About Antara

As always it has been a busy year for the Antara Association members, overseeing the running of both the Antara Free Natural Health Clinic and the Antara Retreat.

A very rewarding 12 months for all involved.

​

Antara Free Natural Health Clinic 

The Clinic has experienced more people seeking the help of our therapists and counsellors. The theme continues to be often around stress and anxiety, showing itself through emotional and physical pain.

​

The therapies currently offered are: Reiki, Bowen, Naturopathy, Nutrition, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Counselling, Somatic Psychotherapy, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ) and Grief Tending. This last therapy looks at grief as a natural reaction to loss (bereavement, environment, or social), where there is intense sorrow and physical pain presenting in the body resulting from the various types of loss.

 

The Clinic  currently have a staff of 18 therapists and 6 receptionists working at the Clinic. They are a wonderful team of caring and gifted individuals.

​

Antara Retreat 

The Retreat runs regular Nurture Weekends and Oneness Weekends, hosted by Leigh

McIntyre and Craig Parker.

 

This is what Leigh has to say:

** Holding regular helper times has enabled people to drop in and experience day to day living at the retreat. Those moments have transformed the grounds with help in clearing up the vege gardens, the orchards and surrounding gardens.

** We have had practitioners offer services to Nurture Weekend attendees of Reiki and energy healing and seen much comfort brought to those receiving.

** We held a women's weekend with the help of a trained trauma counsellor and a massage therapist which was very successful with all attendees networking and benefiting from time with others, sharing knowledge & reflections of experiences and leaving refreshed and ready to help others.

 

And a few words from Craig:

** Oneness weekends are tremendously successful in moving people out of life's stress and anxiety into a grounded and positive return to strength. Aligning with the Retreat’s core modality, they encourage service to others attending and, alongside the Retreat’s core values, create a powerful vessel to build self esteem, connection and friendships. Weekends include check ins, sharing circles,  yoga, healing room offerings, sound journeys and beautiful food.

** Ecstatic dance gives people the opportunity for somatic healing through the magic of movement, dance and free expression with live drumming. Ecstatic dance commences gently allowing people time to release from their day to day lives, express joy and connect with themselves and others.

** The Men’s Retreats explore and celebrate what it is to be a man in a world that has pushed toward the feminine. The weekends are led by those attending and focus on how to show up in positive masculine power, including processes for bringing emotions and feelings from shadow into full awareness and letting go with ease.

** Healer Circle Weekends, Helper the Helper and Nurture Weekends provide balance and care to those in real need of retreat. The native bush, gardens, beautiful vegetarian food and intention to give freely without expectation, allows for truly special holding of those in need.

 

In March we had a lovely gathering to celebrate 30 years since purchasing the Retreat property. Many many people have contributed to and benefited from their connection to the project over that time. We all celebrated with a  shared meal, a drumming workshop, guided tours for new visitors, and an evening of dance.  A great time had by all.

 

The vision for the future sees more inspiring workshops developing. And having access to a sawmill and timber, we envisage building more accommodation/shepherd huts on the retreat property, running building workshops and creating income by the selling some of these shepherds huts.

 

Those involved with both the Clinic and Retreat help so many.  They are an amazing group of caring individuals that bring to life the philosophy of Antara, the helping of others without expecting anything in return.

Many many thanks.

​

Grahams Marsden

Chairman

Antara Association Inc