OH! Magazine - Australian Version September 2015 | Page 36

( Where, Oh Where? )

room at QT to sample the spa on my
balcony. Immersing myself in a hot tub
while overlooking the mountains of Falls
Creek was one of those ‘wow’ moments
that I’ll never forget. Typically, I find it
quite difficult to wind down but Rachel’s
words rang in my head. She’d told me,
‘Di it’s not always about doing whatever
you can do; sometimes it’s about what
can’t you do’ and ‘Extreme activity also
needs extreme rest.’

Not only do Rach and Bill run yoga,
massage and meditation classes and
workshops, they also organise mountain
biking, running and whatever other
activities you might like to try your hand
at. They are very focused on tailoring
activities to the specific needs of
individuals, families or groups. Check
out www.fallscreekretreats.com for more
details.
Day 3

Post-soak, my afternoon consisted of
hiking up to Ropers Lookout with Rach,
where we practised our yoga postures
while overlooking the alpine mountains.
Ropers Lookout boasts great views to
the village and surrounding high
country and I absolutely loved it. Rach
told me to memorise the view so I could
recreate the sense of calmness that I
was feeling at that moment and anytime
in the future, simply by recalling the
landscape in my mind.
Rachel’s passion for Falls Creek is very
clear. A Brisbane girl, Rach has now
lived in the area for 16 years. The idea
of setting up a yoga retreat and sharing
it with others was a longtime goal and
once she found Bill, it all started to pan
out. ‘My intention is to follow my passion
to help people reconnect, revive and
come alive in a beautiful place. It’s a
place to be challenged, to explore the
space of silence, let things come up,
share the experience with others, and
then let it go.’

36

SEPTEMBER 2015 ( OH! MAGAZINE )

I wake up feeling rested, comfortable,
with a quiet mind and wait for it… I want
to go to yoga! I’m looking forward to
hearing Bill’s calm voice and I crave the
silence. This time though, instead of
trying to hide at the back of the class,
with a busy mind wishing I was trail
running, today I move to the front. I feel
like I’m in the zone, like I’m about to
achieve a personal best in yoga! Even Bill
is impressed with my focus and excellent
strength (okay, he didn’t actually say he
was impressed with my strength).
After breakfast, I finally get to hit the
trails and it’s been worth the wait! The air
is fresh, clean and crisp and the scenery
is breathtaking. Out of habit, I hit START
on my Suunto watch, which monitors my
kilometres and pace but after half a
kilometre or so I turn it off, opting to walk
parts, sit on some rocks, and take photos
along the way. In fact, I completely forget
about my pace and distance and simply
enjoy my surrounds.

After my time on the trail, I experience a
‘Nine Directions Meditation’ with Bill
and Rach, followed by a ‘Sound Therapy
Chakra Chimes Meditation’ with Rach.
Both mediations have me feeling even
more relaxed and in my own world. I find
them both very powerful and without
effort, I start visualising things that I
need/want to release or change in my life.
Rach also asks me to write a letter that
addresses everything that’s on my mind.
She say’s she’ll take the letter and mail it
to me as a reminder of where I’m at. She
reminds me that sometimes it’s easier to
have clarity by taking a step back and
looking at it from another angle, which
can be really hard to do at the time when
you’re entrenched in it.
As my time with Falls Creek Retreats
draws to a close, I’m sad to say goodbye
to Rach and Bill and the Falls Creek
locals who made me feel so welcome.
I’ve already made up my mind to return
though, as there is a lot more of Falls that
I want to explore!
A big thank you to Jo from Falls Creek
Resort Management (www.fallscreek.
com.au), Julien from Falls Creek QT
(www.qtfallscreek.com.au), and of course,
Rach and Bill from Falls Creek Retreats
(www.fallscreekretreats.com).