Our End-of-Year Retreat is a cherished time for our entire Yoga Teacher Training cohort. A weekend to step away from everyday life and immerse deeply into practice, community, and nature. This year, we gathered at the Glen Eden Estate in Broke, a breathtaking property nestled in a valley embraced by mountains. Thirty of us, teachers and soon-to-be graduate teachers, shared the space together.
The land held us with its quaint cottages, a large farm shed that became our yoga shala and ceremonial space, curious goats wandering past from time to time, and warm evenings filled with the sounds of insects, frogs, and an endless canopy of stars.
When we arrived on Friday, the air buzzed with both nerves and excitement. After settling in, our first students stepped forward to open the weekend teaching their yoga class. These classes bring together the whole year of learning, inner growth, and personal expression. Over the three days, every trainee taught their class, each offering a radiant expression of who they are and the wisdom they’ve grown into.
Something truly powerful happens in this moment: students who weren’t sure they could ever teach a full class stand before the group with confidence, heart, and clarity. It is one of the most transformational parts of the year, and we are always in wonder and awe to witness this unfolding for each student.
Here are a few of the amazing classes that were taught over the weekend:
✨ Melissa shared her connection to Country, guiding students with wind-like chanting, an interconnected tree-pose sequence, and rhythmic use of clapsticks to connect her class to Prana, sacred land, and its traditional custodians.
✨ Jade spoke about her journey as a new mum and her search for balance. She helped her students find balance in breath, in postures, and in the mind.
✨ Olena expressed her passion for accessible yoga through a Chair Yoga class exploring strong poses like warrior and side-angle, alongside gentler twists and forward bends.
✨ Kerensa guided her group through a journey of the Chakras, weaving each energy centre into yoga poses and closing with a beautiful meditation.
✨ Alessandra dedicated her class to her “Aussie mum,” honouring their bond through a Lakshmi-themed practice connecting to the divine feminine.
These are just a handful of the 23 beautiful and heartfelt classes taught throughout the retreat. We are immensely proud of every single student. Each class was a testament to the profound transformation they’ve undergone, arriving at the start of the year unsure, and emerging now with newfound awareness, confidence, and inner light.
Alongside the classes, the weekend held many deeply meaningful moments. On the first night, Sarah and Maranda offered a nourishing yoga nidra and sound healing in the shed, acknowledging the spirit of the land and grounding us into the earth. Following, Deepa opened our retreat circle as each student placed a sacred item on the altar, honouring who had supported them through the year and anchoring themselves into the space.
Beyond the ceremonies, students braved their very first ice bath, whilst others enjoyed sunrise sauna sessions or cooling off in the pool. One of our students, Olena, lovingly created an art station where we could drop in throughout the weekend. In her words:
“Dabbling in water colours feels like a quiet meditation – soft washes, gentle accidents, moments of light. An experience of daydreaming with a brush – watching pigment bloom and dissolve on wet paper.”
We were nourished by the incredible vegetarian meals cooked by Renee, a beloved Yogic Wisdom graduate who pours her heart into the food she creates for us each year. As always, every meal was absolutely divine.
To close the retreat, we gathered in a final circle. Each student shared the transformation they had experienced over the year. We had stories of personal hardship eased by the support of the cohort, of learning far beyond the physical practice, of unravelling layers of the self they didn’t know were there. Many shared how confronting yet healing the journey was; how the training held them through challenges; how they discovered their voice, their gifts, and their path. Some already have teaching opportunities waiting for them as they graduate.
It was an outpouring of gratitude, connection, and love and the perfect closing to an extraordinary year!
