Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat

LEARN TO CREATE DELICIOUS VEGETARIAN MEALS

Eat and live in harmony and balance

Next date: COMING SOON

Ayurvedic Cooking Course

Are you looking to improve your health and vitality by following a healthier and more wholesome diet? Are you seeking inspiration to prepare delicious vegetarian meals on a daily basis? Are you keen to understand your physical constitution (dosha) and adjust your nutrition accordingly?

This weekend retreat will give you a good theoretical and practical foundation to understand the art of Ayurvedic cooking and allow you to choose foods that are in harmony with your own personal needs, with an emphasis on herbal therapies for women’s health and wellbeing. You will explore the art and science of mixing cooking spices to transform food into medicine, unveiling your personal power of self-healing.

Ayurvedic Chef Training & Cooking Classes

Healthy living starts in the kitchen because everything you consume will affect your body in one way or another. The type of food you eat affects your health in various ways – from body weight and overall look to the health of your skin, nails, hair and more.

As you know by now, healthy eating is no easy task. There is just so much junk food available in stores, so little time for healthy meal planning and most people don’t know what foods suit their body type, what portions to stick to or how to prepare healthy foods.

Learn The Basics Of Ayurvedic Cooking In Just 3 Days

At Krishna Village, we have a solution for you that will help you transform your eating habits and get you on track in just 3 days.

Our Ayurvedic cooking course is an absolute must whether you simply want to eat healthier or desire to take yoga and Ayurveda living to the next level.

Do I Need An Ayurvedic Chef Training To Eat Healthy?

Ayurveda is the ancient science of life, and Ayurvedic cooking is a critical part of this way of life. In this course, you will learn to live in harmony with nature and your own constitution. The course will cover various aspects of Ayurvedic cooking including the theory behind this way of eating, cooking classes where you will learn how to prepare these types of healthy foods, and the spiritual aspects of this type of diet. You truly don’t need to train as an Ayurvedic chef to start eating healthy, wholesome foods!

Our course contains the following information:

Theory sessions – Learn to understand the science of a balanced and healthy diet and find out how to apply a healthy diet in your daily and busy lifestyle.

Hands-on cooking classes – During these practical classes, you will learn to prepare various dishes.

Spiritual aspects – Learn about the broader spiritual aspects of the Ayurvedic diet

Philosophy – Connect to the philosophy of simple living, high thinking, and sustainability

Recipes – Get delicious recipes from all over the world that you can cook all on your own and apply in day-to-day life.

Vegan and gluten-free – Our course greatly focuses on vegetarian meals although some of our recipes do include dairy products. We can teach you to follow the vegetarian diet and help you avoid gluten should you have a gluten intolerance.

During our cooking classes you will learn to make a huge variety of healthy foods such as the following;

  • Paneer
  • Fragrant spice masalas
  • Healthy teas and juices
  • Healthy breakfasts such as porridges, fruits, pancakes and more
  • Vegetable dishes
  • Rice and tasty soups
  • Dahl and rice
  • Healthy sweets and snacks

While you are learning how to cook healthier, you can also join in on the various activities provided at Krishna Village. We offer a wide range of programs, seminars, and activities that will help you relax and enrich you on a spiritual level such as the following;

  • Join various yoga programs and sessions
  • Enjoy quiet time and meditation
  • Get a massage or Reiki session
  • Enjoy walks around the Krishna Farm and visit our Sacred Cows.

Benefits of Ayurvedic Cooking

Ayurvedic cooking can benefit you and your family in a number of different ways;

  • Improved digestive and metabolic processes
  • Improved health
  • Better weight management
  • Enhanced detoxification
  • Reduced anxiety
  • Enhances inner calm
  • Enhances energy levels
  • Decreases inflammation

Want to cook and eat healthy from now on? Then be sure to book our Ayurvedic cooking classes in advance so you can find placement at our next courses.

Krishna Village is NSW's best yoga retreat for people looking to relax & recharge. We offer yoga teacher training for visitors who want to become yoga instructors. If you are looking for a retreat, we offer yoga classes, meditation and spiritual retreats to help you relax. Enquire online or call us to learn more.

Ayurvedic Cooking Retreat

When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
~Ayurvedic Proverb

As a sister philosophy of yoga, Ayurveda is the science of life and longevity (Ayu: Life, Veda: Knowledge). Its very simple yet wholesome approach looks at the microcosm of the human body as part of and one with the macrocosm of the universe. As long as we are not living in harmony with nature and our own constitution, we cannot consider ourselves truly healthy. Ayurveda teaches us a simple yet effective approach to our diet, and is considered one of the most important means to prevent and heal illness on a mental and physical level

Course content

Look forward to rich discussions, interweaved with hands on cooking exercises and an abundance of modern and ancient knowledge surrounding the benefits of Ayurveda. Cooking well should be easy and fun, so Lilian will focus on a simple yet nourishing diet that's compatible with your busy day-to-day schedule.

  • Theory sessions: understand the complex and rich science of a balanced and healing diet, presented in an easy to understand way so that application in daily live is easy
  • Hands on cooking class: prepare a variety of dishes while learning about their ayurvedic qualities
  • Understand the broader spiritual aspects of the Ayurvedic diet  
  • Connect to our philosophy of "Simple living, high thinking" by visiting our protected cows and understanding the concept of ‘ahimsa’ milk
  • Take home some of Lilian’s favourite recipes so you can continue your Ayurvedic journey in your day-to-day life

Learn how to make:

  • Paneer with fresh organic milk from the protected Krishna Farm cows
  • Fragrant spice masalas
  • Healthy teas and juices
  • Delicious breakfast preparations (porridges, fruits, pancakes, … )
  • A variety of vegetable dishes
  • Rich, tasty soups
  • Daal and rice
  • Healthy sweets
  • Recipes from all over the world - Ayurveda doesn’t only include Indian dishes

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free?

Lilian will provide you with plenty of gluten free and vegan options. However, please be aware that the Ayurvedic diet is not generally vegan - we use a broad variety of ahimsa dairy products like milk and ghee, as they are considered vital for holistic health.

To see if this experience is for you, please read our FAQ for Retreat Guests and have a look at our Code of Conduct.

Meet your teacher

Devi Hema, Ayurvedic health & wellbeing facilitator


Lilian’s journey into Ayurveda began 10 years ago, after a health crisis made her realize that her successful marketing career wasn’t truly fulfilling her purpose.


She decided to follow the path of her heart, which took her on a pilgrimage through her home country of Brazil and around the world. 


Throughout her travels she discovered hidden sacred paradises and eco-villages and connected with meditation and devotional groups, the healing arts, and ancient wisdom to discover the real cause of her health issues. 

Devi

Retreat Schedule

Friday

From 9:00am - Arrival and settling in

12:30pm - Lunch

4:00pm - Yoga class (optional)

6:00pm - Pizza night (optional) or regular dinner

7:00 - Intro and Ayurveda Theory with Lilian


Saturday

6:30am - Sunrise Yoga (optional)

8:30am - Breakfast

9:30am - Cooking for the doshas (practical, in groups, lunch break included)

6:00pm - Dinner


Sunday

5:00am - Sunrise yoga (optional)

6:20am - Visiting our cows + ahimsa dairy

8:30am - Breakfast

9:30am - Final Ayurvedic Theory Class

12:30pm - Lunch

3:00pm - Sunday Feast program at the Krishna Temple (optional)

Cost & payment

The cost of the course including 3 meals/day, optional yoga classes and accommodation for 2 nights is:

Without accommodation: AU$ 285

Camping: AU$ 385

In twin share accommodation: AU$ 465

In a single room: AU$ 505

Before you book, please read our terms and conditions including our refund policy. Payment has to be received in full upon booking.

The course starts on Friday at 7:00pm and finishes on Sunday around 3:00pm, but you are welcome to stay on and enjoy the Sunday feast at the temple. Your accommodation will be booked for Friday and Saturday night, checkout is on Sunday morning. Included are all meals from lunch on Friday at 12:30pm until dinner on Sunday at 6pm.

Accommodation

Krishna Village is located on a beautiful organic farm in the scenic foothills of Mt. Warning, half way between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. Closest town is Murwillumbah, and the nearest airport Coolangatta (the Gold Coast airport).

We can host up to 85 people in a combination of rooms, dorms and camping spots. There are usually around 30 full time volunteers who work in our organic gardens and maintain the grounds, 15-20 retreat guests or Karma Yogis and up to 40 course participants on a variety of courses that may run parallel in our different teaching venues.

All rooms have shared amenities. The amenities blocks include showers, toilets and a coin operated laundry (by laundry powder).

Common areas include the kitchen & campfire area (the heart of the Krishna Village), the reading room (with Internet hotspot) and the yoga hall where we gather for classes.

Single & double rooms in the ‘Lotus Pod’ House
The latest addition to the Krishna Village accommodation options is the Lotus Pod - a beautiful rustic Queenslander that has been fully renovated in 2018. Our newest yoga class room is on the first floor, while underneath we offer 7 retreat rooms with private verandahs. Each rooms is equipped with a double bed and available as single occupancy, or double occupancy for couples. Bedding is being provided. Shared toilet and shower facilities are on the same floor.

Single, twin share & double rooms in our refurbished shipping containers
The Krishna Village offers 3 double rooms (1 big bed), 4 twin share rooms (bunk bed) and 11 single rooms in former shipping containers.

They have been renovated and turned into simple but comfortable accommodation, each with a beautiful wooden verandah, shared by 3 or 4 adjacent rooms. Bedding is being provided.

Camp ground

Set among beautiful mango and lychee trees in our eastern garden, our camp ground can host up to 20 tents. The van area for up to 10 camper vans is equipped with electricity. The amenities block is only 50m away.

Delicious Vegetarian Food

The Krishna Farm has been producing organic veggies since the 1980s and has therefore fantastic conditions to grow excellent produce. We grow as much of our own food as we can, and otherwise buy locally wherever possible.

We provide 3 delicious vegetarian meals every day, with lunches taking place at the Krishna Village community kitchen, and breakfast and dinners - mostly Indian style - served at the prasadam hall, next to the temple.

All our food 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.

Testimonials

"Open-hearted, peaceful, intelligent and fun"

"Devi and Mukunda are an open-hearted, peaceful, intelligent and fun couple. They create a little haven of great food and good vibes. There’s good people, informative classes, amazing preparations and a lot of hands-on experience. Thank you for being a charming chef and teacher for an awesome weekend. We learned, laughed and cooked! I highly recommend this experience.  - Alexandra, Linz (Austria)

"Perfect starting point for anyone interested in healthy, conscious eating"

"Devi skilfully de-mystifies the art of Ayurvedic cooking! Ayurvedic wisdom is a perfect lens, a perfect starting point for anyone interested in healthy conscious eating. It focuses on individualism and helps to analyse all different concepts of eating according to whether they are good for you and your constitution or not. I truly gained a deep understanding of how to nourish myself, my family and friends." - Margit Pointner, Vienna (Austria)

"New ways to nurture myself"

"Devi and Mukunda start by showing how to correctly make spice masalas and by the end you are empowered to understand and improve your whole eating habits! The workshop was fun, genuinely life changing and affirms the caring approach to nutrition I’ve been searching for. Thank you for teaching me new ways to nurture myself." - Tamia, Vienna (Austria)

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