yoga and writing retreats

The retreat gang – August 2023

Yes! We’ve been holding retreats in the misty mountain rainforest of Springbrook for several years now, and it’s always been cloudy, if not pelting down rain. But this time for our latest retreat, the sun shone bright and beautiful for our whole weekend for the annual FEEDBACK AND REVISION SECOND DRAFT RETREAT– a special blessing!

How wonderful it was to see new writing buddies clustering together on blankets out in the sun, writers propped up against tree trunks scribbling in journals, others basking on rugs dozing and daydreaming of their stories.

We started early on Friday for this retreat, with more time for solo writing in the afternoon before our welcome and first workshop where we drilled down into the heart of our stories and worked on our story premises and the all-important central quest or question. A delicious home cooked dinner, provided by our unstoppable Chief Cookie and talented writer Gay Liddington, filled our bellies, followed by fireside chats and early to bed. The mountain was chilly once the sun went down but we were cosy and warm with our electric blankets and the fire in the hall.

Saturday on these weekend retreats is always busy, packed full of workshops, individual and group feedback sessions and yoga. Early birds started with yoga to calm and centre ourselves and prepare for creative outpourings. The workshop focused on structure and how to create narrative drive, because if we can’t keep readers turning pages, we’re not doing our job as writers. We brainstormed ideas as a group and in smaller feedback buddy gangs and learnt about how to use sequences to break the huge jigsaw puzzle of full length MSs into smaller more manageable sections.

After Gay’s amazing Cauliflower Bake for lunch, we had excursions to the waterfall lookout, individual feedback sessions and feedback groups, and miraculous and deeply healing bodywork treatments by Monique De Goey who sorted us all out and tended to problem areas.

In the evening, we wound down and got out of our busy heads with some yoga breathing exercises – pranayama – that had us all floating over to the hall for dinner. Indian feasting was in order, followed by chocolate brownies for dessert, readings around the fire and for the night owls a bonfire with ghost stories that had them all planning to sleep in the same room! Sausages!!

Sunday started with yoga, with guest teacher Monique showing us ways to release tension through our shoulders and arms – much needed for those of us typing away all day, every day. Sunday’s workshop covered Publishing Pathways, writing a synopsis and a pitch, goal setting and my favourite – collage! My phone battery died on camp so I don’t have the traditional collage photos, but we have lots of laughing group shots instead.

I love hosting these retreats. I am always reminded that it’s the process not the product that’s most important. Repeat retreater and talented prose writer, Liana Brown, wrote her first poem, which flicked the switch in my head from despairing over a recent rejection to relishing the joy of being a writer, a creative artist surrounded by and assisting other artists, to create our best work and live our best lives. Here’s Liana’s poem. I hope it inspires you too.

Liana busily writing and planning. Index cards anyone?

UNFINISHED

By Liana Brown

I am a work of art, only unfinished.

I am a block of marble at which to chip way

I am the dawn, noon, and dusk of another day

I am spinning on a potter’s wheel, a curvaceous vase of clay

And you may look upon me, a work in progress, and say:

‘Who do you think you are?’

And I will reply:

I am a work of art, only

Unfinished

I am a sonnet, an aria, a love story untold

I am the red pen, strikethrough, italics and bold

I am a hit Broadway play without a ticket yet sold

And you may hear me, a 27^th draft, and scold:

‘Who do you think you are?’

And I will reply:

I am a work of love, only

Unfinished

I am a canvas on which paint will never dry

I am a one-woman tango where I will stumble on every try

I am a plane out of gas writing in the sky

And you may roll your eyes, and ask why I even try

And I’ll reply:

I am unfinished.

Finished, never will I be.

And for all of us unfinished

The beauty is that we are free

Free to crack the marble, warp the clay

Free to fail, to learn, to go on day after day

Free to toil, to our hearts’ content

Until our writing is backwards and paintbrushes are bent

Because I am exactly what I want to be:

I am unfinished.

Beautifully, magically, ravenousl-.

We are writers, published or not. It is the act of writing that makes us so. Our desire to examine life and the human condition more closely and make sense of it all through words. Our capacity to create beauty from even the greatest pain is what makes us all artists/writers, finished or not!

Feedback from retreaters:

“Edwina creates amazing writing and creative experiences. I’m proudly a repeat retreater and will be back again. I feel refreshed and ready for the next stage of my writing journey.” Karina Ames

“A luscious and rejuvenating retreat. Thoughtful workshops, yoga and nourishing food. Thank you!” Naomi Alexander

“Edwina has a wonderful ability to create a safe, creative space to learn, laugh, be nurtured and inspired to step into our individual writer’s voices.” Dolores Cummins

The memoir retreat is in Springbrook again – Come on Sunshine! – October 20 -22. It is almost totally full but if you’re super keen drop me a line and pay your deposit ASAP to take the very last spot.

Gay and other retreaters reminded me that these retreats are much more than just “writing retreats”.

They are holistic, restorative retreats for writers, a place where your writing is important but nurturing you as a person is equally so.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! HEAVENLY HOI AN!!

Are you ready to reboot your writing and your whole life? The adventure of a lifetime? Join my talented friend, Kerstin Pilz and me in VIETNAM in February (cool season in Vietnam) for a week-long rejuvenation of your writing and your creative soul. From February 2 – 7 in beautiful Hoi An, a delightful, ancient, seaside town, far from the madding crowds of the major centres, Kerstin and I will be hosting a small group retreat with yoga every morning, workshops covering all aspects of writing – whether memoir or fiction, providing feedback, winding down with pranayama, leading excursions down the river to the markets, divining the future with tarot, cooking up a Vietnamese storm with cooking classes, reading, relaxing and exploring and writing writing writing. COME AND JOIN US! Your creative spirit deserves this special treat.

Not only that, plans are underway for a small group to travel together after retreat. So if you’ve always wanted to see Vietnam but didn’t want to go on your own, then join us for the inspiration and nurturing of retreat then join our group of participants traveling onwards in company. Sound like the answer to your prayers? It is!! Check out all the info HERE and book in soon. Early bird prices end in September.

Kerstin and I are the perfect team, and you’ll benefit from two experienced, published authors, fun facilitators and insightful yoga teachers. Don’t wait too long, places are already filling fast. You deserve this treat. Put yourself top of your TO DO list for once and book in now.

These week-long retreats are open to all 🙂

Don’t keep saying, “One day”. This is your day. Your life. Enjoy the ride!

Lots of love

Edwina xx

Our beautiful Balinese Goddesses at the traditional welcome ceremony and blessing that started our retreat with the special magic that is Bali.

When Kerstin first showed me the photos of Bali EcoStay I thought they were too good to be true. But from the moment we arrived I realised no picture could do justice to the stunning glory of this incredible place. Our inaugural retreat together was off to a wonderful start! We were blessed with a very special group of writers whose combined wisdom and grace made our week together a total delight.

Our days started with yoga, gentle stretching and internal focus to help clear our minds for the creative work ahead. The yoga shala at Bali EcoStay is nestled into the rainforest and is filled with a peaceful ambience, enhanced by the mandala made of blossoms created for us by the local women.

After a delicious breakfast prepared from ingredients grown in the organic permaculture garden, with eggs from their chooks, we had workshops on a different aspect of writing – from life writing to structuring your full length work, every day. The shared knowledge of the group, which included multiple published authors as well as first time writers, made these workshops valuable for all.

On our first full day we were given a tour of the permaculture garden and the surrounding village, including our very own waterfall with a glorious swimming hole! Oh happy day!!

After another fresh delicious meal for lunch, writers had free time to explore more on their own or get stuck into writing, while Kerstin and I offered one on one mentoring sessions as well as tarot readings to help bring insight for moving forward with writing projects, and life. Massages too! In a tranquil Massage Bale in among the rainforest. Sigh – take me back!

We gathered again in the evenings at the yoga shala to do some guided yoga breathing (pranayama) which I’ve been doing for about 15 years now. Nature’s perfect tranquilliser. Then it was time for dinner!

So yummy! And dessert every night too 🙂 Including delicious sugar-free chocolate creations made from their own organic cacao! (eaten too fast for photos – sorry!)

Then we were off to bed in our unique treehouse style bungalows – some overlooking the rice paddies, some nestled in the forest overlooking the stream that provided a constant soundtrack of relaxation music. We slept in the open air, fresh and cool, close to nature but safe and sheltered from all the elements. I loved my little hobbit cottage (bottom right).

We finished our retreat with traditional collage :), setting intentions and writing goals and then a bonfire and readings night where our multi-talented participants shone like the sun!

Here are a couple of examples of the writing inspired by our beautiful surroundings and the wonder of us all together.

Heaven is sitting on a bus with six wise women by Natasha Cox
They reminise about their travels
Say they used to have hair like mine
And when they talk about their dreams
They sound an awful lot like mine
They laugh and say
‘Oh, you’re so young’
‘You have plenty of time’
They laugh about men and life
And I realise that they are as young as I
Just a little greyer
Just a few more stories
Just a bit more life.

By Natasha Cox (Bali Retreat participant 2023)

I WILL REMEMBER by Gail Rice

I will remember the stillness.

I will remember darkness as it dropped unannounced each evening and the gentle slow, subtle ripple of light in the morning as it peaked through the bright green leaves outside my window.

I will remember the women chattering and laughing in the afternoon as they worked their magic in the kitchen.

I will remember the little lizard with the yellow back baking in the sunshine.

I will remember the women whose hands eased the knots in my neck.

I will remember the graceful women who dressed us in balinese sarongs, white tops and colourful sashes and taught us to stitch together a basket to fill with flowers for an offering.

I will remember walking in line to the temple with our offerings and the honour of receiving a blessing. I will remember the priest, his serene face, his toothless smile and his still body.

I will remember the silky taste of the fresh water.

I will remember the Rat who kindly took time away from me.

I will remember the taste and texture of the fresh delicious food in my mouth.

I will remember feeling my body stretch and bend every morning and connect to the rhythm of its breath in the evenings.

I will remember listening to the motorbikes as they came up the hill in the morning as we did our downward dogs.

I will remember how my muscles loosen and expand when my body slows down, how my mind feels when it is quiet and clear, how my breath feels when I reconnect and honour it.

I will remember how warm my body feels when it gets a hug, how nourished it feels when it sleeps uninterrupted for hours, how alive it feels as the water gushes all over it in the waterfall.

I will remember to trust myself, to listen to myself and to give myself time – time that is always there most often just hidden by the clutter of life.

I will remember the gorgeous man who took us on the walk and named every plant and tree.

I will remember the breeze that danced over my arms in the evening as I slept.

I will remember walking down the stone steps with the little lights marking my path.

I will remember the joy of writing with others, the joy of having time for myself to write.

I will remember all of you – your courage, your compassion, you kindness, your creativity, your humour, your wounds, your words, your faces, your faces, your honesty, your curiosity and wisdom.

I will remember to feel gratitude.

Gail Rice (retreat participant 2023)

This retreat exceeded the expectations of us all for the magic created, the great writing produced and the renewal of bodies, minds and hearts. Kerstin and I can’t wait to do it all again next year. We’ve already booked in dates! BLISSFUL BALI RETREAT JULY 11 -17 2024 – Read all about it and grab your spot HERE!

With great thanks and much love to the wonderful people who made this retreat so very special. THANK YOU for being you!

Can’t wait all the way till July? I have two retreats close to home AUGUST 11 – 13 in Springbrook FEEDBACK AND REVISION RETREAT for those with a bit of writing under their belts in need of polishing and preparing to submit. (only$450 early bird, all inclusive). And OCTOBER 20-22 in Springbrook again for Life Writing and Memoir (best for newbies). Early bird $480!

Get all the info HERE. BOOK SOON to avoid disappointment.

My next retreat with Kerstin is super dooper exciting! HEAVENLY HOI AN! February 2 – 7 2024 Hoi An Vietnam, with river cruise, cooking class, tour of the night markets as well as our usual fabulous mix of yoga and writing workshops to get your stories out of your head and onto the page, publication ready!

This one will fill fast so BOOK SOON! All the info HERE.

OKAY, time for this little duck to hit the beach.

With lots of love from Gili Air, Indonesia.

Edwina xxx