My teaching schedule for this fall includes both several workshops and a very special retreat, too. What’s the difference between a retreat and a workshop? I’m glad you asked! (Let’s pretend you asked.)
My mother is an experienced photographer who just last week took this picture of me. She frequently joins workshops both online and in person to better her skills. She comes out of each workshop with a new toolset and a bunch of new images. But this summer she went on a photography retreat, and the leaders made clear from the start that a retreat is different from a workshop.
In a retreat, you’re focusing not on output—which is what workshops offer you—but instead on your own process, inspiration, and input.
This analogy aligns nicely with my thinking about intentions and goals. Intentions are about the attitude you bring to bear in any situation. They are personal, interior, and usually not measurable. Goals, on the other hand, are about the outcome: “I will develop three yoga nidra scripts,” for example. Your goals are professional, exterior, and others can see whether you achieved them.
Goals help keep us motivated and growing. Intentions help guide every step of the experience. When you’re feeling stuck as a teacher, as an athlete, as a human, come back to both. Remembering and targeting your goals will help you change the things you can. And aligning with your intentions helps you find peace with the things you cannot change.
(If this is intriguing you, check out my book Racing Wisely, which applies this philosophy to endurance sports. It’s available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats!)
When you’re feeling like you’ve lost your mojo—or maybe even that you never found it—as a yoga or movement teacher, a retreat might be just the ticket. It will put you in touch with your why and help you feel jazzed about serving your students.
That’s why I’m so happy to be joining Alexandra DeSiato, my frequent collaborator and coauthor, in leading this special retreat:
Recharge: A Retreat for Yoga and Movement Teachers—Refresh, Regroup, and Support Your Students Even Better
with Alexandra DeSiato
Sunday–Friday, October 1–6, 2023
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Lenox, MA
We would love for you to join us! Reach out with any questions via DM or at info@sagerountree.com.
If your mojo is firmly in place, or your availability is focused on the weekends, here are three workshops that will help you expand your toolkit as a yoga teacher. You’ll leave each with full class plans and tons of ideas for generating even more!
Designing and Teaching Balance-Focused Sequences and Classes
Saturday–Sunday, September 23–24, 2023, with pre- and post-meeting assignments and mentorship
Carrboro Yoga Company, Carrboro, NC
Teaching Yoga Beyond the Poses: Create Inspiring Classes for All Students
with Alexandra DeSiato
Friday–Monday, October 6–9, 2023 (a three-day expanded version over the holiday weekend)
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Lenox, MA
Fundamentals of Teaching Yoga Nidra
Saturday–Sunday, October 28–29, 2023, with pre- and post-meeting assignments and mentorship
Carrboro Yoga Company, Carrboro, NC