Australian Yoga Journal – July 2019

44

july

2019

yogajournal.com.au

1. FEATHERED PIPE RANCH, HELENA,MONTANA
   Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder JudithHansonLasaterhasbeenhostingyoga
   retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’slikesummercampforyogis,”shesays:
   “Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of theRockyMountains,magnificentfood,
   fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes,anda weeksteepedinthesilenceof
   nature.” To pay respect to the sacred NativeAmericanlandtheretreatrestson,
   founder India Supera created the FeatheredPipeFoundationtohelppreserve
   ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. FeatheredPipecontinuestofoster
   humanitarian efforts that give life to new non-profitswhilemaintainingmissions
   such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the TibetanChildren’sEducationFoundation.


2. KRIPALU CENTRE
   FOR YOGA & HEALTH,
   STOCKBRIDGE,
   MASSACHUSETTS
   With an international network of 2,000
   instructors teaching more than 700
   programs to 30,000 guests a year,
   education is front and centre at this
   verdant campus in the Berkshires. For
   the past decade, Kripalu has led the way
   in ground-breaking research on yoga
   and trauma in collaboration with
   experts from Harvard Medical School
   and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

4.ESALENINSTITUTE,

BIGSUR,CALIFORNIA

Thiscliffsideretreatopenedin 1962

witha seriesofworkshopsonyogaand

personalgrowth.Keycountercultural

figuressuchasJoanBaezandJoseph

Campbellwereamongitsearlyguests

andlecturers.Today,renowned

wellnessleadersandyogateacherslike

AndrewWeil,DeanOrnish,andJanet

Stoneshareexpertiseontrending

topics,includingtheenergeticsofcon-

sciousnessandmeditationasmedicine.

5. MAUI HAWAII
   A strong contemplative
   community and the island’s healthy
   lifestyle are among the draws that
   have led Ashtangis such as Nancy
   Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram
   Dass to make their homes here. The
   Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to
   the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest
   Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a
   place of worship dating back to the
   13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual
   emphasis on nature makes it a
   destination for those seeking to feel
   the mana (spiritual energy) of the
   land.


6. BOULDER,

COLORADO

Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness

community has been growing

since the 1970s when Tibetan

meditation master Chögyam Trungpa

Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of

the Trungpa Tulku—established

Naropa University, a Buddhist

liberal arts college, and Shambhala

Mountain Centre in a valley above

town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has

been rocked by scandal, Naropa and

Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist

values and mindful practices. Senior

yoga teachers Richard Freeman and

Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home.

Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held

each June, attracts top yoga educators

and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi

and Seane Corn.

3. SEDONA, ARIZONA
   Sedona is known for spiritual
   vortexes—powerful energy centres
   where visitors can allegedly pick up on
   sacred frequencies. Healers and
   enlightenment seekers worldwide travel
   to its towering red-rock spires hoping to
   tap into higher consciousness. Each
   March, the three-day Sedona Yoga
   Festival draws thousands of
   practitioners with its line-up of 200
   classes and performances by kirtan
   artists such as Johanna Beekman.
   Regulars tout an intimate setting where
   you’re likely to run into presenters
   (think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan
   Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated
   workshops on trauma-informed yoga.

North

America

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PHOTO: ZANE WILLIAMS;TONDA/EXTREME PHOTOGRAPHER/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM