Sandhāna Retreat

Sandhāna Retreat Sandhāna is an intentional space for people to unite, connect, share wisdom, heal and grow together. completely numb. And I want the same for you!

I am passionate about facilitating and holding space for personal transformation. Having worked in a high stress corporate environment for 20+ years I understand what it's like to feel burnt out, overwhelmed and also to feel nothing at all i.e. I initially started practicing yoga to become more flexible but quickly realised the benefits it was having on my very busy mind and the positive flow on effect it had on my life. It gave me the courage to leave both a toxic job and relationship in the same week and then moving back to New Zealand after 15 years abroad not long after that, completely turning my life around . Upon leaving I embarked on my teacher training which has led to a whole array of subsequent trainings which now means I'm qualified to teach Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Nidra and Qoya. It has been a very rewarding journey of self-discovery and I'm excited to share what I've learnt along the way. Because the thing is I understand what it's like to be the responsible for paying the mortgage and bills with nobody else to rely on, and often working in a highly paid, but stressful job, is often the most attractive option. I've learnt tools, tips and tricks to incorporate in to the my busy life that helps me be the best version of myself - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. If this resonates please DM me to see how I can best help you. I offer group classes, privates, workshops and retreats and have some exciting offerings in the pipeline.

Rituals.We all have them.Whether they sit on the healthy or maybe less healthy end of the spectrum, rituals are deeply i...
22/12/2025

Rituals.
We all have them.

Whether they sit on the healthy or maybe less healthy end of the spectrum, rituals are deeply ingrained within us. A morning coffee or matcha, a familiar routine that helps us arrive into the day. Small moments where we pause, gather our thoughts, shift brainwave patterns and gently wake the thinking mind.

It took me a long time to see the connection between these everyday rituals and the grander ceremonial spaces I’d later find myself in. But when I distilled it down, it was simple. Ritual is an invitation to pause, take a breath, and go within. And from there, we begin to connect with intuition. A place that can feel quietly revolutionary when you first discover it.

A decade ago, I celebrated my first summer solstice in ceremony in Bali. I was months out of a marriage ending, nearing the end of a period of travel, and about to return to Aotearoa to live again after a 15-year hiatus. It felt like coming full circle. Sitting there, I made a vow to start living by the seasons. Something that would later become a saving grace as I navigated colder winters, lockdowns, and the inability to escape them. Those years taught me to love the beauty held within every season.

In that ceremony, chanting myself into a deeply meditative state, a realisation landed. I had begun to trust the flow of life and myself. In the months prior, I’d finally started listening to my intuition. Leaving a marriage. Walking away from a lucrative but incredibly demanding job that had me constantly overwhelmed and on high alert. Leaving a country I’d called home for 12 years. On the other side of the fear stories I’d listened to for so long was freedom.

There was a moment where I felt myself leave my body, gazing down at myself in a sea of blissed-out hippies, fully surrendered to the experience. I remember thinking how much judgement my old self would have had if she could see me now. The rigid version of me that had slowly dissolved over the years. She would have said, “You’ve really lost the plot. Singing and dancing your way into non-ordinary states of consciousness. How do you think you’ll make a living like this?”

Continued in comments below…

05/12/2025

How does cold immersion support the release of stored emotion and trauma?

In this final video, I’m speaking into something I haven’t heard spoken about often in relation to ice baths - the way the ice can help the body release what it’s been holding. When we meet the cold with presence and breath, the nervous system has an opportunity to let go of patterns that have been stored for years, sometimes decades.

It’s not dramatic. It’s not forced. It’s incredibly subtle and deeply intelligent. The body knows when it’s safe to soften.

I’ve seen clients shake, cry, laugh, exhale in ways they haven’t in a very long time. These responses aren’t the cold “doing something to them” - they’re the body finally unwinding, finally releasing what it hasn’t had space or safety to let go of.

The cold creates a clear pathway for this, because it brings you into such an immediate state of presence. There’s no past, there’s no future - just the breath, the moment, and the truth of what’s actually there in the body. And when the mind quietens and the body feels supported, old tension can finally unravel.

For many people, this is the first time they’ve felt their body speak so clearly. The first time they’ve allowed themselves to feel something that has been held beneath the surface. It can be emotional, empowering, and incredibly healing.

What I love most is that it all unfolds naturally. There’s no pushing, no storytelling, no analysing. Just the body finding its own way home. If you want to experience this for yourself we do offer guided cold immersion experiences and its included as part of The Movement workshops - links for these are in our bio.

01/12/2025

How does the cold help still the mind?

In this next video, I’m speaking into one of my favourite aspects of cold immersion - the way it brings you straight into the present moment. The cold has this incredible ability to cut through all the noise in the mind. The to-do lists, the worries, the looping thoughts… they all fall away the moment your body meets the cold.

For many people, this is the first time they truly experience what a meditative state feels like. Not trying to meditate, not efforting their way into silence, but simply landing in it. The cold creates an immediate, undeniable sense of presence. You can’t be anywhere else. You’re right there in your breath, in your body, in the truth of the moment. And in that space, something softens. The mind becomes still. The nervous system shifts. There is a clarity and a quiet that feels almost sacred.

Over time, this becomes a reference point, a place your system remembers. The body knows how to find that stillness again, and through the breath you can return to it in daily life. Not just in the ice bath, but in those moments when you need grounding, clarity, or a pause from the mental chatter.

30/11/2025

In this next video, I’m speaking into one of the deepest gifts of cold immersion, the way it builds real resilience. Not the push-through, harden-up kind, but a softer, steadier inner strength that supports you in meeting life’s challenges with more clarity and calm.

Each time you step into the cold, you’re choosing to meet discomfort with presence. You’re teaching your nervous system that it can stay steady even when things feel intense. And that practice translates directly into everyday life. The difficult conversation, the unexpected change, the moments when everything feels too much, you actually have more internal space to respond rather than react.

Over time, your threshold for stress widens. You learn that you can feel the intensity, breathe through it, and come out the other side more grounded than before. And this is where real resilience lives, in the ability to stay connected to yourself when things feel challenging.

For me, this has been one of the biggest shifts. I used to be someone who would easily become overwhelmed or thrown off-centre. Cold immersion has taught me that I can meet discomfort and still stay with myself. That I’m capable of more steadiness than I once believed.

And what I love is that the resilience grows gently, almost quietly, each time you practice. You don’t have to force anything. You simply show up, breathe, and allow your system to learn a new way.

19/11/2025

What are the benefits of cold immersion therapy?

This is the first in a series of little videos where I speak into a few of these. I find it really helps if people firstly understand these, and are then able to identify their own personal why, before jumping in the ice bath. Otherwise let’s be honest, you’re putting yourself through quite a torturous experience because you have some vague idea that it’s good for you. People that understand their purpose behind it are able to stay in longer, to the sweet spot where their nervous system has settled, arriving at a place of calm, even on the first experience.

I’ll be sharing the full series on my personal account so feel free to follow me there if you’d like to dive deeper. This is the space where I share things on a more personal level, where you can get to know me a little deeper.

A little stress is healthy, it keeps us adaptable and strong. But when it lingers and cortisol stays elevated, it can st...
18/09/2025

A little stress is healthy, it keeps us adaptable and strong. But when it lingers and cortisol stays elevated, it can start to impact sleep, mood, energy, and even speed up the aging process. Infrared sauna therapy offers the body a chance to reset. The gentle heat helps bring cortisol back into balance, supporting deep rest, resilience, and a sense of ease from the inside out.

Step into the warmth and discover one of the body’s quiet elixirs. The secret to youthfulness and longevity lies in how well we learn to rest, restore, and release.

What if Father’s Day wasn’t another pair of socks or a last-minute bottle of wine?What if it was a pause - a moment just...
05/09/2025

What if Father’s Day wasn’t another pair of socks or a last-minute bottle of wine?
What if it was a pause - a moment just for him?

Picture this:
He steps into the warmth of an infrared sauna, the soft glow wrapping around him like a deep exhale. The tension in his shoulders melts. Time slows down. There’s nothing to do, nowhere to be – just stillness, heat, and breath.

This isn’t just a gift.
It’s an experience.
A ritual.
A chance to switch off the noise and tune back into himself.

Gift vouchers are available now, for Father’s Day or any day he needs to come back to centre.
Send us a DM or tap the link in bio to grab one in time for Sunday.

Have you ever felt that subtle shift, that moment when something deep inside says Now.That’s Kairos.Not just any time, b...
05/09/2025

Have you ever felt that subtle shift, that moment when something deep inside says Now.
That’s Kairos.
Not just any time, but the right time. The sacred window when conditions align, when clarity arrives, when action calls.

It’s the pause before a yes. The breath before the leap. The knowing that the moment won’t last forever, but if you step through… everything changes.

Lately, I’ve been asking myself:
What opportunities are quietly knocking?
What have I been waiting for the “perfect time” to begin?
What if that time is now?

There’s something quietly powerful about putting pen to paper each morning. It’s not about writing something perfect, it...
21/08/2025

There’s something quietly powerful about putting pen to paper each morning. It’s not about writing something perfect, it’s about clearing the gunk from the mind. The negative self-talk, the limiting beliefs, the looping thoughts… they all spill onto the page. And in that clearing, something new can emerge, a clarity about what your heart truly wants and the very next step to take.

For me, when I avoid those steps, it becomes obvious, as I find myself writing the same thing over and over again. Nothing calls me into action quite like seeing the truth laid out on the page.

What I love is how journaling and breathwork weave together. The breath clears and softens the nervous system, loosening what’s been stuck beneath the surface. The journaling then gives those insights and emotions a place to land – a way to translate the inner shift into words, clarity, and action.

One of my private immersive clients recently shared with me:
“I have been continuing with the breathing and morning journaling! I am so glad my journey led me to you and your amazing energy! I am very grateful.”

Another reflected:
“The morning pages are becoming easier and a joy now. I feel like I’m able to calm myself a lot easier and deal with life. Of course the breathing and 2 bells are a huge part of my everyday life now. I am extremely grateful that my journey led me to you and I’m excited to see what is yet to come!”

This is why I love weaving journaling into practice. Together with breathwork, it clears space inside, steadies the nervous system, and becomes a compass to navigate life with more presence.

If you’d like some simple prompts to begin a journaling practice of your own, DM me and I’ll share a few to get you started.

Winter has a way of calling us back home to ourselves. A time to slow down, restore, and gather strength for the quicker...
19/08/2025

Winter has a way of calling us back home to ourselves. A time to slow down, restore, and gather strength for the quicker paced months ahead. Our Winter Seasonal Day Retreat on Saturday August 30th is an immersion into practices that align with the energy of the season. Through yoga, breathwork, sauna (cold immersion is optional!) and ceremony we’ll soften the body, quiet the mind, and reconnect with our inner rhythm.

We’ll share stories and nourishing organic seasonal food together, as well as create space for reflection and stillness. This retreat is about grounding, replenishing, and gently tending to the inner flame that sustains us through winter.

Spaces are limited! You can book via the Linktree in our bio or DM us for more information.

I’ve been noticing something deeper beneath all the “doing” in our pursuit of health and wellness. In particular the app...
18/08/2025

I’ve been noticing something deeper beneath all the “doing” in our pursuit of health and wellness. In particular the approach people have to cold plunges, breathwork, yoga, saunas. When we jump in without asking why, we lose the point. These practices can reshape us, but only when we listen - not just perform.

People tend to sit on one end of the spectrum:
- Those who push their boundaries, chasing the edge, ignoring the body’s cues.
- And those who stay firmly in the comfort zone, opting out the moment discomfort arrives.

It’s beautifully illustrated in yoga with the A-type personalities racing into vinyasa, bikram, or ashtanga. The kapha types gravitating to yin and restorative practices, avoiding anything more activating.

In breathwork, I see people chasing the high, breathing 100 miles an hour, unwilling to pause even as the body begins to release or venture into an experience. On the other end are those who barely move air, drifting into sleep rather than meeting what’s present.

In the sauna, some avoid heat altogether, convinced they “can’t handle it”. Others treat it like a contest, staying in until their system is overwhelmed - forgetting that with infrared, it’s not meant to feel unbearably hot, nor to go on for hours. The benefit is in gentle, sustained warmth, not in endurance.

And the ice bath… There are those determined to beat their “personal best,” staying in so long they ignore their body and nervous system’s clear signals that its time to get out. And those that allow their mind to overcome them within seconds demanding they run from the scary situation.

And remember the edge isn’t the same everywhere. You might push harder in yoga, but pull back in the ice bath or breathwork. We’re all wired differently, and that’s the beauty of it. Neither extreme is the point. These practices are not about proving something, or escaping something. They are about balance. About listening. About learning when to soften and when to lean in.

The magic lives in the middle - the dance between push and pull.

Where do you find yourself on the spectrum?

Read the full conversation in our musings + newsletter - links in bio.

Where sacred ceremony meets wild adventure…Anita and I are beyond excited to share this with you. A soul‑stirring journe...
18/07/2025

Where sacred ceremony meets wild adventure…

Anita and I are beyond excited to share this with you. A soul‑stirring journey in the heart of Sedona’s red rock magic that revealed itself to us on our own pilgrimage earlier this year.

This retreat is a space to return to your essence, remember your power, and reconnect with the wild wisdom that lives within you. Through activating breathwork, somatic movement, ancient rituals, guided hikes into powerful vortexes, and elemental immersion under open skies, you’ll awaken your body, nourish your spirit, and reclaim your parts of yourself you didn’t even know were missing.

You’ll stay for seven nights on land held by horses, a medicine wheel and a stupa, nestled on the edge of a national park. Be nourished by seasonal, high‑quality meals, experience a fire purification ceremony, and have the option to add on horse divination, bodywork and pranic healing sessions. Every day builds on the last - adventure, connection, regulation and activation gently rewiring how you move through life.

We’re offering payment plans to make this experience as accessible as possible, and we highly recommend chatting with Leisa , who can take all the stress out of travel planning and help you curate the most incredible holiday if you’d like to extend your trip before or after the retreat.

Come as you are. Leave rooted, radiant, and free.
Message us, or click on the link in our bio, to discover more or secure your place.

Address

40 Moa Avenue
Oneroa
1081

Website

https://linktr.ee/sandhanaretreat

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