In short: every YogaVacation guide is researched from reliable sources that we list on the page, with the date we last checked the facts. We separate tradition, history and scientific evidence, have specialist health topics reviewed by a qualified professional, label every piece for what it is, disclose affiliate links and sponsorship, and correct mistakes openly.
This page explains how we research, check, label and fund what we publish, so you can judge for yourself how much weight to give it. It applies to every guide, listing and journal article on YogaVacation. To learn who is behind the site, see About YogaVacation.
Sources we rely on
- Yoga philosophy and history: classical texts in published translations (we name the translator), university and encyclopedia sources such as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and Britannica, and recognized scholars.
- Health and safety: health agencies and medical institutions such as the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, and professional bodies such as ACOG for pregnancy.
- Teacher training and credentials: the published standards of the organizations themselves, such as Yoga Alliance, and the laws or official documents that apply.
- Travel: official tourism boards and government sites. For visas and entry rules we link to the country guides on our sister site TravelerCenter rather than repeating rules that change.
- Products, retreats and schools: the maker’s or organizer’s own published information and current listings, checked on a stated date.
Every guide ends with a list of its sources and a “facts checked on” date. If we cannot verify a claim, we leave it out. Sanskrit names are given only when we can confirm them in a reliable source.
Tradition, history and evidence
Yoga comes from living traditions. When we describe teachings such as the chakras or the subtle body, we present them as teachings within their tradition (“in Hatha yoga texts…”, “practitioners describe…”). When we mention scientific research, we say what was studied and where the evidence is limited. We never present a pose, breath or practice as a treatment or cure, and we avoid words like “detox” or “heals”. Our guides are general information, not individual medical advice; where health matters, we suggest checking with your doctor. Forceful breathing and breath-retention practices, which we describe in our breathing guides, should be learned with a qualified teacher.
Writers and reviewers
Guides are researched and written by the YogaVacation editorial team and checked against their sources before publishing. Specialist and health-related topics, such as yoga during pregnancy, yoga for back pain, yoga for older adults, forceful breathing practices, yoga therapy and research explainers, also need review by a qualified professional, for example a physiotherapist or a certified prenatal yoga teacher. The reviewer’s name and credential appear in the byline only when a real person has reviewed the page. Until then, those pages are not published. Our prenatal yoga guide follows this rule.
Verification statuses
Every guide, listing and profile carries one of three statuses behind the scenes:
| Status | What it means | Published? |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | Work in progress | No |
| Unverified | Written, but sources, facts or a required review are not yet complete | No |
| Verified | Sources recorded, facts checked on the date shown and any required review done | Yes |
Facts that change, such as prices, seasons, entry rules and course details, are rechecked regularly, and any page whose facts were last checked more than 12 months ago goes on our recheck list.
Retreat and training listings
- We list a retreat, venue or teacher training program only after checking it with the organizer’s own published information or with the organizer directly. Imported or unchecked listings stay unpublished.
- Dates are shown as “listed by the organizer, checked on” a stated date. We never say a place is “available” unless we checked within the last 30 days.
- Prices are shown with their currency and what they include, as published by the organizer.
- For teacher trainings, we show the school’s credential claims next to the public record we checked them against. Our teacher training hub explains what certificates, registrations and legal requirements mean.
- Photos of venues are used only with recorded permission.
Labels we use
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Researched guide | Written from the sources listed on the page; no firsthand testing implied |
| Researched feature | A feature on a place or cultural topic, built from sources |
| Firsthand story | A real practitioner’s own story, published with their consent |
| Firsthand report | An account of a retreat or event someone actually attended |
| Interview | A recorded or written interview, approved by the person interviewed |
| Opinion | A personal view or reflection, clearly marked as opinion |
| Research explainer | A plain-English summary of published studies, with limits stated, reviewed by a qualified person |
| News | Dated events, with the source and the date checked |
| Sponsored | Paid for by a partner; shown with a visible banner |
| Featured | A paid placement in a directory; shown with a visible label |
Product roundups, such as our yoga mat guide, are researched from makers’ specifications and current listings. We never call a product “tested” unless we have actually tested it, and we never invent reviews, ratings or personal experience.
Affiliate and sponsored content policy
- Affiliate links. Some links to products, retreats and travel services earn us a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Pages with affiliate links carry a disclosure, and affiliate links are marked for search engines as sponsored.
- Independence. Commissions never decide what we include, how we rank it or what we say about it. We include products and retreats because they fit the reader’s needs.
- Sponsored articles and featured listings. If a partner pays for an article or a placement, it carries a visible “Sponsored” or “Featured” label. Partners do not get to approve our editorial guides.
- Retreat enquiries. If you ask us to help you find a retreat, we pass your details to organizers only with your consent, and organizers may pay us for that introduction.
We follow the US Federal Trade Commission’s guidance that material connections, including affiliate commissions, should be disclosed clearly and close to the recommendation.
Corrections
We make mistakes, and we want to know about them. If something looks wrong, please tell us through our contact page, with the page address and, if you can, a source. We check every report. When we correct a fact that matters to readers, we update the page, change its “facts checked on” date and, for significant errors, add a short note explaining what changed.
Frequently asked questions
Does YogaVacation test the products it recommends?
Not unless a page says so. Our product roundups are researched from makers' specifications and current listings, and we never call a product tested when it was not.
Do affiliate commissions affect your recommendations?
No. We include products and retreats because they fit readers' needs. Pages with affiliate links carry a disclosure, and sponsored or featured content is always labeled.
Who reviews health-related guides?
Specialist and health-related guides are reviewed by a qualified professional before publication, and the reviewer's name and credential are shown on the page. Until then, those guides stay unpublished.
How do I report a mistake?
Use our contact page and include the page address and, if possible, a source. We check every report and update the page when we confirm an error.
How current are retreat dates and prices?
Each listing shows the date we last checked it with the organizer's information. We only describe a place as available if we checked within the last 30 days, so always confirm with the organizer before booking.
Sources
- FTC's Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, US Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 6, 2026)
- Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers, US Federal Trade Commission (accessed October 6, 2026)
- Associates Program Operating Agreement, Amazon (accessed October 6, 2026)
Facts checked on October 6, 2026