Set an intention. It doesn’t need to be a tangible goal, though it could be. The most important thing is a mindset or feeling that you hold close to you throughout the trip.
The pandemic has shaped the way we travel and live, with a growing trend leaning towards health, wellness, and a holistic lifestyle. More than ever, individuals are seeking not just getaways, but immersive wellness retreats that help rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul. Destinations that provide a serene environment, unique wellness offerings, and an unparalleled experience are in great demand. In this interview series, we are talking to property owners and hospitality companies who are at the helm of these wellness havens. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dan Carter.
According to Dan Carter, a yoga and fitness instructor based in Washington DC, it is important for men to be in touch with their bodies and spirits. “As we navigate through our busy lives in these tech-driven times, a deeper understanding of self enables men to steer through the distractions and obstacles of life and work and move more directly toward achieving their dreams and goals,” he says. Carter is inviting men to join him at INNdulge Palm Springs for a long weekend of camaraderie under the hot desert sun.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory? What or who inspired you to pursue your career as a fitness instructor? We’d love to hear the story.
Mychildhood is a great backdrop to why I became a fitness instructor!
After I was born, my mom quit her desk job and transitioned into becoming a step aerobics teacher. That gave her more time for the family since the gym allowed me to come along with her. I grew up going to her classes and loved watching the routines and occasionally getting to participate in them. The Macarena was huge when I was 5 and was one of my earliest memories of participating in fitness.
When I was a teenager, I started going to yoga classes with some of my friends and decided to carve it out as my niche in the family fitness business. My mom is now primarily a Pilates teacher, and we are both personal trainers. We love to share tips with one another but do have a small family feud over what’s the best style of fitness.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
In middle school, I was very depressed and not doing well in school. That same year, I had a substitute gym teacher named Mr. Traccino who saw me run the mile and told me he was really impressed and that I should consider running cross country in high school. That small piece of encouragement from a relative stranger turned my whole life around and helped me become a healthier and more motivated student.
That experience definitely motivates me today. The impact one person’s encouragement and belief can have on you is profound.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?
The first naked yoga class I took was an absolute surprise to me. My friend mentioned he wanted to bring me to an all-men’s yoga class and I guess he assumed I understood that meant it was clothing optional. I did not connect the dots and was very overwhelmed to arrive in a room full of completely nude men.
I wouldn’t say I was terrified, but I was also pretty overwhelmed. Luckily, I stuck it out and ended up having a great time and becoming an active member of the community. Years later, when the current founder of the group decided to retire, he passed the group onto me, and leading naked yoga has become the hallmark of my fitness career.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?
One of my favorite Oscar Wilde quotes is, “Everything in moderation. Including moderation.” The irony of the statement is something I didn’t totally understand for a long time, but as I’ve studied yoga philosophy throughout my life, the paradoxical and often silly nature of life has become clearer to me, and I love this line.
Based on your research or personal experience, why do you think travel can lead to better wellness? Can you share a story?
Breaking out of our daily routines is so important if we want to affect real change. In yoga, we talk about samskaras, which are negative habits that were conditioned into us by the people, places, and things around us. The first step to relinquish these metaphorical crutches is to set an intention. You could think about that as booking the retreat.
The following two steps are challenging ourselves and then slowing things down. Traveling to a new place with new people and creating a new routine is the challenge. Spending the weekend exercising, enjoying the company of other men, and relaxing is the slowing down.
We believe that the result of all this work is an awareness and fearlessness that allows us to break free of our bad habits and manifest the life that we dream of. It is always such a pleasure to see my students actualize these patterns on the retreat.
What are a few things that distinguish your property from thousands of wellness properties around the world?
INNdulge is an absolutely gorgeous space that creates the perfect container for our retreats. You really can’t beat their gorgeous courtyard filled with iconic sculptures, palm trees, and beautifully manicured grass. As someone who is sensitive to chlorine, I’m also a huge fan of their heated salt-water pool.
The owners of INNdulge, Jon and Sandy, are also some of the kindest and most professional people in the business. They’ve got years of experience and make my students extremely comfortable and at ease when at the resort.
What type of experience do you want your visitors to have when they visit?
I want them to bring their most authentic version of themselves, whether that’s trying to make a shift in their lifestyle or just wanting some fun in the sun. The sooner participants are able to be vulnerable and let themselves be a part of the group, I find that they experience great transformation in their life and have an absolute blast doing so.
What makes your property a beautiful escape for a body and mind recharge?
In addition to all the wonderful amenities I mentioned before, INNdulge is situated within walking distance of downtown Palm Springs and is a very short drive from the Palm Springs International Airport, Aerial Tramway, and dozens of gorgeous hiking trails. It creates a fabulous spot for men from all over the world to come together and experience fitness, nature, and all the amenities of a world-class city.
Can you share any transformative stories or testimonials from guests who have experienced past retreats?
After Covid, I experienced a wave of guys who shared feelings of loneliness, depression, and a sense of being disconnected from their bodies. A few shared that they’d stopped pursuing having sex or seeking a relationship even though a partner was a big priority in life.
It took different amounts of time in all of those cases, but the overwhelming feedback I received was that something shifted in those guys over the weekend, almost like a puzzle piece falling back into place.
Being in a space with touch, open communication, and body positivity helped break down the blocks that they’d been facing.
Why do you think the experience you offer is so needed nowadays?
Yoga used to be a very touch-focused practice, and it’s a big part of the reason it worked so well in treating trauma. After Covid, we’ve become an almost touchless society and the amount of physical connection in yoga has remarkably declined.
Touch and consent are two of the biggest themes of the weekends, and I know the guys appreciate that a lot. It is one of the few spaces where people are so direct about consent, but also actively seeking and sharing touch.
We often associate touch with romance or sexuality, but connecting with a person on a physical level can create a multitude of relationships and connectedness.
Do you think travel enhances our mindfulness, optimism, or sense of gratitude? How? Can you please explain with an example or story?
I absolutely believe travel enhances our awareness and gratitude! The first time I got the opportunity to hike naked in the Coachella Valley desert, my world was absolutely turned upside down. Wandering through the monumental canyons that the Colorado River carved through the desert while completely in the buff is an experience unlike any other. Every time I do the hike, I recognize the small but important role that I play in our truly old and massive universe.
What are your “5 Habits You Should Develop In Order to Make Travel Into An Opportunity For Wellness & Personal Growth?”
1. Set an intention. It doesn’t need to be a tangible goal, though it could be. The most important thing is a mindset or feeling that you hold close to you throughout the trip.
2. Be organized. Growth doesn’t happen without challenge, but when we face a challenge and overcome it, we set ourselves up for success. Doing a little prep work always helps me with this.
3. Slow down.
4. Be vulnerable and willing to let people and experiences in.
5. Keep a journal, take pictures, create art, or do something that will give you a physical reminder of the trip. Having that physical reminder with you will allow you to make the change you want when you return home.
Based on your experience, where do you see the future of wellness travel heading in the next 5–10 years?
I anticipate we will see huge growth in the number of retreats around indigenous medicine and psychedelics in the coming years. These kinds of retreats already exist, but they’ve often been poked fun at or trivialized in the media rather than taken seriously. But luckily research in this area is at an all-time high since the 70s and there is growing acceptance around the practice in the younger generation.
I think the missing piece of a lot of the depression and anxiety research that’s been done around these substances is the travel or experience element. Practicing ritual, community and communication are fundamental parts of these therapies that I think need to be prioritized and are especially profound on a group retreat.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)
Right now, my dream brunch is with Megan Thee Stallion. Beyond loving her music, I am extremely impressed with the way she has embraced fitness, health, and mindfulness and shares that with her followers as the “Hot Girl Coach”.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You can check out my website at bornnakedyoga.com and dancarteryoga.com. For tickets and more information on the SELF DISCOVERY — A NAKED MINDFULNESS RETREAT, visit https://bornnakedyoga.com/palm-springs
Thank you for these really excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .
