New Year, New Chapter: Start the Story of your 2025 with Clarity and Purpose

How many years have you limped into with a hangover and a set of resolutions that get dropped before the first week is out?

Do things differently this year, and see in the New Year with likeminded meditators, setting the tone for 2025 with focus, clarity and healthy new habits.

This three-night retreat in the Blue Mountains will give you a springboard into the coming year – a chance to start or reignite your meditation practice and experience the industrial strength stress release of Rounding.

For those new to meditation, this is a great opportunity to learn this life-changing technique from scratch away from your regular demands.

Alongside regular meditation, Rounding is one of the most powerful things you can do as a Vedic meditator.

With Rounding, you can get the benefit of up to six months' meditation in just a few days and it's also a great way to get back on track if you've fallen off the meditation wagon.

Join us in the Blue Mountains over New Year – Monday Dec 30 to Thursday Jan 2 2025!

Early Bird ends Sunday 24 Nov at midnight!

Accommodation

We will be staying at the tranquil Sinofield retreat centre in Leura and you have a choice between a double room with private bathroom to yourself or a twin share, also with private bathroom.

If you are travelling alone and opt for a twin, we will pair you with someone of the same sex we believe you will get along with. Most people come to retreats alone, and sharing is a great way to make a new friend!

Food will be delicious, nutritious vegetarian food – plant based and other dietary requirements are welcomed.

Pricing

• Single room: $1865 $1560 (Early Bird)

• Twin share: $1380 $1150 (Early Bird)

• Single room + Vedic Meditation training: $2770 $2465 (Early Bird)

• Twin share + Vedic Meditation training: $2280 $2050 (Early Bird)

Cost includes accommodation, all meals and instruction. Treatments are available from the retreat centre at additional cost.

The “+ Vedic Meditation Training” rate is for those new to Vedic Meditation and represents a $600 discount on my regular learn to meditate fee.

Save your spot by paying a $300 deposit now – there are only limited spaces on this intimate retreat.

Early Bird ends soon and represents a $300 saving on the full price (for single room).

What is Rounding?

Rounding is an ancient technique that combines our meditation practice with breathwork and a simple, non-strenuous yoga sequence. The result is a deep, immersive experience that will amplify your meditation practice.

Rounding is often called “industrial strength meditation” and can bring about significant personal development in a short time.

Some of the gentle yoga poses we do to open up the body before meditation when we round.

What happens on a retreat?

Below is a summary of what happened on my last Blue Mountains retreat, in August.

We greet the sun

We rise at dawn each day to greet the sun with sun salutations.

A time lapse showing our morning sun salute routine.

We Round

We learn and practice the ancient Vedic sequence known as Rounding, a powerful recipe for healing and stress removal that includes yoga poses, breathwork, meditation and lying down! It adds up to the equivalent stress release of six months of regular meditation.

A time lapse showing the simple and effective technique of Rounding

We eat!

We were blessed with a wonderful chef for this retreat called Sid (@lushiouscatering) who provided the most delicious, wholesome food, delighting us meal after meal with his mouthwatering vegetarian and vegan creations.

We learn

I taught a learn to meditate course to get new meditators up and running which also allowed the more experienced meditators to refresh their knowledge. Some learned to meditate from me seven or eight years ago, so were due a refresh!

A time lapse showing just how many crazy gesticulations I make when I’m sharing knowledge. I can’t contain myself – I love this stuff so much!

We make plans

We got clear on what we wanted to bring more of into our lives – and what we were willing to let go of in order to make space.

We indulge

We indulged ourselves with soothing massages and warmed ourselves by the log fire.

Marshmallows on the mantelpiece, which somehow remained untouched!

We make new friends

Everyone was surprised at how friendly and welcoming everyone was. Most had travelled from either Sydney or Canberra and two people even lived on the same road without knowing it!

We explore nature

With Rounding, we’re explicitly de-exciting our nervous systems to allow for rest and recovery so avoid too much activity. But to help us re-integrate on the last morning, we took a delightful nature walk in Leura.

What people have to say

Everyone found it a very rewarding experience, but you don’t have to take my word for it.

Breakthroughs on retreat

Some of my biggest personal breakthroughs have happened on retreats, including completely overhauling my attitude to dating in Byron Bay in 2015, and quitting alcohol in Mexico in 2018.

The industrial strength meditation plus the separation from day-to-day concerns allowed me a clarity of thinking that I didn't usually have access to.

Join my New Year retreat!

If you’d like to experience this, I’m planning my next retreat to be over New Year this year and I’d love for you to join!

Are you tired of starting the New Year with a hangover, mild or otherwise? So was I when I decided to attend my first New Year retreat in 2017/18. It was so transformational for me that I decided to stop drinking. I now want to provide the same experience for others, a chance to start 2025 on a positive footing.

Pay a $300 deposit to secure your spot now.