Last weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to partake in a “Yoga & Creative Writing Retreat” in the Noosa Hinterland. T
here were eight participants and the retreat ran over a weekend (although I could only attend for one of those day due to prior commitments), and I am so glad that I went along as it was a truly memorable afternoon.
The venue – ‘The Big House’ located near Pomona in the heart of the Noosa (Sunshine Coast) Hinterland – was an absolute gem of a location and a real find for small retreats. The Manager focuses on hosting small groups that are focused primarily on holistic healing, health and well being and this is certainly the perfect location for these types of events.
The house itself is set in a stunning location and the view is magnificent, looking out over rolling, green hills, a small dam, a vegetable garden to be envied and a number of small cottages (which are the accommodation to complement the main house). The cottages and the main house are all renovated, traditional ‘old’ Queenslanders of varying size and shape and the furniture is tasteful, interesting and fascinating – lots of treasures and ‘real finds’ that have been collected.
The decks hold comfortable day-beds that you will never want to extract yourself from, and long tables and wooden benches perfect to sit at for dining and discussion. The lounge room has soft, enveloping couches, a huge dining table and lots of space.
Everything is warm, welcoming and inviting. As soon as you walk through the door you feel calm and at peace – which is an amazing achievement for someone like me who is always on the go! The atmosphere is still and serene, but the silence is perfect…. it really is quite unique and amazing.
So obviously The Big House was the perfect setting for a “Yoga & Creative Writing Retreat” but what did we do?
Kirsty Innes operates her own yoga business in Brisbane and the yoga was again quite unlike any other session I have experienced. The poses and movements were all fluid and comfortable, so perfect for a beginner like me and soothing and comforting for all involved. The benefits were instant and warming and Kirsty has a natural ability to make people feel at ease and relax.
Sarah Duncan’s creative writing exercises were motivating, aimed at encouraging you to feel as you write, coaxing flow and focusing on topics that draw from inspirations away from the ‘norm’. Whether you a professional or regular writer, a budding blogger or just want to dabble at being creative, there was something for everyone and it was a huge amount of fun, and surprisingly easy. No one seemed stuck for words, that’s for sure, and the creative juices were flowing!
I had an amazing afternoon and I certainly came away feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and with a group of new friends, inspiring ladies who had great stories to share. It’s so important to take time out of today’s busy schedules and this was the perfect retreat for any person that relishes a bit of ‘me time’.
To find out more about Kirsty and Sarah, check out:
(http://www.cabralphotography.com/) for this lovely photo of the girls!
And to find out more about The Big House, visit:
http://us8.campaign-archive1.com/?u=17ee7e7287c23a9e18702f80d&id=f7d2ff2c5f