When thinking about the practice of meditation, it usually raises feelings of calm, peace and the simple life. Yet, with our hectic, breakneck world of technology, time management and too much to do, sometimes finding the time, or more importantly, the spot to meditate can be difficult.
Few of us actually live in Shangri-La-type surroundings, which are so prevalent in the visions we culturally are conditioned to imagine when we close our eyes and turn our gaze inward.
Sure, we can find a quiet corner of our office or place a mat in the laundry room to find a moment’s peace, but what we really want is a luxury meditation retreat. These amazing retreats combine luxury with introspection.
Travaasa Experiential Resorts, Hana, Hawaii
Lobby of Travaasa Hana (Courtesy of Travaasa Experiential Resorts)
Travaasa Hana brings ease and wellness to the traditional Hawaiian idea of luxury. This all-inclusive resort located on the eastern edge of Maui is a fantastic place to unwind, relax and find a bit of Zen.
Swimming pool at Travaasa Hana (Courtesy of Travaasa Experiential Resorts)
While not exclusively a meditation retreat, its focus on well-being and relaxation make Travaasa a great place for beginners. Located in Hana, one of Hawaii’s most isolated communities, it offers guided beach meditation sessions, which is a great place to start your journey into meditation.
Your pathway to inner peace can begin here, but the resort is no isolated Buddhist temple.
Travaasa features numerous activities to stimulate the brain and body, too, including ukulele lessons, cocktail mixology classes, biking, canoeing and even classic Hawaiian net-casting classes.
Travaasa is a fantastic place to begin a journey toward mindfulness while still leaving time for a little adventure.
Ananda in the Himalayas, India
Located near Haridwar and Rishikesh in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India, Ananda is an award-winning spa resort that is housed in a 100-acre palace estate that once belonged to a Maharaja.
This Maharaja’s palace estate is home to the Ananda spa resort in Northern India. (Courtesy Ananda in the Himalayas)
When the phrase luxury meditation retreat passes through our stress-addled minds, Ananda is the place we envision. Steeped in mystery and ancient history, Ananda is a wondrous place to learn a wide variety of meditative and yogic practices.
Specializing in Dhyana meditation, which seeks to elevate the mind to a state of divine consciousness, Ananda may not be the best retreat for beginners.
But, if you are adventurous and passionate enough to make the journey to this Himalayan paradise, perhaps you have what it takes to master the Seven States of Consciousness. Ananda can help.
Rolling Meadows, Brooks, Maine
The first word that pops into your mind when you hear the name “Maine” is not likely to be luxury, but Rolling Meadows mixes the quaint with the exclusive.
Specializing in silent meditative practices, Rolling Meadows yoga, meditation and breathwork retreat center is located in an 1840s farmhouse that sits on 100 acres in the hills of coastal Maine.
Rolling Meadows retreat is located in this 1840s farmhouse. (Courtesy of Rolling Meadows)
This retreat does not have the swag or fancy accommodations of some of the other destinations on this list, but down the dirt road that leads to Rolling Meadows, you may just find a truly transcendent experience.
Rolling Meadows specializes in “meditation, classic yoga asana, yin and restorative yoga, movement meditation, yoga nidra, breathwork, psycho-spiritual processes, writing, silence and communing with the natural world.”
Its teachers are highly trained experts who take their meditative practices on the road to such far-flung destinations as Guatemala, India, Costa Rica, Italy and Mexico. If getting away is your goal, then Rolling Meadows might be your choice.
Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado
Shambhala Mountain Center is one of the most famous meditation retreats in the world, and the closet one on this list to Las Vegas. Nestled on 600 acres in the Colorado Rockies, Shambhala has been doing the work of the enlightened ones for more than 40 years.
Founded in 1971 by Tibetan master and teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Shambhala Mountain Center is the home of the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, one of the most significant examples of Buddhist architecture in all of North America. “Stupas are said to promote harmony, prosperity, longevity, good health and peace.”
While the accommodations may not compete with the top-notch luxury hotels, the atmosphere and experiences are among the best in the world. If you are truly passionate about finding your higher self, then an excursion to Shambhala Mountain Center is a must.
