Guide to the Hudson Valley’s Yoga Retreats
Find breath and movement, peace and sanctuary, beauty and rest during a yoga retreat in the Hudson Valley. Whether you have an hour, a day, or a whole week to spend in restorative movement, or contemplative meditation, there’s a wellness retreat that will work for your schedule and needs.
Riverstone Yoga in Tarrytown offers day classes that incorporate new and fun elements into classes. Take a pop up Hip Hop Yoga class, and feel your mood boost as the music-driven class ups your heart rate and you build strength throughout your body. For a more relaxing class, Deep Winter’s Restorative encourages students to open up and relax with gentle movements and soft breath work. And who could pass up a Full Moon Ceremony that will leave you feeling refreshed and recharged?
American Meditation Institute in Averill Park is where Eastern meets Western practices to offer guided instruction on how to meditate to empower your life. Yoga classes are offered for yogis’ ages 50 and older, as well as unique courses on Chakras, the psychology of yoga, and more. Not ready to commit to a full schedule of yoga and meditation? Drop in for a free meditation class any Sunday that includes a satsang, which is a philosophical discussion, led by the founders of the institute. Gather together for a morning of relaxed meditation, discussion, and treats following the class.
Spa Mirbeau in Albany is not just a renowned spa and bistro, it’s also a wellness club. Sign up for a Wellness Membership and get access to a variety of yoga classes taught by expert instructors. From gentle yoga, a slow moving class that focuses on increasing flexibility and strength, to Peaceful Warrior Yoga classes that brings high intensity interval training to a new, and challenging level. Looking to increase your strength, endurance, and cardiovascular health? Check out PLYOGA, a four-part course that promises a dynamic workout.
Mountain Breeze Yoga in Windham is a new yoga studio with big windows that overlook the surrounding Catskill Mountains. From basic yoga classes to restorative yoga that incorporates Reiki, an alternative medicine technique known as energy healing, the studio’s instructors offer a variety of classes for all abilities and needs. For an added experience, enjoy Sound Therapy with Tibetan Singing Bowls. Used to create sound frequencies that are thought to activate your body’s ability to heal, sound therapy is relaxing and restorative.
Won Dharma Center in Claverack is a multi-disciplinary center that focuses on whole body health. Sign up for a Silent Yoga and Meditation Retreat that aims to help you reestablish a connection with yourself away from the hustle and bustle of the world. Or simply join in a Community Yoga Class for all levels taught in the meditation hall. Chair Yoga for Seniors is a popular class offered on Fridays.
Menla Retreat & Spa in Phoenicia promises “Tibet in the Catskills,” and offers a wide range of classes, workshops, retreats, and presentations. Situated on 325 acres of private nature reserve, guests have access to classes and the on-site Dewa Spa during their stay. Simple, upscale rooms, healthy cuisine prepared fresh by a team of chefs, and access to hiking and the outdoors provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature and relax. Retreats cover everything from yoga and science, to cultivating a practice, and how yoga can lead to social activism.
Omega in Rhinebeck is an all-inclusive yoga and wellness retreat that offers accommodations, meals, classes, and more – all within a short drive of New York City. Group meditation, walking around the 250-acre campus, and an on-site library create a restive retreat in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Daily activities include yoga, tai chi, and the opportunity to book a treatment at the Omega Wellness Center, offering everything from healing shamanic massage to energy work and facials. While here, check out nearby Beacon’s Nimya Studio’s Bending Horse Yoga class, which offers yoga on horseback. The Hatha-inspired practice emphasizes breath, balance, flexibility, and core strength.
Ananda Ashram in Monroe is the country center of the Yoga Society of New York, and offers a variety of yoga classes for all levels of students. From Vinyasa to Ashtanga, to Hatha yogic practice, find a flow that works for you. Classes are offered daily, and not just in yoga. Take a Kathak dance class, which is a dynamic style of dance that originates in North India, or learn about Ayurveda, the art of health and healing during a summer program. Accommodations and meals are available on site. Visit the Lotus Shala for an Ayruvedic facial, massage or acupressure treatment. If a retreat doesn’t work for your schedule, drop in on a class at Oceans of Calm in nearby Tuxedo Park, where a variety of options will help you find a flow.
Liberation Yoga & Wellness Center in Mahopac is a wellness center and yoga studio that emphasizes community and healthy living. Sink into a blissful restorative practice, or work on passive stretches to get deep into the body’s connective tissues and joints. For pregnant women, prenatal yoga classes provide stretches that relieve the tension and aches of pregnancy. Top off your visit with a massage, Reiki, or a reflexology treatment.
Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi in New City offers a wide range of options for those new to yoga, and anyone who has a long-established practice. Interested in starting a yoga practice, but not sure where to start? Take a Private Introductory Session and get one-on-one instruction as well as a class experience. For an invigorating class, try the Body & Brain session and leave feeling energized.
Wainwright House in Rye is the oldest non-profit, non-sectarian holistic learning center in the United States. It’s also a great place to take a yoga class. Different classes are offered daily and include Therapeutic Yoga that is designed to be gentle, breathing-focused to allow students to find quiet on their mats. Kundalini Yoga focuses on creating awareness of habits through meditations and exercises, and basic flow classes are offered as well.
Wherever you choose to practice yoga, Discover Hudson Valley’s welcoming classes and find a mat with your name on it.