Wilderness Retreat in South Africa
future dates tba
South African-born Ecopsychologist, Megan de Beyer and International Yoga Teacher, Mary Tilson invite you on a wilderness retreat in the heart of South Africa.
The sacred, ancient landscapes of Bobbejaanskloof Nature Reserve will be our home for the retreat, located on the edge of Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route, hidden amongst the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. This charming farmhouse sits amongst dramatic private wilderness featuring indigenous fynbos, old forests and sweeping plains.
The daily schedule will include yoga & meditation classes and workshops with Mary, nature immersions and deep meditation journeys led by Megan de Beyer. Our Private Chef, Maya will be returning to prepare her vegetarian wonders - three delicious, plant-based meals per day. Body Stress Relief treatments will be available for booking with Jonathan and Rain, magical performances by Sean Borland and a few extra surprise delights.
“Authentic living embraces the interplay and discourse between the inner personal journey, the external world and the wider environment, which includes the natural world.”
Bobbejaanskloof Farmhouse
From the moment you arrive, there is a feeling of coming home.
Designed in the local vernacular style and built to give the impression that it’s always been there, the farmhouse has those deep stoeps that face onto unimaginably distant views. The walls are washed a bone colour, shuttered sash windows are a contrasting mahogany, and the roofs are tin.
We will come together family-style for three nourishing, home cooked meals per day.
An outdoor-lover’s haven…
With jeep track paths for mountain-biking, hiking routes for those who want to head down into the kloof, and a running path of 12 km. There is a swimming pool, dedicated yoga space, infrared sauna and small gym. The farm has it’s own soccer or touch-rugby field too.
If you are feeling contemplative, there are botanical gardens to savour, a nursery abundant with succulents, and endless viewpoints on which to linger.
Meet your hosts
Mary Tilson
Yoga Teacher, Retreat Leader & Passionate World Traveler.
Mary has a warm, accessible nature that immediately puts her students at ease. She brings with her an impressive training background, studying under master teachers including PranaVinyasa with Shiva Rea, Yoga Medicine with Tiffany Cruikshank, Advanced Training with Yandara Yoga Institute and residential ashram stays in India and Nepal which have rooted her in Yoga as an ancient Science of Living.
Mary served as the Head Yoga Teacher at Hariharalaya Retreat Center in the Cambodian countryside, and has led retreats, trainings and service projects throughout Southeast Asia, Central America and Africa. To learn more, click here.
Megan De Beyer
Ecopsychologist & Retreat Host
Drawing on an MA (Psychology), MSc (Holistic Ecology) and 20 years’ field experience, Megan aims to promote new ways of seeing old problems.
“Authentic living embraces the interplay and discourse between the inner personal journey, the external world and the wider environment, which includes the natural world. Finding the balance between the inner and outer world is important for self awareness and self growth. From this viewpoint, maturing involves a process of widening one’s sense of self and identifying with others – family, friends, communities, our own species, and then all species of non-human life.
Humans exist in a relational total field. Rather than experiencing humanity as separate from environment or merely existing in it, humanity must begin to cultivate the insight that they are with the environment.”
To learn more about Megan, click here.
Melissa Brake
Yoga Teacher
A previous and repetitive neck injury sustained from dancing and then subsequent double back fusion surgery, led Melissa to Pilates to strengthen both her back and neck. The results and subsequent interest in the Pilates Method led to the teacher training in London. After relocating to Cape Town in 2001 Melissa opened a studio in Constantia, teaching private and group classes. She also began to practice and develop a life long passion for Yoga and gained her Yoga Teachers Alliance Certificate with Jim Harrington. Combining elements of both Yoga and Pilates has become essential to Melissa’s own personal practice and for her teaching. Yogaway Yoga & Pilates Studio was born in 2007 from this desire. Melissa believes the strong core work from Pilates and the lengthening and stretching from Yoga is the foundation for a completely rounded training for the body. With this intention of understanding the individual body, we have created at Yogaway a place for you to re-connect and heal.
Melissa is delighted to be guiding some of the sessions at beautiful Bobbiejaanskloof and her classes for this retreat will be Slow Flow Vinyasa Yoga combining elements of all the above.
Inclusions
Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes with Mary & Melissa
Daily nature immersion exercise with eco-psychologist, Megan De Beyer
Mindfulness Workshops
Three delicious, healthy meals per day by our Vegetarian Chef (garden farm to table)
Accommodation in the Bobbejaanskloof Farmhouse
Optional Activities
Visiting Practitioners to offer Body Stress Relief, Reflexology, Thai Massage
Local Healers to offer Reiki & Crystal Healing, Kinesiology, Shamanic Journeys
Game drives, horse riding, use of bicycles for exploring the breathtaking surroundings
Trips to the Beach
Please use the form below for any questions about the retreat!