What can guests expect when they embark on a wellness retreat at the Byron Yoga Retreat Centre?
Guests can expect to leave feeling more relaxed, refreshed and recommitted to healthy habits. Wherever you are on your wellness journey, Byron Yoga Centre will help you take the next steps. It’s also a beautiful opportunity to meet like-minded people — and your best self!
The wonderful thing about a retreat with Byron Yoga Centre is that you can set your own goals. For some it’s a well-deserved break with time to relax by the pool, walk on the beach and take it easy. Many come to begin or deepen their yoga and meditation practice. For others, it’s a total reset and refocus to nourish the body, mind and spirit. Nothing on the program is compulsory. You can join the early-morning flow yoga class, or you can sleep in. You can attend the afternoon Yin session, or you can take a bike and head to the beach.
Describe the different programs you have on offer.
Byron Yoga Centre offers seven-, five- and three-day retreats every week of the year. You can choose to book in for an extra night before or after your retreat program to make the most of your trip to Byron Bay. Every few months we offer a special Women’s Retreat, which is a deeply transformative experience of sharing circles, rituals and an exploration of the natural cycles women experience each month and in life.
The signature programs all follow the same daily timetable of pre-breakfast flow yoga, post-breakfast wellness session and a mid-morning alignment-focused yoga class. Afternoons are free time until 4pm (this is when your massages that are included in the package prices are scheduled) before a relaxing Yin or restorative yoga class. All the retreats include a sunrise walk to the famous lighthouse.
The longer programs have the full spectrum of wellness sessions such as the popular cooking demonstration, while the three-day weekend retreats offer the key workshops on philosophy and alignment.
What are the meals like at the Byron Yoga Centre and do you cater for special dietary needs?
The meals get rave reviews from guests. The fresh, healthy vegetarian food is designed to best utilise the seasonal produce grown onsite in the organic gardens. Byron Yoga Centre follows the principles of SLOW: Seasonal, Local, Organic and Without any processed foods. The kitchen also aligns its menu planning with the wisdom of Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga. All the food is vegetarian, but eggs can be purchased for breakfast. Mostly the meals are gluten- and-dairy free but when this is not the case, alternatives are offered. Other dietary requirements can be catered for. Coffee lovers are also catered for!
What are the rooms like at Byron Yoga Centre?
Rooms are comfortable and clean but fairly basic, reflecting the affordability of the price. The focus is on the natural beauty of the grounds and being outside in nature. You can choose from the very affordable twin-share shared bathroom or upgrade to a private room or ensuite option.
What does your pricing start at? Once guests arrive, are there any costs they need to budget for?
The three-day retreat earlybird price is just $660. This includes twin-share shared bathroom accommodation, all meals, the program and a massage. The only additional costs would be your coffees and cafe tab or extra treatments.
Is there any preparation guests should undertake prior to a visit?
Setting your own intentions will help you get the most out of a retreat. Often, just booking your place on a retreat will start the process of change.
Take your yoga practice to the next level
As well as wellness retreats, Byron Yoga Centre offers yoga teacher trainings. We speak to head trainer Marita Dortins about what you can expect from the centre’s range of trainings.
What can guests expect when they embark on a training program at Byron Yoga Centre?
Byron Yoga Centre was established in 1988 and has trained more than 3000 yoga teachers in its 30 years’ experience in running teacher trainings. Participants can be assured of a quality training that is steeped in traditional yoga practices. Founder John Ogilvie developed Purna yoga from his many years of practice in both Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga. Purna yoga is an alignment-based hatha yoga with intelligent sequencing. Purna means complete or whole and indicates that this yoga includes meditation, pranayama and philosophy as well as asana (physical poses). This style is ideal for those new to teaching as it draws on the classical hatha style and offers a comprehensive practice suitable for beginners to intermediate students.
Another key aspect of Purna yoga is that trainees are taught how to offer different variations for different levels of students and for those with injuries or limitations. With each pose, focus is on any contra-indications as well as the benefits and correct alignment.
The aim of Byron Yoga Centre’s 200-hour teacher training is to impart the knowledge of how to teach the key foundation poses of a yoga practice safely and confidently. To this aim, the trainings include practical teaching experience, with trainees taking part in teaching real public classes to develop their skills and confidence. Trainings also include all aspects of Purna yoga: meditation, pranayama and philosophy along with anatomy and teaching methodology.
Describe the training programs you have on offer.
Byron Yoga Centre offers not just the popular 200-hour Level 1 but also the 300-hour Level 2, which leads to a 500 RYT certificate from Yoga Alliance. You can also choose from a whole range of special courses such as Yin, Restorative, Remedial Yoga, a Meditation Course and Trauma-Aware Yoga. This means Byron Yoga Centre will be with you for every step of your yoga journey, whether that’s the teaching path or as a lifelong student (or both!). Many participants in the trainings are there to further their own knowledge while others join to progress their teaching skills.
Are meals included in the training component of your program or is this something guests will need to source themselves?
Byron Yoga Centre does run some part-time non-residential courses in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne that are studio-based, with no accommodation or meals included. The residential trainings at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre are all-inclusive of accommodation,meals, training program and manual. This makes them a very affordable option for such a quality training.
Standard accommodation is in quad-share cabins but upgrades to twin, private and ensuite rooms are available. The menu of fresh, nourishing meals is inspired by the seasonal produce that comes straight from the onsite organic gardens. The food is a highlight of the trainings, and so too are dips in the heated mineral salt swimming pool.
When you are doing long hours on an intensive training, it is a wonderful bonus to be staying onsite, to be nourished with delicious food and enjoy your breaks relaxing by the pool or heading to the beach for a quick dip.
What skill level do you require course attendees to have prior to commencing their teaching?
Byron Yoga Centre asks that participants in the 200-hour course have at least two years’ yoga experience and that they have established a home practice. There is no requirement to have a desire to teach — you can join the course if you just want to dive into yoga beyond asana.
What does your pricing start at? Once guests arrive are there any costs they need to budget for?
The 200-hour all-inclusive residential courses start at $3550 for the earlybird price for a 12-day course. This option requires some post-intensive online work and additional teaching experience. The 20-day option starts at $4750 and participants can expect to graduate at the end of the intensive and leave with their Level 1 200 Hour certification.
Is there any preparation trainees should undertake prior to a training program at the Byron Yoga Centre?
Byron Yoga Centre sends out pre-course preparation requirements six weeks before the start of the 200-hour and 300-hour courses. This includes a link to a sequence of the poses you will be learning to teach so you can practise these prior to the course. You are also asked to learn the Sanskrit names and to undertake some background reading.
Byron Yoga Centre does have a Flexi Learning option for both courses, where more experienced practitioners can progress with online units before attending the residential component. This is for those who are keen to start a training but are not yet able to commit to the residential dates.
Contact details:
Ph: 02 6685 8327
Address: 50 Skinners Shoot Road, Byron Bay 2481
Website: byronyoga.com
Socials: @ByronYogaCentre
