This retreat was crafted to bring you the tried and tested practices of yoga and ayurveda. These practices will invite you to open your heart and mind and bring your own essence to light.
For the tired, overwhelmed, and depleted, these retreats will both nourish and inspire. Illuminated by the teachings of Mother India, these retreats are crafted to show a more heart-centred and connected way of being. A container where you can completely let go and be nourished.
We will feed you, inspire you, and give you plenty of space to rest and connect with nature and your body.
Is this retreat for me?
This retreat is for every-body. From the daily practitioner to the complete beginner. No matter your level of fitness or experience with yoga, you are welcome here. We aspire to create a welcoming space where everybody can find a sense of community and belonging. Where lifelong friendships can be forged and layers of physical, emotional, and mental heaviness can be shed.
What will we do on retreat?
The practices we share are yin and vinyasa yoga, meditation, and pranayama (breath work). We practice twice daily, morning and evening.
Our Byron Bay retreats feature cacao ceremony, tea ceremony, sound bath, and philosophy chats.
Our Bali retreats feature a ceremony with a local Balinese priest, a water temple ceremony, and workshops with Cat and Heidi.
All of our retreats include free time where you will have the space to rest, enjoy a massage or treatment, and relax by the pool or local waterfalls.
Your experience will extend well beyond the length of the retreat as the practices, connections, and inspiration will continue to nourish your life going forth.
RASA LILA
CEREMONIES
-
A tea ceremony is a meditative practice that encourages mindfulness, connection, and appreciation for the present moment through the ritual of tea drinking. Inspired by the ancient tradition of Cha Dao, or the "Way of Tea," each ceremony invites participants to slow down, cultivating an atmosphere of calm and reflection. This simple, intentional ritual fosters a deep connection to nature, oneself, and the community around, turning tea into a medium for inner peace and clarity.
-
An intrinsic part of Rasa Lila Yoga Retreats is the focus on ceremony. Not ceremony in a dogmatic religious sense, but ceremony as a celebration of life. We practice ceremony in a format that sparks deep ancestral remembrance and joy. On our retreats we offer Sacred Chocolate Cacao Ceremonies which have their foundations in Andean Shamanism. This is a ceremony where participants will be able to learn and experience basic earth magic and Andean cosmology.
In the Global North we have collectively lost our connection to the natural world, we have lost our way. This is why it is important to reconnect with the seven directions and with the elements, ceremonially. We do this with the assistance of Theobroma Cacao (raw unprocessed chocolate paste).
It has been long recognised throughout the Americas that Cacao is a sacred plant medicine. She is an ally here to help us reconnect with our hearts. Because it is here through the portal of our heart that we are able to more deeply connect with ourselves and to the natural world.
The cacao brew is a symbol of the elements; the cacao symbolises earth, cayenne pepper symbolising fire, water for water, and the prayer we put into the cacao symbolising air. We use the cacao to reconnect to the elements both within and in the world around us; the focus is on opening our hearts and developing reverence for the natural world, which includes our own bodies.
THE MEALS
During your retreat stay you will be nourished with delicious organic whole food created using locally sourced ingredients - prioritising farmers that use regenerative practices. All your retreat eats are refined sugar-free, gluten-free (besides slowly fermented sough-dough bread) and dairy-free (except occasionally using bio-dynamic yogurt and homemade ghee) catering to all dietary requirements. Our caterers thoughtfully select every ingredient for your body and the earth. Eggs come from a local not-for-profit organic farm where the proceeds go towards reforesting and your food is cooked with coconut or cold-pressed olive oil.
We strive to create dining experiences that will inspire others to create a more meaningful connection with their food.
Our caterers achieve this by celebrating local and organic produce, supporting producers and growers that utilise regenerative forms of agriculture, taking inspiration from the natural world, celebrating Australian natives and championing new food choices. Showcasing what is possible with whole foods cooking through sharing - taste, and knowledge. Inspiring others to spend more time in the kitchen, getting back to basics by cooking more things from scratch.
We know that food is the gateway to our health and the health of the planet - we all benefit from nourishing this connection.
Our Byron Bay venue
Your magical retreat property is located where the sun’s first rays touch Australia - Byron Bay, famous for its iconic beaches and alternative lifestyle, and a hinterland made lush by volcanic soil twenty million years old. Here deep rainforests, stunning waterfalls, hamlets and farmlands share the hills and valleys and sparkling views of the Pacific.
Both Cat & Heidi have been fortunate enough to call the beautiful Northern Rivers home their whole lives, both born and raised here they spent their childhood, adolescence & following years in this magical region.
Your retreat stay is nestled in the hills twelve minutes outside Byron, the BlueGreen Sanctuary invokes this overflowing beauty into five acres of paradise. A haven that imparts serenity with its rolling lawns, terraces and nooks, swings in the rainforest and wild ducks on the lake. Or maybe it’s a yoga practice, feeding the alpacas or collecting eggs from the chook house that chases away any remnant stresses. Embrace the freedom, the space to be, swim and reconnect with nature.
The name itself drew inspiration from its surroundings: ‘blue’ from the huge sky, the distant mountains; and ‘green’ from the rainforest trees, the gentle sloping lawns, the macadamia and coffee plantations that cushion the boundaries.
The dream was to create a holiday sanctuary with a selection of accommodation options that merge with the environment and reflect the casual Byron Bay lifestyle. Handcrafted details enhance the sense of being part of nature; humble materials have been recycled, salvaged and re-imagined in unexpected ways that celebrate a spirit of creativity. A fusion of art and function, distilled to an ethos of simple luxury that nourishes the soul.
There are 3 different dwellings on the property BlueGreen Villa, BlueGreen House & The Loft.
BlueGreen Villa
Upon arrival, an ancient gong suspended over tumbling water, the sandstone archway and an aqua glimpse of the infinity pool encourage a casting off of all stress, to be replaced with deep calm and perhaps a quiver of anticipation.
You’re drawn into the castle-like features of the living room with massive timber beams, a pitched roof constructed from old bridge timber and a huge sandstone fireplace that reaches all the way to the rafters. All around are signs of creativity and the hand of an artisan in love with their craft – be it in pieces from Africa, or India, or the locally created medieval light, the ten-seater table made from recycled wood and iron bolts.
The living room spills out through antique Spanish doors to an expansive timber sundeck surrounded by a luscious tropical oasis and the beach-entry infinity edge pool with a wharf jetty.
Adjoining the pool deck the outdoor thatched Gazebo beckons with another huge fireplace is the perfect entertaining space for the cooler months.
The kitchen’s oversized concrete counter is great for concocting a feast with organic produce from the local honesty stalls. Dine indoors or out, or have a cosy picnic next to the outdoor fire.
The BlueGreen House
Through the huge entrance doors, the first glimpse of the pool tiled a dark sapphire and beyond, the verdant gardens and thatched gazebo poised over the lake, will take your breath away!
On the ground floor, the stainless-steel kitchen extends to an outside barbecue, then open-plans to the dining area and soaring ceiling of the living room. Sandstone surrounds the fireplace and the entire wall bi-folds open to invite in the balmy air and light of the sub-tropics.
The beautiful handmade kitchen with a butler’s sink set into the concrete counter, and integrated oven and stove top, flows into the open plan dining and living area, which includes a wood heater for cozy winters.
Testimonials
This retreat was so much fun! I booked a nourishing day for my birthday and it was so special and aligned.
I felt really welcomed by Cat and Heidi and the retreat offerings were divine. Rosie's wisdom was amazing, exactly what I needed to hear that day. The ice bathing was incredible and invigorating. The sound bath so relaxing. The yoga classes were excellent and it was so lovely to connect with so many people in a relaxed, peaceful setting. A wonderful highlight of a birthday! Highly recommend!” — Tanya
One of the greatest local experience I have been apart of, my mum and I did the full day retreat together and had the most amazing time.
The morning yoga was in the most spectacular room with a stunning view, all of the food was locally made with so much love and the massage and facial were the perfect way to reach ultimate relaxation. WOULD RECOMMEND and have to so many friends!! Thanks, ladies, love your work & I will be coming back. —Maddie
From the moment I opened the door at Rasa Lila Retreat I felt at home. I knew I was in the best hands with my favourite yoga teachers - Heidi and Cat.
If you ever get the opportunity of attending one of their retreats then without hesitation, say YES. Your body will love you and the beautiful soul that resides within you will be truly grateful.
Whether you are a devoted Yogi or are new to yoga, this retreat is designed uniquely for YOU being YOU. In our busy lives we seem to be governed with DOING rather than BEING however our primary goal in life is to BE.
What I really liked at Rasa Lila Retreat was the amount of free time we had in the afternoons to sit quietly in nature, go for a walk throughout the lush gardens, read a book, take a bath or simply chat with other like minded souls, it was an opportunity to return to self to love, nurture and nourish.
I'm already in anticipation for enrolling to my next Rasa Lila Retreat - It's the perfect opportunity to gift to yourself which in turn, is a gift to all!” — Carolina
I had the most beautiful time at the retreat I recently attended run by Cat and Heidi. It was so well organised and every detail was covered.
I loved the twice-daily yoga, it was just what my body needed. And I loved the free time in the afternoons - we were free to read, spend time in the sun, nap, and have a long bath. It was heaven! The food was superb. Everything was just perfect. I will definitely be signing up for another retreat. It was just what my soul needed! — Emma
Cat and Heidi's retreat Rasa Lila Yoga was truly an amazing and memorable experience.
As it was a first time for me in getting more in touch with yoga on a personal level. I'm so grateful to have been part of the experience they have to offer and support in my yoga practice. Truly recommend them to anyone wishing to develop in their Yoga — Alan
Double bed or king bed option, first in first served. Shared bathroom and living facilities with hand built tubs.
*By securing your place on retreat you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions. It is your responsibility to thoroughly read and understand clearly the Terms & Conditions which can be found Here.