Life Purpose Retreat
Discover Your True North
Life purpose retreats are suitable for:
Those looking for more than a light getaway, delving deep within to find their raison d'etre
People in a transition phase looking for fresh perspectives and possibilities for their next chapter of life
Those needing time and space to explore themselves, identify latent talents, unused passions and gaining clarity around their values and direction
People wanting to reconnect with themselves, reflect on their life, make wise decisions and undergo personal transformation
Those who enjoy a holistic approach to self-discovery and would benefit from a range of modalities and tools
Find Your Purpose Retreat
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The Surrounds
Work inside or take time outside in the elements to soak in birdsong and nature
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The Space
A tranquil, restful space with bushland views and access to starry skies
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Local Walks
Chase waterfalls after dark on a local spectacular floodlit night walk in Katoomba
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Local Waterfalls
Our retreat centre is within walking distance of healing Mini Ha Ha waterfall
Finding Yourself Retreat
Testimonials
This was a wonderful experience that I’d highly recommend. Such a unique and fantastic opportunity to do a bit of ‘soul searching’ and put things into perspective. Marcus is a gifted facilitator and has a wealth of insight. After the time spent here (which is so warm and welcoming) I feel like I have a better vision for where I want to focus my energies and move forward in this crazy journey of life! If you’re looking for a bit of motivation, direction, or just some ‘time out’ to re-energise, this is a really wonderful opportunity!
- Katie M
My girlfriend and I did the two day retreat. It was both informative and transformational. We felt comfortable and at ease as soon as we arrived. It felt as though we were hanging out with old friends. I received answers I was searching for, confirmation that I was on the right path, and discovered my life’s purpose. I am so grateful for the experience, highly recommend it and will no doubt be back myself!
- Sonja L
Here is a space where you feel seen, heard and safe to address whatever it is you want to look at or discuss. I came for the life purpose retreat to help get a clearer idea of what I truly want to work towards. I left the retreat feeling calm and confident and with a better understanding of what is important to me. I highly recommend this retreat for anyone who is wondering what they want to do with their life and passions and how to get there.
- Hannah D
Retreats To Find Your Purpose
Program Outline
Day One
Morning Sessions 9:30am - 12:30pm
The French use the term raison d'être to speak of a person finding their reason for being. The Japanese describe this as one’s ikigai and believe each of us needs to find what it is. This session will help you find the overlap between the things you love, what you’re talented at, the needs of the world & the realities of the marketplace.
Mid Morning Session
As the rational mind can only take one so far, you’ll have an intuitive counselling session which includes a tarot reading to add further clarity. Carl Jung felt that tarot and the universal symbols it offers unveils the unconscious to relay important messages regarding our life’s purpose which our conscious minds often overlook.
Lunch 12:30pm
Afternoon Sessions 1:00pm - 4:00pm
You can choose between looking at adult development passages to explore what the central themes and challenges are in relation to your age and the quest for a higher purpose and living meaningfully.
Alternatively, you can receive a numerology reading for deeper insights when it comes to discerning your life’s purpose. Typically, career guidance looks at one’s inherited values from family and culture. From the metaphysical perspective, we each have a soul’s blueprint outlining the lessons we’ve chosen to work on and our talents to develop and share with the world. Much of the frustration people feel in terms of their careers stems from following conditioning rather than tuning into one’s authentic path.
Waterfall Walk (Optional) 4:00 - 6:00pm
Should the weather and your energy levels be accomodating, you can use this time to take in a nearby bushwalk to our local waterfall.
Alternatively, you might indulge in some art activities or enjoy one of the more physical activities we host (mountain biking / stand up paddleboarding).
Dinner 6:30 - 7:30pm
Enjoy a home cooked, organic meal or travel out to try one of Katoomba’s local dining facilities.
Evening (Optional) 7:30pm onwards
There are a range of optional evening activities for you to enjoy, such as listening to or reading poetry, life stories, or enjoying a thought-provoking film or inspiring documentary. Other options include self-guided meditation and yoga.
Day Two
Breakfast 8:30am
Enjoy a homemade breakfast, tea or coffee on the verandah whilst the kookaburras and other local birds sing.
Morning Sessions 9:30am - 12:30pm
The North American Lakota Sioux used the Medicine Wheel to help identify their purpose. They taught that we are born with a primary preference, or direction on the wheel and spend our lives walking the wheel to gain the wisdom of the other directions. Through understanding your innate preference you are better equipped to work in harmony with your strengths and find flow to channel your life purpose.
Mid Morning Session
You can deepen your exploration of vocational themes during this session or alternatively, undertake an optional session breathwork to help counter the rational mind and work through blockages, outworn beliefs or trauma stored in the body which impede us from achieving our potential.
Lunch 12:30pm
Afternoon Sessions 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Astrology complements numerology as a metaphysical science in the same way that physics complements chemistry as a natural science. Exploring your astrological chart completes your understanding of your soul’s blueprint and what you've come here to do.
Alternatively, you can choose any one of the activities previously mentioned as an optional activity.
Mid Afternoon Session
Our final gathering will be a counselling session to tie all the threads together and will involve a career guidance and planning session in order to activate the understanding you’ve gained and form a plan to begin working towards expressing your life purpose and aligning who you are with what your life expresses.
Cost: $590 for a 2 day purpose retreat. $50 off for a weekday program.
$850 for a 3 day, deeper dive.
Inclusions: Our retreats include accommodation, meals, workbooks, counselling and activities.
Optional session of bibliotherapy. Learn more about our bibliotherapy service.
Location: Katoomba, Blue Mountains NSW.
Your Facilitators
Click on the + sign below to learn more about the backgrounds of the counsellors you’ll be working with
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Ginny created Break Your Shell to assist people to move through the blockages, fears and limiting beliefs that keep them from spreading their wings to soar.
Her training in guiding and supporting others began with her hairdressing career, informally coaching, listening and offering support to the thousands of clients she came to know both in Australia and while working abroad.
After navigating a crisis period (where she had to take control of her life and steer it in a healthier direction) she found her calling to work with people who were also ready to reclaim their life. In addition to following Buddhist practices and doing extensive studies in self-development, she complimented this with formal studies in Youth Work, Community Services & a Bachelor of Social Work.
Finding Breathwork to be a particularly transformative form of healing she has done extensive training in it and continues to deepen her practice. Taking an intuitive approach and allowing herself to be a channel for higher realms to work through, Ginny has found a gifting for interpreting the messages offered by tarot cards, working as a spiritual healer and for being a clear vessel for the collective unconscious to work through.
She has found the more that clients commit to their inner work, the greater is the transformation that follows. This has led her to offer retreat experiences that involve two days working intensively with her as well as two-day programs where she shares the facilitation with Marcus.
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Marcus Dabb had been always drawn to personal development before having a turning point when he came across the notion of the hero’s journey.
After reading Jim Styne’s book about it, Heroes: A Guide to Realising Your Dreams, he recognised that working as a public servant for the taxation office was probably not living out his highest potential.
His higher education in teaching was complemented by his time working in employment services, recruitment, outdoor education and the TAFE always with a view to helping people discover and develop more authentic vocational paths.
Finding the courage to walk an alternative career path - one fraught with self-doubt and other obstacles - began a journey that led to his current focuses, A Different Drummer - Career Counselling, Polaris - Soul Blueprints & and Writes of Passage Retreats - Personal Development Retreats.
Having worked closely with many people to help them find their sense of vocational fit and career bliss he found greater illumination was available through the metaphysical sciences of numerology & astrology.
He utilises both mainstream and esoteric tools to give people a holistic understanding of their career journey.
After running a wide variety of workshops in Australia and overseas he launched his retreat initiative in the belief that contemplation, nature, carefully curated ideas and guidance from someone who has been through the ordeals of the hero’s journey, is the ideal means for people to look at life with greater possibility and unearth their own dormant potentiality.
Quest For Life
The Importance of Finding Your Higher Purpose
Arjuna Ardagh spoke about the transformation that occurs within people as they begin living out their unique expression, rather than the blueprint offered up by society. He called these people translucents:
A translucent person appears to glow as if from the inside. It's as though they've been lit up from inside and they appear to emit light...
Arjuna argues that this effect comes from being transformed by an awakening. Awakenings come in all manner of ways. Some find it through an ayahuasca retreat or psychedelic experience. Others through a nature based vision quest, meditation retreat or a spiritual belief system that revolutionises their way of seeing the world. Our philosophy is that translucence is deeply linked to tuning into one's higher purpose or calling in life.
Mythologist Joseph Campbell broke down the human journey into two fundamental parts saying:
The meaning of the Grail and of most myths is finding the dynamic source in your life so that its trajectory is out of your own center and not something put on you by society. Then, of course, there is the problem of coordinating your well-being and your virtue with the goods and needs of the society. But first you must find your trajectory, and then comes the social coordination.
Our life purpose retreat takes a mind, body and spirit approach to help you clarify your centre, or clearly define your purpose (your trajectory).
Upon doing so, you’ll find it easier to then marry your passions with what the world needs (the social coordination).
Essentially, finding practical expression for your gifts.
Leave The Wasteland & Find The Source That Makes Everything Green
This retreat will provide integral clues on your life purpose and a new motivation to take action, learn by doing and refine the ideas into a clear direction that is nuanced & specific.
"You are being presented with a choice: evolve or remain. If you choose to remain unchanged, you will be presented with the same challenges, the same routine, the same storms, the same situations, until you learn from them, until you love yourself enough to say “no more”, until you choose change. If you choose to evolve, you will connect with the strength within you, you will explore what lies outside the comfort zone, you will awaken to love, you will become, you will be.” - Creig Crippen
Finding the Still Point of the Turning World
Slowing down, being in nature and paring away from one’s busy life allows you to tune into the wisdom of the body, the subconscious and the collective unconscious. As the following quote suggests, stilling oneself not only leads to finding your centre but better recognising the authentic self of others.
“Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine within yourself so that you can hear it in others.” - Marian Wright Edelman
Meaningful Exchanges And Sharing
We adopt a person-centred approach, moving away from the traditional role or therapist and client — toward a process that allows you to use your understanding of your experiences as a platform for clarity.
“We have much to learn from within, but it is easy to get lost in the labyrinth of the inner life. We have much to learn from others, but it is easy to get lost in the confusion of the crowd. So we need solitude and community simultaneously; what we learn in one mode can check and balance what we learn in the other.” - Parker J. Palmer
Blue Mountains Retreats
“Great things are done when people and mountains meet;
this is not done by jostling in the street.”
- William Blake
Take in a local stargazing tour at night
Rejuvenate in the Blue Mountains natural wonders
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