In celebration of International Yoga Day, luxury well-being brand Sensei offers a variety of unique experiences to hone guests' yoga practice
The brand’s two wellness retreats are located within distinctly zen settings, including Sensei Lāna’i, A Four Seasons Resort on the Hawaiian island of Lanai and Sensei Porcupine Creek surrounded by the Santa Rosa mountains in Greater Palm Springs, California.
The properties offer a blend of luxurious accommodations and amenities, paired with curated wellness programs inclusive of personalized yoga offerings. Each of Sensei’s wellness offerings, including its yoga practices, are rooted in data and evidence-based research, all thoroughly vetted by Sensei’s Wellness Science team led by co-president and chief medical officer Vishal Patel, M.D.
Related: 6 Touchless Treatments at Four Seasons Resort Lanai for a Personalized Self Care Experience
At the core of Sensei’s wellness programming is its guided one-on-one experiences. At both properties, guests can enjoy private yoga sessions alongside an expert practitioner to hone in on their intention for the session, customize their time to what their body needs and deep dive into whatever the guest is most looking to focus on. Beyond private instruction, Sensei also offers a robust lineup of complimentary yoga classes including yin yoga, yoga flow, yoga basics and more.
Sensei Lānaʻi offers an expansive yoga pavilion and deck overlooking a pond where guests can enjoy open-sky yoga and meditation. At the island retreat, guests can also enjoy a premier aerial yoga class, merging yoga and aerial arts with a silk yoga hammock. While floating off the ground, a practitioner will guide guests through supported restorative poses, inversions and gentle movements to stretch the hips, joints and spine not otherwise accessible with an ordinary mat practice.
Unique to Sensei Porcupine Creek is a wall yoga class where guests of all experience levels can deepen their postures and stretch with the help of a wall harness, combining the grounding nature of yoga and the power of gravity.
For expecting mothers, Sensei also offers prenatal yoga experiences that are tailored to fit the needs of pregnant women. At Sensei Lanai, yoga practitioners, Arielle and Kay Kay, are certified in prenatal yoga, helping expectant mothers to address the common physical symptoms associated with pregnancy and to be prepared for birth and relax and calm their minds.
Sensei's Top Tips for Beginner Guests
- Always listen to your body first and do not do something that causes pain or too much discomfort to keep up with others in a class!
- Pick an instructor whose style resonates with you and get to know them. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions.
- Start slow! If attempting yoga practice at home, try a little bit each day. Start with some breathing exercises and a 10-20-minute video to start.
