A carefully held three-day retreat in fasting, heat, movement, rest and nature.
The Exhale is an invitation to step away from the usual pace of life and enter a simpler rhythm.
Over three days, we will work with fasting, sauna, gentle movement, meditation, silence and time in nature to create space for rest, reflection and a deeper relationship with the body.
The retreat is deliberately structured.
Clear protocols provide the container; your own experience unfolds within it.
Accommodation & pricing
$550 Single room, shared bathroom (includes all retreat activities, juice/broth, final meal)
$470 Twin room, shared bathroom (includes all retreat activities, juice/broth, final meal)
THE FAST
The fast begins on Thursday evening, with participants preparing by eating lightly on Wednesday and Thursday.
During the retreat, participants will choose from a supported fasting protocol of:
water
herbal tea
fresh juice
nourishing broth
Participants will be encouraged to drink regularly throughout the day, approximately every two hours, according to their individual needs and agreed protocol.
Preparation, hydration, pacing and reintroduction of food are treated as important parts of the fast — not simply something that happens around it.
HEAT, COLD & BODY PRACTICE
Sauna is an important part of The Exhale.
We will work with structured sauna sessions, including three 20-minute sauna rounds within each session, with appropriate rest and hydration between rounds.
Optional cold immersion in the river will be available for those who wish to participate.
Dry brushing, gentle yoga, somatic movement and embodied practices will support participants in staying connected to sensation, breath and the changing experience of the body.
Participation is always responsive to the individual. There is no requirement to push through physical warning signs or compete with anyone else's experience.
THE RHYTHM
Friday — Arrival & Release
Arrival, settling in and orientation. We begin together, establish the container and introduce the practices that will carry us through the weekend.
Movement, sauna, rest, cacao and gentle dance create the rhythm of the first evening.
Saturday — Silence & Deepening
Saturday will be held largely in silence.
Meditation, yoga, embodiment, teaching, sauna, nature and periods of unstructured rest allow the experience to deepen.
There will be space to walk, reflect, sleep, be still and simply notice what emerges when there is less to take in.
Sunday — Receive & Bring In
We take our time returning to movement and conversation.
The fast concludes with a carefully held shared meal, followed by reflection, sharing and a final Bringing In Ceremony.
The intention is not simply to leave something behind, but to recognise what has become clearer — and what you are ready to bring home.
THE CONTAINER
The retreat is held within clear agreements around:
hydration and fasting protocols
sauna pacing and recovery
individual choice and physical limits
rest and sleep
silence
respectful communication
emotional support and self-regulation
gradual reintroduction of food
care for the land and the retreat environment
You will be guided through the practices and given information to help you make informed choices about your participation.
You do not need to have a particular emotional experience. There is nothing you need to perform, achieve or prove.
The invitation is to listen carefully, stay present and allow the weekend to unfold.
A NOTE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
Fasting and intensive heat exposure are not appropriate for everyone. Participants will receive preparation information and a health/suitability screening before attending.
The Exhale is not a medical treatment or a substitute for medical care. Where there is uncertainty about whether fasting, sauna or cold immersion is appropriate, participants will be asked to seek appropriate professional advice.
WHAT WE ARE MAKING SPACE FOR
The Exhale is ultimately about space.
Space between stimulus and response.
Space between an old habit and a new choice.
Space to hear the body.
Space to feel.
Space to rest.
And perhaps, within that space, the beginnings of a different way of living.
Meet Your Host
Anneliese has been teaching yoga for more than 20 years, and for the past six years has been holding spaces for fasting, cleansing and deeper body practice. She is a body enthusiast, a dancer, and a practitioner of yoga and Pilates.
Her work is grounded in a deep curiosity about the intelligence, resilience and possibility of the human body. She is passionate about creating bodies that will live long and prosper. Strength, mobility and resilience are at the heart of her practice — building bodies that are capable, adaptable and ready to meet life.
At the heart of her work is embodiment: coming back into relationship with the body, learning to listen, and creating the conditions for something to shift. Anneliese cares deeply about how people experience themselves in their bodies. She creates spaces where people can soften, let go of what they are carrying, and meet themselves somewhere quieter and more honestly.
The Exhale brings together many of the practices she has spent years exploring and teaching: fasting, sauna, movement, breath, rest, stillness and connection. Her role is not to prescribe what someone's experience should be, but to hold the container, guide the practices and stay attentive to what is needed along the way.
Anneliese considers herself a servant to the work of embodiment — and it is a privilege to share that work with others.