We are pleased to announce that Yoga Sanctuary has partnered with Christina McGrath of Swell Fit Living for the 2025 Yoga Sanctuary Mana Retreat. Many of you may know Christina from her summer Yoga sessions in Tairua and Whangamata. This fitness and wellness extraordinaire has extensive experience as a Yoga teacher and athlete with a background in psychology.

With Christina as your guide during this long weekend, you can embark on a transformative journey to optimise your health, unleash your inner potential, and create a life filled with vitality, joy, and success. Christina will be accompanied by Mary Buckley, the owner of Yoga Sanctuary, and Abbey-Lee McMahon, a dedicated yoga teacher. Both women share a profound passion for the practice and are committed to supporting the health and wellness of their community through yoga.

Retreat Workshop sessions:

Eat – Learn optimal nutrition for your body to reach your goals – Anti-inflammatory guidance for your system, deconstructing myths around what is good for you and what you should be aiming for, creating strength, attaining the perfect weight and enhancing sleep quality.

Art – Creating flow in your life – Using sound and colour and to enhance energy centres and influence more artistic endeavours in your life. Creating balance and finding your passion. Could do this with slow flow highlighting colours and poses or creating art based on colours you resonate with.

Move – Yoga Pose Workshop – Taking 3-5 poses apart to learn that will benefit your mind and body daily. Could be inversions, art balances, backbends or sun salutations.

Mindset – Personal coaching and also group energy healing if we like. I can talk about the letting go technique and why it is essential to healing and growth.

Christina McGrath

Christina is a passionate adventurer with a deep love for surfing, snowboarding, biking, climbing, and running. Her journey into optimising health and achieving peak performance in all aspects of life has been a driving force in her life.

As an elite specialist in the wellness arena, Christina has honed her expertise in energy medicine, Yoga, nutrition, and sports massage. Her unique skillset allows her to empower individuals to unlock their full potential and thrive in mind, body, and spirit.

Christina’s style of Vinyasa Flow Yoga incorporates power, balance and flexibility to reduce injury and increase focus and strength.  She has worked with all ages, and caters to all throughout her practise.  Her expertise has taken her through many countries expanding her knowledge of yoga and studying many different forms.  The yoga sessions over this special weekend will help you connect, rejuvenate and relax.

Christina has helped hundreds of people on the brink of burnout, with skin issues and digestive problems, take control of their diet and lifestyle to create the fittest, strongest and healthiest version of themselves. Christina is a qualified and experienced therapeutic, sports, relaxation and aromatherapy massage therapist.

Mana Retreat Centre

Mana retreat is a purpose built centre in the Coromandel that provides the foundations for relaxation, spiritual exploration, creative expression and education while the land invites all to deepen their connection with nature, self, and community.

The Mana experience includes three organic vegetarian meals each day and a 24 hour beverage station; Comfortable twin share accommodation with single beds (double beds for couples), no bunks or dormitories; Beds are made up with fresh laundered cotton sheets, pillow slips and duvets; Towels are provided, with extra towels for the Sauna.

Retreat communal spaces include: The Octagon workshop space; The Tara Sanctuary – a tranquil non-denominational Chapel with breath-taking views and the perfect space for our Yoga sessions. Interact with nature via walks to the mountain summit, or explore the various walking tracks around the property or enjoy the tranquillity of the meditation platform. Guests are welcome to have a sauna during their stay or book a massage treatment.