The 4 day Retreat

We offer the 3 – 4 day retreat in 2 formats: Deconditioning and Awakening.

3 -day Deconditioning retreats are designed for beginners and advanced meditators alike. The focus is on rest and repair of the nervous system. We cover awakening topics and meditations, however the emphasis is on healing mind and body systems.

4-day Awakening retreats are designed for experienced meditators. Healing, rest and repair of the nervous system are always a part of retreats. However, in the Awakening retreats, time is spent in longer meditations. You must have completed at least one retreat previously with Ava to join the Awakening retreat.

Deconditioning: More rest and guided meditations

Awakening: More and longer stillness practices

 Awakening retreats:

4- day Awakening retreats have a special emphasis on the awakening techniques and topics from the 3- part Functional Spirituality method.

You can expect advanced non-dual concepts and options for longer meditations. Completion of at least one retreat with Ava is required before attending these retreats.*

*If you are an experienced practitioner, we still strongly recommend attending the Deconditioning retreat first, but if you haven’t please apply for the Awakening retreat anyway.

Why Silence?

Our unique retreats support you to be comfortable taking silence. Silence gives us space for the nervous system to unravels without any effort;  we connect to our natural state of being.

In these retreats you will receive techniques and trainings to take your meditation practice much deeper, in an incredible forest setting. This retreat brings both the gentle and strong parts of the practice together in a way that is simple yet profoundly effective.

What to Expect

After your orientation on the first evening, you will not talk for the entire retreat until the end. You can communicate via notes to the facilitators, and everything is organised for you to flow from one rest-stop to the next. The daily sessions are held in a beautiful yoga hall.

You will experience DEEP rest and transformation with a group of like-minded individuals in a nurturing environment.

Special care is taken over 10 years of retreats to ensure you are comfortable and supported. You will not need to plan or worry about anything. Read the Guidelines carefully before applying.

The retreat is fully guided with yoga and meditation sessions spaced throughout the day with time for naps and exploring.

Expect rich philosophy delivered in a digestible way, a variety of meditation techniques and a deep sense of bliss and rest in your physical body.

You will leave with a fresh perspective on your life, as well as a connection to your Heart and the infinite Reality.

Dates

Arrive: Friday, May 3rd by 5:30pm latest.
Leave: Tuesday, May 7th after 10am.

Retreat Venue

Nestled 120 acres of serene, quiet, nature filled forest. You will be nourished deeply in the beautiful dwellings, self-sufficient with rainwater and semi-off grid power, sustainably built on land designed on permaculture principles. See the retreat guidelines for more details about the accommodation options. 

Who Can Attend?

This retreat is suitable for beginners and advanced meditators alike. Everyone benefits from yoga, meditation, silence and nature. The yoga practice is all levels, to facilitate rejuvenation and wellbeing rather than performing gymnastic poses.
Please fill out the application form to get a better feel of the retreat and for us to gauge any unique requirements you might have and help you decide which retreat would be best.

What Is Included?

All accommodation and food are included. Delicious, healthy and hearty, home cooked vegetarian meals will be served 3 times a day. Morning Hatha, evening Yin practices, silent sitting meditations supported by discourses and training from modern and traditional yoga technologies. Space limited.

Who Is Your Teacher?

Ava is the retreat leader and is supported by a retreat coordinator and guest teacher. Husband Jarred and daughter Jasmine will be on the property, away from the retreaters but present on the opening dinner and closing breakfast.

Ava has been guiding silent yoga and meditation retreats since 2013. She originally built up her following in Thailand and Singapore and in 2016 she opened up her centre, Spanda School, in Fremantle, Australia. Since then, she has also run silent retreat in India, Bali and Greece.

Ava’s “yoga path” started at the age of 19 with an intense physical asana practice. However, it was only after doing her first silent retreats & teacher trainings in 2011, that she dedicated herself wholly to the path of healing and spirituality.

Ava has a degree in Philosophy from the University of Sydney. She is considered as an academic with a thirst for spiritual knowledge, with an innate gift for teaching and a generous attitude that touches each of her students in a caring way.

Ava is predominantly known for her thriving meditation and yoga studio, silent retreats and the unique, skilled teachers that emerge from her yoga and trauma-informed certifications.

Past experiences

“It’s hard to put into words how much the retreat changed my perspective, and how differently I feel now. You had a very profound effect on me, and for that I’m very, very grateful”

~ Matt Barbour

“I feel like a new person since the retreat. I feel so calm within myself , even more energised like I can operate off less sleep and have a level of clarity of my mind that I haven’t really experienced before . Like I mentioned before I left the retreat , I feel this was the ultimate culmination of a journey I’ve been on and I have never felt better within myself . The timing could not of been any more perfect for me.

~ Angela Papasergio

“I thoroughly enjoyed the retreat with you and the group. It was exactly what I was after except I could have gone for another few days on your longer one:) (maybe next year?). I am aware that I am very mind dominated (like most people) and believe to be an open hearted person however it is not a core truth unless I can live like this in a much more integrated and balanced way. My intention was to experience a deeper stillness and go into the heartspace as an anchor to return to as often as I can in general day to day life. Your structured retreat helped me get there on the Sunday evening and now also with some new techniques and material (Quotes and Poems book:) I feel I can recall the steps to be more open hearted more often. One nice visualisation you introduced us to was the ember in the heart space which I find really conjures up that centering feeling and openness. I also really enjoyed a little more understanding of the Yin / Yang which academically I knew, however to experience more Yin for a whole weekend I now Know and have started to integrate routines to find more of that balance through space and practice.”

~ Ben Auld