Evolution Yoga Retreat
TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
Spiritual Transformation for Lasting Happiness
The Evolution Yoga Retreat is the ultimate journey to the Self: a dynamic, transformational experience embodied in one powerful retreat program.
We believe true happiness must be pursued through evolution of consciousness. Understanding your spiritual nature is vital to living a balanced and healthy life. By developing a deeper sense of connection with yourself and all living beings, you will embody the true meaning of Yoga, resulting in lasting transformation.
Are you ready to journey back to the essence of who you really are? To cultivate a deeper connection with life and the world you live in? To experience lasting transformation through a holistic spiritual experience?
The purpose of Evolution Yoga Retreat is to help you experience more of who you really are – to embrace the journey back to your truest essence, stepping out of the unconscious state of ‘doing’ and into the mindful state of ‘being’. To re-examine your beliefs, shine a light on your spiritual depths, and make a fundamental shift in awareness to unleash the source of happiness within you and integrate positive change in your life.
Spiritual Wellness – Integrating Body, Mind, and Soul
Evolution Yoga Retreat is designed for those who want to be connected to their true Self. This 7-day transformational retreat will inspire, cultivate inner peace, and nourish your body from the inside out. Ignite your spirit with a retreat encompassing a range of experiences: yoga, meditation, kirtan, philosophy, conscious cooking, syntropic gardening, time with our sacred cows, personal transformation processes and more.
Through the practical application of Bhakti Yoga – the yoga of love and devotion – and a holistic lifestyle, this retreat empowers you to dive into the divine connection that naturally exists in every aspect of your life.
Feel empowered and carry away practical tools for continuing personal growth, health & spiritual well-being in your daily life. No matter your faith or beliefs, this program supports you to deepen your personal sense of meaning and spiritual practice.
STAY TUNE FOR 2021 DATES
About Bhakti Yoga
The term yoga literally means “union” or “yoke”, and in this context connotes a path or practice for connection and liberation. Bhakti yoga is a spiritual path focused on loving devotion, resulting in the joining together, or union, of one’s Atman (true self) with the divine and all beings. The tradition has ancient roots, and Bhakti yoga as one of three spiritual paths for salvation is discussed in depth by the Bhagavad Gita. Bhakti yoga was first taught in the west by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, a Guru and scholar from India. He presented Bhakti yoga through the Hare Krishna Movement, also known as ISKCON, to teach how we can better connect to higher principles. All souls have an eternal relationship with the divine; however, in our material condition we have forgotten that relationship, which is one of pure love. Through Bhakti yoga we can reawaken that divine love – our true nature.
We offer you the opportunity to…
- Dive into the highest philosophy and practice of yoga
- Understand how to recognize the needs of your body and how to deal with the turbulences of your mind
- Discover the sacred connection between mankind and nature, and learn the techniques you can apply in your daily life to have a productive exchange with our supreme mother
- Associate with genuine & inspiring yogis that have devoted their lives to the deliverance of Bhakti yoga, the yoga of love
- Immerse yourself into the healing natural environment of an ahimsa (nonviolent) farm
- Nourish yourself with healthy and delicious vegetarian & vegan food
- Take time to reflect on the purpose of your life and to reset the direction of your evolution
Transform your spirit with a range of healing experiences, including:
- Daily yoga flows
- Meditation & Kirtan
- Spiritual & philosophical talks and introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
- Immersion into Bhakti Yoga – the yoga of Love
- Spend time in nature and with our protected cows
- Conscious eating & cooking workshop
- Syntropic Gardening workshop
- Introduction to ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence)
- Self-development work
- Vegetarian & vegan meals made with local, organic ingredients based on holistic & Ayurvedic nutrition principles
- Massage treatment
- And so much more!
What to bring
- Notebook/Journal
- Toiletries
*Please pack accordingly (sunscreen, water bottle, comfortable clothes, yoga wear, etc.) Before booking, please have a look at our Code of Conduct. If you are dealing with any physical or mental health issues, please also check our Are you ready page.
Retreat Schedule
Class Descriptions
Soul, Mind, Body
Dive into the different aspects of our being, starting from the gross and moving to the most subtle soul (giving examples of how we can identify these different aspects).
Karma and Dharma
Karma and dharma are universal laws which govern what kind of situation we will find ourselves in. Understand how these laws will help us to make better choices in our lives, so we can gradually change our situation to a better one.
Ahimsa (non violence)
Living an ahimsa (non-violent) lifestyle is a choice of how to deal with situations that come up in your daily life. How to deal with difficult situations and circumstances, people, animals, work, our environment, and what we eat. Protection of animals is a key example of ahimsa. Meet the cows in our Cow Protection Program to experience and understand the benefits of ahimsa!
Positive Thinking
Discover the immense power of your thoughts and learn how to practically channel positive energy to increase your willpower.
Conscious Cooking
Cooking with purpose and meaning will transform your experience (for you and your family) into a meditation on the divine. We will discuss how to eat, how to drink water, how to prepare and cook our meal, how to offer our meal to break the karmic cycle, and more.
Spiritual Life and RelationshipsRelating to the world and others is one of the primary functions and gifts of consciousness. This workshop will explore the lenses through which we view others and therefore relate to them. In mundane consciousness, we tend to view others – consciously or subconsciously, as competitors with whom we vie for dominion, exploiters that have done us wrong, or resources that we can consume. Spiritual consciousness respects all others – family members, friends, co-workers, other living beings (even plants, animals and insects) – as inherently valuable souls where there is an opportunity for partnership and loving service. A spiritually-enlightened individual has no enemies – even supposed wrong doers. This workshop will enable you to audit the quality of relationships that you have currently cultivated and provide strategies for evolving them to the next level.
Syntropic Gardening
The word ‘Syntropy’ in an agroforestry concept which refers to “increasing complexity” or bio-diversity within the system. As an innovative approach to regenerative agriculture, Syntropic Gardening allows us to create dynamic, successional, and economically viable ecosystems that restore degraded soil biodiversity. Syntropic Gardening emulates the growth of the rainforest, one of the most bio-diverse systems of life on the planet. By understanding and respecting nature’s complex system and copying how the rainforest functions, we can save massive amounts of water on our crops or orchards, eliminate the use of chemicals and considerably reduce financial and labour cost.
Permaculture
What’s the difference between bees and human beings? If bees become extinct, the whole earth system will perish; on the other hand, if human beings become extinct every other living being will benefit. Why is this the case? Because human beings have adopted a self centered, exploitative and non sustainable culture based on taking resources and giving back waste, as if tomorrow will never come. The word permaculture literally means “culture of the permanent”; therefore, it is the art of designing environments whereevery living being can thriveby supporting each other instead of competing. This results in a permanent system that not only regenerates itself, but also perpetually grows in quantity and quality.
Meet your hosts
Dadodar is the Krishna Village General Manager and oversees all the different aspects of the retreat centre and volunteer program. Originally from Italy, he joined Krishna Village in early 2016 after an extensive management experience, working as a quality, safety and environment management consultant for about ten years and running ISKCON Villa Vrindavana in Florence.With his degree in agriculture and diploma in management, he plays a crucial role in the art of problem solving, which is the main challenge when you run a farm and an educational retreat centre simultaneously.His love for nature and care for people are but the manifestations of his devotion for his spiritual path and for the mission he is carrying out on behalf of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Krsna Gana (you can call him KG) has been living in the New Govardhana community for 12 years as a practicing monk, following the teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, or Srila Prabhupada for short. With the wealth of knowledge that has been available to him, he has been able to transform his life. Through personal experience he has learned how to connect to and share this wisdom with others. KG is excited to share some of these teachings with you!
STAY TUNE FOR 2021 DATES
Cost & Payment
In a shared room: AU$1080 (early bird rate: AU$980)
In a private room: AU$1380 (early bird rate: AU$1280)
The cost of the Evolution Yoga Retreat includes:
- 6 nights accommodation in the beautiful foothills of Mt. Warning (Wollumbin) between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast
- 3 vegetarian/vegan meals/day, including fresh juices and smoothies
- Daily Yoga Classes
- Meditation, chanting & kirtan sessions
- Access to our retreat venue’s amenities, including our beautiful lake
- Beach excursion
- Conscious Eating lecture
- Conscious Cooking workshop
- Syntropic Farming/Permaculture theory & workshop
- Session on ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) with our sacred cows
- A variety of sessions exploring additional topics, such as sustainability, ecology, stress management, relationships and more!
- Homemade pizza (vegan & ahimsa cheese available) on Friday’s Pizza Night!
- 1 massage treatment
- Free Wifi
Before you book, please read our terms and conditions including our refund policy.
Not from Australia? Figure out your rate with the XE currency converter.
Make a Booking
The course starts on Monday at 1:30pm with a Welcome Tour and finishes on Sunday around 4pm, but you are encouraged to stay on and enjoy the Sunday feast at the temple.
Your accommodation will be booked for Monday-Sunday and checkout is on your departure day at 9am.
Booking Steps
1) Click button to select your preferred start date on our booking page2) On the booking page, select your accommodation type3) If you prefer to pay in several rates, please select “Paying in instalments” in the additional options (+ $50) and pay a 20% deposit + 4 instalments (monthly or fortnightly, as required to complete payment before arrival).
The Krishna Village Experience
As an eco yoga community set on an organic farm, the Krishna Village endeavors to provide the blueprint for an simple, mindful, spiritually based lifestyle. Drawing on the timeless wisdom of the ancient Vedas, we have created an authentic and supportive space to explore the science of self-realization – populated by a beautiful community of retreat guests, volunteers, and spiritual seekers from all over the world.
By allowing our guests to share in this experience, we propagate a wholesome (in Sanskrit: sattvic) and sustainable social environment that encourages the pursuit of personal and spiritual growth, leading towards a joyous and loving state of mind beneficial for all living beings.
Accommodation
Bhakti Guesthouse
Our Bhakti Guesthouse is located on a hill overlooking the entire farm, with stunning views of the lake and mountains. We have simple yet comfortable private and shared rooms (2 bunk beds). The Guesthouse has shared facilities including communal male and female bathrooms, a spacious lounge room, wraparound verandas, a communal kitchen, and laundry facilities. Linen and towels provided.
Delicious Vegetarian Food
The Krishna Farm has been producing organic veggies since the 1980s and is well established to grow a variety of high-quality produce, free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. We grow as much of our own food as we can, and otherwise buy locally wherever possible.We produce three delicious vegetarian meals every day at the temple kitchen, with food served at the prasadam hall at the top of the hill. Additionally, the village kitchen prepares a bountiful vegan lunch on all days except Saturday, when the volunteers take their day of rest, focusing on produce from the organic gardens and catering to gluten free diets. This lunch is served in the village dining area.All our food, whether served at the village or the temple, is prasadam – sacred food prepared in a consciousness of loving service. Like in other cultures, we offer our food before we eat to say Grace and thank the Divine for the sun, the rain, and all the visible and invisible blessings necessary to co-create a delicious meal. Feel free to sing along with us, or just listen and enjoy…
The Krishna Farm
Nestled in the foothills of the Wollumbin National Park in the heart of the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, the Hare Krishna Farm “New Govardhana” is a 1000 acre certified organic property with orchards, syntropic vegetable gardens, cows, horses, streams and swimming holes in abundance. New Govardhana serves as an ashram to a community of yogis who aspire to live according to their deepest vows and commitments on their path of service, spiritual contentment and happiness (Bhakti Yoga). Their service and dedication make this location a beautiful place of growth, healing and spiritual awakening. The temple is the beating heart of the community at New Govardhana and we encourage all who visit the property to come along and experience the lifestyle and philosophy reflected by the practice of Krishna consciousness.