(Hint: Everyone—including you and your friends and family)

The answer is simple: our retreats are for everyone including people who practice yoga regularly, people who haven’t practiced in years, and those who don’t consider themselves “yoga people” at all. At Sellwood Yoga, we believe retreats should feel welcoming, inspiring, and accessible, not intimidating or exclusive.

We’ve been leading yoga retreats for over 20 years in destinations both near and far, from Sisters, Oregon to Marrakech, Morocco. Prior to the pandemic, we held a ten-year streak of retreats in Costa Rica and a six-year run in Italy. Over the years, our travels have also taken us to Panama, Nicaragua, Mexico, France, Portugal (including Madeira), and Croatia. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to return to the Dolomites in Italy, the Rios Lodge in Costa Rica, and Verdad in Nicaragua as well as our first retreats in both Scotland and Spain.  We are always on the lookout for new retreat locations, if you have one to recommend send us a message.

You Don’t Have to “Be Good at Yoga” to Come

Common things we hear are:
“I’m not good enough at yoga for a retreat.”
“I’m just a beginner, I don’t even know the names of the poses.”
“I don’t practice very often.”

Let us firmly and clearly say: you do not need to be flexible, you do not need to practice regularly, and you do not need to know the names of the poses to come on a retreat.

On our retreats, yoga is typically offered up to two times a day and it is always optional. We thoughtfully tailor each class to the group and to what’s planned for the day, whether that includes hiking, sightseeing, rest, or adventure. Our retreat instructors are experienced retreat leaders and skilled teachers of yoga and other movement practices, offering instruction that is accessible, supportive, and responsive to the group.

For the Adventurers, the Rest-Seekers, the Cultural Enthusiasts and the In-Between

Some retreat guests are drawn by the adventures including: hiking, e-biking, rafting, surfing, exploring new landscapes, and saying yes to experiences they might not try at home. Others arrive craving rest: slow mornings, nourishing meals, napping, and spacious time away from the constant pull of daily responsibilities. During our retreats, you get to shape the experience based on what you need most in that moment.

For Solo Travelers (Who Won’t Feel Alone)

Many people choose to come on retreat by themselves, and it’s often one of the most rewarding ways to experience the week. Our retreats naturally create opportunities for connection without any pressure to be social. Shared meals, group activities, casual conversations, quiet moments, and unstructured time all blend together with ease. Over the years, we’ve seen solo travelers form new friendships, expand their social circles, and meet people who become lifelong friends.

Introverts and extroverts alike tend to find their own comfortable rhythm, discovering their right balance of connection, activity and alone time.

For Couples, Friends, and Family Members

Something we often see on retreat is how well the experience works for couples, siblings, close friends, and even parents and their adult children. Because yoga is optional and the retreat includes a variety of activities, each person can create their own version of the week together. And with no need to cook, clean, drive, or plan, much of the usual vacation stress simply disappears.

It’s not uncommon for one person to say they came for the yoga, while their partner came for the other activities, the food, or the destination. By the end, both often leave feeling more rested, more connected, and more alive than they expected.

For People “Going Through Something”

We often hear variations of this from retreat guests:
“I needed something to shift.”
“I didn’t know what exactly I needed, I just knew I needed space and to get away.”

Retreats can be especially meaningful for people navigating transitions, whether that’s a career change, a relationship change, burnout, grief, midlife shifts, or simply a time of wondering, What’s next?

Frequently, something unexpected happens on retreat: you realize you’re not alone in what you’re carrying. You may meet others who are going through something similar, or people who have already walked through that experience and can offer insight, perspective, and understanding. There’s a quiet comfort in meeting someone who gets it, without needing to explain everything.

Yes! Even for the “Non-Yoga” People in Your Life

Bring your non-yoga friends and family. They’ll enjoy beautiful destinations, meaningful connections, great food, time in nature, rich cultural experiences, and a break from the usual routine. They never have to step onto a yoga mat if they don’t want to.

And yet, we’re often amused (and not at all surprised) when those very same “non-yoga” guests end up sharing how much they actually enjoyed the yoga, breathwork, or movement session because it’s offered in a feel-good, accessible, and unpretentious way.

Why People Make Retreats an Annual Tradition

Lots of guests return year after year, not because they’re chasing the perfect Instagram shot 😉, but because of how they felt on retreat; more inspired, more open, more connected, and more alive. Some return to the same place they’ve grown to love, while others choose new destinations, trusting the experience because they know what a Sellwood Yoga retreat offers from past retreats.

They come back for the community, the shared experience, and the relationships that form. They return for the way retreats reset their nervous system, shift their perspective, and remind them what’s possible when they step outside of routine, the daily grind, and the many roles and responsibilities they carry.

So…Who Are Sellwood Yoga Retreats Really For?

They’re for people who love yoga.
They’re for people who are curious about yoga.
They’re for people who don’t care about yoga at all.
They’re for people who want rest, people who want adventure, people who want connection, and people who want time to themselves.

In other words, our retreats are for real people living full, complex lives and wanting to step out of them to do something different, reset, and feel more like themselves again.

Join Us on Retreat in 2026

Whether you come alone, with friends, with family, for yoga, for adventure, or simply for a change of pace, we would love to share the retreat experience with you.  Check out where we are headed in 2026 or email us with suggestions of where you would like to go.