REST & RELAXATION
RETREATS
Art of Living R&R retreats combine yoga, meditation, nutrition, and exercise to help you reconnect with your true self.
A Rest & Relaxation Retreat at the Art of Living Retreat Center is a customizable combination of meditation, yoga, outdoor activities, and so much more. Whether you come on a solo retreat or with a partner, you’ll discover our peaceful campus, nourishing food, Ayurveda treatments and therapies, and opportunities to reconnect with your true self—or do nothing at all.
Weekend getaways begin at just $581 per person; weekday getaways at $539—2-night minimum.
Activities
Our R&R Retreats include access to a variety of life-enhancing workshops and activities that reduce stress, increase mental focus, revive your senses, and strengthen your overall well-being. Select the options that most resonate with you, or do them all and find out why our retreats are rated among the very best in the nation.
Stimulate your mind, body and senses with classes that revive, energize and rebalance the whole body, from head to toe, inside and out.
Awaken Class Offerings
- Be Here Now (Orientation)
- Recreativity
- The Essentials of Essential Oils
- The Powerful System of the Chakras
- Magical Mantras & Mudras
Movement of the body is proven to benefit mental, physical and spiritual health. Our classes focus on strength, endurance, balance and simply feeling good.
Movement Class Offerings
- Hatha Yoga
- Pilates/Floor Barre
- Zumba
- Jazz Movement
- Modern/Hip-Hop Flow
Rejuvenate from within! Our guided meditation and breathing classes offer deep rest for mind and body.
Soothe Class Offerings
Basic Meditation
Mindfulness & Meditation
Sound Healing & Restorative Balance
Qigong
Living Your Highest & Best
Discover tools, both ancient and modern, for cultivating awareness, increasing energy and life-force throughout the body, and encouraging balance and wellness.
Learning Activitites
- Introduction to Ayurveda
- Nurturing Your Neural Network
- Cultivating Compassion During COVID
Dance under the stars, sing by a bonfire, connect with the calming power of nature, and delight in the camaraderie with fellow retreat goers. A little play is sure to enliven your whole being.
Play Activities
- Nature Walks
- Labyrinth
- Rhythm/Heart
- Dance Party
- Kirtan
- Satsang
- Fire Circle
Express your creativity. Bring out your inner artist through pottery or unleash your inner chef with an Ayurveda cooking class.
Creative Activities
- Pottery
- Ayurveda Cooking
SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE
This schedule is subject to change based on the seasons, weather, guest participation, and availability.
Click on an activity for more information.
Not Just R&R: Enhance Your Experience
In addition to our daily R&R schedule, we have miles of hiking trails, a labyrinth, a Fitness Room, a Steam Room, and add-on activities such as Ayurvedic healing arts treatments and time in our Clay Studio.
The award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Wellness offers treatments, consultations, and therapies specific to your needs.
It is necessary to schedule these prior to arriving; additional fee.
Available healing arts include
- Signature Massages
- Facials
- Shirodhara
- Marma
- Basti
- Sundarya
- Arvarna Spa Body Wrap
Please note We highly recommend booking your treatments at least four weeks in advance of your arrival date to ensure availability; call 828.264.8382.
Gain experience in hand-building, where you learn how to slab build and decorate pots.
Thursday
Wheel-Throwing Classes
11:00 am, 1:15 pm, 3:00 pm
75 minutes; $65
Friday & Saturday
Hand-Building Classes
11:00 am, 12:30 pm, 2:15 pm, 3:30 pm, 4:45 pm, 6:00 pm
60 minutes; $55
*Class schedules are subject to change; glazing and shipping are included.
People around the world have used labyrinths for centuries as a walking metaphor for the pilgrim’s journey, as a way to open the mind to the present moment and stay centered.
Dawn–Sunset
Our labyrinth allows for this inner journey in a unique, mountain setting.
Accommodations
Hotel Rooms
Starting at
$250 + tax per night for single occupancy
$221 + tax per night/per person for double occupancy
Many of our premium rooms offer incredible vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along with expected hotel room amenities.
- Full, Queen, or King Beds
- Private Bathrooms
- Fridge, Television, and Writing Desk
- Free Wi-Fi
Premium Apartments
1 Queen bed and 2 twin beds or 1 Full Bed
- Kitchenette
- Balcony
- Washer & Dryer
- Hair Dryer
- Iron & Ironing Board
- A desk, chairs, and nightstand
- Flat-screen TV with Cable
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Refrigerator, stove range, & microwave
Food for Mind, Body, and Soul
Freshly prepared and served in our bright and spacious main dining hall—which boasts breathtaking views of the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains—your R&R retreat includes three delicious and healthy vegetarian meals daily.
Drawing on influences from the local harvest in Boone to Bombay and even the Caribbean, our chefs aim to please the palate with vegetarian nourishment made from fresh, seasonal ingredients designed to energize and nourish all body types. We offer many meat-free and vegan options, however, some portions of our meals do contain dairy. We cater to any gluten, dairy, soy, and nut-related allergies and list allergens and ingredients on our menus.
Learn more about dining at the Center and our commitment to serving nourishing food which creates balance and harmony for the mind, body, spirit, and planet here.
Shankara Ayurveda Wellness
Shankara Ayurveda Wellness is a premier destination for holistic wellness and rated one of the best by many national publications, including Organic Spa, SpaFinder, and more. More than just a spa, this is Ayurvedic healing at its very best. Choose from the widest selection of award-winning Ayurvedic treatments in the US for whole-body nourishment and renewal. Whether you’re an Ayurveda aficionado or brand new to the practice and your soul is calling for detoxification, relaxation, rejuvenation or all of the above, the support and care you receive at Shankara Ayurvea Wellness is unparalleled.
Ayurveda Wellness Escape
Upgrade your R&R experience to a Wellness Escape—all the amenities of our R&R retreats, plus a soothing Ayurvedic treatment. Packages are available for solo travelers, couples, girls weekends, mothers and daughters, and more!