Join Kirsten for a transformative mid-week retreat  in helping individuals reconnect with their relationship to themselves and their body’s wisdom. With a deeply personal journey of recovery from Anorexia and Bulimia, she has dedicated her life to understanding the intricate ways we relate to our bodies. She believes that true, sustainable transformation begins with cultivating a curious connection to the body, mind, and spirit. During this retreat, we will explore various practices through a polyvagal-informed lens, emphasizing the importance of understanding and regulating the nervous system. This approach is grounded in the Polyvagal Theory, which explains how our autonomic nervous system responds to stress and how we can cultivate safety and connection within ourselves and others. The sessions will include:gentle yoga to calm the nervous system, foster body awareness, and enhance your sense of safety and grounding; embodied focusing that helps you tune into your body's sensations and signals, fostering a deeper understanding of your emotional and physiological states whilst co-regulating with other; light breathwork techniques that promote regulation and balance within the autonomic nervous system, helping to shift from a state of stress or anxiety to one of calm and connection; mindful movement and meditation and group discussions.

The White Stork Displays Its Wing -  A Beginner’s Introduction to Yang Style Tai Chi, or to give it its full name, Tai Chi Chuan, has often been regarded as a dynamic form of Qigong, or ‘the cultivation of energy’ to help regulate one’s system and prevent disease, thereby leading to the development and maintenance of good health and well-being. Most people associate Tai Chi with flowing, graceful movements. Yet there is much more to the practice of this ancient Chinese art. The great Yang Tai Chi Master T.T. Liang (1900-2002), stated that there are four categories into which the principles of Tai Chi fall, namely health, self-defence, mental accomplishment and the road to immortality. In this retreat, Paul will demystify Tai Chi using the Yang style, which can be traced back to Ch’en Wang Ting (1597-1664). Paul’s intention is to inspire retreatants to further investigate Tai Chi and to find a teacher near their home.

Find meaningful solitude on a Self-Retreat. These Retreats are unstructured: one does as much (or as little) reading, walking, meditation or resting as one chooses. Enjoy walks and bird watching in 300 acres of beautiful rolling hills, parklands, indigenous valleys and forests. Meditate, learn chi kung and yoga, savour our delicious vegetarian food, browse our well-stocked library. Visit the stupa and the raked Zen sand gardens; walk the labyrinth; reflect on the 8 trees associated with the Buddha’s life, enlightenment and death in the beautiful Buddha Boma; spend solitary time in our deer forest, stalk the light, cloud-gaze at the dam and tune into just being in the present moment. Self-Retreats are an ideal opportunity to be in a gentle, sympathetic space where one can be still and get in touch with oneself and reflect on the things that crowd one’s life. Self-Retreats are available on weekdays - between Conducted Retreats - and over structured retreats. Group or Corporate events can be arranged.

Nelson Alvares is in situ to lead walks and sunrise meditation.

For those who would like to book for a self retreat midweek, Krishia Schilz, a resident member of staff, is offering daily yoga, pranayama and meditation.

Krishia Schilz is a qualified Bereavement Counsellor specialising in grief and loss, as well as Trauma Containment. Her spiritual path led her to yoga in which she is certified in various styles. She completed her training in beautiful Bali before travelling to Thailand to teach. Her practice includes yoga, pranayama (breath work), meditation and yoga philosophy.