Welcome home to yourself – Embodying the Divine Feminine with Bhavna Nagar

Accommodation: Rooms are mainly curtained cubicles with shared bathrooms. A limited number of single rooms/cabins/cottages are available at a surcharge – please see our FAQ page for surcharges and explanation how this works.  Bedding can be hired for $20.00., but is ideally only requested by those flying to the retreat as we have limited laundry capacity with a solar powered washing machine

Meals: The kitchen team will provide delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals. Please indicate on the registration form if you have any food allergies or special dietary needs. Please ring us to discuss your allergies/intolerances if your needs are complex. There is a $10 per day surcharge to cater for special diets.

*Please note: Single Accommodation, Bedding, and Special Diet Surcharges are payable directly to Te Moata so please pay online once your requests have been confirmed with you.

 

Testimonials

Bhavna is so much fun!  She delivers an exciting and uplifting programme. She changes the way you see the world and yourself. Highly recommended to those without retreat and mindfulness experience. Bhavna knows how to make you feel safe, comfortable and protected while learning practical tools to apply to transforming your life. L. J. M. R.

I DO know that I am not the same person anymore. The Universe forced my hand because I could not – would not – acknowledge my inherent worthiness. For decades I subjected myself to the worst kind of abuse. I convinced myself I was unworthy, broken, flawed, ugly, that I didn’t belong, and that I didn’t matter. I criticised, berated and betrayed myself every single day.
Somehow, as I grew up and ventured out into the big, wide world, I’d become my own worst enemy, without even realising it. I didn’t need a bunch of drugs and all kinds of medical “professionals” reinforcing the message that something was wrong with me. What I needed – and it’s so obvious now – was to become my own best friend. More than anything in the world, I needed to learn how to first accept, and then love Amy. Last week I followed through on a promise I made to myself in December, and spent four days at a silent meditation retreat on the Coromandel Peninsula. The focus of this retreat was self love.I was so anxious in the days leading up to it. I wasn’t sure if I would cope. I almost didn’t go. But somehow I got myself to Tairua, and then I got myself to Te Moata, and then I participated in every single practice that was required of us – even the ones that made me feel really uncomfortable. And I survived. Over those four days every trace of anxiety and doubt in my body melted away. I slept blissfully. I spent hours silently meditating on health and love. I reconnected deeply with the Earth. I let go of my old stories, literally flinging them into the fire. I peeled and chopped vegatables. I danced with the other women. I laughed. I cried (a lot). I healed. Above all, I drove away from that retreat feeling like the absolute freakin’ Goddess that I am. I want to offer my love and thanks to: Bhavna Nagar of Alive! Psychology for birthing and facilitating the retreat. Your offering is truly life changing. Medicine for the heart, mind and soul. Te Moata for providing us with the most nurturing and healing space to do this work, along with fresh, healthy, soulful food to nourish us on our journey.  The 16 other courageous women from all walks of life who journeyed with me. I honour and celebrate each of you warriors. It was a privilege to share this profound experience with you. Me! I honour myself for finding the courage to face the shadows head on, breathe through the discomfort, and give myself what I need to #BecomeAmyAgain. On this day (3 April 2021) I can quite honestly say: “Amy, I love you, and I forgive you for all the years of self abuse. The time has come to acknowledge the truth of who you are, and unashamedly, unapologetically shine. ” Amy Robin – https://www.facebook.com/BecomingAmyAgain/

About Bhavna

I am a South African of Indian heritage. I moved to New Zealand in January 2008 looking for a change.

In 2003 I qualified as a Clinical Psychologist and worked in South Africa at a forensic psychiatric hospital for three years.  During this time I also ran the psychology program in an inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Unit.

Since 2005 I have been actively practicing mindfulness. This entails regular sitting practice, attending retreats and having monthly mindfulness supervision with my teacher.  I found it has had a profound impact on my life resulting in me enjoying life more fully.  I have a Mindfulness Talk on Radio Kidnappers which can be heard on Tuesdays at 1:05pm or podcasts are available on my website: www.alivepsych.co.nz

Since 2009 I have been incorporating Mindfulness-based Therapy in my practice and I have seen astonishing improvements in clients who practice mindfulness on a regular basis.  Alive! Psychology now offers mindfulness retreats, enabling participants to have a deep experience of mindfulness and to facilitate healing.

In 2012 I started my own business, Alive! Psychology, duly named because of my passion for life.

I believe life needs to be experienced fully. To “exist” or “get by” is not doing life justice. Through therapy and mindfulness I found my passion for life and discovered the ability to live life fully with all it has to offer – the good and the bad. This is what I want my clients to experience – to find their way of reconnecting with life and expressing who they are fully. This is the basis of the Self-Love Approach, which is a way of life that emerged from my own mindfulness experiences and has been transformed into a therapeutic approach.

From the Self-Love Approach perspective, depression/anxiety (and other mood states) are understood to be a natural response to living in a self-abusive relationship.

In essence Self-Love is about changing your abusive relationship to yourself to a more loving way of being. The map and tools contain ways to stop the verbal, psychological and physical abuse so many of us unconsciously do, as well as teaching how to build a healthy relationship to yourself.

The Self-Love approach gives skills that work, are easily integrated into daily life practices, and complement other therapeutic approaches.

 

 

Testimonial

Bhavna is so much fun!  She delivers an exciting and uplifting programme. She changes the way you see the world and yourself. Highly recommended to those without retreat and mindfulness experience. Bhavna knows how to make you feel safe, comfortable and protected while learning practical tools to apply to transforming your life. L. J. M. R.