I had the great pleasure of traveling to Panama in November 2024 to attend Andrea’s Purpose in Panama yoga retreat. This was my first-ever yoga retreat, and in fact, was also the first time I tried Andrea’s yoga. Andrea’s yoga and retreats had been recommended to me by multiple friends, and I have to say, as high as their praises were, they did not prepare me for how amazing one of Andrea’s retreats could be!

Right from the start, you could tell Andrea really cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. Andrea is not only the retreat’s yoga teacher but also a coordinator, an organizer, and a facilitator – you can clearly tell she wants everyone to have a wonderful time. Luckily, everyone who attends Andrea’s retreats also appears to be amazing human beings. Other retreat attendees were also easygoing, kind souls that were easy to connect with. As an introvert, one of the unexpected benefits of going on this retreat was to get to spend time with other people – it is surprising how quickly you can connect and get to know other people on a retreat such as this one.

The twice-a-day yoga was perfect – every yoga session targeted different parts of your body, and each session was grounded in an intention for the day, making each session truly enjoyable and also unique. The retreat also included other activities that were optional, such as a completely magical waterfall hike in the middle of the jungle, with a meal shared with some locals. The location for the retreat was also exceptionally beautiful, as were the meals. This retreat was a fantastic way to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, reconnect with your Self, and then re-enter the world in a more intentional and mindful way.

Overall, I cannot recommend this retreat highly enough. It opened my eyes to a new way of traveling, and to me, this way of traveling blends perfectly the travel and exploration of a new country, the human connection, and the physical and spiritual practice of yoga.

– JF