Breathing New Life into Retreats

They told me not to travel. When I got sober, my recovery community was full of warnings and admonitions about traveling overseas, living in a foreign country, or stepping “outside the herd” in any way. The hinted-at idea was that doing these things would inevitably lead me to relapse. It didn't.

Traveling the world and living in two Asian countries since getting sober has instead been phenomenal. Getting sober was the first step in becoming my best self, but if I had stayed in one place I think the evolution would have stopped there. I had always dreamed of traveling and living in different countries. Fulfilling this dream wasn’t running away; it was coming back to myself. The personal growth I’ve had putting myself in unfamiliar territory and being willing to face new challenges has been immense.

Traveling sober can be intimidating. Many of us in recovery used vacation as a chance to go off the rails into our addictions. And being away from your recovery support system can cause anxiety. We get it. That’s why my husband Zach (who’s also sober) and I founded Bigger Life Adventures. After a transformative year working as digital nomads while traveling through Asia, we realized that we needed to share our passion for healthy, spiritual travel with the rest of our recovery community. I had recently fulfilled a longtime dream of doing my yoga teacher training in Sri Lanka, so the stars aligned perfectly to start our social enterprise business.

During my training, I learned about the Indian science of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian "Science of Life" which was developed alongside Yoga centuries ago. It's all about finding optimal health and balance in body, mind, and spirit. While there's much to study, a basic understanding of the underlying principles of Ayurveda can greatly enhance our daily lives.

Zach, once a successful chef in California, is currently studying to become a certified holistic nutritionist. Combining his creative cooking skills, love for vegan cuisine, and western nutritional knowledge with my understanding of Ayurveda seemed like the perfect recipe for healing.

So we took the things we do best and love most and came up with the most aligned life mission we’ve ever dreamt of— recovery yoga and adventure retreats that give back. We feel lit up by teaching yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda, cooking delicious plant-based food, exploring gorgeous nature, inspiring people to live their dream lives, guiding them to our favorite off-the-beaten-path locations, and giving back while we do it (on each retreat, we choose a local nonprofit partner in the destination country and donate 10% of what our guests pay to them).

We’re breathing new life into yoga retreats by focusing on the enormous impact yoga, travel, and adventure can have on skyrocketing your recovery to another level. Our adventures are safe places for those recovering from addiction, or anything else. People who might feel triggered by traveling overseas by themselves know they can trust us to guide them on a journey of not only adventure but also internal, spiritual growth.

In our daily yoga classes, meditations, and workshops, we encourage our guests to look inward, examine their beliefs, get rid of fears, and evolve into the best version of themselves. Our travel style focuses on sustainable, positive-impact activities, learning about local issues, and interacting with the community wherever we go. Everyone is recovering from something, and everyone can grow by getting out of their comfort zone! We hope you can join us to practice yoga, travel, and expand into your bigger life.

Experience the magical beauty of the Joshua Tree desert during wildflower season! We'll spend 4 days and 3 nights at the funky Rancho de Colores house. Shared bedrooms or outdoor camping are available so that this retreat can cater to any budget. Our top priority: creating a safe place for people to heal, expand their consciousness, and connect with like-minded people.

Included are 6+ yoga sessions at the house and one sunset yin yoga class in Joshua Tree National Park; 3+ meditation sessions including a "Wim Hof"-style Breathwork meditation; Reiki healing; Guided rock climbing, hiking, or time to explore on your own in Joshua Tree National Park; Bonfires, drum circles, and dancing under the stars; Private sessions of your choice: Ayurvedic health counseling, recovery coaching, or Reiki energy healing; Plant-based food, "gourmet camping" style; Coffee, tea, and sparkling water.

There will also be excursions into Joshua Tree National Park, where we can absorb the magic and see lots of spring wildflowers. Each day will feature a special ceremony, including an incredible Sound Healing experience at The Integratron and a cacao ceremony with organic cacao from Guatemala. There will be more surprises as well! This retreat is designed to enable healing and break down personal barriers. Our goal is to rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit, leaving you feeling stronger on every front.

Carrie is a travel-obsessed 30-something California girl writing, photographing, and yoga teaching her way around the world. As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, the digital nomad life is perfect for her!

Find Bigger Life Adventures at biggerlifeadventures.com and instagram.com/biggerlifeadventures. Elsewhere, Carrie and Zach can be found documenting their travels at laaventuraproject.com. Her other obsessions besides travel include coffee, chocolate, breaking the stigma against addiction, reading and puppies!