September 22, 2021
world wellness weekend 2021
Written by Emily
As a leading wellness destination on the Mornington Peninsula, we are committed to supporting the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of our guests, staff, and the broader community.
We are pleased to have been able to take part in the annual celebration of World Wellness Weekend for the fourth consecutive year, offering a complimentary virtual program to support and encourage growth, resilience, and connection. Our series of inclusive online workshops and musical performances, designed to uplift, inspire, centre and ground all participants were led by inspiring and engaging local practitioners, identified as leaders in the wellness space.
If you’d like to catch up on these offerings in your own time, be sure to visit our YouTube channel or below where all content is now available.
Disclaimer: Please note that when participating in online exercise classes, you are doing so at your own risk. Activities may not be suitable for those with pre-existing injuries, illnesses, or pregnancies. Please consult a health professional before participating in any online programs.
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virtual wellness offering
**sunrise yidaki meditation with uncle lionel lauch **
Rise with the sun and immerse yourself in a guided Yidaki (didgeridoo) sound healing meditation with Lionel Lauch from Living Culture. Lionel is a proud Gunditjmara Kirrae Wurrung – Bundjalung man and a skilled and practiced healer. Allow the powerful sound vibrations of the Yidaki to bring you into a deep and grounded state of relaxation.
**meet the host: uncle lionel lauch, @livingcultureltd **
Lionel is a Gunditjmara Kirrae Wurrung – Bundjalung man, who has lived on the Mornington Peninsula since he was six years old. Passionate about his cultural heritage and people, Lionel embraces the opportunity to share his knowledge of the land and educate others about his culture.
**sweat session and meditation with nat diconza **
Join personal trainer, mindfulness coach and Lululemon Sorrento ambassador Nat Diconza for a sweat session to boost your heart rate, improve cardiovascular fitness and build strength at home. Nat will guide you through a full-body workout, focusing on joint stability, coordination, and lactic threshold. Having worked up a sweat, Nat will then lead you through a cool down, including a mini meditation that will focus on simple breathwork and visualisation.
**yin yoga, taoism and the harmonising power of journaling with jane hone **
Learn about the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism while practicing yin yoga poses that balance your energetic pathways (meridians) and release muscular tension. We will dive deeper into the concepts of the Tao, yin and yang and what it means to harmonise with nature and its seasons, and then conclude with some introspective journal prompts to further cultivate yin energy. This session will invite you to reflect on both the physical and the spiritual.
**meet the host: jane hone, @magicspaceyoga **
Jane is a freelance writer and yoga teacher (specialising in yin yoga) who has trained in both India and Australia — including with yin yoga pioneer Sarah Powers. She's deeply interested in philosophy and in questions about how we can live slower, more awakened lives. watch the video
**ayurvedic practices for longevity with sarada from organic india **
Sarada will guide you through a 30-minute workshop centring on the sacred, spiritual, and restorative nature of yoga and tulsi tea. Prepare a cup of your favourite blend of soothing ORGANIC INDIA Tulsi Tea or herbal tea of your choice as you begin to wind down for the evening. Sarada will provide you with a series of nurturing and nourishing yogic and Ayurvedic practices that you can take away and incorporate into your daily routine.
**meet the host: sarada, @organicindiaofficial **
Sarada (Sally Martin) is a naturopath, herbalist, yoga teacher & mum currently travelling around Australia with her family. She works for Organic India Aus and is passionate about healthy, conscious living. Download a copy of Organic India’s Tulsi and Yoga e-book here.
**live music performance from our artist in residence, sianna lee **
Sianna returned to the song form and experimented with synthesisers in the creation of brand new musical works. For World Wellness Weekend she performed a short set of new material from her home studio live to Peninsula Hot Springs Facebook.
**meet the host: sianna lee, @sianna.lee **
Our third Peninsula Hot Springs Artist in Residence is Sianna Lee, a singer, songwriter, composer and guitarist from Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula. Sianna has been playing and writing music for over 20 years. Her musical style is raw and elemental, while her songwriting explores notions of self doubt, desire and the contingent moments of life, loss and love.
**sunrise hand pan meditation with dan byrne **
Be immersed in the hypnotic sounds of Dan Byrne from D2Soul ’s hand pans and crystal harp, as he welcomes the sun from his home studio.
**meet the host: dan byrne, @cymatic_harmony **
Dan Byrne from D2Soul has been a regular performer at Peninsula Hot Springs over the last couple of years. He creates healing sonic meditations and soundscapes with his hand pans and crystal harp.
**the art of qi gong with dan woodley **
Find balance through movement as you mindfully explore a series of grounding & powerful postures with host Dan Woodley. Just 30 minutes of this moving meditation can help set the flow for your day ahead. Suitable for all levels of experience as variations and modifications of the poses are offered in every class.
**meet the host: dan woodley **
Dan is a mindfulness practitioner who specialises in the transformative power of breathwork, hot and cold immersion therapy and the ancient art of Qi Gong. Dan is a dynamic wellness host and advocate who guides guests through a range of signature wellness activities at Peninsula Hot Springs.
**slow flow yoga class with yvonne pert **
Explore the wisdom of yoga through a gentle flow with experienced teacher and host Yvonne who will guide you through a mindful, physical practice and provide you with simple breathing and meditation techniques to calm and steady the mind. This class will leave you feeling open, focused, and relaxed.
**meet the host: yvonne pert **
Yvonne is a highly experienced yoga and meditation teacher who specialises in hatha and vinyasa flow yoga. She has a grounding, nurturing style that leaves you feeling calm, supported, and aligned. Yvonne is a passionate wellness host and advocate who guides guests through a range of signature wellness activities at Peninsula Hot Springs.
**how nutrition affects your gut, brain and wellbeing with resident naturopath and nutritionist, freya lawler **
Join Freya to explore how the gut and mind are intimately linked and what we can do in our own kitchens to optimise our gut x brain connection to enhance resilience and support immunity. This conversation will connect the dots between how best to support and nourish ourselves during lockdown and beyond. Follow along with Freya as she walks you through how to make a nutritious, quick and easy gut healing smoothie.
**meet the host: freya lawler, @freyalawlernaturo **
Freya is a Melbourne based naturopath, nutritionist, and natural fertility educator specialising in holistic wellness and functional nutrition for optimal wellbeing. Using a combination of pathology and clinical symptomology, Freya is particularly passionate about working with women’s health, gut, skin and hormone health.
**mantra and meditation with nataraj chaitanya **
Join Nataraj Chaitanya for an immersive experience into the heart of sacred sound. Through Sanskrit mantra, yogic philosophy, and meditation, Nataraj will guide participants into an uplifted state of consciousness. The devotional practice of kirtan, call and response chanting, is an ecstatic way to calm the mind and open the heart and will be accompanied by classical Indian instruments, played by Nataraj and the kirtan band.
**meet the host: nataraj chaitanya, @nataraj.chaitanya **
Nataraj has immersed himself in the teachings of yoga and tantra since he was 13 years old and has since gone on to lead yoga and meditation retreats, workshops, kirtan and teacher trainings all over the world. He has inspired countless seekers to take up a spiritual practice and has dedicated his life to bringing the wisdom of yoga to everyday life.
**ambient sound journey with spud thompson **
Spud Thompson’s ambient soundscapes are inspired by his upbringing in rural Victoria surrounded by beaches and bush. We were pleased to have Spud play a short live streamed set from his home studio to close our World Wellness Weekend celebrations.
**meet the host: spud thompson, @spudthompsonmusic **
Mornington Peninsula local musical creator Spud Thompson is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and emotive vocalist whose work runs the whole gamut of human emotions; improvised sonic soundscapes painted with more familiar ballad, folk roots and synthesized electronica colours and textures.
