Creating a personal ‘sacred’ space is an integral part of establishing an effective meditation practice. Most children inherently claim some space in their world and make it their own. Whether it is their bedroom, a cubby-house or under a bush, it belongs to them. It’s where they go when they want to think and make sense of life. As adults, most of have lost the ability to find a physical or emotional space to regroup. But if you are looking to support your meditation practice, reclaiming your space is essential.

When I moved from Sydney to Cape Town in South Africa it took me a while to work out that I was energetically out of kilter. Initially I thought it was just good old-fashioned culture shock. I was used to the feverish buzz of Sydney but Cape Town had a different beat. It wasn’t until a friend told me that Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain had a strong energetic relationship to the planetary Chakras* that the penny dropped. The city’s vibrational energy was different to where I’d come from – I’d moved to a different part of the earth’s ‘body’ and I realised I had to shift gears to adapt. That experience of the earthly charkas also helped me understand the concept of chakras within the human physical body…

Kick into Spring with a relaxing yoga retreat at Salt Village, Kingscliff NSW. Located just 15 mins drive from the Gold Coast Airport, Salt Village offers two accommodation options at Peppers Salt Resort & Spa and Mantra on Salt Beach. The weekend retreat will include accommodation, all meals, yoga classes and treatments at The Golden Door Spa from only $340 per person (twin share). For bookings salt@peppers.com.au or phone (02) 6674 7726

Kris McIntyre is a Ryoho yoga therapist and writer best-known as the host of Australia’s YOGA TV. She currently works as the Editor-in-Chief/ Writer for strategic communication and design consultancy, gen.a and is a freelance writer for dumbo feather, Australian Yoga Journal and female-friendly travel website, holidaygoddess.com

As a freelance writer, author and editor Kris specialises in yoga, health/wellness, and travel with a focus on body and soul escapes. She co-authored Yoga for Switched on Living (Pan McMillan 2002) and has written for marie claire magazine (South Africa) and was a regular columnist and feature writer for body+soul (Sunday Telegraph, News Limited Australia) and Spa Life Magazine in Australia.

Kris is also the founder of Exchange for Change – a fundraising campaign in support of Oxfam.

COMO Shambhala Estate is the flagship property of COMO Shambhala, a holistic health retreat concept developed by Singaporean entrepreneur and goddess of good taste, Christina Ong. Voted as one of the best spas in the world by the likes of Conde Nast Traveller and SpaFinder The Estate describes itself as not just a spa and indulgence but ‘a retreat for change’. The offering is a stylish but personalised and holistic escape with individualised programs for wellness, fitness and rejuvenation.