How Yoga Retreats Empower Women and Girls Across the Globe

I led my first yoga retreat in 2013, and I dove right into the experience without any expectations, education, or advice on how to actually go about leading and guiding. It was a beautiful and scary experience all at once! As a women yoga teacher, I’ve always had the option to be my own boss if I chose to and I also always had the opportunities and resources to step into the role of a leader, teacher, educator, coach, and lots of other roles that historically were reserved for men.

Leading a yoga retreat is something that requires organization, leadership skills, a business mindset, an understanding of yoga philosophy, and the ability to find a balance between work, holding space, and self care. It’s always been such an empowering experience for me because I’ve always had to step into my best self and bring all of the teachings of yoga into practice.

The yoga practice itself is something that is known globally and it has the ability to transcend most cultures, and languages. It offers more than just physical benefits; it is a pathway to mental clarity, emotional balance, and spiritual growth.

The yoga practice has been life changing for me and I don’t know what I’d do without it. Yoga retreats have always been a beautiful opportunity to help participants immerse themselves in the teachings because the entire experience is focused around yoga and infusing that into the day to day experience. It wasn’t until I began working with a non profit organization that I realized that the yoga retreat business model also had the power to serve as a catalyst for empowerment, education, and global awareness.

Women Leading Yoga Retreats Empowers Women

Anytime a woman steps into the role of a leader, it’s empowerment in its truest sense. This leadership is not just about guiding yoga classes, but also about creating a space where people can support each other, share experiences, and grow together. Holding space requires a great deal of self realization and managing the issues that often arise whenever people are gathered together as a group in an unfamiliar environment. Retreat leaders often have to manage logistical travel issues, any kind of discomfort participants have, and turn any problems into learning experiences.

Yoga retreats usually offer a break from the predictability of daily life, opening doors to experiences that encourage personal growth and self-awareness. Of course there are yoga classes, but the experience is also about connecting deeply with oneself and with a community of like-minded individuals. One of my favorite things to witness is how the dynamic of the group shifts from the beginning of the retreat to the end. People often start off as strangers and then end up being a part of each other’s lifelong memories and sometimes even become lifelong friends. I always have always loved seeing whoever I co-lead the retreat with step into their own power and purpose as a facilitator and leader while they also support me in doing so myself. It may be obvious that retreats have an impact on its participants and the people who host them, but they also have a very deep impact on the people of the countries visited.

Empowering Girls In The Countries We Visit

When you travel to another country, it’s certainly a personal experience that’s education and enriching. However, did you ever think about the impact you have on the locals you meet while you’re there and how it’s also an experience for them? I began working with a non profit called Souljourn Yoga in 2017 whose mission is to raise awareness and funds for girls’ education around the world. I got to host retreats in Peru, Morocco, and Cambodia. Souljourn Yoga partners with a non-profit organization in each country that helps provide schools, dorms, and support for girls who otherwise wouldn’t have ways to access an education.

When participants attend a Souljourn Yoga retreat, a portion of their retreat payment is always donated to the non-profit organization in the county visited. Participants spend time going to visit the non profit organization, which is usually a dorm or a school that’s working to educate the girls of that area. Everyone also has the opportunity to meet the girls and the girls educate retreat participants on their culture. This creates a bond and a connection, which is so important in the yogic teachings and the practices!

Why Educate Girls?

Despite progress in recent years, millions of girls around the world remain out of school. According to UNESCO, approximately 132 million girls worldwide are out of school, including 34.3 million of primary school age, 30 million of lower-secondary school age, and 67.4 million of upper-secondary school age. The reasons behind this staggering number are difficult to elaborate on because they’re dependent on the unique circumstances from country to country. Some reasons include poverty, cultural norms and practices, violence, and inadequate infrastructure.

In many parts of the world, girls are disproportionately affected by barriers to education, such as early marriage, gender-based violence, and the burden of household chores. This lack of access to education not only affects the girls' personal development and opportunities but also has broader implications for their families, communities, and countries' economies.

It’s proven that when a girl is educated or taught a trade or skill, she is less likely to remain in poverty and is also more likely to help her family and also her community. All of these facts are something I was blind to until I began to travel the world and meet locals. Yoga retreats really do have the power to open the eyes of participants and to also open up an opportunity to be a way to encourage connections and offer ways to educate and support everyone involved.

Yoga Retreats Supporting Girls' Education

Organizations like Souljourn Yoga Foundation demonstrate how yoga can be a powerful tool for social change. By creating yoga retreats that raise awareness and funds for girls’ education, participants have a deeper understanding of global issues affecting women and girls. These retreats offer more than just a travel experience; they are an immersion into different cultures and communities, where participants engage in meaningful exchanges and learn about the challenges and triumphs of girls' education around the world.

Such retreats underscore the importance of the concept of seva, or selfless service, in the practice of yoga. Participants are not just passive tourists but active contributors to the communities they visit. The vehicle of the yoga retreat presents the opportunity to connect with local women and girls, learning about their lives, aspirations, and the obstacles they face in pursuing education. This connection fosters empathy, understanding, and a shared commitment to supporting education as a means of empowerment.

Empowering Through Yoga

Yoga retreat participants inevitably learn that yoga is not just a physical practice but also a philosophy of unity, balance, and connection. They may explore how yoga can be used for personal growth, healing, and as a medium for social impact. The retreat leader always has the opportunity to grow and learn and the people of the retreat location may also be presented with that same opportunity.

Overall, yoga retreats are much more than wellness getaways. They are a profound journey into self-discovery, global awareness, and active contribution to social change. When women lead these retreats, they set powerful examples of leadership and advocacy, inspiring participants and communities worldwide. Retreats that focus on empowering women and supporting girls' education have taught me how through the practice of yoga, participants connect across cultures and continents, learning about the challenges facing girls' education and the power of collective action.

By participating in these retreats, participants open themselves to the possibilities of transformation, not only within themselves but also in the lives of girls and women around the world. In this shared journey, yoga becomes a bridge to empowerment, understanding, and lasting change.

The Statistics

The statistics mentioned regarding the number of girls out of school worldwide are based on reports and data available from UNESCO, specifically their work on global education and gender equality in education.

UNESCO regularly publishes reports and updates on education statistics, including the number of children and adolescents out of school, gender disparities in education, and the factors contributing to these disparities. These reports are compiled from global education data and are aimed at monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4, which focuses on inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on girls' education and out-of-school children, you can refer to the following sources directly:

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS): The UIS website provides a wealth of data and reports on global education statistics, including gender disparities and the number of out-of-school children and adolescents. The UIS database is a primary source for global education data.
Global Education Monitoring Report: Published by UNESCO, the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report provides in-depth analysis of progress towards education targets in the Sustainable Development Goals. It covers issues related to gender equality and the factors preventing girls from accessing education.

This blog was written for YogaRenew Teacher Training

Lisa BermudezApril 11, 2024