Flow Into Freedom Retreat
"ko au te awa, ko te awa ki au"
I am the river and the river is me

Nau Mai Haere Mai
To A Transformational Retreat

Nestled in the heart of nature at Waihōanga Retreat Centre, this immersive experience invites you to reconnect deeply with yourself and the land. Through the ancient power of the sweat lodge, the heart-opening essence of cacao, the profound release of breathwork, movement and the profound silence that is gained through sound healing. We create a space for healing, renewal, and transformation.

The Sacred Sweat Lodge — The Womb of Mother Earth

A Gateway to Rebirth

At the core of this retreat sits the sweat lodge, an ancient purification ritual practiced for centuries from our brothers and sisters of the First Nations. The sacred ceremony allows you to release physical, emotional, and energetic blockages through deep heat, breath, and intention. The lodge sits beside the river, offering the perfect contrast—intense heat followed by an invigorating cold plunge in the flowing waters of te awa o Ōtaki.. This practice fosters clarity, resilience, and a profound connection to wairua ~ (wai = water, rua = two. Meaning where body and spirit meet)

Benefits of the Sweat Lodge Experience:

• Purify the body through deep sweating

• Release emotional burdens and stagnant energy

• Cultivate mental clarity and spiritual insight

• Strengthen resilience through contrast therapy (heat + cold river immersion)

• Connect with nature, inner wisdom and community

What's included

Step into a sacred space of deep healing, connection, and renewal. This all-inclusive retreat at Waihōanga Retreat Centre offers a powerful blend of ancient and modern wellness practices, all set in the lush, tranquil landscape of Ōtaki.

EARLY BIRD All Inclusive $750 per person

Two Daily Yoga Sessions – A combination of dynamic, grounding, and restorative yoga, including Pū ĀIO yoga, through a Te Ao Māori lens, Vinyasa and Yin.
Soma Breathwork & Cacao Ceremony – A guided heart-opening cacao ceremony paired with Soma breathwork, fused with a Te Mauri o te Hā visualisation, transported with puoro, traditional Māori instruments to prepare for the sweat lodge, deepening your connection to self and spirit.
Sweat Lodge Experience – A powerful purification ritual guided by an experienced facilitator, combining deep heat therapy, intention setting, and cold river immersion.
Cold River Immersion – A refreshing contrast therapy practice to regulate the nervous system, enhance circulation, and awaken the senses.
Pranayama & Meditation Practices – Daily breathing techniques and meditations to calm the mind, increase vitality, and cultivate presence.
Plant-Based & Gluten-Free Kai – Vibrant, nourishing meals crafted to support your body throughout this transformational journey.
Sound Healing Therapy Sessions – A deeply immersive experience using harmonic frequencies, singing bowls, and soundscapes.
Shared Accommodation – Women share with women, men share with men, and we can accommodate couples and private group bookings

Booking Form

Wood-Fired Sauna

While our traditional sweat lodge is weather-dependent, this magical sauna project ensures you can still access the profound benefits of heat, no matter the conditions. Heat therapy supports circulation, muscle relaxation, stress relief, and deep cleansing, making it the perfect complement to our retreat’s breathwork, sound healing, and river swims.

Experience the deep healing of heat therapy with our wood-fired sauna, a new addition to our wellness retreat in Ōtaki.

The Vision

Our Vision: The Sacred Dance of Balance & Renewal

Our Sweat Lodge experience is a journey of rebirth, purification, and deep remembrance—an ancient ceremony that guides you back to the essence of who you are. This sacred space mirrors the womb of the Earth, a place where the masculine fire meets the feminine waters, where breath and heat soften the body, releasing what no longer serves.

Through breathwork, sound healing, yoga, and cacao ceremony, we weave together the energies of Shakti and Shiva—the feminine flow and the masculine presence. The intensity of the Sweat Lodge cracks us open, dissolving barriers, while sound vibrations ground and soothe, restoring harmony within.

This is a space of surrender and awakening, where the fire purifies, the breath liberates, the sound anchors, and the cacao connects. A place where you come to sweat, pray, sing, and be held in the rhythm of nature’s balance—emerging lighter, clearer, and deeply attuned to yourself and the world around you.

The Space

Waihōanga Retreat Centre

Tucked away in the lush greenery Waihōanga Retreat Centre offers a tranquil sanctuary for deep rest and transformation.
Beautiful Yurt: Some of our nourishing offerings will be held in this sacred space.
Shared Accommodation: Comfortable, cozy, and designed for connection and rest.
Riverside Location: Wake up to the sound of birdsong and the soothing flow of the river.
Nourishing Kai: Indulge in vibrant, plant-based, and gluten-free meals crafted to nourish and sustain you throughout this powerful journey.

You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the ocean in a drop

~ Rumi

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