We are so lucky to live in the Byron Shire. Many of us practise a bit of yoga and grow some food in our gardens, or wish that we had more time for these activities. But what about spending six days on a beautiful organic farm away from our busy lives to practise yoga and organic gardening with likeminded people?
If you would like to put your hands in the dirt, your feet on the ground, reconnect to nature and to yourself, then you might enjoy a six-day Yoga & Organic Gardening Retreat on an organic farm in the Byron Bay hinterland.
Your time would be spend practising yoga and meditation daily, learning about organic gardening with hands-on gardening workshops, eating organic food, having a relaxing body massage, listening to an ayurvedic talk, and relaxing and unwinding on the farm and on the beach.
Wybalena (meaning home or resting place), is a 170-acre organic farm on Pocket Road owned by brothers Julian and Rianon. The property has rolling green hills, two spring-fed creeks and seven large dams. It has diverse wildlife and is home to many endangered species.
Leah, the founder of Byron Yoga Organic Retreats, arrived in Byron Bay from France eleven years ago, driven by her love for surf and yoga. After practising yoga and working on organic farms for few years, Leah decided to combine these two activities in one retreat in order to share her passions with others.
Leah is the retreat’s yoga teacher; there will be two daily yoga classes (energising in the morning, relaxing in the afternoon) and two daily meditation sessions. Leah was trained by Dena Kingsberg and started teaching Astanga Yoga at Yogapad in Mullum four years ago. She is also practising with Zen Master Doko.
Julian, one of the owners of Wybalena Farm, will teach participants the basic principles of organic gardening. Julian did a permaculture design course with Geoff Lawton and can show you how to create a healthy soil, start seedlings, know what and when to plant, treat pests organically, fertilise the soil and veges organically, create healthy compost, start a worm farm etc.
Lara from Yummy Studio will be catering for the retreats, as well as teaching a bit about Ayurveda. She likes to produce delicious, nutritious, healthy and organic dishes with an ayurvedic twist. Some of the produce will be harvested from the farm – farm to table is the best!
More info: 6-day Yoga & Organic Gardening Retreat
8–13 Sept 2017 at Wybalena Organic Farm, Pocket Rd, Mullumbimby. The retreats cost from $1,799 (earlybirds) – www.byronyogaorganicretreats.com.
Photos by Avalon Lane Photography Byron Bay
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
