Billabong Retreat – Relaxation, Mindfulness, Yoga and Meditation

By Daniel Resnik on November 25, 2014 in Other

Stressed, overworked, always rushing, gridlocked traffic, noisy neighbours, rich foods, sugar, coffee, alcohol, late nights, iphones, ipads, ipods… aaarghh!

Living in Sydney is manic, and if you’re like me – one of those people who aspires to stop the excess and extravagance – Monday morning is always the perfect day to change your lifestyle. Unfortunately Monday never seems to come, or when it does, it flies by far too fast. Change is easy to talk about but incredibly hard to achieve.

Thankfully there is help close at hand, as I found out when I visited a magical haven known as the Billabong Retreat. This award winning yoga and health retreat is just 45 minutes from the Sydney CBD and it’s the perfect sanctuary to recharge and reinvigorate the mind, body and soul.

This newly upgraded boutique retreat (winners of ‘Best Health & Wellness Retreat’ and ‘Most Unique Accommodation’ in last year’s NSW Tourism Awards) comprises thirty beds and has a charming rustic feel. Its eco-friendly cabins are nestled in a natural bush setting and overlook a serene natural billabong.

The healthy, organic gourmet food on offer at Billabong Retreat, combined with gentle yoga and meditation, will see to it that you quickly unwind, and optional activities include bush walks, cycling, white water rafting, health education, cooking classes and art workshops will ensure that you are never bored.

I was recently a guest at the retreat for two nights with my partner, which is the standard package. Our mind, body and spirit redemption started on Wednesday lunchtime and went through until early Friday afternoon. Longer stays of up to 6 days can also be arranged.

On arrival at 2pm we were shown to my room and at 3: 30pm all the guests met in the comfortable lounge area where we were introduced to our yoga instructors Sarah and Basia, before taking in our first afternoon yoga and meditation class in a beautifully appointed and ambient studio.

I’ve only done a few yoga classes in my life and was quite apprehensive, but found the class to be very calming and easy to follow. At the retreat they teach traditional yoga practice focusing on the breath, and each class finishes with some meditation and chanting.

I absolutely loved my first yoga/meditation class and eagerly awaited the next relaxation class at 6:30pm. As it turned out though, the relaxation class instructor’s voice was so soothing I fought to stay awake for the entire session, and I was terrified my girlfriend would reprimand me later if I started snoring (which I did, of course)!

From Wednesday afternoon to Friday morning there are nine classes available, including yoga, meditation and chanting. Thankfully the yoga classes suit all levels of experience, so I was well catered for.

Dinner each night was a wonderful organic feast and it also presented a chance for us to mingle with our fellow retreaters. I should mention there were 12 women in attendance including three female instructors, and myself, the lone male, which suited me just fine.

After dinner (and lots of laughs) we all made our way back to our little wooden cabins for a blissful night’s sleep, minus the traffic noise, drunken backpackers and early morning garbage collections.

The next morning a refreshing 7am yoga class awakened the mind and body. I observed this class from the back row and it was quite obvious that many people in the room had some sort of yoga experience. Me, stiff as a strip of dry beef in a jerky shop, still loved every contortioned minute of it.

There was quite a bit of downtime in between classes, which allowed us to take a walk around the billabong, find a quiet place catch up on reading, or just relax by the pool.

There’s also a massage therapy room down by the billabong, perfectly positioned for a blissful sixty-minute massage to the sounds of the birds chirping in the background.

I was very impressed with my time, albeit too short, at Billabong Health & Yoga Retreat. It was the perfect getaway to recharge, reassess and be reminded to slow down and just breathe. It’s so close to the CBD, yet it makes you feel you’re in another galaxy, and I plan to return one day soon to perfect my downward dog. Namaste.

TIP:
The stay is short, so pack quite minimally. Comfortable clothes for yoga are essential.

HOW TO BOOK:
www.billabongretreat.com.au