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With summer upon us, we all inevitably have the itch to escape for long weekends or full vacations. Of course, lockdowns and social distancing make typical summer getaways a challenging proposition. But maybe all we really need is a perspective shift: At the end of the day, a vacation can also be a mindset.
Thankfully, a few wellness organizations are here to help you find a bit of bliss without leaving home. Bed Stuy’s HealHaus, the BK Yoga Club, and Black Girl in Om’s newest addition, the Circle, each have their own virtual retreats planned this summer. From yoga and guided mediations to journaling prompts and sound baths, here’s exactly what they have in store.
The New Paradigm with HealHaus
HealHaus is a Bed Stuy–based wellness center founded in 2018 that “was born out of the need for a wellness concept that reflects the collective and allows people to come as they are without any judgements or expectations,” says Elisa Shankle, who founded the organization alongside Darian Hall. “We wanted to create a space that builds community around healing, where people truly feel like ‘this is my Haus’ as well. Our mission is to continue shifting the culture around wellness by being more accessible and inclusive.” That’s exactly what they offer through various daily yoga, meditation classes, a café, workshops and private practitioner services. Now offerings can be found online in the form of memberships and one-off experiences.
What to expect from HealHaus’s virtual retreat: HealHaus is celebrating its two-year anniversary with an all-day experience called the New Paradigm. Taking place on May 30 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the day will include activities like Yin + Zen Yoga, lessons in foods that provide mental clarity, a “Breathe and Groove” session, DJ breaks, and mindfulness lessons that participants can incorporate into their daily lives, led by HealHaus practitioners. “The New Paradigm for me is what everyone is referring to as the ‘new normal.’ It is a chance for us to reprogram our conditioning and start to observe what was no longer serving us, and notice that well-being is truly an integrated, holistic practice. During this time when a lot has been stripped away, things outside of ourselves are becoming less of what we claim as our identity,” Shankle explains.