The Full moon (Aug 12th) in Aquarius retreat is an opportunity to punctuate the ending of a chapter – essentially, a conscious closure to empty the cup before you fill it again.

The Aquarian influence of the full moon is an invitation to go against the grain and march to the beat of your own drum. This rebellious energy can show up as unruly restlessness and deplete you if you don’t harness it into the truth of what it is your soul is longing to create.

In order to do that, you need to shake up your routine, and remind yourself that you’re not meant to fly solo, that there are plenty of opportunities to connect to your inner social butterfly, but in ways that are sustainable and nourishing – this happens with like-minded spiritual seekers in a soul tribe.

If you feel called to clear the clutter, and connect more deeply into your authentic heart space, this retreat will help you get there physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Through daily yoga, shamanic breathwork and meditation journeys, creative writing, Q’ero ceremonies and more, expect to realign, reinvigorate, and reactivate the most creative and purposeful parts of you.

6:30 am – Depart Sydney (dressed for yoga, check in can happen after class)

9:30 am – Yoga Practice

12:00 pm – Lunch

1:00 pm – Free Time. Write, Read, Nap, Swim or go to your Massage (one massage is included in your package)

4:15 pm – Breathwork & Shamanic Journey Workshop – Balancing the Inner Feminine

7:00 pm – Dinner

8:00 pm – Unwind and relax around the fire circle

7:30 am – Yoga Practice

9:30 am – Light Breakfast

12:00 pm – Lunch

1:00 pm – Free Time. Write, Read, Nap, Swim or go to your Massage (one massage is included in your package)

4:15 pm – Breathwork & Shamanic Journey Workshop – Balancing the Inner Masculine

7:00 pm – Dinner

8:00 pm – Q’ero Hayhuaricuy Pachamama Ceremony

9:00 pm – Unwind, Relax

7:30 am – Yoga Practice

9:30 am – Light Breakfast

11:00 am -Breathwork & Shamanic Workshop – Harmonizing the Inner Child

1:00 pm – Lunch

2:00 pm – Free Time. Write, Read, Nap, Swim or go to your Massage (one massage is included in your package)

4:00 pm – Depart

Regular meditation has been proven to activate the feel-good chemicals in the brain like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which increase happiness, improve memory, concentration, intuition, creativity and empathy, while neutralizing stress, anxiety, fear and anger. A Harvard MRI study showed that just 8 weeks of mindful meditation had measurable positive changes in the brain. Meditation also helps to build gray matter in the hippocampus, which is associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and self- control, and helps decrease gray matter in the amygdala, which plays a significant role in anxiety, stress and addictive behaviors.

For centuries, pranayama has been used by yogis and martial artists to amplify the life force (prana/chi) to where it’s lacking. Without the proper flow of prana in the body, stress, anxiety and even disease starts to set in. When prana is flowing optimally, we are able to drop into expanded states of awareness while inviting deeper spiritual experiences which will assist in manifesting all of our heart’s truest desires.

Think of a shamanic journey as a vision quest. Shamans around the world would rattle, drum, sing, chant, take plant medicine, dance, and perform various other local practices to connect with Spirit. There are many ways to drop into an inner and it is experienced uniquely by each person. In many ways, it is a ceremony with Spirit, your guides, and your highest self – with the aim of revealing the parts of you that need to be acknowledged, reclaimed and healed.

In these workshops, with the accompaniment of breathwork, music, energy work, and carefully guided verbal cues, you will drop into an expanded field of awareness that will help you come into more wholeness.

The q’ero paqos (shamans) are the indigenous people of the Andes in Peru and are the last living descendants of the Inca people. In 1949, they came down out of the high mountains where they were hiding after the Spanish conquistadors invaded almost 500 years ago.

They consider themselves the rainbow people of the stars assigned as guardians of the earth. One of the principles they abide by is called ayni, a reciprocal balance of giving and taking. One of the ways in which to maintain this balance is through hayhuaricuys or blessing ceremonies that honor the earth, and all that she has provided for us. In doing so, we are able to harmoniously receive the earth’s blessings. Modern day people have lost this sacred connection to ceremony, which all indigenous communities still practice to this day. If we are to truly evolve, we must reconnect with the ancient practices of the land.

Johnson Chong is the best-selling and award-winning author of Sage Sapien: From Karma to Dharma. He is also a TedX Speaker, shaman and the founder of Sage Sapien Soul Academy where he trains aspiring meditation and breathwork teachers. He has spoken and led workshops at companies like Unilever, Facebook, Nike, Macquarie, Insight Timer, UBS, UOB and more.

Through the synthesis of the most applicable teachings of yoga, meditation, breathwork, coaching and shamanic healing, his trainings are designed to help people quiet the mind, awaken the heart and free themselves of the roadblocks that keep them from living more authentically and joyfully. Johnson’s passion is creating a bridge between ancient wisdom, energy medicine and direct modern application.

As a paqo shaman of the Q’ero lineage, a Four Winds Energy Medicine Health Coach, InnerGuidanceTM coach and Reiki Master, he has an expansive knowledge of the physical body and how the psyche can create stagnation on all levels, physical, mental, emotional and energetic.