SACRED GROUND
A Winter Solstice Retreat for Rest & Regeneration
21st-24th June at Wybalena Organic Farm,
Byron Bay Hinterland
Welcome Home
Are you…
Feeling stressed, burnt out, overwhelmed and exhausted?
In need of deep rest, nourishment and nurturing?
Ready to reconnect to the magic of Mother Earth and your own sacred nature?
Craving alone time as well as community connection?
Yearning for more creativity, play, and FUN?
Longing for a sense of deep inner peace and grounding?
If so, you’re in the right place…
Why
The Winter Solstice is a time of deep introspection, reflection, and renewal. It is both a time to honour the darkness - the deep damp earthiness of our inner landscape - as well as to celebrate the return of the light. To welcome the promise and hope of longer, warmer days ahead. In winter, many trees are bare of leaves as a way of conserving energy and water, while the leaves they have shed are breaking down in order to nourish the soil for the emergence of fresh growth in the spring. We too, are part of this cycle. Winter is a time to slow down and to rest, in order to regenerate until we are ready to bloom again. Unfortunately, our modern society does not recognise our inherent cyclical natures, and instead forces us into a linear work structure where we are expected to always be on and constantly doing. This perpetual state of Yang energy (Fire & Air energies), leaves us feeling depleted and burnt out. The antidote to this is to cultivate more Yin energy - more Earth, and more Water.
At our Sacred Ground retreat we invite you to nourish your Earth element through grounding practises, nature walks, slowing down, and mindful enjoyment of Earth medicine in the form of local organic produce and ceremonial cacao. We invite you to nourish your Water element through bathing in the luxurious magnesium pool or the natural freshwater pond, practicing Yin Yoga, and re-connecting to your intuition and creative flow through carefully curated ceremonies and workshops - or should we say playshops.
We invite you to fill your cup, so that you feel juicy, nourished and more like YOU.
Stay
There are a variety of rooms to suit all desires and budgets. All pricing includes 3 nights accomodation, all meals, plus all activities offered during the course of the weekend.
Shared Rooms, Private Rooms, Shared Cabins with their own private deck and lounge area. There is even a King Room with its own bathtub!
Single Bed Shared Room with Shared Bathroom ~ $1200pp
Double Bed Shared Room with Shared Bathroom ~ $1300pp
Double Bed Private Room* ~ $1400pp
Queen Bed Private Room In Cabin with Shared Bathroom ~ $1500pp single occupancy or $2600 per couple sharing
King Bed Private Room, Private Ensuite with Bath - $2800 per couple sharing
*Please note there are multiple styles of Double Bed Private Rooms available. Some have a private ensuite and are separate from the main house, some are in a 2 bedroom cabin with a shared bathroom plus living area and kitchen, also separate from the main house, and some are in the Main House with shared bathrooms close to the main living and dining areas. Rooms will be allocated on a first to book first serve basis. We will reach out to you after booking so you can choose from the available rooms in this category.
All offerings throughout the weekend are completely optional. This is your time to nourish yourself however feels right to you, with no judgement or expectation. Here is a taste of what we will be offering, with the intention to help you re-connect to the magic within and without, and to feel grounded, nourished, and alive…
Cacao Ceremony
Morning Flow Yoga & Meditation
Winter Solstice & Full Moon Circle
Yin & Reiki
Creative Workshop
Slackline over the pool
Retreats bring the most magical souls together; fostering connections that can last a lifetime.
Play
Luxuriate in an abundance of free time to enjoy as you wish. Find a cosy spot with your book, take a nap, or make use of the magnesium pool, infrared sauna and ice bath. Join our host for a guided walk or wander off to explore on your own.
To read more about the wellness facilities available, click here.
Regenerate
We are very excited to welcome Om Cade as our retreat caterer. Cade offers a creative and unique food experience. In collaboration with Quiet Earth, he cooks his food in clay and stone pots. His cooking reflects his life journey, inspired by travels local and abroad, and deepened by his practices of yoga and meditation.
He uses organic local and seasonal produce and prepares his food from scratch. He serves his food in many unique forms of cookware, from rustic ceramic bowls and plates, to handmade clay pots and hand-beaten copper spoons, which all add to the unique food experience.
Cade's menus offer:
- a wholesome, nourishing and creative collection of plant-based dishes.
- all prepared mindfully with consciousness, warm intention & love.
- seasonal, organic & local market produce.
- free from lactose, refined sugar, (gluten optional)
- only organic and cold-pressed oils used in cooking (extra virgin olive oil, ghee, cold-pressed coconut oil)
We can’t wait to nourish your body and soul with this belly & heart warming food.
Eat
We invite you to water the sacred ground within… To connect to the deep nourishment of your inner landscape. To top up the wellspring of your own life-force, until it overflows with radiance and joy.
Meet your Facilitators
Carmen Foon
Yoga Teacher & Reiki Practitioner
Carmen will be holding a sacred Cacao ceremony on your arrival evening, to honour the winter solstice and deepen your connection to pachamama.
She will be guiding the morning Flow class to awaken your body…finishing with a meditation to set you up for the day ahead.
For Carmen yoga is about exploration, a never ending journey. She has practiced many different styles over the years. Upon moving to Sydney in 2010 her love of the hot room was ignited by a childhood friend who also happened to have moved to Sydney and was a hot yoga teacher.
Carmen decided to become a teacher after finding Modo yoga Sydney, the practice and the community. Contemplating her first 500 hr training in 2017 with Modo and has taught thousands of classes both in studio, and online since. Carmen feels honoured to have been trained by the wonderful Ted Grant, Jess Robinson, Ezmeralds Stavof, Robi McKenna (with whom she shares a love of telling stories), Deena T and mentored by Thy Monzo. And continued education with Jason Crandel, Duncan Parviainen and Susanna Barkataki.
She has a thirst and excitement about learning. Her aim is for everyone to discover the power and joy that comes from having a better, deeper understanding of ourselves through challenging our bodies and our minds through consistent practice in a supportive environment.
Carmen's playful nature comes through in her teaching. She creates a safe space for all to explore their bodies, minds and hearts. Building confidence and strength. She loves teaching dynamic flows, with fun transitions and tunes, She's not afraid to hold a pose with you, turn you upside down and get you giggling. She might even tell you a tale before melting you into your mat and sometimes even serenade you in savasana. You can expect meditations that take you on journeys within and ceremonies to connect you to this beautiful planet and all the beings who reside on it.
Joanna Tolley
Reiki Master & Yoga Teacher
Joanna will be facilitating the Full Moon Circle, offering her healing hands during Yin & Reiki, and encouraging playful expression through a creative workshop.
Joanna is a Yoga Teacher, Moon Circle Facilitator, and a Reiki Master Teacher, who specialises in mentoring healers to step into their true potential and launch or expand their spiritual business.
Joanna has a history of leadership roles in the corporate world, and is well equipped with the tools and knowledge to help busy people regain balance, manage burnout, and feel energised and empowered.
Joanna is a gifted and intuitive space holder; making you feel safe to show up exactly as you are. Her guidance is accessible and light-hearted, yet deeply potent and healing. She offers 1:1 healing and/or spiritual coaching sessions (in person or online), as well as regular classes, training, and workshops between the Mid North Coast and Sydney.
As a yoga teacher, Joanna has similarly trained with Modo yoga and shares many of the same teachers and values as Carmen. She has a particular passion for Yin yoga, and for guiding energetic healing meditations to remind you that you have the power to shift your own vibration with your intention alone.
“Hi there! We are Joanna & Carmen. We are besties and soul sisters and we love holding space and creating magic together. We hold each other in the utmost respect and love, and we feel that this ripples out into the space we hold for you. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, so please expect some giggles along the way…”