The greatest remedy for prolonged lockdowns and social distancing is here:
A Wilderness immersion like no other, delving deep into the art of authentic connection.
Checkout this video captured on our 2023 journey:
Come join us and rediscover :
Yourself
During our Morning Wellness Sessions, showcasing ancient techniques for body-mind-soul alignment
While being supported to process big emotions and actively reflect on your life, your longings, the stories you carry and the strategies you use to meet your needs
And by nurturing your body with delicious, fresh, local, organic food
Your sense of Community
Through Daily Nonviolent Communication practice to deepen connection
Immersed in the joys and challenges of communal living, as we travel downstream as a tribe carrying everything we need to survive and thrive and live a simple nomadic co-existence
3 sessions post-trip and a buddy practice to support reintegration into your home life and all the complexities that involves
Your connection to Nature
Plenty of rivers, rapids and remoteness - we'll take you places you can only get to by canoe
Wilderness campsites with more than 5 stars
Fresh air to breathe, fresh water to drink, trees to hug and creatures to admire
Opportunities for growth, some planned and others emerging from the unpredictable nature of travelling through the wilderness
Trip Details
Our holistic paddling adventures for adults are designed to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul.
6 days, 5 nights of compassionate connection including….
Daily sessions to facilitate and deepen our Nonviolent Communication with qualified NVC facilitator Kate Raffin
Qualified & experienced Whitewater Instructors & Guides to keep you safe on the water
The brief:
Being in canoes creates a platform for a much more intimate understanding of self and the water. It is not like the gun-ho, guided experience of a rafting adventure. Instead boats are paddled in pairs, facilitating an opportunity for participants to develop trust, communication and understanding with their canoeing partners, as well as experiencing first hand the outcome of their paddling decisions.
The Nymboida & Clarence Rivers have a safe drop-pool style, so capsizes and mistakes are harmless fun, and there is ample room to collect our wits and process our experiences in the calm pools below.
The retreat will be facilitated by Kate Raffin, Tegan Cork & Laura Stampa.
Prior experience
The prerequisite for this retreat
Arriving with some understanding of NVC helps people to benefit from each moment of the retreat (not just the sessions). Kate will offer us all an experiential style of integrated practices that support learning NVC in ways that are lively, relevant, engaging and deeply enriching.
To qualify, come join one of Kate Raffin's upcoming intro courses:
Kate is also running an online ONGO group this year.
NVC trainers Bridget O'Donnell from Restore Connect and Alistair Mckinnon from Conscious Directions both also offer training and have joined us on our previous Compassionate Canoe Journeys, so they will have extra insights to offer you directly related to their experience.
For a list of other trainings, go to www.nvcaustralia.com
Alternatively Mukti runs a great Connection essentials online course, a good option for if you are trying to squeeze in some experience before January!
Nonviolent Communication (NVC), was founded by Marshall Rosenberg in the 1960s. It is grounded in consciousness, language, communication skills, and uses of power that enable us to remain connected to everyone’s humanity, even under trying conditions. Nonviolent Communication contains nothing new: all that has been integrated into NVC has been known for centuries. The intent is to remind us about what we already know – about how we humans are meant to relate to one another – and to assist us in living in a way that concretely manifests this knowledge.
Do I need to be super fit?
To get the most out of the adventure, it's great if you have a reasonable level of aerobic fitness and upper body/core strength (able to sit and paddle for 3-6hrs) as well as a willingness/preparedness that you may fall out of your canoe and float down a rapid or two. It's helpful if you are able to walk on uneven, slippery surfaces at times, sometimes dragging or floating a canoe with other team members if a portage (walking around a rapid) is required. In saying this, we are able to modify and support additional needs, so contact us if you have any questions on adaptation.
A great attitude and open-mind will set you up for success