies that work as meditative practices.
Set in two of Iceland’s most beautiful and scenic hotels, this retreat offers a balance of urban city architecture and rural traditions. Along with meditation and yoga sessions, this meditation center also provides a sublime travel experience as you venture into some of the country’s most breathtaking sights.
3. Ananda In The Himalayas
Location: Uttarakhand, India
Set in the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas, Ananda is literally one of the best places to meditate. With a 100-acre premise surrounded by the Ganges River and the scenic beauty of Uttarakhand, Ananda is the right place to embrace the calm within you.
Ananda is also one of the best Buddhist retreats in the world and offers a traditional and historically rooted experience. Facilities include one-on-one personalized meditation and Yoga sessions. Along with this, you can also engage in soothing activities like spas, swimming, and much more.
4. Isha
Location: McMinnville, Tennessee
From the birthplace of the Ganges River, we are now headed to the ultimate birthplace of country music – Tennessee. At the very heart of the countryside, McMinnville is the gorgeous Isha (Insitute of Inner Sciences), one of the best meditation retreats around the world. Isha offers the near-perfect blend of subversive meditation practices along with scenic beauty that catches your breath.
Founded by Jaggi Vasudev, a well-known Yogi and meditation expert, Isha offers several ‘inner engineering’ programs. These programs aim to help untangle your inner consciousness and increase your compassion. Apart from meditation sessions, you can also relish waterfall walking trails and mountain biking at Isha.
5. Little Paradise
Location: Germany
Little Paradise is one of the best Vipassana centers in the world. It is an eight-day silent retreat where guests are guided on the path of achieving genuine inner peace. The best part? You are free from social obligations and the constant, overpowering presence of technology.
At Little Paradise, you will gain greater mental clarity and understanding of who you are as a person. It is one of the best Buddhist retreats and offers readings from historical Buddhist literature to complement your meditation process.
6. Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa
Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona
Just 13 miles from Phoenix is one of the most beautiful and endearing desert meditation retreats around the world. The central attraction of the resort is a meditation pool where all guests sit and meditate together. It also offers guided imagery meditation along with yoga and stretching sessions.
Apart from the usual activities, you can also go for a run or plan a relaxation session in one of the retreat’s infinity-edge pools or spas. With its innovative and unique practices, large patios, and fabulous location, this is one of the best meditation retreats in the world.
7. Bali Eco Stay
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Bali is one of the favorite tourist destinations in recent times, and it’s also one of the best meditation places in the world.
Bali Eco Stay is located right in the center of Bali and is surrounded by scenic beauty all around it. Hosted in lavish overwater bungalows, this is one of the world’s best meditation retreats. The best part? It is extremely personalized and can be booked for an exclusive 25 people. So, you now know the perfect place to take your friends and family on a vacation the next time!
Conclusion:
A meditation retreat is one of the best places to unwind and relax. It allows you to uptick your overall well-being and tap into the art of meditation and mindfulness.
If you have been on the fence about going to a meditation retreat, this is your cosmic sign to book one for yourself and your loved ones right now. We hope this list of the best meditation retreats in the world will help you figure out the right place for you.
If you are still on the fence about the benefits of meditation, here’s a list of benefits for you to get started.
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