When Little Rock's Megan Bettis blended a love of yoga, a talent for teaching and a healthy dose of wanderlust, the result was inspiring.
In 2023, she launched Compass Yoga, a retreat series for people of all walks of life who want to adventure with intention.
“Every retreat blends movement with meaning. Think sailing in the Aegean, swimming with bioluminescence in Costa Rica, visiting water temples in Bali, hiking jungle waterfalls, exploring ancient towns, cooking classes, local markets — you name it, and we're doing it.”
Megan, with more than two decades of experience in yoga instruction and trained in classical ballet, wanted to provide retreats that are not just a physical practice but also a mental escape.
“Compass Yoga was born from a deep love of travel and a serious lack of retreats that felt both real and accessible,” Megan says.
The concept stems from Megan’s favorite teaching mantra: choose your own adventure.
“I believe in giving students a strong foundation with real options, and then it's up to them to decide where to take it,” she says.
All details are considered, from meals, meditations, yoga props and local adventures, so guests can truly let go.
“Every retreat is designed to find that sweet spot between structure and freedom, depth and play, solitude and community,” Megan says.
Megan’s lifelong passion for exploration began the summer before high school as a foreign exchange student in France, activating a sense of curiosity that has guided her ever since.
“When you taste new food, hear another language or see how someone else lives, it shifts your perspective,” Megan says. “It challenges your assumptions. It inspires creativity, empathy and awe.”
Before COVID, she led a few retreats, but it wasn’t until travel restrictions were lifted that the idea for Compass Yoga truly caught fire.
“I tried to find that feeling at a retreat as a student, but wasn't able to find something that blended depth, freedom and fun. So I built it,” Megan says.
After she took a group to Mexico in 2023, it was so successful that she booked a venue in Greece upon return.
“That Greece retreat sold out in a week — and I knew I was onto something.”
One moment that captures the empowering energy of Compass Yoga happened during a boat trip on the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica. Megan and her group set out before sunset to swim with bioluminescent plankton.
“As we pulled into the bay, this mama whale and her baby appeared. The baby was splashing, jumping, showing off — and it turned into one of the most magical, awe-inspiring moments in nature I’ve ever witnessed,” Megan says. “Totally off script, not part of the plan, and every single retreat has had one of those magical, unplanned moments.”
About half of Compass Yoga participants travel solo, and the rest bring a partner, friend or family member, but Megan says all share a “common thread of curiosity.”
“Everyone leaves with new connections,” Megan says. “There’s something incredibly powerful about being surrounded by others who are also working on themselves, navigating change, craving something new or just ready for a break and need to reset.”
For Megan, Compass Yoga's beauty lies in its ability to give each guest agency within a shared, supportive space.
“We might be doing the same pose, in the same place, at the same moment, yet no two journeys will ever look the same. That’s the magic,” Megan says. “You have full sovereignty. You get to choose how you move, how you feel and what you take with you. Compass Yoga is just the invitation. We are just creating the container for your exploration.”
To learn more or book a retreat, visit compass-yoga.com.
“Every retreat is designed to find that sweet spot between structure and freedom, depth and play, solitude and community."