'Transforming Grief' Retreat
Take a 4-day sacred pause from everyday life - a time to gather in community and tend to grief as a shared human experience
Next course: 25-28 June 2026
Grief is not a problem to be fixed - it is a rite of passage to be felt and honoured. It is love with nowhere to go.
This retreat offers a space to share and witness grief within a compassionate community, held by qualified and trauma-informed facilitators. Over 4 days at Krishna Village, we will come together in circle, in ritual, in movement, to honour what has been lost and to find strength within community.
What to expect
This is an invitation to let your grief be witnessed and to find grace within the embrace of community. It is for those who are carrying the sorrow of loss, however intense or dull, recent or long-gone, acknowledged by the people around you, or suffered in silence.
Together, we will...
* Share and witness stories within a held grief circle
* Create a remembrance altar to honour loved ones
* Share gentle education around the natural rhythms and expressions of grief
* Hold a fire ceremony (yagna) to symbolically offer grief
* Experience restorative yoga practices to soothe and support the nervous system
* Experience moments of quiet reflection, nature, and nourishment
* 2 follow-up aftercare group calls with the retreat facilitators and other retreat attendees
* The facilitators will also be available for a 1:1 post-retreat care call via zoom
Together, we will remember, release, and reconnect with the love beneath the loss.
This retreat is not about forgetting or “fixing” what has happened. It’s about finding ways to hold your grief, with gentleness, grace, and the support of others who understand. First and foremost, this is about community: Being heard, supported, and understood in a safe, non-judgmental space.
For questions, please email Sharni on sharnihudson97@gmail.com
This course is for you if ...
You have lost someone or something you love
You are carrying silent or unspoken grief
You are seeking community, ritual, and gentle practice
You are ready to honour your tears, memories, and love
This course is not suitable for you if you...
... are currently in acute crisis or experiencing overwhelming grief without external support
... require medical, psychiatric, or clinical intervention
... are unable to participate safely in a group setting
... are unwilling or unable to respect confidentiality and the sacredness of the circle
Meet your teachers
Sharni Hudson is a Yoga, Meditation, and Breathwork facilitator, grief-informed guide and compassionate space holder.
Drawing from her personal experience supporting her mother through her end of life journey, she brings deep empathy, presence and understanding to those navigating grief.
With over 1000 hours of Yoga Teacher Training and Kriya Breathwork, alongside death doula and trauma informed yoga training, Sharni creates a held and nurturing environment where grief can be safely felt, expressed and honoured within community.
Rambhoru Brinkmann has been practicing Bhakti Yoga under the guidance of ISKCON founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada since 1974. She is the Director and Founder of the Karuna Care Association (karunacare.iskcon.org), aimed at supporting peoples' spiritual, emotional, and relational growth on their spiritual path.
Rambhoru has a Master of Divinity and a Master of Science degree in Patient Counselling. She has been the Director of St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care: Urban Interfaith Chaplaincy (urbanchaplaincy.org) in Los Angeles since 2010 where she trains multi faith practitioners in the art and science of spiritual caregiving. She is a Certified Professional Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains (apchaplains.org), a Certified Clinical Pastoral Educator and trainer of professional chaplains (acpe.edu), and a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist Grief Recovery Method. Rambhoru is also a Certified 4th Level Healing Touch Practitioner, and a Therapeutic Harpist.
For questions, please email Sharni on sharnihudson97@gmail.com
Schedule
Day 1
From 2pm - Check in
4pm – Opening circle and Welcome (introduction to the facilitators, to each other and to Krishna Village, practicalities, emotional safety guidelines) + journal prompts handout
6:15pm – Dinner
7:30pm – Altar building and evening circle
Day 2
7am – Morning meditation
7:30am – Morning circle check-in
8:30am – Breakfast
9:30am – Psychosomatic / grief education - group activities
12:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm – Time to rest, get a massage or connect with fellow retreat participants
3pm – Integration afternoon: group activities around expressing grief, e.g. journalling, art, a nature walk... to then come back in circle and share
6:15pm – Dinner
7:30pm – Fire pit take-aways, what you have learnt in the day to bring it full circle
Day 3
7am – Morning meditation
7:30am – Morning reflections / storytelling
8:30am – Breakfast
9:30am – Psychosomatic / grief education and group activities
12:30pm – Lunch
3pm – Integration afternoon: group activities around expressing grief, e.g. journalling, art, a nature walk... to then come back in circle and share
6:15pm – Dinner
7:15pm – Fire-pit takeaways
Day 4
7am – Morning meditation
7:30am – Sharing circle: set intentions what we are offering back to the fire
8:30am – Breakfast
9:30am – Check out
10:30am – Sacred fire ceremony (Yagna)
12:30pm – Lunch
1:30pm – Closing circle and farewell
Please note: Timings are approximated and subject to change if we feel the group dynamic will benefit.
Frequently asked questions
No, not at all. Grief takes many forms — the loss of a loved one, a pet, a relationship, your health, identity, home or even a sense of belonging. All grief is welcome here.
No. Sharing is always an option, never an expectation.
Tears are welcome. So is laughter, so is silence.
No. This retreat offers community, ritual and practices for grief. It is not a replacement for therapy or medical treatment.
For questions, please email Sharni on sharnihudson97@gmail.com
Accommodation options
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. The closest town is Murwillumbah, and the nearest airport Coolangatta (the Gold Coast airport).
Our Retreat Center is spread out across a beautiful natural farm setting, which means that some of our facilities and accommodation require a bit of walking. We offer a range of accommodation options from camping spots to creatively renovated container rooms, private pine cabins set in the hills overlooking the valley and more.
Make your booking
Early Bird Discount: Save $100 if you book 8+ weeks prior to course start
The rates below include: tuition, 3 meals/day and the accommodation of your choice for 3 nights.
You are welcome to add further nights during the booking process, and include the weekend before and/or after the course.
Commuter: AU $855 (meals included, but no room) ($755 Early Bird)
Camping (tent): AU $948 ($848 Early Bird)
Camping (van): AU $960 ($860 Early Bird)
Budget Room: AU $1050 or $983 (2 people) ($950 or $883 Early Bird)
Cottages: AU $1155 ($1055 Early Bird)
Lotus Pod Room: AU $1155 or $1020 (2 people) ($1055 or $920 Early Bird)
Bhakti Guesthouse Rooms (With Ensuite): AU $1260 or $1073 (2 people) ($1160 or $973 Early Bird)
Cabin (self-contained): AU $1260 or $1073 (2 people) ($1160 or $973 Early Bird)
Payments - We require a $600 deposit to hold your spot in the course. The full payment is due no later than your arrival day.
Before booking, please have a look at our Code of Conduct and our Terms and Conditions. If you are dealing with any physical or mental health issues, please also check our 'Are you ready' page.
Choose your date below to make your booking
Please note: On your arrival day, you are welcome to join us for lunch. The retreat itself begins at 4pm. For an extra relaxed experience, you have the option to add a night, so you can arrive early, and start the experience with morning yoga, delicious breakfast and a wander around on the farm. On the final day, we conclude at 3pm.
Delicious vegetarian food
At Krishna Village, we offer 3x delicious vegetarian meals per day. From vegan kitchari, porridge, and fresh fruits for breakfast, to vegetable curry with rice or flatbreads, and heartier dishes for lunch & dinner... If you're looking to incorporate more plant-based options into your diet, you'll be sure to enjoy our meals.
If you have any specific dietary needs, you are welcome to use the Krishna Village kitchen to prepare your meals.
The Krishna Farm
The Krishna Farm "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.
Awaiting the presence of others
“In the absence of this depth of community, the safe container is difficult to find. By default, we become the container ourselves, and when this happens, we cannot drop into the well of grief in which we can fully let go of the sorrows we carry. We recycle our grief, moving into it and then pulling it back into our bodies unreleased. Frequently in my practice patients tell me that they often cry in private. I ask them whether, at some point in this process, they ever allow their grief to be witnessed and shared with others. There is usually a quick retort of “No, I couldn’t do that. I don’t want to be a burden to anyone else.” When I push it a little further and ask them how it would feel if a friend came to them with his or her sorrows and pain, they respond that they would feel honored to sit with their friend and offer support.
This disconnection between what we would offer others and what we feel we can ask for is extreme. We need to recover our right to ask for help in grief, otherwise it will continue to recycle perpetually. Grief has never been private; it has always been communal. Subconsciously, we are awaiting the presence of others, before we can feel safe enough to drop to our knees on the holy ground of sorrow.”
― Francis Weller
