Yoga for Good Retreat 2025
In collaboration with experienced yogini and practising artist Rishi Yoga Diwali, the theme of Yoga & Creativity will be explored with the Yoga For Good team, featuring a guest appearance by Diwali live via Zoom. The spring equinox is a wonderful time to cleanse, and the collaborative talk and workshops will explore ancient Yoga Tantra practices for inner purification.
During these yoga and creativity workshops, participants will create their own Yantras, a form of sacred geometry. Choosing the colours and painting the Yantras is a meditative and healing experience that promotes deep presence.
Further yogic practices will include Trataka, gazing at the Yantras during Meditation, and chanting mantras through the energy centres for deep renewal.
The Yoga and Creativity talk and workshops will be a blissful and joyful experiential treat combining head, hands and heart. Basic art materials will be provided, but you can also bring your own supplies. Anyone can participate- you don’t need to be an experienced yogi or artist! We will be shown many wonderful examples of Diwali’s yoga art for inspiration, guiding each step in this spiritual practice.
Rishi Yoga Diwali has contributed to the yoga world as a yoga teacher and spiritual artist for many years. She began teaching yoga while working in the advertising and film industry, before immersing herself in a yogic lifestyle and running a yoga centre for many decades.
With a wonderful sense of humour that lights up the room, she will gift us practical knowledge on how to incorporate the sacred geometry of the Sri Yantra into our lives with creativity through the senses.
Yoga for Good Team
Moira Nirvana Gordon
Moira is a Director at YFG, a businesswoman and an Artist who believes in the power of creativity to lead a fulfilled life. She is a founder of YFG, which was inspired by the system of Art Grants to support creative projects. Why not use Yoga Grants to support Yogis in taking yoga into their communities?
She trained in Fine Art, Fashion and Textile design before becoming a Graphic designer and developing her business skills in the workplace. Now, she is guiding the future of YFG by building the team to sustain the legacy of Yoga through our teachers. ‘I aim to keep rippling out the benefits of Yoga and Meditation to those in need in our world’. Her personal practice is a combination of Yoga & Art.
Dr Adele Vincent
Adele is a Director at YFG, a Yoga Therapist and a specialist in Ryoho Yoga. She founded Move Yoga Therapy over 10 years ago and teaches adults and children in Tasmania and Sydney.
She has published children’s books for which she received a Grant to bring them to the final publishing stage to help children with anxiety and emotional regulation. She writes, creates art, plays music and runs a business, all while excelling as a skilled academic and engaging in many other creative pursuits.
She recently joined us to help us sustain and grow into the future, and we look forward to having her teach a Ryoho Class at the retreat and online, a style based on Hatha with a combination of eastern techniques, making a sound platform for good health and a great life.
Melina Murphy
Melina Murphy is an experienced yoga teacher from the Mid-North Coast who combines her knowledge of nutrition and herbal medicine with her knowledge of bodywork through massage and yoga therapy to help her clients and students.
She has hosted festivals in the Nambucca area where she created a similar space to an Ashram where people could be with like-minded others in a beautiful natural environment. Her ability to create space to unite yoga traditions and connect with nature helps people refresh, renew and begin to break down old, unhelpful patterns.
She is an Artist whose passion is to assist people to love life and their bodies and will restore their sense of joy.
Clare Hattersley
Clare is an experienced Yoga teacher and a Creative Development coach. She absolutely loves facilitating alchemical transformations for her clients so they can create more of what they love in all areas of life – creativity, career, relationships, health and lifestyle.
Having practised various yoga styles for many decades, Clare teachers Holistic Hatha Yoga interwoven with elements of other styles and a meditative focus. A trained Art Educator and talented Artist, Clare has been exploring creativity throughout her life, and her heart sings when sharing yoga music with others.
Clare’s friendly smile will make you feel at home at our 2025 Annual Yoga For Good Retreat.
About your Hosts
Yoga For Good Foundation offers an annual retreat to all who love yoga and its value in our communities. We honour Yoga’s deep traditions and its emerging forms as a catalyst for change. Our Grant scheme and community classes support innovative programs and projects.
Swamis Retreat Centre is set in pristine bushland, and beautiful gardens in the Sydney hinterland.
We gather in a place where Yoga has been practiced for over 60 years. In a large yoga hall, you will experience the ambience of creativity, beauty and spirit.
Retreat Includes
| Welcome session | Connection with nature and the land, and a traditional yoga ceremony (Havan) with peace mantra chanting and music with singing (Kirtan). |
| Choice of 9 yoga classes over 3 days |
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| Special Sessions |
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| Time to relax and socialise |
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All classes and workshops are optional, and the facilities can be used anytime.
Book a massage in advance through Swamis Website or on arrival
| DATE & TIME | ||
| Full Retreat | Sun 21st Sept arrive at 3pm to Tues 23rd Sept depart 3pm | Three days, All meals and 2 nights’ accommodation |
| Sunday Retreat | Sun 21st Sept arrive at 3pm to 9pm | One day, All meals included (6hrs) |
| Monday Retreat | Mon 22nd Sept arrive early to 9pm | One day , All meals included (13hrs) |
| Tuesday Retreat | Tues 23rd Sept arrive early to 3pm | One day, All meals included (7hrs) |
| PLACE | One hour drive North West from Sydney on Bushland acreage at 183-185 Pitt Town Road, Kenthurst, NSW 2156 Welcome to Swami’s Yoga Retreat – Swami Sarasvati |
Retreat facilities include comfortable share room accommodation with ensuite and Glamping or Camping option Located in North West Sydney area, towards Windsor and near Dural on the edge of the National Park |
| WHAT TO BRING | Your own means of Travel, Personal Yoga Mat & other accessories, Water Bottle. Favourite Art materials | Payment for Massages as necessary Walking shoes, Swim ware, warm clothes for outdoors |
PROGRAM
| TICKET PRICE | ||
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Single Room |
Two-nights accommodation, all meals, full retreat facilities | $795 |
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Share Room |
Two-nights accommodation, all meals, full retreat facilities | $595 |
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Single Glamping |
Two-nights accommodation in a single glamping tent with separate bathroom, forest view, all meals, full retreat facilities. | $550 |
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Share Glamping |
Two-nights accommodation in a shared glamping tent with separate bathroom, forest view, all meals, full retreat facilities. | $450 |
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Camping |
Own tent or Camper Van, Two-nights, all meals, full retreat facilities | $450 |
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Sunday Pass |
Full program which includes all meals, full retreat facilities | $120 |
| Monday Pass | Full program which includes all meals, full retreat facilities | $295 |
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Tuesday Pass |
Full program which includes all meals, full retreat facilities | $195 |
Tickets are non-refundable but trasferrable
Schedule
Sunday 21st September
| 3 – 4pm | Arrival check-in and Warming Chai |
| 4 – 5pm | Dru Yoga & Welcome |
| 5 – 6.30pm | Delicious vegetarian buffet |
| 6.30 – 8.30pm | Welcome to Country, Havan, Kirtan |
| 21:00 | Mauna (Silent reflection) |
Monday 22nd September
| 06:00 | Optional Self-guided Yoga / Meditation Practice |
| 6.30am | Wake up Bell (3 bells) |
| 7 – 8am | Restorative Yoga and Meditation |
| 8 – 9am | Walking Meditation with Yoga |
| 9 – 10am | Warm Breakfast |
| 10am – 10.45am | Welcome – Special Guest Talk & Practice |
| 10.45am – 11am | Morning Break – Fruit |
| 11am – 12 midday | Q & A – Yoga and Creativity |
| 12 – 12.30pm | Yoga Nidra |
| 12.30 – 1.30pm | Wholesome lunch |
| 1.30 – 2.30pm | Talk & Practice – Yoga and Creativity with Rishi Diwali |
| 2.30 – 3pm | Afternoon Herbal Tea and snack |
| 3 – 4pm | Workshop – Yoga and Creativity |
| 4 – 5pm | Free time – spa, sauna, swim, massage, continue artworks |
| 5 – 6pm | Live Online Community Class – Ryoho Yoga (quite strong) |
| 6 – 6.30pm | Breathing Practices |
| 6.30 – 7.30pm | Delicious vegetarian dinner |
| 7.30 – 9pm | Grantees Stories & music around the firepit |
| 21:00 | Mauna (silence) |
Tuesday 23rd September
| 06:00 | Optional Self-guided Yoga / Meditation Practice |
| 6.30am | Wake up Bell (3 bells) |
| 7 – 8am | Hatha Yoga and Meditation |
| 8 – 9am | Walking Meditation with Yoga |
| 9 – 10am | Warm Breakfast – Check Out of Room |
| 10 – 11am | Workshop – Art and Yoga Tratak |
| 11am – 12 midday | Partner Yoga |
| 12 – 1pm | Wholesome Lunch |
| 1 – 2.15pm | Mantra on the Energy Centres |
| 2.15 – 2.30pm | Afternoon Tea Break and Fruit |
| 2.30 – 3pm | YFG Wrap-Up + Sharing & Closing Circle |
| 15:00 | Time to Go Home |
Yoga For Good Annual Retreat 2025
Immerse yourself in Yoga and creativity to cleanse your physical, energy, mind and spiritual bodies. The Spring Equinox is the perfect time to re-set after winter and align your head, heart and hands for the months ahead.
Learn from experienced Rishi Yoga Diwali on how to use the sacred symbol of the Sri Yantra for balance, unity and growth.
Artwork: “Sri Yantra’, by Moira Nirvana Gordon
It’s a great time to plan to cleanse after Winter and prepare our systems for Spring by exploring the ancient Yoga Tantra practices of Yantra for inner purification.
The eyes are the lamp of the body, and when you discover the yoga knowledge of symbols, your whole being lights up with more energy for the days ahead through increased mindfulness of the senses.
Join this exceptional retreat to stay centred and enhance your ability to flow with the changing seasons. Be part of a Havan fire ceremony with mantra and Kirtan singing of Mantras with music to inspire creativity.
At our last retreat, attendees enjoyed:
“The variety, the wonderful environment, the fantastic teachers, the amazing participants, and the length of the retreat all worked well.”
“A healing retreat for healers with a high standard of techniques to learn, excellent networking opportunities, and genuine loving people.”
Artwork: “Sri Devi’, by Rishi Yoga Diwali
Testimonials
Our sole mission is to create opportunities to do good for others through yoga.
And we’re making an impact.
A huge thank you to the Yoga For Good Foundation...
…for their incredible contribution to our Life Now Yoga and meditation programs!
This generous donation will mean we can buy new yoga equipment, run a new yoga class in Broome, and enhance our meditation program for cancer patients and their primary carers.
Cancer Council Western AustraliaSending out gratitude to the Yoga for Good Foundation.
Their grant is enabling me to offer FREE trauma informed therapeutic movement and relaxation to frontline mental health and social services staff in Bega.
Participants are really valuing the time out for themselves and experiencing integrated poly vagal theory. And I get to be in a teaching space, yay!
PremKranti CounsellingThe generous grant we've been awarded from the Yoga For Good Foundation...
…allows us to reach more underserved and vulnerable community groups who can benefit from a trauma-informed yoga and embodied mindfulness practice at zero cost to the participants.
Some of the community groups we’ll be serving in the current months include 000 Foundation, Men’s Walk and Talk and WAGEC.
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