Yoga... Boot camp?

by Marisa

As terms, "yoga" and "boot camp" may seem a little contradictory, and "boot camp" and "vacation" aren't much better. But in the hands of renowned yoga instructor and author Baron Baptiste, they're, as yin is to yang, a remarkable balance, helping practitioners to keep those yearly resolutions in line.

Pitched as an "opportunity to transform your life," the Baptiste Bootcamps combine power vinyasa yoga, meditation, a cleansing diet, and activities such as hiking and swimming, all in vacation settings like Costa Rica, Mexico, and Hawaii. The retreats last eight days, and each day has a theme, such as "Day Two: Excavation - Transformation as a Way of Living" or "Day Four: Breakthroughs - Living Outside the Box," with a three day cleansing fruit fast and various group coaching sessions rounding-out the schedule.

As with many immersion courses (and exotic travels), the Baptiste Bootcamp price-tag may give some readers pause, running roughly $3,000 to $3,300 for all meals, accommodations, and courses - but excluding travel. So, if your spirit is interested but your pocketbook somewhat less inclined, Baptiste's Yoga Bootcamp Box (a 2-CD program including flashcards and a booklet for $21.95) is a solid compromise.

So, who is this Baptiste guy, and why is he worth the vacation investment? According to Yoga Journal Magazine, "If there were a royal family of American yoga, Baron Baptiste would certainly be a prince." Descended from an impressive lineage of yoga educators (Walt and Magana Baptiste, cofounders of San Francisco's first yoga center, are his parents), Baptiste specializes in the relationship between a person's yoga practice and their individual life story, making the Baptiste Bootcamps a uniquely personal and transformative retreat that practitioners feel extends well beyond their eight day sanctuary. With 2008 options from May 17-24 and October 25-November 1, a Baptiste Bootcamp might be just the push you need to keep those 2008 resolutions on track.

| 01/09/08 | Yoga