​De-Stress Meditation Retreat

Best Meditation Retreats Near Byron Bay

A WEEKEND TO RE-SET AND COME BACK INTO BALANCE

Upcoming dates: 11-13 October 2019

Step away from your stressful day-to-day life and re-discover the simple joy of JUST BEING.

Find balance and come home to YOU

Finding balance is essential for a happy and fulfilled life. One of society's biggest problems today is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain an equilibrium between our work, family, physical, emotional, spiritual and social life. Yet without balance there is no inner peace and without peace there is no happiness. 

So how can we overcome the disconnect from our true selves and re-connect to our true nature and purpose? How can we return into alignment so that our head, heart and gut agree on the direction we are taking in life?

Meditation in its various forms holds the key to unlocking the self's eternal qualities of peace, beauty, harmony, wisdom, joy and love. By transcending material consciousness, in meditation we tap into the source of our highest potential.

​Time to shift your focus

This weekend meditation retreat is both for beginners and for experienced meditation practitioners who would like to reconnect to and deepen their practice.

You will receive practical knowledge and experience a variety of meditation styles: Yoga Nidra (guided meditation), Pranayama (breath meditation), Kirtan and Japa (mantra meditation) as well as silent meditation. You will leave feeling rejuvenated, energised and uplifted!

​To find out more, have a look at Leo's Course schedule + Personal Welcome. To see if this experience is for you, read our FAQ for retreat guests and 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 to make sure this is a suitable course for you.

What's included:

  • 14 hours of meditation theory and practice with Leo:
  1. 1
    Introduction to the practice of meditation
  2. 2
    A variety of meditation techniques
  3. 3
    Tapping into your true self: understanding your dharma
  4. 4
    Living beyond duality: transcending suffering, pain and anxiety
  • 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day
  • 2 nights accommodation
  • 3 Yoga classes (optional)

Venue: Krishna Village is located on a beautiful organic farm, half way between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. It's right in the middle of the Tweed Caldera in the scenic foothills of Mt. Warning. Closest town is Murwillumbah, and the nearest airport Coolangatta (the Gold Coast airport).

For more details, please have a look at Leo's Course schedule + Personal Welcome

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.

Available course dates

Your Meditation Weekend starts on Friday at 7pm and finishes on Sunday around 4:45pm. Your accommodation will be booked for Friday and Saturday night, room checkout is on Sunday morning at 9:30am. Included are all meals from lunch on Friday at 2pm until dinner on Sunday at 6pm.

​Meet your facilitator

Since his childhood in the Czech Republic, Leo has been looking for something more than an ordinary way of life. In his lat teenage years he began to practice meditation and explore a wide range of philosophies, psychological theories, self-development techniques and spiritual paths.


He wanted to know whether there is some higher reality - a higher consciousness that allows us to experience deep satisfaction, peace, beauty, harmony and love, and be free from fear. He found all the answers he was looking for in meditation.


At age 19 he left civilization to live in the forest by himself for a year, fully focusing on his research, study and practice. After this, he became a monk for 10 years to immerse himself in deepening his practice and sharing meditation with others.

L​eo

Since then, for more than two decades he has continued a daily two-hour meditation practice and has been serving countless meditation students and coaching clients all over the world during his travels. Leo has been blessed to guide and share blissful meditation experiences for thousands of people and has developed a range of meditation courses, a meditation teacher training and a life coaching training to bring make this ancient wisdom accessible for modern day seekers.

\Currently, Leo is based in Northern NSW, Australia. He continues to travel to help people on their journeys of self-exploration, inner development and service to society. When he isn’t meditating or teaching, Leo enjoys playing music, cooking, motorcycle riding and ice skating with his family. He loves to give, share, communicate, inspire, support and care for others.

​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.

Why take a meditation retreat in Byron Bay?

The pressure of daily life can take its toll on our physical, mental, and spiritual selves. We can lose sight of what is truly important – we can become disconnected from the present moment as we float through our day-to-day on autopilot.

Embarking on a meditation retreat in Byron Bay is a beautiful way to de-stress, tune in, and rediscover our inner vitality. Here are just some of the reasons people across the globe take a weekend meditation retreat at Krishna Village.

Reduce stress levels

We live in a goal-orientated society – the busier we are, the better. Unfortunately, this fast-paced, high-pressure lifestyle can result in unhealthily high, stress levels. Meditation is an opportunity to be quiet, to get out of our heads and into our bodies. When you join us for meditation in Byron Bay, your stress level will drop.

Connect with like-minded individuals

The Krishna Village attracts engaged, dedicated individuals from all walks of life. Together, we create a warm, supportive community. Our retreats are safe spaces. There is no judgement – only support.

Improve your nutrition

At our meditation retreat, we serve some of the finest fresh produce Byron Bay and surrounding regions have to offer – and much of this is grown right here at the Krishna Village. What we eat has a huge impact on how we feel, our energy level, and our overall sense of wellness. Throughout our weekend meditation retreat, you’ll be fed a nutritious, delicious vegetarian menu.

Expand your meditation skills

Meditation is a practice. It takes patience and dedication – but the results are well worth the hard work. Our team of qualified professionals will guide you through meditation sessions. There, you’ll learn techniques and skills you can use in your daily life back home.  

Book a stay at the Krishna Village at a time to suit you. If you'd like to find out more, or you have a question which isn't answered on our website, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Testimonials

"​LOVED IT"

I attended Leo’s meditation training course in 2017 and highly recommend it. Leo provided me with all the knowledge and tools I needed to progress in my own meditation practice as well as enabling me to inspire others in meditation. Previous to enrolling in the meditation training course I was attending private coaching sessions with Leo in which he successfully coached me to success in various aspects of my life including my career. His ability to deliver yogic knowledge and wisdom in a clear and contemporary way allowed me to fully understand the nature of meditation and clarify any misconceptions I had. This course helped me build a regular meditation practice as well as sustain it to this day. Students get personalised attention and the development of each student throughout out the course was amazing. I loved it. 

- Amber Jazzini

"​HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL, ACCOMMODATES MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES"

I was so impressed with your meditation training. The training is highly professional, accommodates multiple learning styles, and keeps students relaxed. I think the best part of it was the teacher. You were so knowledgeable, qualified and inspiring. I recommend this course to anyone wanting to deepen their own personal meditation practice!

- Maya Ryan

"​MEDITATION PRACTICE DEEPENED TO AN AMAZING LEVEL"

Leo Jai’s course was profoundly meaningful to me both personally and professionally. Personally, my own meditation practice deepened to an amazing level allowing me to experience an embodied understanding of the yoga teachings. Professionally, I feel totally equipped and confident in my teaching to others. In my little corner of the world, I have already been able to share this technique with family, friends, colleagues, clients, and community members, and the response is overwhelmingly positive. I feel a part of something deeply meaningful and sacred. 

- Zeljko Rezo

"​TRULY INVALUABLE"

I had the pleasure of meeting Leo Jai some years ago participating in my first meditation course. It was very much a new experience for me and a truly positive one where I felt comfortable and open to the experience. Leo has an incredible ability to connect with people, communicating with ease and clarity. Last year I followed Leo’s  Beyond Epic mediation program which I found truly invaluable especially on a very personal level. The course was made simple  to follow and made sense to me on many levels. I am very grateful for Leo’s teachings which has helped me immensely both personally and professionally.  

- Shelley Chopard

"​TRULY GIFTED TEACHER"

I studied meditation in a group with Leo in Sydney and the benefits gained by participating in his classes were numerous. Leo is a truly gifted teacher with many years of experience! He teaches from the heart and provided me with all the tools needed (...). This course gave me the confidence needed. Leo’s course is transformational and I sincerely recommend it to one and all.

- Jan Davis