SWEET RETREATS

JOURNEY INWARD

You’ve always wanted to be more spiritual. Commune with nature. Get in shape. Find your Zen. But you have a real life to live—who has the time? No one does, which is why these Southern self-help retreats are so genius. They infuse weekend getaways with personal improvement and offer beautiful settings for professional instruction. After all, if you’re going to take some time off, you might as well get a tune-up while you’re away.

NEWSLETTERS

Om My Goodness: Spotlight on Dahlonega Spa Resort

Allison Entrekin -

I feel indulgent. Ice-cream-for-breakfast indulgent. Make that ice-cream-and-Champagne-for-breakfast indulgent.

Welcome to Boot Camp

Carlos Harrison -

I’m tired. I’m sore. I’m gassy. That, I’m told, is expected. For three days, I have been stretched, scanned, pushed, and pampered. I’ve been stripped of...

Five Pritikin Recipes for You to Try at Home

Carlos Harrison -

Pritikin was kind enough to share these simple, healthy recipes from its boot camp program with us—just in time for bikini season!Mustard Coated SalmonServes: 4Ingredients: 2...

Eat Your Way Healthy

Carlos Harrison -

For the folks at the Pritikin Longevity Center, it all comes down to a simple truth: Eat right, live longer.

Call to Prayer: The Monastery of the Holy Spirit

Joshilyn Jackson -

It sounds like the beginning of a dirty joke: “A lady novelist walks into a monastery . . .” but I am very serious about spending the weekend sleeping, meditating, singing, and praying with forty near-silent, white-robed, celibate men.

When Nature Calls

Allison Entrekin and Merrell McGinness -

As the mother of two small children, my self-reflection time is limited to an occasional glimpse in the mirror, followed by the realization I...

FURTHER INWARD

A City Slicker’s Guide to Communing with Nature

Merrell McGinness -

You don’t have to disappear into the woods to reconnect with Mother Earth. With a little creativity, you can create an eco-retreat in even the smoggiest city.

Stayin’ Alive: A Monk Shares How Not to Kill Your Bonsai

Aerial Freeman -

It's not every day you’re able to interview a monk. And it’s even rarer to interview him about bonsai trees. But Friar Gerard Gross...

7 Easy Ways To Reduce Stress and Find Balance Without Leaving Home

Aerial Freeman -

Can't get away on a yoga retreat? Rebecca Galla-Jones and Jackie Dominas, instructors at Balance Yoga in Atlanta, say you don't have to leave town to leave your stress behind. Here are some ideas for finding calm and flexibility without ever packing a suitcase.