CONCEPT AND PURPOSE 

The concept of “Retreat” is as old as human civilization. The expression “Yoga Retreat” is made up of two words: “Retreat” and “Yoga”. Let’s talk briefly about the literal and esoteric (hidden) meaning of the two terms. 

Retreat: The simple literal meaning is: To withdraw. This phenomenon can be observed in daily life. For example: 

  • (i) A research scientist withdraws from the mundane world to his research laboratory to work on creating new inventions.
  • (ii) In ancient times, at sunset, after the battle, troops retreated to the base camps to regroup and gather forces for the next day of war. This was a requirement practiced by all, even if it was not written in any manual.

In fact, every retreat has a purpose behind it. To achieve this, you need a focused mind, away from the pressure of the surrounding world. 

Yoga: Even an ordinary man has practical knowledge that there are at least two levels: Physical Body level and Mental level. But, for the most part, it is difficult to accept that their being, in its totality, comprises three levels: Body, Mind and Soul (or Spirit, Atman or Ruh). Most humans live only on the physical level under the dictates of the uncontrolled mind, being difficult for them to integrate these three levels which are their true existence. There are only a few who care to understand the mystery of the mind and try to get out of its dictate. 

Those who have been able to explore the true source of their being, the Soul (or Spirit, Atman or Ruh) are very rare. On this absolute level there is the origin of human life which makes the mind appear so powerful and which gives the mortal physical body an appearance of real existence. 

Yoga is a science, a mystical science, beyond any religious faith, which reveals the reality behind the relationship between “Body, Mind and Soul”. Some other meanings applied to Yoga are: 

– Union of Body-Mind-Soul – 

– Introduction to one’s Being – 

– Realize a state of non-duality of one’s Being – 

– Bring balance between external and internal world – 

– Bring union between the involuntary region (the Mind) and the voluntary region (the Intellect) of our Being – 

– Merging Individual Consciousness into Universal Consciousness – 

 

The Purpose of Yoga Retreat: 

For an ordinary man, it is difficult to grasp the correct meaning of the relationship between Body-Mind-Soul and the truth that exists behind them, while living in this chaotic material world. Family pressures, work, society and everything around us make it difficult to free ourselves from the external orientation of the mysterious mind. To get to the truth we need the introverted mind to force it to work in the internal world. Only then can the reality of the Body-Mind and their relationship with the Soul be experienced and understood. With this sole purpose in mind, a seeker withdraws into himself in an isolated place to focus his mind and make it move in the internal world. In ancient times, serious seekers retreated to intricate forests, or to even more austere environments. The first step is to retreat to places similar to direct contact with nature, where there is nothing else but one with oneself, that is, with one’s own inner Being. 

In such conditions the seeker does rigorous Yoga practices to achieve self-enlightenment. 

In light of the above, the “Yoga Retreat” can be defined as: 

“An activity that involves withdrawing completely from worldly activities and investing all the time to know the mysteries of the mind and self-illuminate the realities of human existence.” 

 

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