“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.”
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
This mantra perfectly expresses my most heartfelt desire in life.
For decades I traveled around the world seeking to deepen my spiritual understanding. My global pilgrimages led me to start practicing yoga and meditation in 1999 through the direct linage of Paramahansa Yoganada of SRF who wrote Autobiography of a Yogi.
From those early stages of my emotional and spiritual journey I have gone on to learn from many traditions under some of the profound spiritual teachers of our time Ram Dass, Caroline Myss, and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, to eventually be initiated as a Kriyaban yogi into this sacred linage of Kriya Yoga. I am a certified Traditional Hatha Yoga & Meditation Teacher which is the study the authentic original ancient teachings of the eight limbs of Yoga, as set out by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and the Vedas.
Then in 2000, I studied with Coach U to become a life coach and worked with individuals and provided corporate life coaching workshops throughout Australia and SE Asia.
Through my own journey, I discovered the importance of a retreat in its historical form, where people would temporarily leave behind life’s distractions for a period of time to allow relaxation, exploration and self-reflection to facilitate an inner transformation.
At the core ‘Goddess Retreats’, is my mission to create physically, emotionally and spiritually transformative retreats, that are accessible and meaningful for the modern woman.
A place to, not only have a healthy holiday, but to renew in an environment with the intention of holding a sacred space for a potentially life-affirming and life-changing experience. A place where a woman can reconnect with her empowered inner Goddess.
I created Goddess Retreats to be a very special self-care experience. I feel privileged to have been able to create a space where every woman can explore the joy and freedom of being fully themselves. Seeing women begin to glow, as the tension melts away and deep levels of peace, ease and spontaneous joy arise. I am infinitely grateful for the continued opportunity to help others discover a deeper purpose, happiness and self-empowerment.
Surf Goddess Retreats – The World’s First Women Only Surf & Yoga Retreat
Goddess Retreats as it is enjoyed today, also came from humble beginnings that have evolved, alongside myself, over two decades. The original inspiration for my first retreat came to me one day while basking in the glow of a post-surf sunset with my friends in Bali. We all agreed the best times in our lives have always been when we were simply hanging out in the surf with the “girls”.
At the time ‘surf camps’ and ‘surfaris’ around the world catered almost exclusively for men, and a handful of surf schools were just starting to exist world wide. At the time it was still very challenging for women to get introduced to the wonderful sport of surfing in a supportive environment. Because of this I didn’t find my opportunity to learn to surf until I was 27, so I wanted to make the fun and camaraderie I now shared with my surf sisters in Bali available for all women to enjoy.
When I first created ‘Surf Goddess Retreats’, there were only rustic surf camps. The tended to be housed in simple hotel accomodation or even grass huts, with no aircon, cold showers and the reward of a cold beer at the end of a day of surfing on open water reef breaks, often in remote areas.
In 2003, I began teaching women to surf with a handful of surfboards and a dream I was wildly passionate about. Couple those elements with my experience working as a corporate life coach, my personal spiritual journey into yoga and meditation through traditional retreat settings and my desire for luxurious feminine touches that women would appreciate… and the first ‘surf and yoga retreat’ was born!
By creating the first women’s ‘surf and yoga retreat’ I am thrilled to have contributed to making surfing accessible to women of all ages, shapes, sizes and backgrounds. Today, in my 50’s I am still and example of not having to fit the media’s image of a ‘surfer girl’ to have incredible fun riding waves.
Years later in 2008, I created Bali Goddess Retreats, our wellness and cultural centric retreat for our sisters who’d like to have a blissful experiences in Bali outside of surfing.
Our continual evolution led to offer Surf Goddess in new locations like Sri Lanka and Costa Rica, Dive Goddess Retreats for scuba divers in the Philippines, Snow Goddess Retreats in skiers and snowboarders in special destinations around the world like Japan.
In 2014 introduced our Fitness Goddess Retreat program and most recently Wellness Goddess retreats that focus on both the inner and outer renewal.
All of our offerings are about holding a place where women can treat themselves to a healthy dose of fun balanced with a transformative journey.
My deepest wish for you is to awaken, inspire and celebrate the Goddess within you…and that you shine your Goddess glow brightly in the world.
Namaste,