Investing in our wellbeing is often pretty low down on our priority list. Spending our hard-earned money on 3 days of Yoga, Meditation & Healthy food as opposed to a boozy girls weekend away? I know which one I was most likely to choose.

Having said this, these days it is becoming a more common choice for many of us. Escaping the rat race, reconnecting to our true selves and getting out of our heads for even just a minute is becoming a far more accessible and dare I say it, socially accepted past time.

At the end of January, I attended a Detox & Rejuvenation Retreat with the team from “Lift Yourself Retreats”. Founded by Harriet Brown in 2018, this company was born out of Harriet’s own personal journey and her desire to take this message to the masses.

Upon reaching 30, after leaving her corporate, fast-paced lifestyle and job Harriet travelled to South Kerala, India to “as cliche as it sounds, ‘find herself'”. She undertook ayurvedic cleanses and whilst doing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training she met Raj. They bonded so well and believed so deeply in what they did, that they agreed it would be a dream come true to take their practice, teachings and everything they know to the UK and beyond together.

To read more about their journey click here.

Feeling truly inspired and ready to embark on this new journey in her life, Harriet returned to the UK and launched “Lift Yourself Retreats”.

The first retreat was born in the Autumn of 2019 and the second took place in January of 2020.

The Detox & Rejuvenate retreat was Harriet’s second ‘gig’ and was held at Fair Oak Farm, Mayfield. Only an hour from 365 HQ, so we travelled there for the weekend and in all honesty, not quite knowing what to expect.

Having practised Yoga weekly for a decent amount of time now I always considered myself to be pretty adept in the practice, little did I know I was actually wholly uneducated on the topic and I was about to have an incredible experience of learning and enlightenment.

Fair Oak made the perfect location. There was a combination of accommodation options including Shepherd’s huts, stunning Treehouses, cabins and barn conversion style apartments as well as the main farmhouse where we were waited on hand and foot every day.

The retreat was incredibly run by Harriet and her team, who were completely dedicated to making our stay as enjoyable as possible throughout.

3 show-stopping vegan meals every day, all of which were completely tailored to dietary requirements and made with the highest quality, nourishing ingredients. No expense spared.

There was actually not one point during the whole weekend where I didn’t feel fulfilled, from the Yoga practises from Raj & Lucia, to the exquisite food that Chef Eddie produced for us. This combined with being surrounded by such lovely people every day, made for an immensely rewarding experience.

Alongside incredible food, we experienced Raj’s ayurvedic teachings and he shared his deepest knowledge with us on the five points of Yoga.

For some of you, at this point you may be thinking ‘wow, a bit too much for me’, but I cannot emphasise enough just how accessible the retreats are for people of all ages and abilities. It would also make a great alternative to a couples getaway.

Whether you have never gone to a Yoga class in your life or you practice 2- 3 times a week. You will undoubtedly take something away from this experience and I urge you to invest in yourself through Harriet’s incredible company. At the detox and rejuvenate retreat there was a real mix of personalities and people from all ages and walks of life. Everyone enjoyed it equally and for many, it was their first time doing anything like this.

For me, the experience was particularly cathartic and I think it was actually very aptly timed for me.  The timing was perfect as I was about to embark on a crucial year for my business. I was struggling to work out how I could obtain a work/ life balance and process the start-up stresses in my mind, this retreat gave me the mental space to be able to work those things out.

Whatever point in your life you are personally at, I truly believe you will only gain from attending a Lift Yourself Retreat.

Harriet’s next retreat is located in rural Barcelona, and takes place on Wednesday 17th June for five nights. Invest in yourself in the sun with a full itinerary including yoga, meditation, relaxation, nature walks and learning to go deeper within yourself. Experience Raj’s teachings surrounded by beautiful people and set in a stunning rural landscape.

The Lift Yourself Summer Solstice Retreat has been carefully designed to help reconnect the body and mind and there will be reiki massage and sound healing in addition to all that the retreats currently offer.

Visit the website here for more information.