Come away to a spacious and restorative property on the banks of the Hawkesbury River to indulge in a weekend of yoga, nourishing food, genuine companionship, and ample free time.
From your arrival on Friday midday to your departure on Sunday, YOU WILL BE FULLY TAKEN CARE OF.
But I won't lie.
You have some tough decisions ahead of you…
Will I stay in the 18th century heritage listed house, or will I stay in a rustic restored shed room with a private balcony overlooking the river?
Will I share a room with my partner or pal from home, or will I bunk with a surprise new yoga bestie?
Will I spend my free time relaxing in the sauna, swimming in the river, kayaking in the river, lounging on a hammock by the river, going on a bush walk, reading my book in the luscious lounge room, sitting with a cup of tea in nature, or chatting with the amazing people around me?
You know what… I trust you to choose.
Most of all, I trust you to choose yourself.
Because I know that you know: you deserve to come away for a little while – so that you can return to your life with even more clarity, energy, and presence.
The property
Y'all, we're staying a stone's throw away from the Hawkesbury River near Wiseman's Ferry. Less than 2 hours from Katoomba and less than 1.5 hours from Sydney, OUR SANCTUARY AWAITS.
75 acres. 2km of private river frontage. Rolling meadows for daaaays.
The property features a renovated heritage listed house, a rustic shed recently converted into suites with balconies, a yoga room overlooking expansive fields, a deluxe marquee for outdoor yoga classes, nature trails, a fire pit, and a private sauna.
Sounds a bit special huh? Sounds a bit “hmm, do I really deserve this"? Ummmmm, sounds a bit like you do - because yoga isn't necessarily about roughing it. In fact, yoga wants you to be NOURISHED NOURISHED NOURISHED in every, single, way.
And the energy of this retreat space?
I had a major how's the serenity moment when I was there sussing things out. The space and the stillness. You cannot help but be absolutely MESMERIZED and brought into deep presence.
The yoga spaces and the yoga
Friends there are TWO epic yoga spaces. One is a recently constructed serene yoga room with a dramatic window overlooking the property.
The other is a riverside marquee nestled in nature which is basically A MAGICAL YOGA TEEPEE.
We'll rotate between these two locations dependent on weather and the mood of each yoga practice.
As for the yoga itself, we're looking at a mix of uplifting Vinyasa Flow in the mornings, some midday yoga Nidra (don't knock it till you've tried it!) and some slow and restful late afternoon practices.
Got injuries or things that make you feel worried about the yoga? I am QUEEN of adapting yoga without making anyone feel awkward or less than. We can chat about anything going on in your body beforehand to make sure you feel confident. I got you.
The food
We are not skimping when it comes to meals.
We are going for fed, full, and FLOURISHING.
Meals will be lovingly prepared by either me (when I'm waiting for you to arrive), or by our superstar private chef for the rest of the weekend.
Meals included are: lunch, afternoon tea, mocktails, and dinner on Friday; breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and dessert on Saturday; and breakfast on Sunday.
Yes, we can of course work with any allergies or dietary needs.
The schedule
Look, I don't want to give it all away! And I bet I'll have 6000 good ideas before November 20th so I am not setting this in stone. AND, I think part of the magic of a yoga retreat is surrendering to the rhythm of the retreat without panicking about the clock.
Still, I get that parts of you need to know what to expect - so here's the overall flow of the weekend (as mentioned: may be subject to change).
Friday
arrival around midday to settle in and have lunch on your own timeline, followed by free time to explore or chill out
opening circle and afternoon tea
more free time
gentle flow and yin
mocktails and dinner
Saturday
energising Vinyasa Flow yoga to start the day
breakfast
the morning is YOURS - morning tea will be laid out for you to grab when it suits you
restorative yoga and yoga nidra in the middle of the day leading into a few minutes of sacred quiet
lunch
surpriiiise more free time! - again, afternoon tea will be waiting for you if you need a cuppa or a snack
special yoga philosophy session + gentle flow and yin practice
dinner
fire ceremony and a lowkey fireside dance party
Sunday
another hit of Vinyasa to get your blood flowing
breakfast
a final morning in paradise
closing circle
The accomodation
All rooms are shared, so you're either bringing or making a yoga BFF roomie this weekend! No need to be scared, if you're traveling solo (which is so normal and so many of you will be!) we'll match you up with someone awesome and you'll enjoy relaxed sleepover vibes.
There are a range of options to suit your budget. Be warned: EVERY OPTION IS AMAZING. Go with your bank balance, go with your heart, you literally cannot go wrong.
If you don't know me well yet - hi! I'm Emma. I'm a yoga teacher of more than a decade, and for 1 year I've had a yoga studio in Katoomba, the Blue Mountains. I also specialise in yoga for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum because YEAH THE MUMS 🙌🙌
I've got 2 small kids, and a few months ago I became a single mother. It's been one of the most turbulent and most liberating moments of my life. Full-on? Yep. Tiring and demanding? For sure. But also: I think I was destined for this and I'm working my ass off in the best possible way to create the life I want for me and my kids and the yoga studio.
It'll be another decade or two before it's the “ideal” time for me to host a yoga retreat. So I'm like fuck it why not now. Why not call in the support I need (and deserve) to make this happen. Why not make this into an amazing experience not just for me but for a group of amazing people who will also move mountains to give themselves something special.
Which is where YOU come in 🙌
Already, I bet all the reasons why this won't work, why it's too expensive, and why you can't do this are shouting at you to exit this email and lay your dreams to rest. WELL GOOD, I SAY.
Because saying yes to this yoga retreat is a dramatic and damn beautiful act of self-care. It wouldn't count if it was easy!
Payment plans are available. Literally EVERYTHING is included. Yoga classes galore, food galore, epic new friends galore.
How to sign up
Here's what to do when you are ready to say yes…
Read through the accomodation section carefully and pick your first preference (and a back-up, in case your first is full) room. Get your bestie or your partner on board if they're coming with!
Decide if you'd like to pay everything up front or in instalments. If you're going for instalments, it's a $400 deposit then the remainder broken down into 3 equal instalments that will be spaced out to all be paid before November 1.
Fill in THIS FORM. If you're traveling with someone, this is where you can let me know.
Within 24 hours, I'll respond to you to confirm your room choice, provide the full T&Cs, and organise your deposit.
THEN WE WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER 20TH FOR ALL THE YOGA GOODNESS TO START.
Questions? Need to see more photos of the rooms to make your choice? Want to know more about the yoga, the drive there, or accessibility? Tell me what's on your mind, what's stopping you!
Reply to this email, write to yoga@shineshakti.com, or send me a DM on Instagram. I'm so happy to support you in your decision making process and I promise I won't pressure you.
Thank you sincerely for your interest! Thank you for reading this epic email which has got to be the longest one I've ever written?! I'll be sending a few more emails over the next 2 weeks to encourage you to give this yoga retreat your full consideration. It's only for 2 weeks that discounted early bird pricing will be available, too.
Sending you love and cheering you on as you (hopefully) inch closer to saying YES to NOURISHMENT NOURISHMENT NOURISHMENT.
