How a Meditation Retreat Strengthened My Relationship with My (Skeptical) Partner
By Sarah, Creative Director & Yoga Teacher at Pacha Munay Wellness
Let’s be honest—getting a partner who’s not into meditation to sign up for a retreat can feel like trying to convince a cat to take a bath. When I suggested to my ex-boyfriend (let’s call him "Alex") that we spend a week doing yoga and meditating in the mountains, he looked at me like I’d just asked him to walk barefoot on hot coals.
For context, I’m a yoga teacher, and Alex was the COO of a hospitality company. His world was all about fast-paced work, managing hotels in New York and Miami, and living in a constant state of "go-go-go." Meditation? Wellness? Not exactly his thing. But after months of non-stop stress from work, I knew that we needed some time away to reconnect—not just with ourselves, but with each other. So I booked us a weeklong retreat in the mountains of North Carolina, and off we went.
Spoiler alert: it changed our relationship. And if you’re a couple who’s feeling the strain of everyday life, trust me, this might just be exactly what you need, too.
A Wellness Retreat for Two
The idea of getting away from the hustle and bustle was honestly the first selling point for Alex. I framed it less as "We’re going to meditate and eat kale" and more as "We’re going to escape the noise and relax in the mountains." Which was true! But what he didn’t expect was that the quiet stillness of the retreat would actually make him love the experience—yes, even the meditation part.
We arrived at this beautiful retreat center tucked away in the North Carolina mountains, and immediately, something shifted. It was as though the weight of his constant work stress started to melt off just by being surrounded by nature. There was no Wi-Fi (which, let’s be real, freaked him out at first), but that’s exactly what we both needed—to truly disconnect.
The daily schedule was simple: yoga, meditation, wholesome meals, and plenty of time to just be. No meetings. No emails. Just us, nature, and the quiet moments we rarely gave ourselves in the "real world."
A healthy breakfast
From Skeptic to Meditator
Alex had never meditated before this retreat. In fact, when I’d try to get him to sit still for five minutes back home, he’d make jokes or fall asleep. But something about being in that space—surrounded by nature and guided by experienced teachers—opened him up to the practice. He told me he finally understood what I had been talking about all those years, and he even started meditating on his own.
By the end of the week, he admitted that he felt lighter, more focused, and much less stressed. He even joked that he was going to bring some of the practices back to his team in Miami and New York. More than that, though, we felt closer as a couple. That time away, focused on our well-being and connection, gave us space to breathe—both individually and together.
How a Retreat Can Strengthen Your Relationship
So, why am I telling you this story? Because if you and your partner are feeling overwhelmed by work, life, or just the everyday stress of living in a fast-paced world, a wellness retreat could be the key to reconnecting—not just with yourself, but with each other.
Alex and I discovered that when you strip away the distractions—work calls, social media, endless to-do lists—you start to see each other in a new light. The retreat gave us the time and space to have deeper conversations, share quiet moments, and simply be together without all the external pressures. We re-learned how to enjoy each other’s company without the usual distractions.
This new found connection brought us to have deeper conversations. When we had the kindness and understanding to talk to each other with the intent of listening, it also encouraged us to share more freely. We shared details of our feelings that we had never expressed before, to anyone. And in turn, this emotional intimacy brought us closer sensually. There is something to be said when you can feel totally raw, honest and exactly who you are, and be witnessed by your partner. It brings a whole new level of sexual openness.
And let’s be real, we all know that life gets busy. Between work, family, and the constant demands on our time, it’s easy to lose touch with your partner—even when you live under the same roof. But a retreat forces you to slow down, to focus on what’s really important: your connection.
The Lasting Impact
The best part? The benefits didn’t end when we left the retreat. Alex kept meditating (I know, I was surprised, too). He told me it helped him with his job—he felt more grounded, more patient, and less reactive in stressful situations. As for our relationship, we were stronger because of that shared experience. We’d found a way to bring a little bit of peace back into our everyday lives.
I kid you not, I came home from work one day to find Alex laying in the backyard, in our hammock, which was more of a prop to look at since we almost never used it before, reading “A Monk’s Guide to Happiness” that he apparently had ordered on Amazon. I retreated back inside quietly to let him enjoy his time of peace, and had time to decompress from my day before heading back out to lay in the hammock with him. This became a regular after-work activity. Not only did it give us a break from laying on the couch and watching TV, it also gave us alone time, a time of solitude between the work day and spending time together, so that we could truly be present. That space was something I didn't know how desperately I needed, and it made me a more patient partner because I wasn't coming straight to him with that energy or stress of work, traffic, or whatever the day had brought me.
Why You Should Consider a Retreat at Pacha Munay
If this story resonates with you and you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your partner, I invite you to come visit us at Pacha Munay Wellness. Our retreat center, nestled in the Sacred Valley of Peru, offers the perfect environment to unwind, reconnect, and experience the transformative power of mindfulness together.
Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a meditation newbie like Alex was, we create an experience that’s both grounding and healing. You’ll be surrounded by nature, enjoy healthy, nourishing meals, and take part in yoga, meditation, and Andean ceremonies designed to bring you and your partner closer—not just to yourselves, but to each other.
If you’ve been looking for a way to escape the everyday grind and rekindle the bond between you and your partner, a retreat may be exactly what you need. Trust me—if Alex could find peace and presence here, anyone can. And although I expected it to mainly benefit him (I am a yoga teacher and all), it might have affected me even more. Even though I was already living a lifestyle revolving around wellness, I think that made it even easier for me to become, for lack of a better word, “lazy” about. I was complacent in my wellness practices, I felt like I was doing “enough”. But here's the thing, the work is never done. No matter how much growing and learning and evolving we do, we are human. And part of the human condition is getting off track, getting distracted. By seeking this experience for him and for us as a couple, I realized how much there was for me to gain too. How good it felt to rediscover that subtle quietness that happens when you focus your attention on just existing.
All of this to say, there is a beautiful change waiting to happen. For you, who meditates every day and only drinks green juice, and for your partner, who doesn't know the difference between an enema and anemia. So, pack your bags, leave the stress behind, and come experience the beauty, serenity, and magic of Pacha Munay. We can’t wait to welcome you both.
