Yoga looks great, and people who practice it look incredibly relaxed and calm. Are you one of those people who would like to try yoga, but don’t want to sign up for a class right away? Then maybe your next vacation to one of our sustainable green pearls is the perfect opportunity! Here are some places where beginners are in good hands!
“Most people crave relaxation”
Yoga teacher Maren Geisler-Okelmann runs Okelmann’s Eco-Hotel in Warpe with her sister, offering yoga courses and retreats throughout the year. She believes that the main reasons people take up yoga are to relax and treat themselves.
“Most people’s lives are busy these days, and stress is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as back pain. People are hoping to be able to just switch off for a while and possibly relieve their pain.” – Maren Geisler-Okelmann
Which yoga technique is appropriate for beginners?
As a certified yoga teacher, she currently offers classes in Hatha Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, and Sound Yoga, as well as yoga with dogs. We asked her which yoga technique she recommends for beginners. Here is Maren’s assessment:
Hatha Yoga: “Very good as a foundation, as it teaches the proper alignment of the asanas (exercises).”
Yin Yoga: “Also suitable for beginners, as it is mainly about feeling specific target areas in the body in order to address the fascial tissue and the meridians that run through it.”
Yoga Nidra: “Suitable for beginners, focusing mainly on relaxation with sounds and imaginary journeys, as well as chanting mantras, etc. If you are open to this from the beginning, that’s great. However, many people don’t even want to close their eyes and chant the OM in the beginning… but everyone is different 😊.”
”The great thing about yoga is that it’s really for everyone and it doesn’t depend on flexibility at all. Yoga teaches you to feel your body, to be aware of your limits and to overcome them little by little.” – Maren Geisler-Okelmann
3 beginner’s tips from yoga teacher Maren
- The most important thing is to listen to your body as much as possible and take care of yourself.
- Sense if the exercise is right for you that day. If not, you can always do your favorite asana instead.
- Try not to look left and right to see what others are doing. Stop comparing and start feeling your own body.
10 destinations for beginner yoga in sustainable hotels
Many of our sustainable Green PearlsⓇ offer daily yoga and special retreats. We asked where beginners can get started.
Yoga for beginners in Germany
#1 HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu, Germany
The sustainable wellness hotel HUBERTUS is located in the mountains in Balderschwang and is surrounded by nature. In the mornings and evenings there is a yoga session (or sometimes Qigong or Tao Yoga) in which all guests, from beginners to professionals, can participate. PS: A yoga mat is included in every room.
Link: Current yoga offers at the HUBERTUS Mountain Refugio Allgäu
#2 Boutiquehotel Das Rübezahl, Germany
Also, in the Allgäu mountains is the boutique hotel Das Rübezahl near Neuschwanstein Castle. They recommend beginners to take private yoga classes first. There are also various retreats and the chance to practice yoga in nature. The hotel’s own mountain hut has a yoga platform, for example.
Link: Yoga and retreats at Hotel Das Rübezahl
#3 Eco-Hotel Okelmann’s, Germany
At Okelmann’s, where yoga teacher Maren Geisler-Okelmann runs the hotel with her family, they are happy to advise beginners on which retreat or course is best for them.
Link: Okelmann’s Yoga Retreats Calendar
Yoga for beginners in Switzerland
#1 CERVO Mountain Resort, Switzerland
“No previous knowledge of yoga is required,” says the CERVO Mountain Resort in the Swiss village of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn. Whether Hatha Yoga, Flowing Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, Iyengar Yoga or Yoga Nidra, all levels are welcome thanks to careful instruction.
Link: Yoga and activities program of CERVO Mountain Resort
Yoga for beginners in Italy
#1 ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA, Italy (Sicily)
“The yoga classes are suitable for beginners” is the explicit message for the Ashtanga Yoga Retreat taking place in October at the ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA on the coast of Sicily. The retreat is led by Elena De Martin. The Italian has been teaching yoga for over 20 years and has received one of the highest accreditations from her training center in India.
Link: Yoga retreats for beginners at the ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA
#2 ADLER Lodge RITTEN, Italy
At ADLER Lodge RITTEN, located on a sunny plateau in South Tyrol, there are several retreats you can participate in as a beginner.
Link: Yoga retreats at the ADLER Lodge RITTEN
#3 OLM Nature Escape, Italy
The sustainable aparthotel OLM, which opened in late 2023, has already incorporated yoga rooms. Each unit also has a yoga floor. The yoga retreats are currently being developed with professional yoga instructors and will include options for beginners. The program will be published online soon:
Link: OLM Nature Escape
#4 LA VIMEA, Italy
If you want to try not only yoga, but also the vegan lifestyle, take your first yoga class at the vegan hotel LA VIMEA in Naturns, South Tyrol. As a beginner, you will be supported in “developing strength and intensifying your connection to nature,” they say.
Link: Yoga for beginners at Vegan LA VIMEA
7-day yoga retreat for beginners in South Africa
Of course, we don’t recommend flying to South Africa just for a retreat – but if you’re planning a longer trip through the country, a yoga retreat could be just the thing to give your body and mind a conscious break. The yoga retreat in Knysna* is specifically designed for beginners and is led by Peter Townshend, founder of Vala House and certified 500RYT yoga teacher (Yoga Alliance). In small groups of no more than eight participants, he will guide you mindfully and thoroughly into the world of classical yoga, incorporating elements of Vinyasa Krama and Hatha Yoga.
In addition to daily meditation and yoga sessions, you can expect inspiring hikes in the Knysna Forest and along the coast, an introduction to yoga philosophy, breathwork sessions, and a personal coaching session. You will be staying at Vala House with full board (vegan on request), just 20 minutes from the sea. The retreat is available all year round.
Yoga for beginners in Spain
#1 OCÈANO Health Spa Hotel, Spain (Tenerife)
“ We recommend our morning “Awakening by the Sea” workout, which includes yoga elements and does not require any previous experience,” says the OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel. The hotel has a special focus on health and is located directly on the Atlantic Ocean.
“Our yoga classes are held daily, Monday through Friday, in small groups. The level of the classes depends on the participants and is suitable for beginners. – OCÉANO Health Spa Hotel
You can also book private lessons with the hotel’s expert yoga instructors. They also practice yoga outside of work.
#2 Casa León Royal Retreat (Gran Canarias)
Off the beaten tourist track, Casa León Royal Retreat is a small boutique hotel that allows you to experience the unspoiled inland of Gran Canaria. An extensive garden area with native plants provides the perfect setting to relax mentally and physically. Yoga, meditation and energetic sessions are offered daily.
Link: Yoga for beginners on Gran Canaria
We hope we have motivated you to give yoga a try. Let us know how you liked it and whether you want to stick with it or if a “taster” was enough for you.
*the link is an affiliate link. If you book the yoga-retreat through it, we will receive a commission.
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Yoga makes a child strong and teaches how to breathe correctly. Children who practice regularly develop flexibility, become stronger and practice mental clarity. Developing physical and mental strength from an early age, learning to work with breathing – all this will help reduce the chances of encountering depression later, will grow self-confidence, and all things being equal, we will get a balanced personality by yoga gracify.co.uk