Author Joseph Campbell said, “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with nature.” Our mission at Big Sky Yoga Retreats is to take you on a journey deeper into yourself through yoga and time outdoors. We believe everyone needs space to cultivate personal growth and physical health. Our retreats aren’t about escapism. They’re about finding your inner self and gaining the tools you need there to improve your health and well-being. Yoga is the catalyst for this change.
Big Sky Yoga
About Big Sky Yoga Retreats
Unique Women's retreats combining yoga, horses, hiking & more
How the West was (Warrior) Won
Our Story
Yoga in Montana? You bet your britches! The seed for Big Sky Yoga Retreats was planted when Margaret Burns Vap moved to Montana with her family. Margaret and her husband, David, who is a native Montanan, had long said the Big Sky state would be the perfect destination for yoga retreats. And after 15+ years of hosting wellness seeking women on retreat, we’re also rolling out our mats in other locales like Argentina, Costa Rica, the French Alps, and Italy.
Think about the feeling you have after a yoga class, when your mind’s clutter has been temporarily cleared. Multiply that feeling tenfold, and you start to get a taste of what’s possible on our unique women’s retreats that combine yoga with horses, hiking, spa visits, wine tasting…yes, and even more (we have to keep a few things secret!)
A desire to “get away from it all” fuels most vacations. But, getting away from it all shouldn’t include escaping yourself. Rather, the best vacations focus on self-care, self-kindness, and self-discovery—all of which makes it easier to bring some of that home with you.
Our Yoga Philosophy
We believe yoga helps you do everything better. Your practice shouldn’t just be a task on your to-do list. It should be integrated into your daily life, and our retreats show you how.
Each day, we facilitate 1-2 yoga practices to take advantage of the natural rhythms of the body: a vigorous, energizing morning practice and/or a restorative, relaxing afternoon/evening practice. We also tailor our yoga practice to complement the season and our other outdoor activities (hiking, horseback riding).
There are many styles of yoga, and we don’t believe in one “right” way. Rather, after many years of teaching and practicing, we blend styles like Vinyasa flow, yin, restorative, and more. We love to mix and match, and firmly believe the strongest yoga practice comes not from constant repetition, but from providing our bodies and minds with variety.
Our yoga classes accommodate all levels of yoginis, though we recommend some prior yoga experience—even if it’s just a few classes before your retreat.
Leaders in Healthy Living
This ain’t our first rodeo. The Big Sky Yoga Retreats team is united by years of experience in teaching yoga and leading retreats, and a love for healthy living and travel. Each member of our staff brings unbridled (pun intended) passion, enthusiasm, and heart to every retreat. We’re here to make sure your experience is everything you hoped for – and more.
Passion to Portfolio
Watch Big Sky Yoga Retreats founder Margaret Burns Vap’s interview about yoga in Montana that was featured on CNN’s passion to portfolio series.
Cowgirl Yoga Blog
Our blog is filled with Montana musings on life under the Big Sky, motherhood, food, horses, and yoga. Yeehaw & Namaste!
Upcoming Retreats
Check out the calendar to see when your desired retreat is running – and reserve your spot. Retreats typically sell out, often several months in advance. So, stake your claim now!
