Collective Retreats Hill Country. Photo courtesy Collective Retreats.
The New Year can bring a much-needed impetus for change and self-improvement, especially when it comes to health and wellness. And achieving those goals can be fun when they’re combined with a vacation. These five New Year’s retreats in Texas promise days of yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and an all-around good start to your 2019.
Collective Renewal, Wimberley
Austin-based athleisure brand Outdoor Voices teams up with Collective Retreats’ Hill Country lodging for three days of yoga and meditation Jan. 25-27. Instructor Kate Waitzkin leads the weekend, which features vinyasa yoga classes, a crystal bowl sound bath, and reflection workshops. The all-inclusive getaway includes lodging at the well-appointed luxury glamping tents and outstanding farm-to-table meals.
New Year’s Detox and Yoga Retreat, Mineola
This all-inclusive women’s-only program at Retreat in the Pines focuses on eating healthily, gratitude, and meditation. For three days, Jan. 11-13, participants will take yoga classes (no experience necessary), attend workshops on aromatherapy and emotional wellness, and meditate in the great outdoors, with plenty of personal time leftover for reading, journaling, and getting an on-site massage.
New Year’s Retreat, Windom
In addition to a year-round schedule of retreats—including silent retreats—Siddhayatan, a Jain ashram north of Dallas, hosts a three-day retreat Dec. 30-Jan. 1 to help get you ready for 2019. The retreat’s workshops are designed to foster healthy habits when it comes to facing difficulties that might come up in the new year, and to inspire you to pursue your goals and purpose. The retreat also includes a special New Year’s Eve dinner followed by sweets and homemade chai and a talk by spiritual leader Acharya Shree Yogeesh.
Lake Austin Spa & Resort, Austin
The famed resort hosts a whole slate of events geared toward getting your new year off on the right foot. Offerings for Dec. 30-31 include a tai chi course, a guided hike, and a frigid plunge into Lake Austin. If you’d still like to experience all the fanfare of New Year’s Eve, there will be a casino-themed party, a celebratory dinner, and a live jazz lunch. The gorgeous location offers plenty of spa treatments and on-site lodging.
Abiding in Peace Weekend Away Retreat, Wimberley
Hosted by the Kadampa Meditation Center, which has outposts in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, this retreat based on Buddhist teachings takes place at Lotus Ranch in Wimberley Feb. 22-24. While there, listen to lectures and participate in guided meditations, enjoy the beautiful landscape with more than 2 miles of walking trails, and practice self-reflection.
