This 7-day 6-night retreat is an opportunity to cultivate self-acceptance, self-compassion and self-power. Set on the healing southern coast of Sri Lanka, Ratnakara is a sweet secret escape where you wake to the song of birds and the sound of waves. This retreat provides a sanctuary fit to unravel the hold of obligations and expectations and drop fully and lovingly into yourself. A beautiful blend of contemporary psychological wisdom, ancient yogic philosophy and Buddhism will be interwoven into our practices.
Ratnakara provides glorious suites to sleep in, with varying sleeping setups (single, double, twins, triples). All have either a luxurious bath or jungle-style shower. The house has the first-ever cantilever pool in Sri Lanka, multiple pools side nukes and coves, a roof terrace, a garden, living spaces and a guest kitchen (separate from the chef's kitchen). Your views are into the jungle, and onto the Indian Ocean. A short walk takes you to a rocky cove or walk for 10 minutes to a little fishing beach. (A proper lay-around holiday-style beach is a 5-minute tuk-tuk away and beginner surfing can be found in 20 minutes in either direction from Dondra)
Investment From £1400
Return to Sri Lanka Retreat - Key Information YOU CAN REGISTER HERE
(We’re keeping this simple and will add to this page to meet your needs and answer your questions.)
This 7-day 6-night retreat is an opportunity to cultivate self-acceptance, self-compassion and self-power. Set on the healing southern coast of Sri Lanka, Ratnakara is a sweet secret escape where you wake to the song of birds and the sound of waves. This retreat provides a sanctuary fit to unravel the hold of obligations and expectations and drop fully and lovingly into yourself. A beautiful blend of contemporary psychological wisdom, ancient yogic philosophy and Buddhism will be interwoven into our practices.
Ratnakara provides glorious suites to sleep in, with varying sleeping setups (double, twins, triples). All have either a luxurious bath or jungle-style shower. The house has the first-ever cantilever pool in Sri Lanka, multiple pools side nukes and coves, a roof terrace, a garden, living spaces and a guest kitchen (separate from the chef's kitchen). Your views are into the jungle, and onto the Indian Ocean. A short walk takes you to a rocky cove or walk for 10 minutes to a little fishing beach. (A proper lay-around holiday-style beach is a 5-minute tuk-tuk away and beginner surfing can be found in 20 minutes in either direction from Dondra).
Link to my friends Crystal & Rob doing a super cheesy video
Nourishing Sri Lankan Meals are provided by our in-house chef. These are vegetarian or fish meals with all ingredients sourced locally. Dietary needs are catered for. The guest kitchen is huge, you can keep your own snacks, specialist foods and drinks here, and often guests gather around the kitchen island. This is a bring your own booze venue (Washanth, the house manager loves making real and virgin cocktails)
Costs: max £1600 /$2080 To cover costs I'm looking for 10 Yogis paying a total of £1600/$2080 for a 7-night retreat. As soon as we reach more than 10, the cost will be reduced.*
A non-refundable deposit of £500 is requested on booking. The balance should be paid no later than 8 weeks before the start of the retreat, we are happy to set up a payment schedule. A single supplement, should you wish, will be applied 8 weeks before the retreat*. A payment schedule can be set up. Terms and conditions are provided below. Bringing a non-yogi? No problem, friends, parents, partners or children can join us at a reduced rate!
Included: Accommodation, all meals, morning yoga, post-yoga coconut water straight off the tree!, 3 afternoon workshops, 1-1 coaching, Each guest will receive the gift of a guided journal, which includes 150 pages of questions, teachings and inspirational imagery to invoke self-enquiry.
Not Included: Flights, travel insurance, airport transfers, local transfers, local activities such as paddle boarding, surfing, elephant safari, entrance fees to temples.
Getting to Ratnakara: Address is Wawwa Beach Road, Dondra , Sri Lanka
Flights should be booked to arrive in Colombo. Transferred can be arranged. Flights currently cost between £1600-£2000 per person. Sri Lanka is fully open to everyone for tourism. No Covid testing or proof of vaccine is required. Everyone is required to complete an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving.
Example schedule:
Day 0
Guest arrival times will be varied, so we will offer a gentle evening practice and meditation after dinner.
Day 1-6
Sunrise- 7.30 am. Noble silence & coffee
7.30 am Pranayama & Asana Pracitce
10 am Nourishing Sri Lanka Breakfast.
1 pm Light lunch
3 pm day 2,4,6* - Afternoon workshop
6 pm Evening Meal
9 pm Meditation
10 pm quiet hours.
*workshops are optional and free afternoons give guests time to explore beaches and towns locally.
New Year's Eve details will be designed based on guests' wishes.
Day 7
Self-practice will be offered to those who wish, travel arrangements will affect this day so we keep it flexible- you may also wish for a lay-in!
*Responding to your questions, or more information about the retreat
Travel before or after retreat, advise where to stay, what to visit? You may wish to extend your stay in Sri Lanka, we have amazing friends who can advise, assist or even drive you around all there is to see in Sri Lanka. Our friends Bianca & James can help contact them here.
More about the villa, staff, and security. Thre is a great team at Ratnakara, many of whom Ive worked with before. They are led by a great manager, Wsantha, whom I know well and trust to take great care of guests. Other staff include a live-in chef, house staff and night watchman. The villa is somewhat remote, with secure access only. Wasantha lives in the village and knows everything going on. We have a great relationship with the villagers and they will also take great care of our guests.
Single occupancy. The suites are designed for sharing. The team at Ratnakara can move beds and rework the sleeping arrangements, thus, we will only be able to confirm single options 8 weeks before the retreat commences. Based on this information, we will calculate the single supplement, as above, once we have essential costs covered, prices are reduced with every guest who registered. You can assume a single supplement is £1400, with the likelihood of being less as we get closer to the retreat.
Children /Families. I have a young family , it’s important you know my daughter will be on site and we welcome other children where we can accommodate them.
There are lots of other retreats in Sri Lanka, what's different about this one? I don't think you can pick a bad retreat, and you will end up on the perfect retreat for you. Ive led every type of retreat over the years and found a community, co-produced event to be suitable for those guests who want to join me. This is why some of our pricing and program details may evolve, as we make sure you are taken care of, barriers are overcome and you feel safe with me.
HOGMAY! Im Scottish, I love New Year! But I appreciate it's not for everyone, the whole retreat is designed to create space to bring in the new year- through practice, journals and a great community of people in the same palace at the same time! So, once registered, I'll connect with you on what you’d like to do for NYE- there are lots of options at Ratnakara and locally, both at a cost and for free.
Alcohol. We are planning on being a low-alcohol retreat- because a beer or a G+T at sunset, or one of Wasatha’s cocktails on NYE can really help with unravelling the hold of obligations and expectations and drop fully into your week with us.