Press and Awards

The Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, aims to be North America’s spiritual epicenter for inner peace, personal transformation, and service to humanity.

For those on a journey toward greater self-awareness and happiness, the Art of Living Retreat Center offers nourishing support and thoughtful space so you can discover peace, transformation, and a deeper connection with yourself and others.


The award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Wellness offers a range of therapeutic Ayurvedic treatments and day or overnight programs perfect for those hoping to cultivate rejuvenation and inner growth.

Press Contact

Eleven Six PR [email protected]

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There’s been a rising focus on using our valuable time off to truly reset and calibrate by focusing on both mental and physical well-being on a wellness retreat.
There’s been a rising focus on using our valuable time off to truly reset and calibrate by focusing on both mental and physical well-being on a wellness retreat.
We asked our Oprah Daily Insiders to name the one thing they would do for themselves if time and resources weren’t a barrier. An overwhelming number of you put travel at the top of your wish list—and we heard that loud and clear.

Whether you practice daily or it’s your first time on the mat, embarking on a yoga retreat can allow you to focus on your well-being in a remote or natural setting.

Our Shankara Ayurveda Wellness recently won an Organic Spa Media Wellness Travel Award in the category Best Detox for their incredible Ayurveda Wellness Escapes. Check out our Ayurveda Wellness Retreats!
“Brrrrrr. We’re freezing and need to go somewhere nowwww…” said no one ever in Miami. Let’s be real, we are the winter destination for a lot of people this time of year (we’re talking to you, snowbirds).

We all need mindful rejuvenation from time to time. But busy vacations with tight schedules and long lines can easily become as stressful as our daily work lives.

It’s easy to feel pulled in a million different directions these days with the crush of social media obligations, busy family life, and jobs that seem to follow you home…
If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s to never take our health and well-being for granted. That’s why so many of us are planning vacations right now, whether it’s a nearby weekend getaway or a longer, more far-flung trip,
Buffet Line Options at the Dining Hall
If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s to never take our health and well-being for granted. That’s why so many of us are planning vacations right now, whether it’s a nearby weekend getaway or a longer, more far-flung trip,
Ambulance sirens, the neighbour’s TV, urban fox calls: London’s a noisy old place. Modern life means we already have information overload to deal with – 24/7 news cycles, social media and emails…

The new year is a great time to break out of bad habits and add a few new positive ones. We’ve compiled a list of hotels, resorts, and centers, that will help you find your way to wellness.

As the clock strikes midnight on December 31, millions of Americans will vow to follow a healthier lifestyle. Whether that means physical or mental health (or both!), several retreats throughout the state are here for it.

Outdoor in nature image of butterfly on a flower.
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We have taken a fresh look at the top meditation retreats around the country. These offer peace, beauty, personal growth, relaxation, and opportunities for individuals, couples, and groups.

You don’t need to choose between fitness or relaxation or emotional well-being. We’ve found the best spots that combine the wellness, action, fun, and chill-out time that all of us crave. Pack your bags!
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Practicing mindfulness and meditation at home as part of your overall wellness routine is critical for staying present and productive. But sometimes, you need a little guidance or an intensive “reset” …
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First recognized centuries ago as a wellness destination, the mountain region of North Carolina and its nearby towns were known for their healthy climate, pure mountain air, nourishing food, and more.
Sometimes, a week on the beach is not enough of an escape from the whirlwind of daily responsibilities and social media notifications. Increasingly, stressed-out travelers are finding respite in meditation retreats…
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If the turmoil of the past two years has put a strain on your relationship, you’re not alone. Between fights over pandemic protocols to living in closer quarters than ever, many relationships have had a tough go.
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Sometimes, the journey back to yourself means leaving others behind. Consider these destinations. Plus: events with Roxane Gay, Tressie McMillan Cottom and others.

As travel resumes with wellness an over-riding priority, here are a handful of new offerings to have on your radar for clients looking for wellness-focused trips in 2022.

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Whether you’re newly navigating life as a pair or have decades of experience together as a duo, a time will come where you may need a little help to revive your relationship. If you’re seeking salvation through therapy or simply looking to…
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Why settle for just sand in your toes and a sunburn when you can experience something new and come home feeling rested, rejuvenated and maybe even with a newfound passion for tarot card reading?

Getting a good night’s sleep has so many physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Yet with all of the distractions that demand our attention, going to sleep on time and getting enough rest has become extremely elusive to many of us.

When it comes to health goals, the new year marks a reset point for many of us. After months of stress eating, pandemic cooking and staying indoors, many of us have ignored our bodies. Though we can’t control…

When it comes to health goals, the new year marks a reset point for many of us. After months of stress eating, pandemic cooking and staying indoors, many of us have ignored our bodies. Though we can’t control…

In many ways, the U.S. Covid crisis appears to be quickly fading into the rearview. Mask guidelines have eased, unemployment is ticking downward, air travel is up and, in some markets, hotels and resorts are seeing record-high leisure demand.

If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s to never take our health and well-being for granted. That’s why so many of us are planning vacations right now, whether it’s a nearby weekend getaway…

One year into the coronavirus pandemic, after months of gaining weight and feeling groggy, Mayra Ramirez stopped drinking. And this summer, she’ll mark a new milestone for her sobriety: a completely alcohol-free vacation.

Self-care is an essential practice year-round, but according to Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old holistic medicine practice that originated in India, what the mind, body, and soul need in order to feel nourished changes from season to season.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful meditation retreat to re-connect with nature, or want to learn about an ancient healing technique from top practitioners in the field, there are incredible getaways in the US for nearly every taste and budget.

In truth, the shell of this article was written a few weeks before COVID-19 seized the world in its grasp. Ironically, in the meantime, self-care has taken on a whole new importance since then.

Let’s face it. Predictability and routine can be boring, especially when it comes to travel. Whether it’s chancing Class V whitewater rapids or planning an epic solo journey to your dream destination, it’s good to get out of your comfort zone.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders are being indefinitely extended. But experts fear we may be heading toward a mental health crisis.

Being isolated at home and trying to make sense of these uncertain times can make it harder to exercise, eat well, and practice other healthy habits—things that help your immune system protect against illness.

Before you treat yourself to a vacation at the best spas in Asia or Europe, remember that America has some of the best spas in the world for facials, massages, and other rejuvenating treatments.

Where we are situated—at the top of Heavenly Mountain—has always been a sacred place for the indigenous people of the Carolinas. And, when you look out at the incredible views, across miles of untouched wilderness, you can understand why.

Every Sunday, Medha Garud tells me, a woman and her husband eat brunch in their kitchen, looking out their window, watching their neighbor do laundry. And each week the woman says the same thing to her husband.

Sometimes we eat too fast or on the run. Sometimes we’re stressed out and overindulge in food we know will make our stomachs hurt later. We’ve all been there. Surely we could all use some tips to help us digest our food better.

When it comes to healing the human body and spirit, modern medicine can only take us so far. For total wellness, it is often necessary to go back to ancient traditions, where healing practices went beyond cream, pill, or machine.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful meditation retreat to re-connect with nature, or want to learn about an ancient healing technique from top practitioners in the field, there are incredible getaways in the US for nearly every taste and budget.

It might seem as though our annual obsession with a fresh start is a relatively modern cultural phenomenon. That might ring true for a certain class of trendy detoxification methods—here’s looking at you, celery juice—but …

Where we are situated—at the top of Heavenly Mountain—has always been a sacred place for the indigenous people of the Carolinas. And, when you look out at the incredible views, across miles of untouched wilderness, you can understand why.

Whether you are looking for a peaceful meditation retreat to re-connect with nature, or want to learn about an ancient healing technique from top practitioners in the field, there are incredible getaways in the US for nearly every taste and budget.

Yoga retreats can help you kick your diet goals back into gear, unplug from technology, connect with inspiring women, and realign your wellness mindset—all with opportunities to reconnect with your body through a yoga-centric vacation.

Before receiving an invitation to Wellness Week, I’d been stuck in low-grade despair for months, haunted by terms like “chronic” and “genetic disposition” and “gets worse with age.” There was something satisfying about surrendering to self-pity.

Our People

Kimberly Rossi, Director of Wellness & Business Development
Venkat Srinivasan, Director of Operations & Faculty