Reaching our community of 30 million people with your retreat is simpler than you might think. Whether you're an established Insight Timer teacher or brand new to our platform, we've created a straightforward process that guides you from setup through submission and review.
This guide walks through every step of listing your retreat on the health platform where thousands of teachers share meditation, yoga, mindfulness, breathwork, and wellness experiences with a global audience. We'll explain what goes into each field and help you create a listing that sells.
Quick Start: Already an Insight Timer Teacher?
If you already publish content on Insight Timer, you already have access to your Teacher Dashboard. Follow these quick steps:
- Open your Teacher Dashboard here.
- Go to the Retreats tab.
- Click + Create a retreat and follow the form to add dates, location, pricing, and all the details about your offering.
- Submit your listing for review.
New to Insight Timer?
If you're publishing a retreat for the first time on our platform, no problem. The process is just as simple:
- Create your free teacher profile here. This takes just a few minutes and gives you access to everything you need.
- Once your dashboard is set up, go to the Retreats tab.
- Click + Create a retreat and complete each step of the form. We'll explain what each field is for as you go.
- Submit your listing for review.
Understanding the Full Retreat Listing Process
The retreat listing form has 13 steps. While that might sound like a lot, each step focuses on one aspect of your retreat—basics, details, venue, meals, schedule, pricing, and more. By the end, you'll have created a complete, professional listing that gives participants everything they need to make a confident booking decision.
We've explained each step below so you know exactly what to fill in and why it matters.
Step 1: Review and Accept the Retreat Terms
Every retreat on Insight Timer operates under our Retreat Terms. These exist to protect both you and your participants, so we ask that you read them carefully before listing anything.
Take your time with this step. The terms cover important things like payment structures, cancellation policies, insurance requirements, and participant safety. Understanding them upfront prevents problems later.
Once you've read and reviewed the terms, check the box that says 'I have read and agree to the terms presented above'. Then click 'Save & Next' to move to the next step.
Step 2: Submission Requirements and Insurance
We maintain high quality standards on Insight Timer so that community members feel confident booking retreats. This step asks you to confirm that your retreat meets those standards.
You'll answer a few important questions. Pay special attention to fields marked with a red asterisk *—these are required fields and must be completed before you can move forward.
One key field here is insurance. While we don't require it, we strongly encourage you to upload a relevant liability insurance certificate if your work involves any physical risk or professional licensure. Insurance shows participants you take professionalism seriously and protects everyone involved if something unexpected happens. It also builds confidence in your retreat.
Step 3: Retreat Information
This is where you provide the basic facts about your retreat. Get these details right, because they're what participants see first when browsing.
Retreat Type: Choose whether you're offering a multi-day retreat or a single-day event/workshop. Both formats work equally well—pick what matches your offering and what works for your participants.
Retreat Title: Your title is the headline. Capitalize the first letter of each word for emphasis and readability. Keep it under 24 characters so it displays fully on listing tiles in the app. Remember: you don't need to include the date, location, or your name in the title—those appear automatically on the listing page. Instead, focus on the experience or emotional benefit. For example, "Awaken the Magic: A Yoga Retreat" or "Deep Breathing & Calm" is more compelling than "Yoga Retreat - July 2026 - Mexico" or a generic title.
Co-Host (Optional): If you're sharing leadership of this retreat with another Insight Timer teacher, you can add them here. This field is completely optional—only fill it if you have a co-host.
Additional Booking Notification Email (Optional): If you're co-hosting or working with a reservation manager or assistant who needs to track bookings, add their email here. They'll receive confirmation emails whenever someone books, which helps you stay organized.
Date: Double-check that your start and end dates are correct, including the year. Participants rely on this information to plan their travel, take time off work, and arrange childcare. Getting dates wrong is one of the most frustrating mistakes, so verify carefully.
Categories: Select up to three categories that best describe your retreat's focus and appeal. This helps community members find your retreat when they're searching or browsing by interest (yoga, meditation, stress relief, etc.).
Language: Specify the language in which you'll conduct the retreat. This is crucial for participants to know upfront so they can assess whether they'll be able to follow and engage with your teaching.
Step 4: Retreat Details—The Story Behind Your Retreat
This is where you tell the story of what participants will experience. Write everything in the language you'll be conducting the retreat in—this shows participants you're organized and professional.
Atmosphere: Tell us who this retreat is designed for. Use the checkboxes to indicate which groups you're welcoming and encouraging to apply. Are you open to beginners, or do you need experienced practitioners? Are you hosting mixed levels, or is this for advanced participants? This clarity helps people self-select and ensures the right people book.
Highlights: List up to five unique features, benefits, or selling points of your retreat. What sets your retreat apart? What will participants take home? Use the + button to add each highlight individually. Separate highlights are more memorable and scannable. If your retreat includes a meditation certification, that's a highlight. If you're partnering with a well-known teacher or venue, that's a highlight. If participants will learn a specific skill or transformation, that's a highlight too.
Best practice: Focus on what makes your retreat special and what transformation participants will experience.
What not to do: Avoid putting all your highlights into a single text block. The system gives you a + button specifically to add them individually—use it. Each highlight should stand on its own so readers can quickly scan what makes your retreat unique.
Overall Description: Write a comprehensive description that sets clear expectations for what participants will experience. What will they do during the retreat? What will they learn? What changes should they expect? Paint a vivid picture. This is where you sell the experience. Details about accommodations and meals can go in their own sections below, so keep this focused on the retreat experience itself—the teaching, the practices, the environment, the journey.
Keep your description professional and focused. Don't include external links or social media handles—the listing itself is self-contained on Insight Timer.
Step 5: Venue and Accommodation
Location, space, and lodging are huge factors in a participant's decision. Get these details right and clear.
Venue: Select your retreat venue from the dropdown menu. If your retreat is at a well-known yoga center, resort, or retreat house, you'll likely find it there. This tells participants exactly where the retreat takes place.
Venue's General Liability Insurance: Upload a copy of your venue's general liability insurance certificate if available. This demonstrates professionalism and reassures participants that the venue is properly insured in case of accidents. It protects everyone and shows you've thought through safety.
Retreat Verification Link: Provide links to any other platforms or websites where your retreat is listed (Eventbrite, your own website, etc.). This helps our team verify that the information you're providing is consistent across all platforms. It also ensures transparency and reduces fraud.
Retreat Capacity: Tell us the maximum number of participants your retreat can accommodate. Be realistic about your space and your ability to deliver a high-quality experience. A small, intimate retreat often creates more transformation than a large one, so don't try to oversell your capacity.
Venue Not Listed? If your venue doesn't appear in the dropdown menu, select My venue is not listed and add the venue's website link in the 'Venue Link' field. This helps our team find and verify your location, and it provides additional information for participants who want to research the venue.
Early Bird Pricing: If you're running a promotion to encourage early bookings, use this field. Specify the discount percentage and choose the date the promotion ends. Early bird pricing creates urgency and can lead to faster bookings. If you're not offering early bird pricing, simply leave these fields blank.
Accommodation (for Multi-Day Retreats): For retreats longer than one day, describe the lodging options in detail. What are the room types? What's the quality of the facilities? What amenities are included—en-suite bathrooms, views, quiet spaces for meditation? What special features enhance the stay? Let participants know what to expect so they can decide if it meets their needs and comfort level.
Add All Accommodation Options: For each room type you're offering, provide complete details:
- A clear, appealing description of the room type and what makes it attractive or special
- The number of rooms you're allocating for Insight Timer bookings
- The maximum occupancy per room (how many people can sleep in it)
- Total Price (USD): For private rooms, enter the total price for the entire room for one or two people (you decide). For shared rooms, enter the price per person. The price must cover the full scope of the retreat—all meals, all classes, all activities, and any inclusions you've promised. All pricing must be entered in USD. We're actively working to support additional currencies in the future. Make sure your Insight Timer prices are competitive with what you're charging on other platforms so there's no price discrepancy.
Step 6: Meals
Food is part of the experience. Describe what your participants will eat and how meals support the retreat's goals.
Share details about meal quality, types of cuisine, sourcing of ingredients (local, organic, fair trade?), meal preparation process, and any dietary accommodations you provide. Do you offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or other options?
Is the food part of the retreat experience itself? High-quality, thoughtfully prepared meals matter—they're part of the transformation.
Use high-resolution photos that show your meals and dining experience in an appealing, authentic way. Pictures of fresh ingredients, beautifully plated dishes, your chef preparing food, and the dining atmosphere all help participants envision the experience. Use genuine photos from past retreats—authenticity sells far better than stock images. People want to see real food and real spaces.
Step 7: Schedule
A clear schedule reduces cancellations and sets expectations. Participants want to know what a typical day looks like and what they'll be doing from morning to night.
Write a comprehensive summary of your retreat's daily schedule. Be as specific as possible. What time do people wake? What's the first activity? Is there free time? Meals? When do classes happen? When's quiet time? This clarity helps participants prepare mentally and practically, and it dramatically reduces refund requests.
What to do: Write your schedule overview clearly and comprehensively. Give a vivid picture of what participants will experience during a typical day—from the time they wake to evening activities and wind-down.
What not to do: Don't try to list the day-by-day schedule in the free-form text field. The system has a dedicated "Daily Schedule" section below for that purpose, which gives you proper structure for each individual day.
Step 8: Inclusions and Requirements
Be comprehensive and crystal clear in this section. List everything that's included in your retreat package, and equally important, be clear about what's excluded. This prevents misunderstandings after booking and helps participants make informed decisions.
Inclusions: Add each inclusion individually using the + button. Include everything—accommodations, all meals, all classes and instruction, materials, transportation to/from the airport or local sites, retreat center amenities, everything. If something is included, list it. Be comprehensive.
Exclusions: Be equally clear about what's NOT included. Are flights to the destination on your dime or theirs? Are travel arrangements to the venue the participant's responsibility? Are there optional activities or spa treatments available for extra cost? Are beverages beyond water included? Be explicit so there are no surprises.
Participant Requirements: List any prerequisites, qualifications, or conditions participants should have before joining.
Do you have age requirements—18+, 50+, etc.? What fitness level is expected? Do participants need prior experience with meditation, yoga, or the specific practice? Are there any mental or physical health conditions participants should disclose? Should they be able to sit on the floor for long periods? Be specific and practical. Making requirements clear upfront helps the right people book and sets everyone up for success. Participants are far more likely to stick with a retreat and be satisfied if they know upfront what they're getting into and whether it's right for them.
Step 9: Testimonials (Optional)
Testimonials aren't required, but they're incredibly powerful if you've led retreats before. Positive, authentic feedback from past participants builds confidence and anticipation in potential attendees.
Share real quotes from people who've attended your retreats. Let them describe their experience in their own words and their own voice. Authentic testimonials are far more persuasive than anything you can say about yourself. People trust peer feedback more than marketing copy.
Step 10: Photos and Videos
High-quality photos and video are essential. They're what make participants feel like they can actually see and experience your retreat before booking.
Hero Image: This is the main image people see when they first discover your retreat in the app. Choose something beautiful, professional, and representative of your offering—this is your first impression. Make sure your photos follow our image guidelines for retreats—specifically, no overlaid text, frames, logos, or watermarks. We want clean, authentic images that represent your retreat honestly.
Additional Photos: Add more photos that show the retreat space, teaching areas, outdoor environments, participant activities, the dining space, views, and the general atmosphere. The more participants can visualize themselves there, the more confident they'll be in booking.
Promotional Video: A well-crafted video is optional but incredibly powerful. Video lets potential participants see and hear you, understand the energy and vibe of your retreat, and feel your personality. Video builds trust and anticipation in ways photos and text simply cannot. If you have a promotional video, it's worth including. Make it professional, follow our guidelines—no external websites, social media handles, or watermarks in the video—and let it represent your retreat and teaching style authentically.
Step 11: Payment Policy
How the Payment Structure Works: Insight Timer's retreat payment system is designed to protect both you and participants. When someone books, payment happens in two stages:
- A 10% non-refundable deposit is paid to Insight Timer immediately upon booking. This deposit also serves as our transaction fee, so you're not paying a separate commission on top.
- The remaining 90% balance is paid directly to you by the participant according to a deadline you set. You and the participant arrange this payment directly.
Setting the Balance Due Date: You decide when the remaining 90% balance is due—anywhere from 14 to 365 days before your retreat starts. This is entirely your choice based on your business needs. A 60-day deadline is common, but you might choose 30 days for a short-notice retreat or 180 days for a retreat far in the future. Once you choose, participants will see this deadline in their booking confirmation, so they'll know exactly when they need to pay you the full amount.
You Collect the Balance Directly: It's your responsibility to collect the 90% balance payment from participants. You can arrange this however works best for you—bank transfer, payment link through Stripe or PayPal, credit card, wire transfer, etc. Insight Timer doesn't handle this portion of payment; it's between you and your participants. Make sure you communicate your payment method clearly and follow up to ensure payment is received before the retreat date.
Optional: Additional Refund Terms: You can toggle on an "Additional Refund Terms" option if you want to offer refunds or credits for cancellations that occur after the balance is due. This is separate from your main balance due date and shows participants you're willing to be flexible while still protecting your business.
For example: If your balance deadline is 60 days before the retreat, your additional refund terms might state: "If a participant cancels with 30+ days notice, they receive 50% as a credit toward a future retreat. If they cancel with fewer than 14 days notice, the balance payment is non-refundable." This shows you're reasonable while setting clear boundaries.
Make absolutely sure your additional refund terms don't contradict your main balance deadline—they should work together as one cohesive, understandable policy.
When you're completely done with this section, click 'Save & Next' to proceed.
Step 12: FAQs
This section lets you answer questions participants commonly ask before booking. What's actually included? What's NOT included? What are your cancellation policies? What do people need to pack or prepare? What experience level is needed? What should they expect?
FAQs reduce confusion and help potential participants make confident decisions. They also reduce post-booking support requests, which saves you time. Think about the questions you'd ask if you were considering booking a retreat, then answer them here. Be clear, direct, and specific. Keep the tone friendly and warm.
Don't include external links or email addresses in your FAQ section—keep it self-contained on the listing page. Everything someone needs to know should be in Insight Timer, not scattered across the web.
Step 13: Review and Submit
You're almost done. This is your final checkpoint before your retreat goes live. Review everything carefully.
Your final checklist:
- Are all required fields (marked with *) filled in?
- Are all dates, pricing, and details accurate and consistent throughout the listing?
- Do all images look professional and meet our guidelines?
- Is the copy clear, compelling, error-free, and grammatically correct?
- Does the listing tell a clear story about what participants will experience?
- Is pricing competitive with other platforms where you list?
When everything looks right and you're satisfied with your listing, click 'Submit'. Your retreat listing is now in our hands for review.
What Happens After You Submit
Once you submit, our team takes over. We review every retreat to make sure it meets our quality standards and gives participants everything they need to make an informed booking decision.
Our review includes verifying details, checking consistency across platforms, reviewing images and descriptions, and ensuring your listing follows our guidelines. We're looking out for participants' interests and the integrity of Insight Timer Retreats.
This review process typically takes up to 5 business days. You'll hear from us once we've completed the review. We'll either let you know your retreat is live and available to book, or we'll ask clarifying questions if we need more information.
Questions About Retreat Listings?
The Insight Timer Retreats team is here to help you succeed. If you have any questions about the listing process, need clarification on a specific step, or encounter any issues, reach out to our team at retreats@insighttimer.com. We're committed to helping teachers share their best work with our community of 30 million members around the world.