Aro Ha Wellness Retreat — Local services in South Island

I have just completed a 5 day retreat at Aroha and have have been nurtured, nourished, and navigated towards wholeness in the most compassionate, therapeutic environment imaginable.

My small post lockdown group of strangers became a glowing, and connected community that shared their goals and vulnerabilities in such a courageous, warm and empathetic unit that we were able to grow and thrive together.

This time of monumental change is forcing us as a race to reassess our priorities and practices, and in it’s painful and challenging way providing an opportunity to create a whole new paradigm of existence.

Aroha has an indescribable magic that enabled us to truely and safely explore the deepest crevices of thought, the scary, clunky, embarrassing, roadblocks in our heads that sit just beyond our immediate accessibility.

The hikes into the exquisites native beach forest, the expansive view of lake Wakatipu with surrounding mountains, and the superbly designed immaculate campus provide the backdrop to self exploration and introspection.

Every meal is a work of art and you can taste the love that is is poured into every masterpiece. The Aroha room is a place of movement for the body and mind. It’s clean simplicity drew us into a state of supported safety we we laughed, cried, stretched, played and danced in both our minds and bodies. Tha spa is sublime and every massage therapist seems to have an innate sense of tissue and what it needs to heal.

Above all this, it is the people though that create the magic of Aroha. Damian and Paula have brought together a unique community of enlightened, engaging and evolving humans who just seem to know what is needed and want is not, with impeccable timing and grace. I cannot thank them enough, I have never been in such a therapeutic environment.

We left with our gates open.

Dr Kathryn...

A truly special wellness retreat. |Outstanding in every area, location, food, service, experiences and over the top staff. ||Warrior One yoga with Dustin and Nova from Melbourne, was the star of our 8 day retreat, very closely followed by a caring and inspirational staff lead by the head honcho Damian. ||The kitchen chefs are unbelievably good, producing outstanding vegan food of amazing variety. ||Servings are graded 1-4, 4 is a lot, I dropped to 3, 2 is standard. ||Be prepared to walk, ‘ tramp’ as the Kiwis say, some amazing trails. Usually about 3-4 hours and some hills are steep! All levels are ok, as the fast ones on the return pick up the slower hikers and all return about the same time.||Daily massages, spa, sauna, cold pool, yes it’s great for tired legs!, yoga, games and an entre to mindfulness.||The only minus would be for two couples sharing the shower and bathroom between the two rooms. ||Time flew by, lasting friendships made as spirits and hearts opened to infinite possibilities....

A truly special wellness retreat. |Outstanding in every area, location, food, service, experiences and over the top staff. ||Warrior One yoga with Dustin and Nova from Melbourne, was the star of our 8 day retreat, very closely followed by a caring and inspirational staff lead by the head honcho Damian. ||The kitchen chefs are unbelievably good, producing outstanding vegan food of amazing variety. ||Servings are graded 1-4, 4 is a lot, I dropped to 3, 2 is standard. ||Be prepared to walk, ‘ tramp’ as the Kiwis say, some amazing trails. Usually about 3-4 hours and some hills are steep! All levels are ok, as the fast ones on the return pick up the slower hikers and all return about the same time.||Daily massages, spa, sauna, cold pool, yes it’s great for tired legs!, yoga, games and an entre to mindfulness.||The only minus would be for two couples sharing the shower and bathroom between the two rooms. ||Time flew by, lasting friendships made as spirits and hearts opened to infinite possibilities....